To miss refined air travel?

You want me to put on a ball gown to potentially end up sleeping on the airport floor

Surely you’ll be back to the Windsor Lounge in LHR next time.

There is. Most airports have them and there are other places you can fly from if you have the right connections eg military airfields like Northolt in West London

Is that the one Boris was always in? Imagine seeing him across the room!!

They did it to cut costs so you got a cheap flight. Then monetised what used to be free so you ticked the box for the extras. I don't the need extras. I just want a safe flight to/from my destination. Have to say that the advent of cheap flights opened up a lot of places to use and created a lot of jobs.

I’m a BA lifetime gold member so can access the first lounge regardless of which class I travel in - and I see zero point in paying for first on my own dime, especially for any flight to the Middle East (which is where I assume you were going). I usually get upgraded from Business anyway if there is a free seat in First, which there often is if I’m going west especially. I fly in what you’d probably term inappropriate wear- Hush joggers and t-shirt/sweatshirt combo. With trainers. As do almost all frequent travellers who are the lifeblood of airlines and get treated exceptionally well. Because we know comfort wins. The people I roll eyes at are people who turn up for a flight looking like they’re going to a wedding - how uncomfortable and DVT inducing.

Alex call me Boris wears a football shirt or poorly ironed relaxed fit shirt in his down time. Most people do unless they’ve something to prove. His summer board shorts are a sight to behold.

@BABaby88 , I’m so relieved! My husband and I travel long haul business once a year with our Amex conpanion voucher. Bargain! If it’s an overnight flight I always change into my PJ’s, I would have been mortified to have upset you.
It still feels a privilege to me to travel so comfortably and I find it quite exciting; I’ve not seen anyone in the lounge looking scruffy they’re usually what I would describe as wearing flight comfy attire.
Do BA fly planes with ‘first’ out of Gatwick? I wouldn’t know because our long hauls have always emanated from LHR and we’ve never seen first offered as a reward ticket.
To be quite honest I am doubtful you’ve flown first class but on the off chance you have and your dissatisfied with the BA clientele I suggest you try alternative airlines.

I never find flights to Spain for £100, its usually one leg much cheaper, by the time you select your return flight, it gets to £295. But I tend to book flights at last minute.

Oh no! That's not smart. Where's the pillbox hat?

To be fair, although she paints a rather snotty and classist picture of herself, I do know what she means (up to a poiint) about people no longer making things an occasion. It is things like the opera, theatre or a nice restaurant that make me notice it. They don't need to look expensively dressed, but I do think some of these things felt more of an occasion when people made an effort - if only because the process of making an effort becomes part of the fun.

I'm not old enough to remember dressing for a flight though ...

But I do remember as a child putting on a nice dress and hair ribbons to go to the theatre. When I was last there the kid in the row in front had stretched, washed-out leggings and a faded t-shirt with what looked like poo on it, though I'm guessing it was chocolate.

I think the same actually. A fool and his money and all that ...

I have been a few times - a mixture of it being paid for and using "points" for the upgrade - and it only reinforced to me that business class is more than adequate for long-haul. Economy I think is a bit of a disgrace (in the sense that airlines are greedy enough to expect people to be that crushed and share so few loos for so long, NOT in the sense some people can't afford anything else and are disgraceful for using it), but it is perfectly ok for short haul.

You sound like a right classist snob.

I will never “dress up” for a flight. Tracksuits and sliders all the way.

I understand why they did it. And I understand many people don’t need the extras. But others do. Especially if you fly very often, or if you fly for work and/or with kids. I personally do need and want the extras.

Gotta climb down from that ivory tower some time, princess. 👸

And I grew up with air travel was too expensive for most people.
So no don't miss those times.

Famine is coming.

I think this applies to life in general nowadays.

People don't dress up any more. I do - I don't mean I wear a Chanel suit and heels - I just take care to choose nice clothes, often casual and make sure my hair looks OK. Yes, it's a bit of effort, but it's part of my self-image not to be a slob if I can help it.

You go to the theatre - people are in all sorts of things. People on MN are always telling us they go to breakfast on holiday, or on the school run, in their nightwear and slippers.

Does this matter? It matters to me. The world is a nicer place for everyone when people take a bit of trouble. It's not about wealth - it's about consideration.

I find a load of people in trackie bottoms and flip flops, outside their own homes, really lowers my mood.

Before anyone asks: why do you care, what business is it of yours etc, I've explained why I care.

I think air travel (and all travel) should be expensive. It should be special and a luxury which you have to save for. it's really bad for the planet that so many people fly so frequently.

I speak as someone who's flown 4 times in my life. I travel by other means usually, and never plan to go long-haul.

Yes, I think air travel shouldn't be like getting on a bus - it should be the special experience it once was.

You can dress up in comfortable clothes ,you don't have to be in stiletto heels just nice clean presentable clothes.

I find a load of people in trackie bottoms and flip flops, outside their own homes, really lowers my mood.

I hope you’re okay. Really.

As long as they don’t wear their trackies and flip flops out, I’ll be fine🤣🤣.

Airplane seats are pretty dirty. I'm not wearing a tracksuit but also not going to wear anything I have to dry clean, iron, or hand wash, as it's going right to the laundry bin.

You sound like a snob and it makes extra chores, but perhaps you don't do your own laundry.

I don't really find this. At the theatre no one ever stands out as looking really scruffy to me. There's usually a mix of students, tourists and people thay have come from work and everyone is dressed accordingly. I've been in airports a fair bit over the summer and people tend to fly in holiday wear or normal casual clothing or sports clothes if they were going off on a sports tour (as quite a few seemed to be). Aside from the fact that this is a made up thread, I don't really understand how someone can be harking back to the golden age of the 90s as the pinnacle of glam air travel.

I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone on a plane in visibly dirty clothes. Maybe a toddler.