British Airways says its short-haul business class is booming. Here's why that could be a boost for US budget airlines.
European-style business class isn't the most luxurious, but its popularity has reached new heights at British Airways.
British Airways CEO Sean Doyle said sales in its Club Europe class have "defied our best expectations," The Times of London reported on Tuesday.
While legacy US airlines offer comfier seats and more legroom on all their aircraft, most European carriers have a much simpler premium product on their narrow-body planes.
In the typical 3-3 layout, business class simply has a divider placed on the middle seat. A curtain separating it from the economy cabin can be moved down the aisle depending on capacity.
"After the global financial crisis in 2008, people were saying it wouldn't work," Doyle reportedly said at the International Air Transport Association conference. "And yet it's more popular than ever, especially for leisure passengers."
He pointed to perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and better food-and-drink options.
"There is really important value in short-haul premium for customers, and we are seeing that come through in the numbers," Doyle added, per The Times.
The fact that the hard product — the seat itself — is so similar to traveling in economy means some Europeans don't see the value compared to flying with a budget airline like easyJet or Ryanair.
However, premium options have been in more demand around the world since the pandemic.
That's strained budget airlines, especially in the US. They've been rolling out upgraded offerings in an attempt to attract more customers as their preferences have changed.
For example, Doyle's comments could be particularly welcomed by Spirit Airlines. Last July, it announced a "Go Comfy" option that would include a blocked middle seat in the same style as British Airways' Club Europe.
However, unlike the London-based carrier, "Go Comfy" seats will also have four inches of extra legroom.
Southwest Airlines has also announced premium options, scrapping its signature unassigned-seating policy to encourage passengers to pay for extra legroom.
At the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference last week, CEO Bob Jordan said customers want different cabins, a variety of offerings, and "access to premium."
Doyle's comments suggest that the American budget airlines are on the right path.
Even if their offerings aren't as opulent as Delta Air Lines or United Airlines, passengers simply care more about the experience of flying in a premium class.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
After its data was wiped, KiranaPro's co-founder cannot rule out an external hack
Indian grocery delivery startup KiranaPro's recent data loss story has more holes than Swiss cheese, as the startup remains unclear whether the incident was an internal breach or an external hack. Last week, the Bengaluru-based startup discovered that it could not access its back-end servers and that all its data, including its app code, had been deleted from GitHub. The startup on Friday blamed a former employee for the breach. However, in an interview, KiranaPro co-founder and CEO Deepak Ravindran conceded that the company had not deactivated the employee's account after they departed the company and cannot rule out the possibility of subsequent malicious misuse of their account. "If we go deeper, we have to do a real forensic investigation. We are going to talk [about] this with our board, the investors, and we are going to get a formal opinion on that also with our legal advisers," Ravindran told TechCrunch. Earlier on Friday, Ravindran claimed in a post on X that the incident that affected its data was an internal breach. "After careful investigation, we conclude that this was not a hack. No external party penetrated our ordering or payment systems, exploited vulnerabilities, or bypassed security protocols," he wrote. The co-founder also explicitly shared a screenshot of a LinkedIn profile of one of KiranaPro's former employees on X on Thursday, alleging that they had deleted the startup's code. (TechCrunch is not sharing the post's link, as the startup has yet to offer concrete proof supporting its position.) "[T]his was an internal data breach. Specifically, it was the result of actions taken by a trusted internal employee who had legitimate access to our systems," the co-founder wrote in his post on Friday. "This individual intentionally deleted critical server logs while they were being tested and/or edited, an action that goes directly against our policies, our principles, and the trust we place in our team." When TechCrunch asked if KiranaPro could rule out whether any third party had maliciously gained access to the former employee's account, Ravindran could not. "We have to do a complete forensic check on the company. We have to do the entire IP scan. We have to look at where the tracks happened. We have to check the computers, MacBooks, and whatever is used. Everything has to be done. Then we have to spend money … so, that's why we decided not to," he told TechCrunch. Then what was the basis of Ravindran's allegation? It was a GitHub response, a copy of which he shared with TechCrunch. The response included a username, which Ravindran said was associated with the former employee. "All we have is the emails that we got from GitHub, stating that [the former employee's username] as an individual is the one who deleted the account. We haven't done the investigation further," Ravindran told TechCrunch. Launched in late 2024, KiranaPro operates as a buyer app on the Indian government's Open Network for Digital Commerce. The startup allows more than 55,000 customers in 50 cities to purchase groceries from their local shops and nearby supermarkets using its voice-based interface. The company also supports local language inputs, including English, Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil. Ravindran stated that they decided to call out the former employee based on the company's "belief system," as they claim the former employee deleted the data after their sudden termination. However, the startup said it is not aware if there were enough protections on the former employee's devices, such as multi-factor authentication, to restrict malicious third-party access, like malware. The company confirmed it did not remove the employee's access to its data and GitHub account following his departure. "Employee offboarding was not being handled properly because there was no full-time HR," KiranaPro's chief technology officer, Saurav Kumar, confirmed to TechCrunch. Alongside its code saved in GitHub, KiranaPro also lost access to its Amazon Web Services (AWS) account, which included its customer data and their transaction details. Ravindran told TechCrunch that the GitHub data was restored after getting its backup from one of their employees. The startup also regained access to its AWS account along with its customer data. Both the co-founder and CTO said the AWS account was protected by multi-factor authentication, but neither could say how the account was accessed, as nobody else had physical access to Ravindran's phone, which generates the multi-factor code. Nonetheless, Ravindran claimed that the customer data stored in the AWS cloud remained intact and was not accessed by any third parties, nor was it downloaded by the former employee in question. "Because if that is the case, I will get its notification on email or anything [sic]," he said. That said, Ravindran stated that the startup has enough evidence to file a formal complaint with the police, but said that its investigation is ongoing. The startup has also not fully paid its current employees, the company's co-founder confirmed, soon after the company raised a seed round of ₹100 million Indian rupees (about $1.2 million), which Ravindran said has yet to be fully wired. The startup counts Blume Ventures, Unpopular Ventures, and Turbostart among its institutional venture backers, as well as Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and Boston Consulting Group managing director Vikas Taneja among its angel investors. It has 15 employees located in Bengaluru and Kerala. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Summer getaway to Pittsburgh offers history, heritage and hidden gems
Pittsburgh may not be at the top of your list for summer travel, but it should be. With walkable neighborhoods, iconic sports teams (Hello! Steelers, Penguins and Pirates), and virtually every street corner forged by an industrial past, this riverfront city also has a dynamic food and arts scene. It's no wonder Lonely Planet named Pittsburgh as one of its Best in Travel 2025 picks – the only U.S. city to make the list. For a stay that blends luxury with a rich history, along with an unbeatable location, there's no better home base than the Omni William Penn Hotel. From the beginning, when it was opened in 1916 by Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Clay Frick, the hotel was meant to be a showplace. Inside, the two-story lobby glows with opulence, with grand Austrian crystal chandeliers, velvet furnishings and gilded details. Over the decades, it has hosted presidents, celebrities, royalty, and countless special moments -- the experience feels just as special today. One of the hotel's best-kept secrets is The Speakeasy on the basement level. Located behind an unmarked door, this restored Prohibition-style bar was once a hidden watering hole in the 1920s. Step back in time and try one of their classic cocktails, like the Bee's Knees. Thanks to the William Penn's prime downtown location, great food options are within easy reach. In the Strip District, a vibrant area known for its food markets and indie retail shops, you'll find the original Primanti Bros, a 1933 sandwich shop famous for handcrafted sandwiches stacked with meat, cheese, slaw and a heap of seasoned fries -- all between thick slices house-made Italian bread. It's a rite of passage and a Pittsburgh tradition. Beyond iconic eats, Pittsburgh's growing culinary scene is diverse. With 90 different food-filled neighborhoods, there's no shortage of delicious options. A few local go-tos: Con Alma, with Latin-inspired small plates and live jazz; James Beard-nominated Apteka, which reimagines Eastern European classics with a menu of modern, plant-based dishes; Spirit & Tales, a stylish brasserie inside The Oaklander Hotel where seasonal ingredients shine; and for sweeping skyline views paired with fresh seafood, take the incline to Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, perched on Mount Washington. Pittsburgh wears its past with pride – and nowhere is that more evident than in its museums and cultural landmarks. Steel, coal and industrial innovation may have built the city, but its art, education and philanthropy continue to shape its soul. The influence of titans like Carnegie, Mellon and Frick is still visible in the many museums and public institutions they left behind. One of my favorites is The Frick Pittsburgh Museum and Gardens. This serene 10-acre estate and museum complex is one of the city's cultural gems. Stroll through manicured gardens and explore the Frick Art Museum and Car and Carriage Museum. Don't miss the award-winning tour of Clayton, the former home of Henry Clay Frick, who was instrumental in making Pittsburgh one of the nation's greatest commercial centers. The home is the city's last fully preserved mansion of the Gilded Age. Afterwards, have a bite or a sip at the lovely garden café. From masterpieces and pop art to the top dinosaur exhibits worldwide, be sure to visit the Carnegie Museums, which include the Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and The Andy Warhol Museum. Nature lovers are sure to fall in love with the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. With a 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens, Phipps blooms year-round, but during the summer, the outdoor gardens steal the show. Whether you're a history buff, foodie, art-and-garden enthusiast, or are simply looking for something fresh and unexpected, the 'Burgh delivers in so many ways. For more info, Thanks to new direct flights from Greenville via Breeze Airways, getting to Pittsburgh for a weekend getaway has never been easier. To plan your trip, visit This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Summer Getaway to Pittsburgh offers history, heritage and hidden gems
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Joann, Rite Aid, JCPenney, and other store closings contribute to a 274% surge in retail layoffs in 2025
Layoff announcements from U.S. employers have increased 80%, to 696,309 job cuts, through May of this year. That's in comparison with the 385,859 cuts announced throughout the first five months of 2024, according to the latest layoffs report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based executive outplacement firm. Why you're catching the 'ick' so easily, according to science Uber's new senior mode aims to remove barriers for aging riders Why AI Is Making 1:1 Meetings Irrelevant Federal government agencies have been most impacted by planned job cuts in 2025, with 284,827 job reductions year to date, compared with 36,325 U.S. government job cuts announced during the same period last year. Retail is the second-leading industry in job cuts this year, with 75,802 cuts since the start of 2025. That's a 274% increase in retail job reductions compared with the same period last year, when U.S. companies announced 20,276 layoffs. According to the report, DOGE-related efforts remain the leading reason given for job cut announcements this year. This includes reductions in federal employee and contractor roles, and private nonprofit layoffs resulting from federal funding cuts. Market and economic conditions were the second-most cited explanation for announced U.S. layoffs, followed by store closings. In a news release discussing the layoff report, Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said: 'Tariffs, funding cuts, consumer spending, and overall economic pessimism are putting intense pressure on companies' workforces. Companies are spending less, slowing hiring, and sending layoff notices.' Store closings being among the top reasons cited for U.S. retail layoffs is unsurprising. Fast Company has written extensively about retail store closings throughout the U.S., from companies like Kohl's, Macy's, and JCPenney. While some retailers have chosen to shutter the doors of some locations, others have filed for bankruptcy protection and announced company-wide store closures. In January 2025, Joann filed for bankruptcy for a second time. The fabric and crafts store previously filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2024. Similarly, Rite Aid publicized its decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 5. The retail pharmacy first filed for bankruptcy in October 2023. As for hiring efforts, U.S. companies have announced 79,741 planned hires through May of this year, an increase of 57% from the same period last year. However, planned hiring announcements remain historically low compared with pre-pandemic and early-pandemic years. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
