SOFTSKILL B.INDONESIA

Classes of Service

Clients can pay for different levels of service and flexibility. Quite simply, the more you pay, the more you receive in return. The different classes are as follows, from the most flexible and most expensive to the least expensive and least flexible:

First Class

Sometimes referred to Upper Class, or Premier Service, is the highest class of service on the aircraft. The purchaser of a first class ticket is able to alter plants at any time, even changing the route and carrier, without incurring a penalty. First class passengers may also take advantage of additional services and facilities available before, during, and after their flight.

First class ticket are fully changeable ad refundable – if passengers do not travel according to the original plan, they simply re-book with the airline for a different day, or they can receive a full refund of the original costs of ticket.

Listed below is a selection of services and facilities often available to first class passengers:

Prior to boarding:

• Free chauffeur-driven limousine service from the passenger’s home to the airport
• Late check-in, and separate check-in counters that avoid the need to queue
• Private airline waiting lounges that often provide free food and drink, TV and newspapers, and even computer facilities and showers

During the flight:

• Larger seats, or sometimes beds
• Personalized cabin service that includes addressing the passenger by name
• Champagne reception
• Better quality food and drink available throughout the flight
• Food service on superior china with silver cutlery rather than plastic containers
• Wider choice of entertainment
• Priority when disembarking from the aircraft on arrival

On arrival:

• Priority baggage collection
• Shower facilities and private rooms available to freshen up or rest between flights

The sale of first class tickets are a highly competitive area of the market. Airlines are constantly devising more and more creative ways to retain their passenger’s loyalty and discourage them from buying first class tickets from other carriers.

Business Class

This class is the second most expensive. Tickets in this class, are as flexible: flight dates can be changed and the tickets are refundable, so they still do not represent guaranteed revenue for carriers. In offers similar features, but not quite the same luxury as the first class.

Economy Class

Most seats on any aircraft are allocated to economy passengers. Often between 200-300 economy seats are available for sale on any regular international flight. Domestic or short-haul flights may use much smaller aircraft, sometimes with as few as between 6 and 30 seats.

Although full economy seats are refundable, many economy tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable. This reduces the revenue risk for the airline. In exchange for this lower risk, the airline sells the ticket at a lower fare.

Type of Class

Letters represent the type and number of classes. Individual letters represent the following classes of service: first, business, and economy. Internationally used service class codes are:

P          First Class Premium

F          First Class

A         First Class Discounted

J           Business Class Premium

C         Business Class

D         Business Class Discounted

I           Business Class Discounted

Z          Business Class Discounted

W        Economy/Coach Premium

S          Economy/Coach

Y         Economy/Coach

B          Economy/Coach Discounted

H         Economy/Coach Discounted

K         Economy/Coach Discounted

L          Economy/Coach Discounted

M         Economy/Coach Discounted

Q         Economy/Coach Discounted

T          Economy/Coach Discounted

V         Economy/Coach Discounted

X         Economy/Coach Discounted

G         Conditional Reservation

U         Air shuttle (no reservation needed, seat guaranteed)

E          Air shuttle (no reservation allowed)

In Flight Service

Once on board, regardless of class, the schedule of service during a flight is similar, and might be as follows:

• Board and seat passenger
• Assist passenger in storing their cabin baggage in overhead lockers and under seats
• Check that passengers are secured in seats and show or demonstrate the safety features and emergency procedures on board
• Distribute newspapers (usually only on commuters routes)
• Distributes headsets (on long-haul flights)
• Distribute a menu, if a complimentary or pay-on-board meal service is offered
• Toys for children
• Refreshing towel
• Beverage service
• Meal service, additional drinks, coffee, tea
• In-flight entertainment
• Duty-free items on sale (on certain routes only)
• Second (normally lighter) meal service (if a long flight)
• Hot towel service prior to landing

Special Meals or Services

It is possible to arrange special meals for your passenger’s journey. Many travelers (diabetics, for example) have special dietary requirements or other medical needs. Others respect religious guidelines and require halal, kosher, vegetarian, and other special foods.

Requests for specially prepared meals must be made by the agent on behalf of the passenger well in advance of the flight (within 48 hours). A late request may be refused. Special service requests can be transmitted to the airline via the passenger’s reservation (PNR), by adding an SSR message.

Seating

Figure below is the diagram from the OAG, showing the inside of British Airways Boeing 747-400. This diagram represents the seating plan on the aircraft.

Business and first class seats are usually larger, deeper, and more comfortable than those in economy class. In both upper classes on many long haul flights the seats can be converted into sleeper seats or even beds. As the seat configuration shows, first class accommodation is always located at the front of the plane, or sometimes on a separate upper deck, where traveling is quieter.

It is normally possible to request a certain type of seat. The passenger can look at the aircraft configuration and select a specific seat number. That request can either be telephones through to the airline or included in a message generated in the passenger’s booking.

Main Aircraft Types

Concerning the encoding and decoding of aircraft types, a complete list can be found in the OAG Flight Guide.

* Narrow Body                  : the aircraft with a fuselage width of approximately 10 feet (3 meters), with a single aisle between the passenger seats

* Wide Body                      : if the fuselage is wider than 16 feet (5 meters) and two aisles divide the passenger seats