Originally Posted by
WingoWango
As far as Im aware the new class of "New Economy" is an increase of £19 on the base fare "Essential" so it does offer a saving compared to the old unbundled price structure of old.
I think its the right step forward and should be received well from old and new customers.
"New Economy" includes a checked bag, seat selection at time of booking, a "changeable fare", and an SMS message confirming the booking. I put "Changeable fare" in quotes because you still pay any difference between the original price and the lowest fare available on the flight you change to.
If I am a business passenger flying with hand luggage, the only feature in this lot that is of particular interest is seat selection at time of booking. £19 for that? I don't think so. I know I'm supposed to be attracted by the flexibility to change my return flight when my meeting finishes early, but it's so rare that (a) this happens and (b) there's a convenient earlier return, that I personally don't find it worth pricing in that option.
The inclusion of baggage allowance in the new economy fare, and the credit card charge per booking rather than per passenger, suggests that they are particularly targeting groups (I mean 2 or more) and families, rather than business travellers, who I imagine are viewed as less price-sensitive.
I think it's a gutsy move by flybe to try and put the "unbundling" genie back in the bottle, but I can't help see it as a way to increase yields first and foremost, dressed up in some warm and fuzzy rhetoric. It's all perfectly rational, I suppose, but for me it doesn't deserve the tag of "a new philosophy of flying".