Is first class on a plane worth it?

[Ako Si Jamie]

I seem to recall it's about double the price of an economy seat but I could be wrong!

Anyway, is it worth it? What do you get for your bucks?

[stevewool]

if its free yes its worth it, i was upgraded just the once with Etihad and wow it was nice a bed and drinks and food all the time but all i did was sleep , if i had to pay myself i would not bother but then again if you had the money why not

[grahamw48]

I'll ask my son.

Malaysian put him in first class when he was only 9 years old and travelling 'unaccompanied' from Manila.

I can only dream...

[stevie c]

Steve how did u manage to get a free upgrade?

[stevewool]

dont know mate it was my first trip back from the phils, when i got in the pig pen ie waiting area they said i was given another seat number 5c so they called the first seat please families with young children and up i went and was shown into the front on the plane with my seat which makes into a bed, just lucky mate, a great sleep from manila to abu though

[Dedworth]

I went to Vegas on Business Class a few years ago free with BMI (they don't have a first class) fold flat bed seats, chef on board etc etc - I think it would have cost about £3000 no way was it worth the extra compared with those who turned right and paid £500

[stevie c]

I will try my luck & ask if there are any free upgraded available

[stevewool]

i did ask at the desk if i could have a window seat at the time but they said the flight was full, so i said thankyou for trying and smiled and walked away , never know that may have help

[Terpe]

Jaimie, I very much doubt that 1st class is double the economy class.
I haven't checked recently but from my travelling days but it's far far more than double economy on long haul.

I reckon it's more like 10 times the cheap economy ticket with business class maybe 3 times cost. I just guessing quickly.

Whether it's worth it is completely relative to your funding.
When I travelled for business anything over 10 hours could be booked first class at my level.
I did it many times without any concern. Wonderful.
Well worth it for me.

It's relative. I reckon you pay 5 or 6 grand for a first class flight to Manila.
How does that stand with you if it's from your own bank.
Me NO WAY ON THIS EARTH

[Ako Si Jamie]

It's relative. I reckon you pay 5 or 6 grand for a first class flight to Manila.

That's a hell of a lot.

[Dedworth]

BA LHR to JFK Out Sat 16/3 Back Mon 18/3 Economy £362 First £5095

[RickyR]

I fly business and have flown first with work, but when it comes to paying for my own tickets i almost always choose economy. I'd rather spend the money on the hotel then on a 12 hour flight.

Business and first class varies from airline to airline, with Kuwait airways at the very crap end and the likes of Singapore, emirates etc at the top end.

I used to fly Etihad a lot out of Manila in business and could sleep well on the full flat beds.

[mickcant]

I always looked at the large seats/beds on the way past with envy but would not pay the extra, if it meant I could travell twice for the same cost.
Mick.

[melovesengland]

id rather spend the money on my trip than spending it on a bed in an aeroplane. it will be all the same, youll reach the destination still. for me not worth paying but free surely ill avail! xx

[malchard888]

Great if u work for an airline, my son whose a BA employee recently went to mexico and back with his wife and baby, club class both ways, total £290 , lucky

[grahamw48]

My brother is a diplomat.

Flies everywhere first class, courtesy of the taxpayer....and straight through the 'diplomatic channel' at the airports with his special passport. In the past, when he's being carrying the 'diplomatic bag', also got a separate seat for that too. Ok for some.

[RickyR]

I'm lead to believe Graham that's stopped, at least I know the British Ambassador out here has to fly economy now.

The government cutbacks have hit hard, my friends who work for the Royal Fleet Auxilliary as Officers and Captains used to also fly business and first class but that's been knocked on the head too.
Some very serious bean counting going on

[andy222]

I would love to fly first class but its out of my price range. Like has been said its better to spend the surplus when you get to your destination.

[Ako Si Jamie]

Yeah not worth it in my opinion even though I've never travelled this way.

I'd be happy to go in a cargo plane for £50.

[Iani]

I'm quite happy in cattle class

Granted if I was flying Thomas Cook airways it would be a different matter, but thankfully if you're with the likes of them, it's usually for 2 hour flights to Ma-Jaw-ca or Bonkidorm. The legroom on Thomas Cook is grim.

Etihad who are my favourite, along with Malaysian if I could afford or got a special deal, the legroom is satisfactory for me (6ft) but not for everyone of course. I usually prefer a bit of company (That's just me).
The downside is that you take the risk of being next to someone with a heavy cold, or most annoying for me - some arrogant who spreads their legs into your space, uses both arm rests deep into your space, and who seems to move a lot nudging you. Hasn't happened too often, but when it does, I can see how air-rage can happen. Since I'm faced with 8 hours next to him, I'd rather just put up with it, and why should I ask to move seats..........thus giving him the extra room and him winning

[robbie bobby]

I always travelled to MNL with KLM.Paid the economy price then when I check in 30 hours before I usually get the chance to upgrade for less than 300 pounds.I would say it was worth it.Eat good,drink allof their champagne stocksthen sleep on a seat that turns into a bed

[Michael Parnham]

My favourite airline is Qatar, but in 2010 I flew with KLM for £310 from Manchester to Cebu, it was at the time the volcano erupted in Iceland and the aircraft was full of seamen and other filipino workers. Never again!

[robbie bobby]

of course if i had to pick a best airline it would also be qatar.no one can touch them in regards to service etc but i have always found a business class seat to manila from schipol for less than 300 quid outbound and even better now they are not flying direct anymore and its a 15 hr flight

[Doc Alan]

Peter was about right with his estimates of costs !

For example, Cathay Pacific (
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_..._CountryChange ) cheapest Economy flights from London Heathrow to Manila are just under 670 GBP ; Premium Economy about 1,840 GBP ( nearly 3 X ) ; Business Class 3,250 GBP ( nearly 5 X ); and First Class about 5,790 GBP ( nearly 9 X ).

Premium Economy was introduced by Cathay Pacific last Spring for flights on the Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver, New York and London routes from Hong Kong. Other long haul routes have been added and more are planned for this year.

Of course Business Class and First Class are out of the question for me and almost all of us who have to pay for ourselves. We can only look with envy as we’re forced to walk through Business Class !

Last year I did in fact take advantage of the Premium Economy Class introductory rate of around 1000 GBP, booking in April for November flights. I booked direct with Cathay Pacific in order to stop over for a few days in Hong Kong en route to Manila. The advantages ?

Dedicated check-in counter ; priority boarding ; increased baggage allowance to 25 kg ( pasalubong can be heavy ! ) ; wider seat ( which can be pre-booked ) ; large meal table and better food ; better headrest and legrest ; quieter more spacious cabin ; more personal storage space; more “ Asia Miles “.
For comparison ( Economy in brackets ) :-
Seat pitch 38” ( 32” )
Seat width 19.5” (less than 18.5”)
Recline 8” (6”)

To me – not as young as most members ! - it was worth the extra cost last year. However, I’m no travel expert, and the prices are now markedly increased. I can well understand opting for Economy flights, but one important consideration ( for me ) is flight times. It seems that the cheapest flights are the longest, with tedious unwanted stopovers.

[stevewool]

i think the best way to look at flights now is to look at a stop over, just a few days somewhere new to see and its the same price as going all the way to the phils too,

[Ako Si Jamie]

i think the best way to look at flights now is to look at a stop over, just a few days somewhere new to see and its the same price as going all the way to the phils too,

My mate has a return ticket going to the Phils but he's getting off at HK and touring mainland Asia for a few weeks. Costing around the same as going direct.

But I don't think you can do that anywhere without having to pay for the extra flight, only at certain 'hubs'.

[fred]

I know a person that has been upgraded a few times without asking.. Jammy ##$$%%$!!
Ive heard it said that if you are wearing a suit or smartly dressed then you always have a far better chance than a back packer in a t shirt and shorts for an upgrade.
Always ask.. They can only say "no"...Or better still.. "Yes"