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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:

campervan07 · 23/08/2016 10:48

I consider myself very lucky that I get to travel in business or first if available for work. Love it although prefer business to first on BA as cabin staff are a bit less attentive (but still usually lovely) which suits me better. Have a toddler and a baby so use the opportunity to watch whole films uninterrupted and sleep! You also do arrive in a better state than when flying economy.

I don't think I would pay for it out of my money though as just couldn't justify it at the moment. If I had more money I would though.

Sapphire - I don't think I agree about equalising the perks. Business and first is often where airlines make their money and the cost of those tickets is often subsidising the costs of the rest of the plane. Depends on cost and profitability of routes though. People who spend so much expect more perks.

springwaters · 23/08/2016 10:51

That would have been Business Class - you don't get to "walk through" First Class as a member of the great unwashed.

Yes you do on some flights. BA to/from Oman for example boards at the front and everyone walks through 1st class. Very odd when you are in 1st as everyone has a good look as you sip your champagne in your pjs. They have just changed to a direct flight which may now avoid that.

citybushisland · 23/08/2016 10:52

I got upgraded to 1st on a long haul a few years ago, was nice but the best bit was being seated across the aisle from Colin Firth. Sadly I can remember nothing of the service or facilities due to having to concentrate on not staring - for NINE HOURS.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 23/08/2016 10:56

I can't sleep on planes, first class or no. I fly first class for the comfort, but it's definitely not worth the money for sleep.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 23/08/2016 10:57

Haha that's funny city. I would have totally tried to strike up a conversation!

kimann · 23/08/2016 10:58

We go business when I visit my family back in Asia (13hour 50min flight) - we have a toddler who is terrible with sleep and due to time difference it's important we (she) gets as much sleep as possible (+7 hours) and the extra space is a god-send. We are lucky enough to be able to afford it ourselves. X

zofranks · 23/08/2016 11:00

I have flown it - always paid for by work I may add, there is no way I would pay for it myself though because I am an inflight sleeper, as soon as I get onboard I doze off - I even once slept through a landing so for me honestly it's a waste of money. That said the bubbly is nice & the free washbags you used to get were always pretty good sellers on eBay!

citybushisland · 23/08/2016 11:04

whatthefox I was too embarrassed, no idea why, I'm not generally backward in coming forward, but yeah it was an uncomfortable flight that I should have enjoyed more.

QueenJuggler · 23/08/2016 11:09

I have a gazillion airmiles from work travel (work always fly me first/business), so use them to book first or business class when we travel long-haul for holidays (not all flights have a first class cabin).

Short-haul, I don't care at all - Easyjet does just as well as BA business IMO!

GGNewMum · 23/08/2016 11:14

I agree that most likely everyone was flying using miles. Also if the flight was as full as you saw - then also likely that many were business class passengers being upgraded.
(Also, are you sure it was first class? Usually you enter and turn left for first and right for business and then economy).

pennyunwise · 23/08/2016 11:17

I always think I'd rather spend the money on the holiday than the journey. When we went to New York for our honeymoon loads of people asked if we were going first class and laughed when we said we had booked the cheapest flights.
I was happy enough to be offered regular cranapple juice!

Totally agree with this. And for me there's always something else I'd much rather spend the money on. I fly 13 hour trips back to the UK quite regularly and economy class really doesn't bother me that much. Okay, it's not the most comfortable journey in the world, but I sleep through half of it, watch a film or two and then it's over before you know it anyway.

springwaters · 23/08/2016 11:28

I am interested in whether all the people who say that it is a waste of money have ever flown 1st class. The saying is that once you turn left you never turn right again.

1st class or Virgin UC is an experience . Virgin have the best LHR experience (much better that the BA 1st class Concorde room)

With Virgin. Drive through check in. You go up a private driveway and are met at the car. Your bags are taken and you are checked in (it is all ready takes 2 minutes) at a desk or sofa. You go through a private screening channel (not the best part as often queues as all Virgin UC go through that bit even if they don't do drive through)

Then onto the lounge. Free beauty treatment or hair treatment. Sadly they have stopped make up. I usually have free facial, pay for gel nails and sometimes have a haircut. Then unlimited food and drink. Lovely deli bar. Yummy cocktails. There is a pool and sauna but I have never been. Shoe shine- I always take a tricky blue pair that I have as they do a a fabulous job. Pool, old video games, outdoor terrace… it is endless. Lovely loos, magazines

I allow 4-6 hours in the lounge prior to the flight if it is a pleasure trip. Well worth the money for the whole experience not just the plane.

BA 1st class is wonderful on the plan but pretty poor on the ground. The toilets in the Concorde room are awful but after a generous top up of champagne who cares.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 23/08/2016 11:31

Although city if Colin had told you to bog off, that would have made the rest of the flight tres AWKWARD, so maybe it was the best.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 23/08/2016 11:34

I don't think it's worth it spring. I fly first or business more because economy is awful, I don't think I'm getting value for money in first. The same amount spent on a cruise, in a suite with a butler and far superior food, spa treatments etc is better use of the money for me.

SilverBat · 23/08/2016 11:39

I only have experience of Virgin flights and BA, but don't rain on Dowsers parade Springwaters
I would put Virgin Upper Class only just under BA First. It is definitely superior to BA Business (or Club World as they call it). You have to climb over the feet of people to get out in some of the seats)!
As others have said BA Club Europe isn't worth the extra - unless you're flying with a baby or toddler, and then the table between you would come in handy.

PatriciaHolm · 23/08/2016 11:41

We've done Virgin Upper, Eithad First and Singapore Airlines First Class, all to Australia, all paid for by ourselves.

We did Virgin a number of years ago and it seems to have go much more expensive since - I think we paid about 10k return for 2 adults, 1 toddler and 1 baby in UC return to Australia. I think it would be double that now! We got chauffeurs each end as well which was a nice touch.

Eithad was nice, but Singapore better, and the lounge at Changi is fab.

DH has flown first/business a lot with work. I've flown a fair amount but my companies have always been too stingy to spring for upgrades!

springwaters · 23/08/2016 11:43

I don't think it's worth it spring. I fly first or business more because economy is awful, I don't think I'm getting value for money in first. The same amount spent on a cruise, in a suite with a butler and far superior food, spa treatments etc is better use of the money for me.

I can see that point.

If you buy in a sale you can fly 1st class with BA to the far east for under £2500 and middle east for £1700.

A 4 night Cunard Cruise from the Uk in Queens Grill suite is £1250.

I disagree about the spa on a cruise ship- I have never been on a ship with a decent spa (and they are exorbitantly expensive)!

kimann · 23/08/2016 11:46

@patriciaholm - I agree re Singapore Air - but then again I am a little bit biased as I'm from there and my brother is a pilot for them X

pennyunwise · 23/08/2016 11:49

spring

I've never flown first or business class but like I said, I can't see why I'd ever bother to spend the money. I always have something else it would be more useful for (the holiday itself, a new car, home improvements, things for the kids), and I'm just not that perturbed by economy class. It doesn't bother me at all really. Maybe I'm just so laid-back that I don't need to be able to physically be laid back.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 23/08/2016 11:51

True spring but I'm not much of a fan of the air lounge spa treatments either! Dedicated spas much better.

It's purely personal, but I feel the luxuries on a cruise are more "worth" the money, so I begrudge the money spent on being slightly more comfortable whilst strapped into a tin can hurtling through the air! For others, it will be money well spent.

springwaters · 23/08/2016 12:00

True spring but I'm not much of a fan of the air lounge spa treatments either! Dedicated spas much better.

I don't like BA- I dont usually bother but I do like Virgin. They do very good nails!

BastardDailyMail · 23/08/2016 12:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenJuggler · 23/08/2016 12:23

See, I love BA Club if you get a window seat - once the divider is up, you're completely screened from everyone. And I get early choice of seats, so you can pick the window seat at the end where you don't have to step over anyone to get in and out.

I'm less keen on the seating arrangements on Virgin Upper. Too exposed if you want to sleep.

SingaporeBusiness is amazing. So comfortable, it's like sleeping in your own bed.

And I don't like the suites on Emirates or Singapore - too claustrophobic for me. Feels like a ferry cabin, just with nicer soft furnishings!

Roussette · 23/08/2016 12:47

I am tickled by flying FC or BC then coming home and selling the amenities bag on Ebay.. bit of a contrast that! (£5,000 on a flight and making £9.50 on a toilet bag?!)

(I know it was a company trip )

Tallulahoola · 23/08/2016 12:59

I've been upgraded to first and business a few times - sometimes through complaining about something, sometimes just through luck, once just by asking! There's nothing like the joy of a flat bed on a long haul flight. It has ruined all air travel for me though, because once you've done it you feel outraged at having to sit in crappy economy

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