So much for a "classless" society

[Guest M. McRae]

I guess the next move will be to change the seating configuration to reflect "steerage class". People will truely get what they pay for......

Continental introduces new perks for full-paying passengers. According to Airwise News, Continental wants to ensure that passengers who pay full-fare get their money’s worth. The introduction of the Elite Access service promises to offer full-fare passengers in business, first-class and coach class priority treatment at the airport. Full-fare passengers will be put at the head of the line, have preferential luggage handling and better choice of seating. The “blue carpet” service even includes blue carpets and gold posts to mark the path to priority boarding. The airline says it is addressing customers who pay higher fares that account for an important part of the carrier’s revenues.

[Guest PortTack]

So when a full fare passenger is standing on the blue carpet, between the brass posts, and looking at all the other people in the lounge still seated. Waht will they be thinking? "Wow, they all got a better deal on airfare?"

Myself, I'd think leaving everyone but business class in the same crowd would come off looking a little better.....

[Guest M. McRae]

I guess the logical extension would also to seat the full Y passengers first and if there is a overbooking problem after those seats are filled, to bump from the cheapest class first. You know, that is not a bad idea from a profit & loss basis but it might just tend to drive the "lowfare classes" to a purely lowefare airline with the direct result being that the cheap seats go empty. Guess time will tell.