Delta launches ‘essential business’ without lounge access and seat selection

Delta Airlines It divides the front of the plane into smaller groups, creating a new “basic” fare for business and first class that comes without perks such as free seat selection and airport lounge access.

The carrier follows United Airlineswhich made a similar change earlier this year to Polaris’ long-haul business class and other upper-level cabins. Airlines are seeking to maximize what they can get from high-spending customers, whose resilient demand for travel has helped boost the industry.

Basic tickets in Delta One’s lie-flat cabin for long-haul flights will have the new name Basic Business, the airline said Wednesday. There is a similar basic product to First Class, which is more common on short flights and in Premium Economy.

This means customers on these tickets will receive assigned seats at check-in, earn fewer miles than more expensive options, will only be allowed to make changes or cancel for a fee, and do not have the option of same-day standby or confirmed flight changes.

Seats will go on sale on Wednesday for flights beginning in September and are only available in select markets. Delta did not immediately say which one would have the primary offering.

Delta, the nation’s most profitable airline, has been working on these changes for more than a year. “The segmentation that we’ve done in the main cabin is kind of a template that we’ll bring to all of our premium cabins over time because different people have different needs,” former Delta president Glenn Hoenstine said on an earnings call last July.

The Atlanta-based carrier reports second-quarter results on Friday.