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Ever fly First Class?
- Thread starter Abstract
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I am on vacation right now.
On the Air Canada Embraer 190 I was on coming here, you really didnt need to be in fist class. They have somewhat bigger seets and more legroom, you still get plenty in Hospitality Class(Economy). Every seatback has a touchscreen TV for lots of inflight enjoyment. However, On the AirCanada A321 Airbus, it is a drastic imporvement of seat room from Hospitality. Still no PTVS
(yes, i care enough about MR that I post while on vacation.)
On the Air Canada Embraer 190 I was on coming here, you really didnt need to be in fist class. They have somewhat bigger seets and more legroom, you still get plenty in Hospitality Class(Economy). Every seatback has a touchscreen TV for lots of inflight enjoyment. However, On the AirCanada A321 Airbus, it is a drastic imporvement of seat room from Hospitality. Still no PTVS
(yes, i care enough about MR that I post while on vacation.)
Domestic: Yes.
International: No.
There's a BIG difference between First Class on domestic and international flights.
International: No.
There's a BIG difference between First Class on domestic and international flights.
Never first class, a have flown business a couple of times (my university is cheap). I fly a lot so I could in principle upgrade to my tickets to business class, but it would really be a terrible waste on me since I tend to sleep through all my flights. I guess I am slightly frugal in that sense.
Still, I really don't think I would notice any difference even if they placed me in the cargo bay. As long as people don't disturb me, I am sleeping away my time. ZZZZZzzzz
Still, I really don't think I would notice any difference even if they placed me in the cargo bay. As long as people don't disturb me, I am sleeping away my time. ZZZZZzzzz
I once got a free upgrade to first class on a flight from Bozeman, MT to Salt Lake City after I volunteered to be bumped off my United flight and put on Delta. For a flight as short as that (about an hour), I'd never pay to upgrade myself...there just wasn't much different from coach class. For a long-haul flight though, I'd imagine it could be worth it.
So do you have to get to check-in late before getting the chance to be upgraded for free? I mean, is there no chance unless you get there a bit later than others? 
i have flown first class since i was 5 every trip i took with my family but we have never paid for a ticket. Guess that was the perks of my Dad flying 2,000,000+ miles a year getting lots and lots of free tickets and upgrades. With my income i wouldnt fly first class cause of the price but I would say in a long trip basis its worth the cash.
Are you serious???? I fly around 60-70K miles per year and airline people claim I fly a lot. I have heard people that fly 250K miles per year, but that is extreme.nsutt22 said:
One round trip to Europe is about 10K miles and roughly 15-20 hours from gate closed to gate open. If considering driving to and from airport, check-in time, security, and waiting for luggage, we are talking more than 24 hours.
2M miles is 200 round trips to Europe. That is, your dad spend more than 50% of his life in an airplane!!!
Are you sure you didnt get one zero too much somewhere?
Dr.Gargoyle said:Are you serious???? I fly around 60-70K miles per year and airline people claim I fly a lot. I have heard people that fly 250K miles per year, but that is extreme.
One round trip to Europe is about 10K miles and roughly 15-20 hours from gate closed to gate open. If considering driving to and from airport, check-in time, security, and waiting for luggage, we are talking more than 24 hours.
2M miles is 200 round trips to Europe. That is, your dad spend more than 50% of his life in an airplane!!!
Are you sure you didnt get one zero too much somewhere?
My Dad's a pilot, he spends about 50% of his time in an Aeroplane... that's how I get my cheap tickets.
Dr.Gargoyle said:Are you serious???? I fly around 60-70K miles per year and airline people claim I fly a lot. I have heard people that fly 250K miles per year, but that is extreme.
One round trip to Europe is about 10K miles and roughly 15-20 hours from gate closed to gate open. If considering driving to and from airport, check-in time, security, and waiting for luggage, we are talking more than 24 hours.
2M miles is 200 round trips to Europe. That is, your dad spend more than 50% of his life in an airplane!!!
Are you sure you didnt get one zero too much somewhere?
I know plenty of people who live in an plane, oh wait i dont. Ya probebly someone added 1 to many zeros.
You are right, I might have misunderstood nsutt22. I got the impression that his father flew 2M miles per year in business. It is nothing strange that airline pilots spend a lot of time in the air. However, there is a huge difference between flying as a profession and using airplanes as a mean of transportation in your profession.Chundles said:
I doubt your father could handle a second fulltime job job after that many hours in the air, right? I don't know if I am a whimp or not, but 2M miles per year in business trips sounds A LOT to me.
Yeah, either his dad is a pilot, or his dad is Richard Branson and is including his balloon trips.
Once I flew first class. My son was three, and the two of us were on our way from Norway to the States. At our connecting flight in the US, I saw that they had put us in two different places on the airplane. I went to the check in desk, explained that he was only 3, didn't speak English etc etc, and we got first class upgrades for free, so we could sit together. When we got on the plane, the attendant saw me settling us into our seats, and said "No, m'am, farther back" in a snooty tone of voice. I looked at her and asked calmly "Don't we look like we belong here?", and showed her our boarding passes. Her face changed FAST, and I was served a G and T immediately.
The other time, I was flying from Chicago to Norway, and we got bumped to business. Good thing, too, because we sat on the runway for 2 hours before we took off , and the flight was 9 hours , so the better seats and constant food/drink sure helped.
The other time, I was flying from Chicago to Norway, and we got bumped to business. Good thing, too, because we sat on the runway for 2 hours before we took off
, and the flight was 9 hours , so the better seats and constant food/drink sure helped.
I did once, the BA flight from London to Atlanta. Normally I hate being called Mr. <surname> and being waited on hand and foot, but with a flight that long, it sure took the tension off (I get restless easy and sitting in one place for an extended length of time gets to me).
Does anyone know how much it usually costs to get upgraded? I'm guessing it's an arm and a leg if you do it when you book the flight, but I'm not above bribing the ticket clerk $200 or so for the bump.
Does anyone know how much it usually costs to get upgraded? I'm guessing it's an arm and a leg if you do it when you book the flight, but I'm not above bribing the ticket clerk $200 or so for the bump.
I've flown first class to and from Dubai on Emirates, which included champagne and a 5-course meal. I stayed at the Burj Al Arab hotel, the one shaped like a sail, so it's fair to say the trip involved substantial amounts of pampering Transfers were by limousine and Rolls Royce 'Silver Seraph'.
Flying first class is amazing, it can extend a holiday's enjoyment right to the airport, but damn, it's crazily expensive. My justification was that I rarely get the chance to go on holiday.
Transfers were by limousine and Rolls Royce 'Silver Seraph'.Flying first class is amazing, it can extend a holiday's enjoyment right to the airport, but damn, it's crazily expensive. My justification was that I rarely get the chance to go on holiday.
Never been in first class but I have done the private aircraft thing a couple of times. A little six seat, twin engine number. Probably had less space then flying coach, but it sure beat driving 6 hours!
My wife and I got bumped up to business class (on British Airways) when we flew back from London to Atlanta, back in 2000.
When we checked in at the ticket counter, we discovered that we hadn't been seated together. The lady there was very apologetic about it, but we were so tired and ready to get home that we didn't really care. When we checked in at the gate, however, we heard those magic words: "Oh, and I see that you've been upgraded to business class." Neither of us was a seasoned world traveler, and at first I thought that she was asking us if we wanted to pay to upgrade -- but she explained that this was just a freebie courtesy of BA.
I don't remember a lot about it now, other than the much larger and more comfortable seats. I think that's the only time in my life that I've actually gotten some sleep on an airplane.
When we checked in at the ticket counter, we discovered that we hadn't been seated together. The lady there was very apologetic about it, but we were so tired and ready to get home that we didn't really care. When we checked in at the gate, however, we heard those magic words: "Oh, and I see that you've been upgraded to business class." Neither of us was a seasoned world traveler, and at first I thought that she was asking us if we wanted to pay to upgrade -- but she explained that this was just a freebie courtesy of BA.
I don't remember a lot about it now, other than the much larger and more comfortable seats. I think that's the only time in my life that I've actually gotten some sleep on an airplane.
Abstract said:So do you have to get to check-in late before getting the chance to be upgraded for free? I mean, is there no chance unless you get there a bit later than others?
that's not my experience.....these days the planes are often so full that if you check in late you might not even get on the plane! The first people to get upgraded are the members of the frequent flyer programs that the airlines offer. Even when the regular cabin isn't full, it's not uncommon to find business class completely full because so many "frequent flyers" have asked to be upgraded.
First class passengers are at a higher risk of death in the event of a plane crash than passengers in the tail "economy" section.
But I guess if it's time for me to go, I'd prefer to go out in first class.
But I guess if it's time for me to go, I'd prefer to go out in first class.
Paraphrased F. Beuller:
"First Class is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend it."
"First Class is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend it."
Never flown business or first. As a matter of fact I've only been on planes with economy and business. Since I used to live in NZ and most of my relatives are there I fly economy for the trip. It's not even 4 hours so it isn't too bad. Been on 3 trips there economy. I think qantas would be the most crap airline I've ever flown with. Air NZ is great same with the Australian cut coast carrier; virgin blue. Anyway I'll be looking out for ways to get a free upgrade next time
Do helicopters count?Sesshi said:Many times.
Ever fly private?
I can fly Business several times a year, depending on who I'm doing work for at the time. Never flown First though, unless you count US domestic "First", which is really just Business as the rest of the world sees it.
ooo! I almost forogt. This isn't first class but it's something. I sued to watn to be a pilot last year so I went out and got a job and saved up for some flying lessons. I had 5 private flying lessons and a flying in a 6 seater breachcraft with someother people for a while. I guess thats close to first class? Not really. It was so cool. On one of the lessons I talked to the instructor and asked if we could do soemthing cool. We eneed up doing some loops and a barrel roll! It was sick! Anyway....