How I survived the slums of Premium Economy

[juddles]

....

Did you apply for a points upgrade and miss out because the J bus was full or did you just have fingers crossed for an opup?

John, I did not apply for points upgrade. Even though I am sure I would have got it.

I have been guilty of burning a hell of a lot of QF points doing F with Emirates, and all the ecstasy that brings. My wife has caught on to that caper, and now have to reserve enough for at least her getting to experience Emirates F at some future date.....

 

[JohnM]

Very wise!

 

[JohnK]

The original post was not really about discussing PE per se But to those who think it is almost the same as economy, I disagree. In my belief, J is OK, PE is painful, but Y is horrendous.

Some disagree.

Economy is OK and business is a little better. Premium economy in non-bulkhead seat is awful when the serial recliners are reclined for the entire flight. The airlines got that one totally wrong. As I mentioned I would swap non bulkhead premium economy for 43H on a 14 hour flight in a heartbeat.

 

[juddles]

Some disagree.

Economy is OK and business is a little better. Premium economy in non-bulkhead seat is awful when the serial recliners are reclined for the entire flight. The airlines got that one totally wrong. As I mentioned I would swap non bulkhead premium economy for 43H on a 14 hour flight in a heartbeat.

Thanks John K - will investigate that option....

 

[eric2011]

Please correct me if I am wrong, we all now want lie-flat and room but we pretty much forget that PE is very close to what J used to be not so long ago. Also F/J class on most US Dom airlines equals PE

 

[Ewing]

I generally only do PE if 24A is available. It's perfectly acceptable, especially when 24B stays empty like it did just over a week ago - more practical than Business even as there's space for your entertainment device!

 

[JohnM]

Don't you mean 34?

 

[Ewing]

Don't you mean 34?

34 on 747, 24 on A380. 24A/B/J/K (per the photo) are the best PE seats in the fleet - exit row.

 

[JohnM]

Ah - gotcha. I was thinking in terms of @juddles' B747 QF27.

 

[HockeyMonkey]

If it is a full flight and J is not an option, PE is an ok alternative.

On an empty flight I actually prefer Y as the arm rests fold up giving you an inexpensive lie flat experience. My hit rate of 3-4 empty seats is surprisingly high. Where it gets a little awkward etiquette wise is where the the two middle seats are empty in a row of four.

 

[Forg]

Y+ is an overpriced rip off in most cases, sometimes I think it's better to put up with Y or go the whole hog. The prices do not reflect the product. If they were 25% more than it would be more realistic.

Yes & no ... based on RRP it's overpriced for most carriers, but some of the time it's priced appropriately. I paid $4k for return SYD-LGW in J because it seemed a really good deal & I'd been looking for Y+ fares which weren't much less (in fact QF was more for Y+ SYD-LHR); but with China Airlines the same flights were about $2200 in Y+ (which, while more than people are currently paying SYD-LHR in Y, is still similar to standard RRP pricing). I think the ability to sit without your knees wedged into the back of the seat in front & without your neighbour's elbows wedged into your sides is worth that level of extra money.

 

[downgraded]

When I travel next to a small person in Y, PE seems unwarranted. When stuck next to some one who oozes over the arm rests I'm reminded of the benefit of PE.

However, QF has lost the plot on PE pricing to LHR but assume this is simply because people are blindly booking it so they can.

 

[ozjuice]

Travelling as a couple in Y is not too bad if i get Exit / bulkhead seats and an aisle seat. That way i always know who i am sitting next to. My wife being quite smaller generally has no issues. Therefore paying more than double does not seem economic.
Getting great Y+ deals is uncommon especially when you can't be flexy with dates. That slightly extra room comes at a real premium. I'm not saying it isn't better, but it's not more than twice better. Hence, a bit of a rip off! Airlines know people will pay becuase Y is so bad mostly.

 

[Ewing]

However, QF has lost the plot on PE pricing to LHR but assume this is simply because people are blindly booking it so they can.

Not just LHR.

For a SYD-LAX trip I'm considering:

Y - $1,100 return
W - $5,700 return
J - $12,003 return
F - $16,683 return

I won't fly Y (I have a bad back, more than 2 hours in Y is agony for me) so at those prices I guess I just won't be going.

It's still a few months out so I guess things can change.

 

[juddles]

Actually IMO there is a big gap between Y and Y+ and I would pay the money for it any day if not able to go J. ........
Y+ to SCL is a loooong way though and Juddles, you’re pretty tall, so it must have been hard for you.

...... I think the ability to sit without your knees wedged into the back of the seat in front & without your neighbour's elbows wedged into your sides is worth that level of extra money.

love_the_life and Forg, this is exactly it for me. I am way too tall to be a traveller. PE means I can almost feel normal, where as in Y it is misery from the first few seconds after boarding. People of more usual height would probably find the difference between Y and PE less grand, but for me it is amazing. The last time I did a Y long haul, I actually stood most of the 12 hr flight.

 

[Ewing]

love_the_life and Forg, this is exactly it for me. I am way too tall to be a traveller. PE means I can almost feel normal, where as in Y it is misery from the first few seconds after boarding. People of more usual height would probably find the difference between Y and PE less grand, but for me it is amazing. The last time I did a Y long haul, I actually stood most of the 12 hr flight.

Same here.

In Y my knees are rammed into the seat back in front. I won't risk booking Y and then selecting a bulkhead, as if I was moved I wouldn't be able to cope. When I was heavier I booked PE at a minimum so I didn't subject my neighbour to my excess girth - but now that I've lost > 30kg it's my height that's the limiting factor.

These days I book J if the pricing is reasonable (about $6k is the max I'll pay for LAX and SFO - which are my usual destinations) but any more than that it's PE and I'll hope my points upgrade comes through.

 

[ozjuice]

Not just LHR.

For a SYD-LAX trip I'm considering:

Y - $1,100 return
W - $5,700 return
J - $12,003 return
F - $16,683 return

I won't fly Y (I have a bad back, more than 2 hours in Y is agony for me) so at those prices I guess I just won't be going.

It's still a few months out so I guess things can change.

VA Y+ is actually a very good product and often cheaper than this....but still overpriced ;-)

 

[equus]

One thing that bugs me is that a PE fare is way higher than Y but only earns FF points at whY level. It seems mean that they don't pitch points yield somewhere between whY and J.

The fare may be way higher than the available “flexible economy” bucket you are comparing to, which also earns ar the full whY level, but is probably still way cheaper than a true Y bucket fare (which may be a lot more than an I or D depending on the route).

 

[juddles]

The fare may be way higher than the available “flexible economy” bucket you are comparing to, which also earns ar the full whY level, but is probably still way cheaper than a true Y bucket fare (which may be a lot more than an I or D depending on the route).

For my particular route / dates, the sale PE fare was $2500, where as the flex Y for the same dates / SC / points was $3000.

I agree that on other routes (such as to LHR) it would be ridiculous to pay what QF ask for for PE, but on my little milk run, it is IMHO, actually really good value.