Qatar Airways Is Removing First Class Seats On Its New Planes

The second-best airline in the world is dropping the most luxurious cabin seat that made it iconic.

Qatar Airways will not provide first-class seating on its future Boeing Co 777X aircraft

CEO Akbar Al Baker stated during a Saturday interview in Istanbul that Qatar Airways’ next-generation long-haul aircraft won’t have first-class beds.

Given that Qatar’s business-class service offers many of the same benefits, he argues that investing in the most opulent seats is not worth the returns.

Once the airline ultimately retires all 10 of its Airbus SE A380s, which still have eight first-class seats, these aircraft will be the largest ones it operates.

Over time, carriers have made cabin classes more flexible, fitting premium economy between rows of business and economy seats.

First class has continued to be more of a marketing ploy that corporate customers reserve for top executives or that draws regular passengers looking to splurge on an unforgettable travel experience.