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First class is a luxury travel class on some airliners that exceeds business class, premium economy, and economy class. On a passenger jetliner first class refers to a limited number (rarely more than 16) of seats or cabins located in the front of the aircraft which are notable for their comfort, service and privacy. Propeller airliners occasionally have first class in the rear.
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[edit] Service
First Class seats vary from large reclining seats with more legroom and width than other classes to suites with a fully reclining seat, workstation and TV surrounded by privacy dividers. International First Class seats usually have between 58 and 94 inches (147 - 239 cm) of seat pitch and between 19 and 35 inches (48 - 89 cm) of width while domestic flights may have between 34 and 68 inches (86 - 173 cm) of pitch and between 18 - 22 inches (46 - 56 cm) in width. Some airlines have First Class seats which allow passengers to let 1 guest sit for a short while face-to-face with the occupant of the cabin.
First Class passengers usually have at least one lavatory reserved for their exclusive use, with more than one on larger planes. Business and Economy Class passengers are not normally permitted into the First Class cabin. Normally AVOD (AudioVisual On Demand) entertainment is offered, although sometimes normal films, television programs and interactive games are provided on medium-large seat-back or armrest-mounted flat panel monitors. Especially for long-haul and high-yielding routes on top airlines, a First Class seat may have facilities akin to a 5-star hotel such as a mini-bar.
Recently, some airlines have gone far enough to model their first class section as suites. Singapore Airlines for instance now markets its highest class on its A380s as "Suites" with the tagline "A class above first." The 78 in (198.12 cm) bed is separate from the seat and folds out from the back wall, with several other components of the suite lowering to accommodate the mattress. Windows are built into the doors and blinds offer privacy. Suites located in the center can form a double bed after the privacy blinds between them are retracted into the ceiling. Other A380 operators like Emirates also have a suite-like first class with similar amenities but the bed and chair are integrated where a button is pushed to turn the seat into a bed in seconds and vice versa.
[edit] Additional Benefits
On the ground, First Class passengers are offered complimentary limousine service and usually have special check-in and security zones at the airport while some airlines operate private terminals. While it is typical that these passengers have lounge access, some airlines have separate lounges for first and business where the former may have more luxurious amenities. These passengers are often able to board the aircraft before other passengers, sometimes through their own jetbridge.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary and gourmet meals are usually served with a choice of wine, dessert, and aperitifs. Often these meals have been designed by leading chefs and are served on white linen table cloths and with real cutlery (often with the exception of knives for security reasons).
When it comes to mileage, revenue First Class passengers are entitled to more bonus miles which can make the earning of a free ticket and other perks (such as a higher tier on a frequent flyer programme) much faster.
[edit] Ticket Prices
Historically, First Class air travel has been very expensive. First Class long haul fares regularly exceed $10,000 per person round trip, as opposed to $3,000-4,500 international business class tickets and $1,000 economy class tickets. With the emergence of frequent flyer programmes however, passengers have been able to upgrade their Business Class or Economy Class tickets through membership in elite in such frequent flyer programmes and through the policies of some airlines that allow Business Class or Economy Class passengers to purchase last-minute upgrades on a space-available basis.
[edit] Cabin separation
Access to the First Class portion of the plane is usually restricted from those traveling in Business Class and Economy Class by curtains, although for security reasons, US-based airlines are increasingly removing these cabin dividers or installing transparent cabin dividers. Even though Business Class passengers are restricted from the First Class Cabin and Economy Class passengers are restricted from both the First and Business Class Cabin, airlines generally will allow a group of people traveling on the same flight in different Cabins to convene together in the lowest ticketed cabin amongst the group.
[edit] US Domestic First Class
On most domestic flights within the United States, what is normally Regional Business Class in the rest of the world is branded as "Domestic First Class" by the US Airlines. The service is generally a step below Long Haul International Business Class.
However, Domestic First Class does have two very different meanings on certain transcontinental routes such as LAX-JFK, SFO-JFK, and others. American Airlines and United Airlines both operate a special service on the JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO routes known as "American Flagship Service" and "United p.s." (p.s. stands for premium service) respectively. In these cases, First Class is actually a three cabin First Class which is different from two cabin First Class, both in comfort and price. In these cases, Domestic Business Class is generally equivalent in pricing to Two cabin Domestic First Class. The Three Cabin First Class is more of a true First Class rather than a rebranded First Class.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: First class |
[edit] External links
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