Delta to add 'Economy Comfort' section on long-haul international flights by summer

By Linda Blachly | February 8, 2011

Delta’s new Economy Comfort Class. Photo: Courtesy, Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines will introduce an “Economy Comfort” section on all its long-haul international flights this summer as part of its previously announced plan to invest more than $2 billion in enhanced global products, services and airport facilities through 2013 (ATW Daily News, Dec. 20, 2010).

The new section will feature Delta’s Economy seats, manufactured by Weber and B/E Aerospace, in a layout which will feature “up to four additional inches of legroom and 50% more recline than its standard international economy class seats,” DL said, noting the product will be installed in the first few rows of the economy cabin on more than 160 Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft.

Delta said that customers who have purchased an international economy class ticket will be able to buy up to Economy Comfort for an additional fee of $80-$160 one-way through its website, kiosks and call centers beginning in May for travel this summer. SkyMiles Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will have complimentary access to the section as will "up to eight companions traveling in the same reservation with Diamond and Platinum Medallions;" and customers purchasing full-fare economy class tickets.

"Just as Delta is investing in BusinessElite, which is among the industry's most competitive premium products, it makes sense to offer enhancements to our economy class service that provide additional comfort," said DL Executive VP-Network Planning, Revenue Management and Marketing Glen Hauenstein.

United Airlines has offered an "Economy Plus" section with additional seat pitch in its domestic and international mainline aircraft for many years but the DL offering appears to go further, with customers seated in the section entitled to complimentary alcoholic beverages throughout the flight.

Separately, DL also announced plans to install 34 horizontal flat-bed BusinessElite seats with direct-aisle access in each of its 32 A330 aircraft by 2013. DL said it plans to offer full flat-bed seating in BusinessElite on all international widebody flights on more than 150 aircraft by 2013.

The new A330 seat “will be 81.7 in. long and 20.5 in. wide and will feature a 120-volt universal power outlet, USB port, personal LED reading lamp and a 15.4-in. personal video monitor with instant access to 250 new and classic movies, premium programming from HBO and Showtime, other television programming, video games and more than 4,000 digital music tracks,” DL said.

Discuss this news 16

07 Feb22:00

So will they take out seats

By Bruce Sanchez

So will they take out seats or shave a few tenths of an inch off of the rows behind?

07 Feb23:32

Economy COMFORT? Dellta just

By Mike Knight

Economy COMFORT? Dellta just has absolutely NO clue. Economy "Comfort" immediately implies that standard economy is Economy UNComfortABLE (which it is, of course). If more American passengers sampled non-US carriers (particularly Asian and Gulf carriers) they would never willingly fly Delta on international routes. Incredible that they are only just getting around to horizontal flatbeds in business. Delta is my #1 example of everything that is wrong with American legacy carriers. There are many so-called third world airlines that put Delta to shame.

08 Feb00:40

Really? DL really think that

By Alex Chan

Really? DL really think that people who pay "full fare" economy ticket will pay the extra to seat in "Economy Comfort"? If you are unfortunate ... to pay full economy fare on an international flight; I hope you are smart enough to expect and insist that you get an upgrade at least to Business if not First Class !

08 Feb03:37

As a traveller, I am

By Daniel Tsang

As a traveller, I am disappointed that DL did not launch a new premium economy class seats, only extending the seat pitch of the standard economy class seats.

But from a shareholder's perspective, this premium economy class will extract as much consumer surplus DL can, and maximize its revenue stream.

So I have a mixed response toward DL's premium economy.

08 Feb04:04

Last three international

By carl gritzmaker

Last three international flights on Delta my luggage was lost. I try and arrive threehours before my flight so there no excuse. However seats are tight even for me at 5ft 6in. I flew V Australia this trip to SYD, wonderful airline with Branson's usual flair. I boycotted Delta for seven years but was forced to travel from JNB - ATL non-stop 777-200LR everything was great w/ senior crew for the 17 hr 30 min ride but since then Delta Atlantic flts. have been terrible in everyway.

08 Feb09:29

In reality, few American

By Steve in Canada

In reality, few American passengers are willing to pay for the services offered by Asian or Gulf carriers. So they would indeed willing fly Delta on international routes. Otherwise the load factors would not be so high.

What will inevitably happen without a bulkhead, is that ultra-super saver passengers will creep up to Econo Comfort and demand a service they refuse to pay for.

08 Feb10:00

Amen, and the worst is

By Anonymous

Amen, and the worst is American Airlines. I'm only 5' 10" tall and, in ECY, my knees are touching the back of the seat in front of me. American carriers can't compare to the other world airlines especially the Asias.

08 Feb10:03

Free alcoholic drinks? Oh

By Simon

Free alcoholic drinks? Oh really? Look around DL, many of your European competitors continue to do this for EVERYBODY, even those in row 52. For $60 a drink you won't move me from my current carrier.

08 Feb10:07

*Note to Knight: Lighten up,

By IguanaDC3

*Note to Knight: Lighten up, hotshot. USA carriers have been a bit preoccupied with simply staying alive recently. It's tough to do w/in a mature market awash in LCC seats w/ increasing fuel costs atop it all. DL's int'l srvc is superb; been there, done that. I'm certain that it'd have already gotten the jump on this stuff much earlier if it had been showered w/ oil-backed cash under the table which your aforementioned Gulf carriers, i.e., benefit from each day. In fact there'd BE NO Gulf air dynasty in the making rgt now if it were not for the slugs of oil which YOU probably gulp down w/in your battle tank SUV. So, goodknight & go sleep. You give me a headache.

08 Feb10:10

Why not show some "average"

By Sue

Why not show some "average" passengers in these seats? At 5'9" my long legs would still be crunched wth four extra inches of legroom. My over 6' 2" tall huband and 6'5" sons would not fit the way those two models do. And why not show a "typical" obese American in those seats? They may have given a few extra inches between seats, but they didn't make the seats any wider

The economics of flying are at odds with the reality of flying. The American public is getting bigger all the time, while the number of square inches alloted to an airplane passsenger remains roughly the same - for more money.

08 Feb10:49

Are you serious? You think

By Interested

Are you serious? You think just because you pay full fare economy that you are 'entitled' to an upgrade to business class? The fare difference between full economy and business is thousands of dollars. What makes you feel that you are 'entitled' to anything more than what you pay for?

08 Feb12:06

What they are introducing is

By Eric Davidson

What they are introducing is what KLM introduced at the end of 2009. I have flown in both economy comfort an economy and I fail to see the difference. Fortunately last time I was at the front of the cabin so there was no seat to recline in my face. What would be better would be to have fewer seats across and to take away the IFE boxes in the footwells. I also recently flew on a KLM 777-300 with ten across (3-4-3) and economy comfort was the same. This was more like steerage than economy. When you have flights like these there doesn't seem much that KLM can learn from Michael O'Leary.

08 Feb12:21

What does this have to do

By Anonymous

What does this have to do with the news item?

08 Feb12:48

Alex...Delta abandoned F/C

By Retired AMT

Alex...Delta abandoned F/C years ago, so you ain't gonna get up there!

08 Feb14:41

AGREE with You entirely!

By reece

AGREE with You entirely! American's are some of the Biggest Complainers and truly fit the mold of "I want, I need, I gotta have....." mentality. Few (if any want to PAY for the perks but Boy oh boy are they the FIRST to have their hand out). And Yes, I am an American.....just get annoyed with the 'privledged ones' who think EVERYONE or SOMEONE O-W-E-S them. They want the perks, refuse to Pay for them and feel THEY are always the one's who Deserve them.

10 Feb00:16

The LEGACY carriers been

By Mike Knight

The LEGACY carriers been preoccupied with staying alive because everyone offering a quality service has been eating their lunch: jetBlue, Virgin America, SouthWest domestically (and please don't tell me that the LCCs offer a LESSER domestic service than Delta!) ... If you seriously think Delta's international service is superb, then you have obviously never flown Singapore (no oil cash), Air New Zealand (no oil cash), Virgin Atlantic (no oil cash), Thai (no oil cash), Cathay Pacific (no oil cash) and many many others.