Delta launches ‘basic business’ without lounge access, seat selection

Delta Air Lines is dividing up the front of the plane into even smaller groups, offering a new “basic” fare for business and first classes that comes without perks like free seat selection and airport lounge access.

The carrier is following United Airlines, which made a similar change earlier this year to its Polaris long-haul business class and other higher-tier cabins. Carriers are seeking to maximize what they can get out of high-spending customers, whose resilient travel demand has helped bolster the industry.

Basic tickets in the Delta One lie-flat, long-haul cabin will go by the new name Basic Business, the airline said Wednesday. There’s a similar basic product for first class, which is more common on shorter-haul routes and in premium economy.

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

The seats go on sale Wednesday for flights starting in September and are only available in select markets. Delta didn’t immediately say which ones would have the basic offering.

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

The Atlanta-based carrier is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Friday.