There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?
Supply and demand. If there are eight FC seats and 100 coach seats on a plane, of course FC will be priced higher.
Also, especially when business travel was a lot higher, FC often went to people on expense accounts, or those who had a bazillion frequent flier miles.
You haven’t checked in a while.
Well I just checked a random American Airlines one way from LA to NYC – about $300 economy, over $1000 business class. There was another flight, $150 economy, $700 business. So you’re right, I was out of date with my prices.
LAX-NYC isn’t a typical route, though. With the number of wealthy people at both ends, airlines offer a more premium service, with a first class featuring lie-flat seats like you’d normally see on international flights.
Ah, okay. Shows you what I know.
Yeah. It’s insane. Try First class from Denver to Hawaii (direct flight). That was our last trip. We had the money. And for a 7 hour flight it was worth it. If you don’t have the money, you suffer. That is the airlines attitude.
As long as the airlines can find people that are happy to be treated like a rented mule, this is what we will get.
90% of my clothes are thrifted. Already washed and shrunk. I get my guy’s jeans used on Ebay, he’s 6’8", new Levis for him are over $80 last I looked. Ebay, all broke in, maybe $25.
I won’t cheap on flights, 6’8" doesn’t fit in coach. And 2 cruises a year, we get a top line suite, but that’s about the only thing we do all year, so yeah, we’ll go in style. Good walking shoes with good insoles, not going cheap there.
You say that like passengers have any other option and it’s their own fault. For most people, the difference between an $800 economy flight and a $5000 first class flight (yes a real flight I just looked up from my location to Hawaii) is astronomical and is just not something they can spend. Lucky for you, you can do so, but tell me how else to get to a place like Hawaii? Passengers are stuck with what is offered.
That’s really only true if there are reasonable options - tickets that include neither checked nor carry-on bags exist because people are willing to buy them but there are also options for me to pay a little more and be able to bring carry-on and/or checked baggage. I don’t have to upgrade to first class to bring luggage. I can’t pay a couple of hundred dollars extra and get a slightly wider seat in economy - I’ll have to pay for either the entire first class experience or none of it.
Well, they can’t have every grandient between cattle car and luxury - that’d be a thousand or more gradients with 1 millimeter more or less hip and leg space. They create categories. And yes people do decide. Not every individual person, of course. But the market as a whole. If there were enough people interested (at least if the airlines thought enough people were interested) in the size/luxury/price segment that you like to make the company more profit, they’d do it that way.
Of course they have to create categories - and right now the categories do not include one that simply has a wider seat but not the other first class amenities. And the airlines have no idea how many people would be interested as none of them offer it. But to say the airlines would only offer it if they thought they would make more profit , while absolutely true , is kind of the opposite of saying that people are “happy to be treated like a rented mule” and that’s why we get what we get.
In 1987 Ed Gillette kayaked solo from California to Hawaii in 64 days.
It’s actually “bitch”, LOL, but I’m not cheap. I’m actually very generous with others but also myself. At an early age I discovered very traumatically that one needs to live life to the fullest every single day because a “day” may be all you have left.
I think there might be a few where you can pay a little extra, and the middle seat is guaranteed to be empty. That effectively gets you the extra width you want.
For that matter, the “first class” on airlines like Spirit is pretty much what you’re looking for. They offer a bigger seat but without the amenities you get in traditional first class on a legacy airline, at a more affordable price. Which is why they don’t market it as first class, but rather call it “Big Front Seat” or some similar name.
This was a very special trip for my Wife. Can we afford it? Yes, but we are certainly not rich. The cost hurt. What I would like is reasonable accommodations on such a long flight for everyone. Only way to get them now is first class. I don’t need first class.
The airlines are sucking me into paying ridiculous amounts for a decent seat. That is way more than I really need.
What I would prefer is is have everyone on a flight given a bit more room. Up the price for everyone 10%, cut down the amount of passengers per plane to do it.
I understand your point, but as a cheap bastard I’d also like the option of a certain number of Cheap Bastard Fares. No seat, you stand up like you would on a full bus. No snack/drink. No “entertainment”. Hell, no restroom privileges, I’ll hold it.
I’d be fine with that option for other passengers. I’ll keep paying for my fully reclinable seat, French champagne, and Swedish massages.
See, I accept that air travel sucks. The TSA wants me to remove my belt and socks? Child’s play. Airlines only offer right connections? Heh, I will sprint.
Make things even worse, but charge me less? Bring it on. I’d rather spend the money I’m saving at my destination.
Be careful of what you wish for.
Until you can’t. Then come the EasyJet extras. Fifty dollars for a little extra space, a necessary bathroom use, your personal ceiling strap. Of course, I think there are international laws requiring seating during takeoffs and turbulence and such, which might require additional convenience fees.