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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Who on earth pays for 1st class flight tickets

330 replies

Gregoravitch · 23/08/2016 01:18

Just got home from a lovely holiday from the US.

We splurged out for Premium Economy tickets and it was bliss, as you enter the aircraft we had to walk through first class and my word it was so bloody extravagant and packed, their didn't seem to be an empty seat.

Out of curiousity I had a look at the prices for the very same flight journey that we took for a first class ticket and the cheapest I could find was around 3 grand and the most expensive was 7 grand

3 bloody grand, if I could afford it I probably would but it seems horribly expensive. A return ticket would be 6 grand and that's more then our entire holiday for 4 for a fortnight cost.

Who are all these people paying these prices?

I'm also very envious, those first class seats looked very comfy

OP posts:

Bogeyface · 23/08/2016 01:57

One Saturday night when I was home alone with the kids (again) and hadnt won the lottery (again) I priced up my dream holiday.

It was quite a trip but it involved flights to and from the US. With me and my 6 (3 who would be classed as adults) and my parents it actually worked out cheaper to charter a private jet for the flights than go first class with any of the major airlines!

PenelopeChipShop · 23/08/2016 02:05

I was also going to say that the answer is air miles, either gained through frequent flying or through certain credit cards. DH has a credit card that earns air miles and we put everything on it and pay it off monthly to gain the miles.

We have loads but haven't used them as we have two preschoolers at the moment and can't face long haul holidays even in first class!

MeMeMeMeMeMee · 23/08/2016 02:07

If it's been available I've flown almost exclusively in business, Virgin Upper class or first class for last 25 years. Mostly paid for by DHs company when we were expats in various countries. I used to get quite a reaction when I wandered into Virgin upper class with the 4 DC on my own. The look of horror on the other passengers faces was priceless.

For the last 10 years or so we have used upgrade tickets and points for one or two holidays a year for the whole family. DH has zillions of airmiles so it doesn't cost us much however since the DC have left home we've been flying first class a few times a year on points, upgrade vouchers and by actually paying for the tickets. We've not often paid but if you look out for offers some first class tickets are not that expensive. We actually choose destinations based on whether BA have a first class service going to them. BA first class isn't the best but it will do Some of the cabins are actually quite run down. We were given compensation as we stepped on board when we boarded a tatty BA plane coming from San Francisco last year. BA knew it was a bit shite and were trying to make sure people didn't complain. I think that route got new planes now.

Flying first class makes the flight part of the holiday, it's fun and relaxing. I definitely don't think I'm better than anyone else though. That would be obnoxious.
I actually dislike the overly simpering service that you get on BA. The Cheif steward comes around to introduce him or herself and shake your hand. It's a bit OTT and the handshaking is unwanted and unhygienic.

People spend their money on all sorts of things. I think it's madness to spend loads of money on a wedding. We also haven't paid for private school which, I imagine other people would have. Don't be too critical of people in first class and business class as I think they are subsidising everyone else's flights

trafalgargal · 23/08/2016 02:09

No one pays for first class except the super rich. It either a business expense or an upgrade.

Doesn't sound the the OP was talking about real first class though but business class. My first ever first class flight (upgrade after our flight the day before was overbooked) I was finding it very hard to believe that just a partition away there were people squashed in as I relaxed drinking champagne and eating caviar......(ld flown out economy so really appreciated the difference)

Club in Europe isn't really worth the extra though , no big seat just the guarantee of an empty seat next to you and a slightly better snack. I'd rather spend the extra couple of hundred on a spa when I arrived instead.

trafalgargal · 23/08/2016 02:13

Mee with BA miles you can use them on any One World airline , Cathay Pacific's business and first might be a much better use of the miles if you like a bit of pampering rather than BA.

Mittensonastring · 23/08/2016 02:17

My brother, he is wealthy and has 7 bathrooms in his house, his work also pays for his first class business flights.

I have flown business class before but not first.

shiteattheseaside · 23/08/2016 02:20

People whos company pay for it and my bloody work wont even give you a free lunch!

Id live to have the money to do it!

shiteattheseaside · 23/08/2016 02:20

*love to, live to is a bit strong!

BurstBees · 23/08/2016 02:25

We travel first class, pay for it ourselves and don't think we're better than anyone else. But we can afford to do it. I suffer from claustrophobia and the extra space makes all the difference on a long haul flight.

ArmySal · 23/08/2016 02:26

7 bathrooms in a house?

erinaceus · 23/08/2016 02:27

I have heard a story of parents turn left, children and the nanny turn right.

I do my best not to judge other people for the decisions that they make but I did feel about that particular parenting/childcare/financial decision combination.

waitingforsomething · 23/08/2016 02:32

My DH travels a lot for work and his company pay for him to fly 1st class quite often. This is because it is often a long flight with a time difference, and he has to go straight to a meeting with no rest beforehand. The pay off for this is a comfortable journey and the opportunity to sleep and eat well.
Because of his airmiles we have flown Club with BA a few times by upgrading. It was bloody lovely and if we had the money we would always do it (Not because I think I'm better than anyone else, it's just much less stressful especially with little people)

avamiah · 23/08/2016 02:32

OP,
Good question.
I have flown with my husband in business class(long haul) many times.
Used air miles for upgrades to business class and sometimes just got a great deal but never first Class.
Never had enough miles or money for First Class but depending on the airline it used to just be the menu and toiletries that were different as both first and business class had flat beds.

NPowerShitShower · 23/08/2016 02:32

BA short haul Club is awful! Long haul, fair enough, but don't kid yourself that you're getting anything better than in economy (I used to work for them - I know!).

NPowerShitShower · 23/08/2016 02:33

erinaceus - it was often the dad who was up front and the mum and kids down the back too!

shiteattheseaside · 23/08/2016 02:35

Waiting for something - this actually makes sense as otherwise they wpuld have to pay for hotel over night etc so the price difference probably means just worth it to pay for 1st.

erinaceus · 23/08/2016 02:36

NPowerShitShower Now that you mention it, I have a vague memory of hearing about this too. For some reason, that situation evoked pity more than anything but for both parents to set it up in this way?

For all I know, the kids are lovely and the nanny got a free holiday out of it. I should not judge, but still, I did feel at the concept.

trafalgargal · 23/08/2016 02:40

Couple of hundred for a decent hotel room versus a thousand plus for the difference between economy and business Erm presumably it's not an accountancy firm lol

ShanghaiDiva · 23/08/2016 02:46

Erinaceus I know families where Dad is in business and mum is economy with the children and this is for a holiday, not a flight where dad had to go straight to a business meeting.

erinaceus · 23/08/2016 02:49

trafalgargal

It is not that. The traveller may well be working right up to the moment they step onto the plane, sleeping on the plane, showering in arrivals, and then working again. By sleeping and travelling simultaneously, the traveller's time is used more judiciously.

Business class travel is not a perk. It is a function of the job that the traveller is doing. The traveller's time is the company's money.

I like to travel on the sleeper train, for almost the same reason. It is a more expensive way to travel than the regular train. However, I get an extra two days at my destination out of it, plus I sleep well on trains.

erinaceus · 23/08/2016 02:50

ShanghaiDiva Yes, this is what I was thinking of. I am honestly surprised that this still happens. It is terribly sad. Then, I feel surprised that I am surprised.

pennyunwise · 23/08/2016 03:32

I think I'd have to be really really rich to bother with it. I fly 13 hours in economy quite regularly and while I don't exactly enjoy it, I can deal with it. If I had another 5k, I'd rather spend it on something more long-term than upgrading my flight just for 13 hours of slightly more comfort. Same if I had an extra 10k, 15k, 20k.... I guess I'd only fly first class if I was so rich that I could afford everything I've ever wanted in life and still had the money to spare for it!

Cocklodger · 23/08/2016 03:46

Dh earns enough to pay for us to fly first class, so we do.

Anyfuckers · 23/08/2016 03:56

Im flying from Colombo to Dubai later today in business class on Emirates. Biz class is full so I am hoping for an upgrade to first class as on Emirates it is superb.

avamiah · 23/08/2016 03:58

Cocklodger,
Ok, anything more to add to the post.?

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