Choosing a fair was once as simple as deciding between Economy and First Class. You either had enough money to fly in style, or you didn’t.
But then budget carriers came onto the scene to completely shake up the way airlines sold their tickets by focusing less on which area of the plane you booked and more on the amenities you can get for you dollars.
Suddenly there was a fare for just the passenger and their carry-on, another fare for a seat plus check-in luggage and then fares that included the seat, check-in and a meal.
Premium airlines needed to adopt to the change in the market, but couldn’t comprise their onboard offerings like those low-cost carriers.
So they started introducing new classes such as Premium Economy and Business Class.
They now offer travellers the cheaper Economy seats, receive a little extra room in Premium Economy, be amongst like-minded people in Business or completely live it up in First.
Needless to say, today’s fare options are quite diverse and can essentially meet the needs and financial requirements of all kinds of travellers.
Then in comes Virgin Australia who plans on giving its customers even more choice by introducing NINE fare options, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Starting from 7 September, the airline will completely breakdown its fares into:
Economy will now be available in three fares – Getaway, Elevate and Freedom. All include complimentary food and checked baggage but have different fees for bookings that require changes.
Premium is split into two fares, with Premium Saver offering the wider seats and amenities but excludes the priority check-in and boarding available for those who book the normal Premium Fare.
Travellers on a budget will like the Go Fares, which don’t include checked baggage or food, while the Go Plus fare has baggage but comes with no other extras and will only be available to select destinations.
Even business travel has become more affordable, with the introduction of the new Business Saver Fare, which offers the same service as the regular Business Class fare, but will be cheaper and has cancellation fees.
The fare changes were announced days after the airline revealed a group statutory loss after tax of $224.7 million during the last financial year.
