After years of cutting inclusive services primarily in economy, the red pen is now increasingly being applied to premium economy & business class. KLM & Air France introduced two new fare options for long-haul flights in April:
- Business Class Light with the following disadvantages:
- No lounge access
- Only 1x 32 kg of checked baggage instead of 2x 32 kg
- Changes to the booking with a fee (usually €200 to €300)
- Premium Economy Light with the following disadvantages:
- No checked baggage (instead of 2x 23 kg)
- Changes to the booking with a fee (usually €200 to €300)
Initially, flights to North America were excluded from this change. However, this did not last long. A few days ago, we noticed a Light Fare to Canada for the first time.
Indeed, Air France & KLM confirm these changes in a notice to travel agencies. According to this, the new fares have been applicable since August 22 for travel from Europe (except the UK) and North Africa to Canada & Mexico. Flights to the USA remain the only exception.
For trips to Mexico, we recommend considering booking through Aeromexico. Currently, there seems to be no Light Fare option there. Moreover, tickets with Aeromexico are often considerably cheaper than with KLM or Air France, even when codeshares operated by KLM are involved.
Conclusion
Airlines often justify such steps by claiming they offer travellers additional (cheaper) options if they don’t need all the included services. Nobody would have a problem if that were the case. It would even be an advantage for status customers who already receive baggage and lounge benefits through their frequent flyer status.
In practice, however, it’s usually different: Airlines take the existing price and slap on a Light label. And for those who value the usual services, they end up paying €100 or €200 more. This approach tends to encourage price-sensitive customers to opt for economy class instead.
Cover Picture: Foto von Aron Marinelli auf Unsplash