Economy class

Economy class, also called third class, coach class, steerage, or to distinguish it from the slightly more expensive premium economy class, standard economy class or budget economy class, is the lowest travel class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel. Historically, this travel class has been called tourist class or third class on ocean liners.

Marine

Travel classes originated from a distinction between "cabin class" and "steerage" on sailing vessels in the 18th century. Cabin class for wealthier passengers included small cabins and a shared dining room, while "steerage" provided open decks with bunks, often near the tackle that operated the rudder or in converted cargo space on the "between decks" area, where poorer passengers cooked their own meals.

With the arrival of steamships, competition between ocean liner companies led some companies like the Inman Line to offer additional options to economy passengers seeking to immigrate including small shared cabins and regular meals which were termed "Third Class". Many large liners evolved three and sometimes four segregated cabin, dining and recreation spaces for First, Second, Third and Steerage Class passengers.

After immigrant travel dropped beginning in the 1920s, steerage class was abandoned and Third Class cabins were often upgraded, redecorated and offered to budget travellers as "Tourist Class". This became the main low budget class for ocean travel, gradually replacing Third Class especially during the boom in immigration after World War Two.

As ocean liners adjusted to the loss of passengers to air travel and switched to recreational cruising in the 1960s, most ships became "one class" to save on separate recreational and dining levels. However the evolution of the cruise ship led to a variety of premium services and exclusive dining areas.