Travelore News: Virgin Atlantic flies World's First 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flight From London Heathrow To New York JFK

Virgin Atlantic's historic flight on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) takes off from London Heathrow to New York JFK, marking the culmination of a year of radical collaboration, to demonstrate the capability of SAF as a safe drop-in replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel, compatible with today's engines, airframes and fuel infrastructure.

SAF has a significant role to play in the decarbonization of long-haul aviation, and pathway to Net Zero 2050. The fuel, made from waste products, delivers CO2 lifecycle emissions savings of up to 70%, whilst performing like the traditional jet fuel it replaces.

While other technologies such as electric and hydrogen remain decades away, SAF can be used now. Today, SAF represents less than 0.1% of global jet fuel volumes and fuel standards allow for just a 50% SAF blend in commercial jet engines. Flight100 will prove that the challenge of scaling up production is one of policy and investment, and industry and government must move quickly to create a thriving UK SAF industry.

As well as proving the capabilities of SAF, Flight100 will assess how its use affects the flight's non-carbon emissions with the support of consortium partners ICF, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Imperial College London and University of Sheffield. The research will improve scientific understanding of the effects of SAF on contrails and particulates and help to implement contrail forecasts in the flight planning process. Data and research will be shared with industry, and Virgin Atlantic will continue its involvement with contrail work through RMI's Climate Impact Task Force, which is part-funded by Virgin Unite.

The SAF used on Flight100 is a unique dual blend; 88% HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) supplied by AirBP and 12% SAK (Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene) supplied by Virent, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation. The HEFA is made from waste fats while the SAK is made from plant sugars, with the remainder of plant proteins, oil and fibres continuing into the food chain. SAK is needed in 100% SAF blends to give the fuel the required aromatics for engine function. To achieve Net Zero 2050, the innovation and investment needed across all available feedstocks and technologies must be harnessed to maximize SAF volumes as well as continuing the research and development needed to bring new zero emission aircraft to market.

Virgin Atlantic is committed to finding more sustainable ways to fly, on its flightpath to Net Zero 2050, taking action across every part of the journey. Already operating one of the youngest and most fuel and carbon efficient fleets in the sky, Flight100 builds on the airline's 15-year track record for leading on development of SAF at scale. Collectively, industry and government must go further, to create a UK SAF industry and meet aviation's 10% SAF by 2030 target, capitalizing on the significant social and economic benefits it will bring – an estimated contribution of £1.8 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK and more than 10,000 jobs.

The airline acknowledged the SAF Grand Challenge President Biden set in 2021 for the US, promising the adoption of 3 billion gallons of SAF by 2030. Alongside the Inflation Reduction Act, the US government's commitments to stimulate private investment into the US SAF industry reinforce the importance of close collaboration within the industry and globally to achieve emissions reductions targets.

Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Atlantic said: "Flight100 proves that Sustainable Aviation Fuel can be used as a safe, drop-in replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel and it's the only viable solution for decarbonizing long-haul aviation. It's taken radical collaboration to get here and we're proud to have reached this important milestone, but we need to push further. There is simply not enough SAF and it's clear that in order to reach production at scale, we need to see significantly more investment. This will only happen when regulatory certainty and price support mechanisms, backed by government, are in place. Flight100 proves that if you make it, we'll fly it."

Sir Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Atlantic said: "The world will always assume something can't be done, until you do it. The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone's benefit.

"Virgin Atlantic has been challenging the status quo and pushing the aviation industry to never settle and do better since 1984. Fast forward nearly 40 years, that pioneering spirit continues to be Virgin Atlantic's beating heart as it pushes the boundaries from carbon fibre aircraft and fleet upgrades to sustainable fuels.

"I couldn't be prouder to be onboard Flight100 today alongside the teams at Virgin Atlantic and our partners, which have been working together to set the flight path for the decarbonization of long-haul aviation."

UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "Today's historic flight, powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel, shows how we can both decarbonize transport and enable passengers to keep flying when and where they want.

"This Government has backed today's flight to take-off and we will continue to support the UK's emerging SAF industry as it creates jobs, grows the economy and gets us to Jet Zero."

Dame Karen Pierce, His Majesty's Ambassador to the United States said: "This world first marks a crucial step in the UK's journey towards Jet Zero aviation emissions.

"We look forward to continuing our close work alongside the US to increase the use of this pioneering fuel as we welcome the sustainable flights of the future."

Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Rick Cotton said: "As part of our agencywide goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the Port Authority strongly encourages and supports efforts by our airport stakeholders to reduce their carbon footprint and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We are thrilled to welcome the first transatlantic flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel into John F. Kennedy International Airport and hope that the success of Virgin Atlantic's flight to New York will inspire the entire airport community to move forward with aggressive sustainability efforts."

Sheila Remes, Vice President of Environmental Sustainability, Boeing said: "In 2008 Virgin Atlantic and Boeing completed the first commercial SAF test flight on a 747 and today we will accomplish yet another significant milestone utilizing a 787 Dreamliner. This flight is a key step toward our commitment to deliver 100% SAF-compatible airplanes by 2030. As we work toward the civil aviation industry's net-zero goal, today's historic journey highlights what we can achieve together."

Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology & Safety, Rolls-Royce plc, said: "We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines are powering the first ever widebody flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel across the Atlantic today. Rolls-Royce has recently completed compatibility testing of 100% SAF on all our in-production civil aero engine types and this is further proof that there are no engine technology barriers to the use of 100% SAF. The flight represents a major milestone for the entire aviation industry in its journey towards net zero carbon emissions."

For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com

Virgin Atlantic Tells Cabin Crew That They Can Only Wear Gender Neutral Uniforms On Flights To Just Two Countries

Virgin Atlantic’s landmark gender identity policy that allows cabin crew to “express themselves” through uniform choice has been restricted to just two countries after the airline conducted risk assessments and decided that within the Virgin Atlantic route network, only the United States and Israel were “accepting of non-binary identities”.

Last September, Virgin Atlantic made history when it became the first UK airline to di
tch traditional gender-based uniform rules. Instead of a ‘male’ and ‘female’ uniforms, the airline now has a ‘red’ uniform which features a skirt and a ‘burgundy’ uniform which is a three-piece suit.
Cabin crew are meant to be allowed to choose the uniform they want to wear regardless of their gender identity, although the freedom to choose has been severely restricted due to safety fears in many countries because of discriminatory attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ people.

A spokesperson explained that ongoing risk assessments are conducted across the airline’s destinations which take into account “laws and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community”.

As part of those risk assessments, the airline has reportedly concluded that it is only safe to apply the new gender identity uniform policy on flights to the United States and Israel. On flights to all other destinations, including across the Caribbean, Africa and India, cabin crew must wear a uniform that matches the gender recorded in their passport.

Even when flying to a ‘safe’ destination, cabin crew must carry both uniform sets just in case the plane has to divert to another country and to ‘ensure their safety’.

In a statement, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told us: “The safety and security of our people and customers is always our top priority.”

“We’re proud our leading Gender Identity Policy allows our people to express themselves through uniform choice. As part of our policy, we complete ongoing risk assessments on all countries we fly to, considering laws and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community and expressions of identity on a case-by-case basis.”

In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last November, it was revealed that Virgin Atlantic had restricted its gender-neutral uniform policy for a special charter flight to get the England team to Doha due to attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community in the Persian Gulf country.

In 2021, Virgin Atlantic warned 12 Caribbean countries that ‘state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia’ could be costing them as much as $689 million in lost tourism every year from LGBTQ+ travellers who would rather spend their pink dollars in more welcoming destinations.

BY MATEUSZ MASZCZYNSKI

Travelore News: Virgin Atlantic Airline Files For US Bankruptcy Protection

NEW YORK (AP) — Virgin Atlantic, the airline founded by British businessman Richard Branson, filed Tuesday for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court as it tries to survive the virus pandemic that is hammering the airline industry.

The airline made the Chapter 15 filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month. The process is supported by a majority of the airline’s creditors, and the company hopes to emerge from the process in September, she said.

A Virgin Atlantic lawyer said in a court filing that the company needs an order from a U.S. court to make terms of the restructuring apply in the U.S.

The airline is primarily a long-haul operator, including flights between the U.K. and the U.S. It stopped flying in April due to the pandemic and only resumed flights in July. It closed a base at London’s Gatwick Airport and cut about 3,500 jobs.

Branson appealed to the British government for financial help earlier this year — even saying that he would pledge his Caribbean island resort as collateral for a loan — but was rebuffed.

Last month, Virgin Atlantic announced that it had put together a deal to raise 1.2 billion pounds (nearly $1.6 billion at current exchange rates) from private sources, including 200 million pounds from Branson’s Virgin Group.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, which owns 49% of the airline, agreed to defer payments it was owed, and hedge fund Davidson Kempner agreed to lend Virgin Atlantic 170 million pounds. Virgin Atlantic also delayed deliveries of Airbus jets.

Virgin Atlantic’s court moves follow bankruptcy filings in the U.S. by Latin America’s two biggest airlines, Latam and Avianca, and by Mexico’s Aeromexico since the start of the pandemic. Virgin’s sister airline Virgin Australia filed for protection from creditors in its home country in April.

Airlines have been slammed by the coronavirus outbreak that has led to travel restrictions and left many people afraid to fly. The International Air Transport Association, a trade group for global airlines, estimates the industry will lose $84 billion this year and revenue will drop by half from 2019 levels.

Branson founded and still holds a 10% stake in Virgin Australia, which has announced plans to shed a third of its workforce as it scales back operations as part of its restructuring.

The airline, Australia’s second-largest carrier, sought bankruptcy protection and its administrator Deloitte’s has entered into a binding agreement to sell the airline to Boston-based investment firm Bain Capital. The deal will go within weeks for final approval to a meeting of Virgin creditors who are owed 7 billion Australian dollars ($5 billion).

Everything You Wanted To Know About Airplane Food (But Were Afraid To Ask)

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Dining at 35,000 feet certainly isn’t what it used to be, but it isn’t what it could be, either.

Starting with: Does airplane food always taste mediocre? (Thankfully, no!)

Eating on a plane wasn't always joyless. We think. It feels so long ago that hot meals were a guarantee... Now, mid-air dining poses one of the greatest challenges between two wings, with passengers wondering: What should I order? Should I even bother to order? Should I just bring food on the plane? What should I bring? And why does everything taste so weird? Luckily, we have answers to everything.

WHY AIRPLANE FOOD TASTE DIFFERENT

To start: Cabin humidity is typically low on a plane—between 10 and 20 percent—which can dry out your nose and affect your sense of smell. Recycled air combined with air-conditioning makes food dry up quickly, which explains why most meals go heavy on the sauce. And a 2015 study by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab found that plane vibrations stimulate a nerve in the middle ear, which messed with the participants’ perceptions of taste: Savory flavors were heightened, and sweet flavors were, well, less sweet. That the scales tipped toward savory is not that surprising: Umami, the fifth taste sense, has previously shown to be an airline chef's secret weapon.

Robin Dando, Ph.D., one of the authors of the study, told Condé Nast Traveler that tasting is much more than putting food in your mouth: “When we perceive a flavor, we're not just perceiving the ingredients. We're getting inputs from all of our senses, which put together an image of the flavor as a whole in our brain,” says Dando. “Our study showed the importance of the auditory environment in how we enjoy our foods—in loud noise environments, for example, all of the hard work done by a chef to balance complex flavors is undone.”

Down the road, Dando says airline chefs could try to combat the imbalance by tasting their food while wearing headphones and playing the same aircraft noise. Sounds like fun, right? Bet they'll love that. Until then, switch on those noise-canceling headphones, stay hydrated, and adhere to the "wetter is better" mantra for onboard eating.

THERE'S A SECRET TO ORDERING MEALS...

The longer the meals sit on the food cart, the less “fresh” and warm they’ll be—no amount of warming or speed rolling down the aisles can help. If you’re content to go the onboard-meal route, add an extra five minutes to your booking and request an special meal option: think vegetarian, low-fat, or even kosher. This ensures you’ll get your meal delivered before others, and makes it more likely that it'll be fresh(er).

...AND THERE'S AIRPLANE FOOD YOU'LL (ACTUALLY) WANT TO TRY

Dining 35,000 feet in the air certainly isn’t what it used to be, but it isn’t what it could be, either. When will they start delivering Shake Shack on board? Dreams aside, certain airline meals are not only palatable, they’re actually—dare we say it?—good. From afternoon tea in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class to Filipino beef kare-kare (oxtail stew with tripe and pork leg simmered in a cashew sauce with asparagus, roasted potatoes, and carrots) in Hawaiian Airlines' First Class, you’ll be flying high in more ways than one. But for those of us unable to spring for first or business-class fares, fear not: Whether it’s brisket chili from three-time James Beard–winning chef Tom Douglas on Alaska Airlines, Viennese schnitzel on Austrian Airlines, or a chicken Cobb salad on American Airlines, there are great economy options out there, too.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

If you want to skip onboard ordering altogether, bring on foods that will retain their flavor, taste good at room temperature, and stand up to the harsh, dry air conditions. For main meals, try lentils, grains tossed in vinaigrette (barley, farro, and rice will all maintain their firmness), or pasta with olive oil and cheese. As ever, look for foods that rank high in umami and will actually be enhanced by that pesky airline hum: carrots, Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, and tomatoes are all up there. No wonder those in-flight Bloody Marys taste so good.

Written by Katherine LaGrave

 www.cntraveler.com

Travelore Tips: Indulge In These Top 9 Airline Freebies You May Not Know About

With new fees and surcharges constantly popping up, it’s hard to imagine the word “free” associated with anything related to the airline industry. Well, the travel experts at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, are once again helping you stretch your travel budget with 9 Airline Freebies You May Not Know About, a list of fun, flavorful and just plain useful items you can score on flights without breaking out your credit card. Ready for another shock? These perks are available in coach class seats.

While snacks and booze are popular and appreciated freebies on airlines, here are five other small indulgences that make our list:

·         Slippers - All passengers flying with Japan Airlines get a pair of slippers – in either pink, blue or yellow – as a way to help travelers relax during the flight. Not only do you get to choose the color, you can also ask for an amenity kit with a toothbrush, set of earplugs and eye mask.

·         Postcards, playing cards and writing kits - Over on Singapore Airlines, you can request free postcards, playing cards and writing kits. There is also a power outlet at every seat so you can conveniently charge your devices. And when you’re ready to grab a little shut-eye, request a free eye mask and set of earplugs from the flight attendant. Don’t forget to check out the complimentary toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, moisturizers, cologne and aftershave available in each lavatory.

·         Nanny service - Need a bit of extra help getting your kids settled or keeping them occupied during the flight? If you’re flying with Etihad, you can request a nanny to come to your aid. These nannies can’t take your kids off your hands completely, but they are able to provide extra care and entertainment. Every nanny is equipped with a goody bag of games and activities.

·         Amenity kits - Amenity kits aren’t just for those flying business or first class. Many airlines offer free amenity kits for long-haul flights. For example, Virgin Atlantic offers an economy amenity kit that contains eyeshades, earplugs, a toothbrush, hand wipes and a pen. On Singapore Airlines your amenity kit has a toothbrush, toothpaste and socks. If you’re flying overnight on jetBlue you can take advantage of their Snooze Kit and Eye-Opener services. The former gets you an eyeshade and earplugs, while with the latter you get a hot towel, coffee, orange juice or bottled water.

·         Kids’ packs and toys - Grown-ups shouldn’t get to have all the fun when it comes to free in-flight stuff. Some airlines offer kids’ packs and toys as a way to help keep the younger set occupied during the trip. Once onboard a Virgin Atlantic flight, kids will find a KiD backpack on their seat filled with fun goodies to keep them busy while parents get settled in. On Singapore Airlines travelers younger than 12 are treated to exclusive Cartoon Network collectible items on most flights to and from Singapore. On British Airways, kids are gifted Skyflyers activity packs on all flights longer than two hours from London Heathrow and London Gatwick. For children between 3 and 5, the pack contains crayons and a “Spread your Wings” coloring book featuring Cuthbert the Cat. Kids over 6 get a pack with a pen and “Wing It” book, filled with facts about flying, together with puzzles and sudokus.

Feeling a little hungry or thirsty on your flight? Get the inside scoop on food and drink freebies by checking out Cheapflights.com’s 9 Airline Freebies You May Not Know About at www.cheapflights.com/news/score-9-airline-freebies-you-may-not-know-about. 

Trelawny, Jamaica: ‘As If The Clock Has Stopped’

Slow the pace: Trelawny beach. Photograph: Alamy

Trelawany Parish is home to the fastest man on Earth but, as Richard Moore finds, the pace of life is more leisurely

My Jamaica adventure began with Usain Bolt. Researching a book about the island’s abundance of great sprinters, I planned a visit to Trelawny Parish, where Bolt and several of his teammates come from. Most of my friends who have been to Jamaica had stayed in one of the resorts that dot the coast, particularly around Montego Bay in the north-west, but I wanted to rent a car and tour the island.

“You don’t want to hire a car,” one recent visitor told me. “You want to hire a driver.” This is what he had done and after a few days had spotted something glinting at his driver’s waist, something that wasn’t a belt buckle. It was a gun. I decide to hire a car.

In a pub in St James’s, London, I met Ian Thomson, author of The Dead Yard, a vivid, gripping account of modern Jamaica, who had promised to give me some travel tips and contacts. Over a pint of Guinness, he reassured me; well, he did. His book, which paints a fairly bleak picture, did not. And yet, travelling exclusively by bus, Ian had immersed himself in the Jamaican experience and didn’t just live to tell the tale, but actually seemed to have enjoyed himself. “You’ll love it,” he said.

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 Catch of the day: Falmouth, a place with ‘charm and authenticity’. Photograph: Getty

During my first few days I explored Kingston – the city thrums with an energy that owes something to its dangerous reputation, which explains why it isn’t a mecca for tourists. It is worth visiting – it’s like plugging yourself into the mains. I take a guided tour of Trench Town, the ghetto where Bob Marley grew up, then drive out to the old city of Port Royal, and the Blue Mountains, recently designated a Unesco world heritage site. But the highlight is coming back each evening to the cooking at Neita’s Nest, a guesthouse run by Michelle, daughter of eminent Jamaican author Hartley Neita. Her housekeeper, Charmaine, lovingly prepared ackee and salt fish for breakfast; there are yams, fried bammies, boiled green bananas, cod-fish fritters with callaloo and jerked lamb burgers.

A fence now keeps tourists in and locals out. Which is a real shame, as Falmouth has charm and authenticity

The trip to Trelawny at the other end of the island takes me through an interior which, from the air, looks lush with conical mountains and ferocious waterfalls. Up close it is even more spectacular, the roads narrow and heavily potholed as they weave through the mogul-like hills and dense forest of Cockpit Country. Driving in Jamaica is an intense experience. The roads are not dangerous per se, but some of the drivers are (“Undertakers love careless overtakers,” reads one billboard).

Entering Trelawny’s capital, Falmouth, – with its dusty roads, crumbling buildings and hand-painted signs above shops – it is as if the clock stopped in 1810, when the town was in its colonial pomp. In one direction went sugar and rum to Britain, in the other came slaves from Africa – up to 30 boats a day. The town boasted the finest Georgian architecture in the Caribbean, the pièce de résistance being the courthouse, the first building you would see on disembarking, but the buildings are now crumbling.

I am struck by another sight, one that was utterly incongruous. Sitting in the harbour, towering over the town, are two of the world’s largest cruise ships. That should mean up to 6,000 visitors, yet the streets, and the shops and market stalls, are virtually empty. The local pastor, Devere Nugent – an upbeat man who was also Bolt’s first athletics coach – explains why. The cruise company came to Falmouth, he says, with a proposal to redevelop the pier. Local people were encouraged to open shops and restaurants, but the company then built a replica of the town within the pier complex. A fence now keeps tourists in and locals out.

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 The island has an abundance of great sprinters: above, Usain Bolt. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Which is a real shame, as Falmouth has charm and authenticity. Much of the town’s Georgian architecture has fallen into disrepair though efforts are ongoing to restore some of the grand old buildings; guided walking tours tell of the rich history of a town that was once the jewel of the Caribbean but now feels more like a rough diamond. (Falmouth had piped water before New York; these days there are villages in Trelawny, including Bolt’s, that still don’t have running water.) The area from Water Square to the old harbour has lots of stalls with the local speciality, jerk chicken, and others selling locally made arts and crafts. The businesses on Market Street are wonderfully eclectic and eccentric, among them the Miracle Medical Lab and Dr CAL Behasse, Clinical Christian Psychologist. Despite the lack of tourists, Falmouth feels safe and friendly.

The legacy of slavery is evident throughout Trelawny, though it is also the cradle of emancipation (thanks in particular to William Knibb, a 19th-century English minister who gave his name to the Falmouth Baptist church and the school attended by Bolt). Twenty minutes outside the town, perched on a hill overlooking a coast fringed by beautiful, mainly deserted beaches,, stands one of several plantation owners’ estates, Greenwood Great House. Built in 1780 by the cousin of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Greenwood is now a museum that shows how the owners lived and the slaves suffered – exhibits include the grotesque, mantraps shaped like a shark’s mouth that were used to catch runaways.

Greenwood tells one side of the story, the Maroon community of Flagstaff another. Its inhabitants are known as Maroons – from the Spanish for “fugitives”. There’s a popular theory that the Maroons hold the key to understanding Jamaica’s great sprinting success. They were the slaves who escaped to the mountaintop communities of Cockpit Country; the toughest of the tough, in other words. There’s a theory that they hold the key to understanding Jamaica’s sprinting success, though as Ian Thomson writes in The Dead Yard: “Much romantic nonsense has been written about the Maroons.”

Flagstaff is at the end of a steep zigzag road that in places is more rubble than tarmac. When I climb out of the car, I am approached by locals offering help and keen to share information. Michael Drizzle, a spry man who introduces himself as the local Maroons chief, rents his own place out on Airbnb and offers guided tours to the heritage walking trails.

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 ‘Despite the lack of tourists, Falmouth feels safe and friendly’: the historic square. Photograph: Alamy

It’s funny, I think, as Drizzle leads me through the village: the Maroons were slaves who escaped to inhospitable Cockpit Country to flee the Brits. Now their ancestors are slowly building the infrastructure – information boards, walks – to attract tourists. The facilities are modest but, as Grizzle explains, there is great pride in who they are and what they are trying to do.

I sense that pride in all the Maroons I meet in Flagstaff. And also, given that so many visitors to Jamaica seem to be holed up in their resorts or restricted to their cruise liners, I sense their surprise that I have made it.

Virgin Atlantic flies three times a week to Montego Bay from Gatwick from £674 return. Neita’s Nest in Kingston has doubles from £105 B&B

• The Bolt Supremacy: Inside Jamaica’s Sprint Factory by Richard Moore is published by Yellow Jersey at £18.99. To order a copy for £15.19, including UK p&p, see bookshop.theguardian.com

By Richard Moore

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The Growing Perks Of Premium Economy

Better food and better room in the space between business class and coach; champagne is available, but not the fancy stuff

Premium economy has matured and is a solid fixture for travelers around the world except the U.S. airlines, which simply have extra legroom rows. WSJ Middle Seat Columnist Scott McCartney joins Lunch Break. Photo: Michal Czerwonka for The Wall Street Journal

By 

SCOTT MCCARTNEY

Aug. 12, 2015 12:31 p.m. ET

28 COMMENTS

Los Angeles

It’s time to think of premium economy as a regular class of airline service alongside coach, first and business.

Premium economy seats come with better meals and more seat width, legroom, recline and perks at a far cheaper fare than business class. The idea has taken hold everywhere but the U.S., where American, Delta and United have been focused on updating coach with slim seats and boosting business class to international standards.

Internationally, two of the last big holdouts, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa, are now adding it for long-haul flights, citing customer demand.

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Along with better leg room in Lufthansa’s premium economy, the airline has installed a six-inch center console to give seats a greater feeling of width. PHOTO: LUFTHANSA

Singapore will launch premium economy on Dec. 1 with flights to Los Angeles; New York and San Francisco will follow. In addition to more space, Singapore has created new food service for premium economy—gourmet dishes such as braised short ribs, lamb biryani or dim sum from a Los Angeles restaurant—and engineered them to fit into economy trays rather than served on plates like first-class and business-class meals.

Lufthansa will complete installation of premium economy in all its long-haul airplanes in October. Since Lufthansa’s premium economy launch earlier this year, bookings have run 10% higher than the airline expected, according to Annette Mann, Lufthansa’s director of customer experience. About half of premium economy passengers are people paying their own way and half are corporate travelers.

“It’s designed for people who say economy is not comfortable enough but they, or their company, are not willing to pay for business class,” Ms. Mann says.

Typical premium economy has flight attendants and bathrooms reserved for that cabin. Seats usually have bigger entertainment screens than economy, plus 6 inches more legroom, 4 to 5 inches more recline and often an extra inch or two of seat width. Perks such as early boarding and more generous baggage allowances come with the higher fares. In a sign of how cramped regular coach seats have become, fliers have shown themselves willing to pay $600 to $900 round trip for these add-ons.

Lufthansa and Singapore had been reluctant to install premium economy for many years. They worried coach passengers wouldn’t pay up and business-class customers would trade down. But Singapore and Lufthansa say they heard more from frequent fliers, travel agents and corporations that don’t pay for business class who wanted something better than coach and were willing to pay 50% more.

Now 15 of the 20 largest airlines that offer long international flights have installed premium economy cabins. Many smaller airlines offer premium economy as well. And several airlines have said that premium economy is their most-profitable cabin per square inch of airplane floor space.

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Lufthansa’s premium economy seats will have some elements of business class, though meals will be more similar to those in economy seats. PHOTO: LUFTHANSA

“It seems now that it’s an accepted product category instead of just an ancillary add-on,” says Chris Rossi, senior vice president at Virgin Atlantic Airways, which was one of the first airlines to launch premium economy back in 1992. Recently Virgin added a new water fountain, snack and lounge area to the premium economy cabins on its Boeing 787 Dreamliners called the Wander Wall.

American, Delta and United, the biggest U.S. carriers, count among the last major airlines resisting this trend. They offer extra legroom seats in their coach cabins for a smaller add-on fee, but not a separate class of service with its own fares, seats and enhancements. (The other two top 20 airlines offering nothing between coach and business class are Persian Gulf carriers.)

U.S. airlines say they are content to offer extra legroom, which travelers increasingly pay for, and don’t have immediate plans for full premium economy offerings. United says it is constantly evaluating whether to add elements beyond extra legroom. American says sales of it extra legroom seats, which cost $112 to $177 each way on long international flights, are “doing well.” Delta recently said revenue from extra-legroom seats was up 30% in the second quarter compared with a year earlier.

“We’re aware of the competitive international landscape and we’re exploring options, but no decisions have been made,” Delta spokesman Anthony Black says.

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Virgin Atlantic has what it calls a Wander Wall, a snack/lounge area in its premium economy cabin on Boeing 787 Dreamliners. PHOTO: VIRGIN ATLANTIC

But other airlines have found fliers want more than just extra legroom. In Singapore’s case, the new premium economy cabin will have some elements of business class, such as free-flowing champagne. (It’s Ernest Rapeneau, about $25 a bottle, instead of the $50 Taittinger offered in business class.)

Instead of just puffing up economy meals with extra cheese and crackers, Singapore decided to create a new class of meal. At the airline’s Los Angeles in-flight caterer, Hacor Inc., much work went into refining recipes for taste and appearance and engineering them to fit in 5-inch-by-2.5-inch casserole dishes on economy trays.

Here, executive chef Christophe Cosnierworked through many tastings with airline officials to tailor recipes for the rigors of air travel, where food gets cooked, shipped and reheated before being served in a desert-dry environment. Even more important to Singapore was appearance—dishes must have visual flair.

“They will taste better if they look good,” says Mr. Cosnier, a Frenchman.

Mr. Cosnier borrowed some favorites from business class, such as braised short ribs, which are seasoned overnight, seared and braised for more than four hours. Lamb biryani, a new entree for Singapore, added more comfort food to the premium economy menu. The tasty rice dish is seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, cashews and shallots.

Spicy foods work well because the arid cabin deadens taste buds, Mr. Cosnier says. He uses tricks such as covering dim sum and rice with a wet cabbage leaf to keep them moist during reheating. (Flight attendants remove the leaf before serving.)

ENLARGE

Brian Huang of Hacor examines new premium economy meals to be served on Singapore Airlines. PHOTO:MICHAL CZERWONKA FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Singapore says it is taking 66 economy seats out of its A380s to install 36 premium economy seats. Premium economy will cost 40% to 70% more than coach, says Alastair Hay-Campbell, vice president of Singapore’s southwest division.

So the premium economy cabin has to stand out with a lot more than just extra legroom. The airline decided to offer its popular Book the Cook service, where passengers preorder meals from a broad menu for each cabin, to premium economy as well as business and first.

“We want to encourage people to trade up,” he says.

British Airways recently began letting its premium economy passengers, as well as business and first, preorder meals on certain flights. British Airways also has been refreshing premium economy cabins on some of its older planes with new entertainment systems and better seat cushions.

Lufthansa says its research showed customers were willing to trade up at a fixed price of $600 to $700 more than coach, rather than a percentage of the fare. Its focus groups also found that seat width was just as important as legroom, so the airline’s premium economy seats have a six-inch center console between them. “Customers said it has to be wide enough so I don’t touch the person next to me,” Ms. Mann says.

Lufthansa’s premium economy has some elements of business class: a welcome drink at boarding, an amenity kit and bottled water at the seat. For meals, though, premium economy passengers get the same two choices as in coach. But they get a bit more food, like an extra chocolate, plus a better salad and nicer bread. And they get a bigger baggage allowance.

One driver of recent sales: global Wi-Fi and in-seat power. That means more travelers want space to open laptops and work, which can be difficult, if not impossible, in a coach row of 31 or 32 inches.

“It’s a comfortable work area now,” says Mr. Rossi, Virgin Atlantic’s head in North America.

Write to Scott McCartney at middleseat@wsj.com