Low-cost carrier Scoot will rename its business class product to ScootPlus from 2 September 2019. Scoot says that the name change “seeks to better reflect the product customers will experience on board”.
With the name change, Scoot aims to position ScootPlus as closer to “Premium Economy” on other airlines. In reality, ScootBiz was always a premium economy product as the seats are not lie-flat, but wide recliner seats with more legroom. Passengers in Scoot’s premium cabin also do not receive the full business class service that would be offered on other airlines.
Now describing ScootPlus as more of an add-on “bundle” rather than a separate cabin class, Scoot says that ScootPlus customers can expect to receive:
- Wide premium leather seats with double leg room
- 30 kg check-in baggage
- 15 kg cabin baggage
- Choice of meal and beverage, inclusive of alcoholic beverage choices
- Priority check-in and boarding
- 30MB Wi-Fi
- In-seat power
Scoot says that the benefits and inclusions of ScootBiz will remain the same after 2 September 2019, although some AFF members believe the product is already no longer as good as ScootBiz once was. For example, the Scoot TV streaming service has been replaced with 30MB of wifi – which is barely even enough to check emails!
Based on my experience a week ago this class has been ‘enhanced’ in the QF style. The fairly reasonable meals have been replaced with the standard BOB type. ScootTV which worked quite well with the choice of half a dozen movies and a few TV shows has been replaced with an useless 30MB of WiFi.
Scoot is a fully-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Although both airlines are based in Singapore, and both airlines also serve many of the same routes, they are not designed to compete with each other. Singapore Airlines targets the premium segment of the market, while Scoot appeals to leisure and budget-conscious travellers.
Singapore Airlines may have been concerned that ScootBiz could be cannibalising the full service airline’s own Business Class passengers. With the name change, there is now a more clear differentiation.
ScootPlus pricing on some routes is almost the same as Singapore Airlines Economy class fares. On the Perth-Singapore route, for example, Singapore Airlines Economy class is around $675 return while ScootPlus is $699 return. Singapore Airlines Business is $3,585 – or five times the ScootPlus fare.
In our view, calling Scoot’s business class “ScootPlus” is fair and a more accurate representation of the product. Many other low-cost carriers also avoid calling their premium cabin “Business class” because it’s not a true Business product. For example, Air Asia’s Premium Flatbed product doesn’t come with unlimited food and drinks. And Norwegian Air has what it calls a “Premium” cabin, which offers recliner seats with a bit more room. Mind you, Jetstar still sells “Business Class” on its Boeing 787 flights despite the recliner seats being much closer to a premium economy product.
Scoot flies from Singapore to Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast, as well as Berlin, Athens and many cities across Asia.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: ScootBiz no more
