U.S. carriers compete to attract high-spending business fliers

High-spending business travelers are being aggressively wooed nowadays, and U.S. carriers are not leaving any stone unturned either. The battle has only intensified with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines directly pitting against each other.

Delta Air Lines recently announced the launch of private suites in a section of its business class cabin on long-haul international flights. The airline is all set to unveil its exclusive Delta One section in business class on its new Airbus A350 aircrafts starting from 2017. The move of Delta Air Lines comes only after few months after the unveiling of Polaris business class section by United Airlines. Polaris has lie-flat beds and pod-like suites, and is being offered to the airline’s premium customers on international flights.

Both the leading U.S. carriers decided to go in for latest upgrades keeping in view significant changes taking place in the commercial civil aviation industry today. These changes are coupled with increasing profits during past few years due to cheaper fuel costs and a line-up of mergers that have considerably reduced competition for flights services in domestic destinations.

Travel experts while comparing the business class cabins of both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines said that the two airlines offer seats having direct aisle access and can be converted to 6-feet-6-inch-long lie-flat beds. The television monitor however offered by Delta Air Lines is of 18 inches, while United Airlines offers a 16-inch television screen. Moreover, the business class cabins in two airlines are equipped with power outlets, mood lighting and specially made bedding. Apart from these, there’s though a key difference in Delta Air Lines’ business class offering. The premium customers are offered private suites with sliding doors to maximize privacy. Other the other hand, the pods offered by United Airlines open to the aisle and simultaneously displays a bright “Do Not Disturb” sign when customers feel that they should not be disturbed and be left alone.

A renowned travel expert recently remarked that U.S. carriers are currently purchasing new aircrafts and equipping them with even more luxurious seats so that they could tackle the growing expansion of Middle East carriers such as Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, which are attracting wealthy U.S. travelers in a big way by offering them cocktail lounges, onboard showers, private suites, and other ultra-luxury amenities.