Cashing in from the changing paradigms

Lufthansa launched its fourth cabin, the premium economy class, in October 2014, and the first flight with the new cabin to China started in December. Though the fourth cabin is available on several routes from China to Germany, China Daily decided to understand first-hand what it was like to be in the new cabin on a flight from Beijing to Frankfurt.

First-off, passengers in the premium economy class can check in two pieces of baggage totaling up to 23 kilograms, which is one more than that permitted in the economy class. The check-in process is the same as for the economy class, but passengers can use the carrier's business lounge for a fee of about 25 euros ($26.41) per person.

We flew on a Boeing 747-8, which had 32 premium economy class seats positioned between two sections of economy class seats.