Economy class

The basic onboard service class at the lowest fare. It offers the least legroom, seat width and included amenities of the standard cabin classes, but is the most cost-effective option for most trips. Most corporate travel policies default to economy class unless flight duration or role justifies an upgrade.

Economy class products vary widely between airlines and routes. Seat pitch — the distance between rows — is typically around 30–32 inches (76–81 cm), and a standard meal is usually included on long-haul flights. Many airlines now offer several economy fare families, ranging from basic fares with hand luggage only and no changes to flexible economy fares with checked baggage, free seat selection and refundable tickets.

For corporate travel policies, economy is the natural choice for short and medium-haul flights. On long-haul or overnight flights, companies consider the impact on productivity and wellbeing, especially if the traveller has meetings soon after arrival. Middle-ground options include allowing extra-legroom seats, premium economy for flights above a certain duration or more flexible economy fares, rather than moving straight to business class.

In Tumodo, companies define allowed cabin classes in the travel policy and can set cabin rules by flight duration and route — for example, economy only for flights under a certain number of hours. Fare groups, seat selection and baggage rules can be configured as well. Rules apply to the whole company, specific departments or individual employees, so each traveller sees options that match their policy.