I don’t know where you are, but how long is a flight to Maine at 500 miles an hour?
I was once the last passenger in line for checkin and the agent ran out of tourist class boarding pass cards. Rather than go and get some more, he just handed me a first class boarding pass. The flight was 130 miles, so the seat-belt sign might have been off for about 15 minutes. Not even long enough for me to look around and see if I could see any diffeence.
Was this a domestic US flight on a major carrier in the past few years? Because I have no idea what you’re talking about. A printed or on-phone barcode gets you on the plane on every one of the hundreds of flights I’ve flown over the past few years.
Speaking for myself: the good points, much more comfortable, wider seats, close to the restroom, and now for me the bad points; I prefer to dress casually when flying (jeans and tee shirt) and I feel out of place in first-class dressing so casually, and also on a first-class round-trip flight across the country I gained five pounds from all of the food that was served. Mostly I fly coach (because of the lower cost) but occasionally fly first-class; both are fine.
Recently flew first class for the first time, round trip from Chicago to Denver. Have another next month to Fla. In both cases 1st class was around $150 more than the coach seat. We considered it worth it, when you consider you get 2 free checked bags, more room, and boarded first - each of which would be $50 upgrades. We probably wouldn’t spring for it if it were vastly more expensive - as would be likely for an overseas flight.
In our opinion, 1st class was essentially what air travel OUGHT to be. You aren’t crammed into a ridiculously small seat, competing for overhead space, waiting to board, and other small indignities which can taint the start and end of a trip. I don’t drink, so that didn’t matter to me. Food was very tasty. Seats were very comfortable.
One VERY minor thing that slightly miffed me, on the way home, they upgraded at least 4 people to 1st class. They started offering meal choices at the front, left side of the cabin. We were in the last row on the right. By the time they got to us, the entree we preferred was not available. Just sorta seemed like they could have first asked the folk who PAID for 1st class. Or if they had started at the back, we would have had 1st choice. But, like i said, really minor.
And they gave us hot towels. What the heck is the deal with those?
Flew to Germany like that once. Yes, it is awesome. I did not want to go to sleep because I was enjoying it too much.
First class around the states is nothing like that. Better than economy or stretch seating though. Just flew Frontier to Florida (4 hours). Even did stretch seating. I’m 6’3" my wife 5’2". Both of us found the seats to be incredibly uncomfortable. No padding, we squirmed for 4 hours.
My partner is 6’ 8". We routinely have to do 1st class if the flight is over an hour. We find that service and amenities vary wildly between carriers.
I’ve had the on every international flight in the past 10 years. It’s to refresh you after sleeping/before eating.
This was on a couple hour hop from Chicago to Denver. Didn’t particularly perceive a need to be refreshed (nor am I sure how much a warm towel refreshes me). Just seemed pretty odd, they pass out these hot towels w/ tongs, and then collect them again.
Did you use it on your face, neck, and hands? I find it quite refreshing.
I’ve been on maybe 25 flight sections in the past two years (all international) , and I think on every one of then, I had a card with my seat number on it, to hand to the flight attendant when borading the plane. I call it a boarding pass, but maybe there is a new name for it that I don’t know about. Somewhere along the way someone tears it in half and gives me the stub. It’s the same, whether its Emirates from Dubai to Houston, or Daallo from Djibouti to Hargeisa.
Specific to the incident, it was in Canada, on Eastern Provincial Airways, maybe 30 years ago, St. John’s to Gander.
TLTE:
I have a boarding pass in my hand now, it says Jetstar, 05 May 15, flight 3K 162, Darwin to Singapore, Seat 3C.
It’s the “ran out of cards” that is throwing me off. The passes are printed on paper or electronic. In the US they scan them. You can print them at home or at a kiosk at the airport. They can’t run out passes; they just print another. First and coach are printed on the same material.
While they are less likely to sell it out, they are also less likely to have an empty seat up there. Most major airlines have rewards programs and will upgrade passengers to first class if the seat isn’t sold.
My husband is a medallion member (he’s almost at 2 million miles but is a platinum with Delta). He gets upgraded about 1/2 the time. When we usually fly together, he buys his ticket to get miles and we use his miles to get my ticket, so we’re rarely on the same PNR (travel number). He then gets upgraded to first/business class without me. I grumble but don’t begrudge, free ticket is free ticket. He has sent back snacks to me when I’m with the rest of steerage though.
I’m likely being pedantic. Personally, I’d most likely describe a cool cloth as refreshing, and a warm cloth as soothing.
This. I’ve had the occasional first-class bump on employer-paid travel.
Long international routes will be pampered multi-course meals, booze, movies, the works. I personally found the pampering service annoying and not of value to me, just leave me alone with a wine bottle and a comfy seat :). Also, the ability now to travel with your own entertainment such as a laptop or tablet loaded with your own movies or wifi connection makes the airline In-Flight Entertainment offerings much less of a special value.
I’ve also had a ‘first class’ seat on a crappy regional turbo prop which was only a curtain to segregate me from the coach folks, and a dozen little liquor bottles and pre-packaged sandwich. The flight was too short to even offer a full meal.
As others have said, which airline, from where to where, and which aircraft type make huge differences. Differences which far overwhelm the differences between first & coach on the same airplane.
And ref stpauler a couple posts ago … First class *will *be full. Period. If there aren’t enough real FC tickets sold they just keep upgrading frequent flyers until it is full. About the only way that doesn’t happen is if the whole airplane is darn near empty. Which does, very occasionally, happen.
Obviously, at that time, first class and tourist class borading cards were printed on different bases, by that particular airline. Maybe there weren’t even assigned seats, everyone just got a boarding pass, and first class were a different color. Or maybe the clerk just stuck a number onto a card to designate seat, but different cards for different classes.
I fly a lot (see user name), almost exclusively on US domestic carriers. As others have alluded to, a lot of the details of first class depend on the actual route you are flying. So my comments are meant to be descriptive of US domestic first class.
If you are flying across country from/to a major hub for the airline (e.g. United - Chicago, Delta - Atlanta) first class may have the full “pods” with semi-walls and lay-flat seats. A more normal long distance domestic flight will have wider seats in first class. A shorter flight, or to a secondary destination, may have a smaller plane. The seats would still be wider, but the service would be abbreviated.
As for the actual service - they will usually be attentive and helpful as you board. If you have a coat they will offer to hang it up in the closet for you. When you board, your seat will usually have a pillow and blanket waiting on it. They will offer you a drink while you are seated waiting for the rest of the plane to board. All drinks in first class are free, and unlimited. If the flight is long enough (over 2 hours) you will be served a hot meal on plates with metal silverware. There are usually 2 choices of meals and they will come around to ask you which you want. Before the meal you will be offered a hot moist towelette to clean your hands, and if you choose wipe your face.
As others have stated, there will be some sort of in-seat media player. The bathrooms in first class are the same as throughout the plane, but only the first class cabin can use them.
I’m sure there’s more but I think that about covers it.
The last time I flew first class I was sitting next to a clueless (and possibly special needs) teenager; his parents were across the aisle. One time he got up to go the bathroom and accidentally spilled his soft drink all over me, while cluelessly continuing on without a backwards glance.
My point is relating this story is that the flight attendants made an enormous fuss over me, helping me dry off and asking if I wanted any thing like another towel, and also thanking me profusely for not making a fuss (I guess a lot of first class passengers in this situation would have had a major tantrum or something, going by the FA’s reaction). So first class FAs do seem to be extra attentive, which is possible since they have so many fewer passengers to take care of.
Even sandwiches are unlikely on a short hop. DCA to New England gets me nuts or cookies, popcorn,betc.
So we’ve confirmed your information is out of date and not likely to be experienced by** RivkahChaya **.