While airlines are doing everything they can to squeeze more seats onto planes in economy, in many cases airlines are increasingly allocating more space to first and business class.
Continue reading: Which Airlines Have Onboard Bars & Lounges? We’re Down To Six Carriers
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
With increasing clear-air turbulence, an onboard bar is now viewed as a safety hazard. Airlines want to keep the passengers in their seats as long as possible, not roaming around unfastened.
Some may be aware of the fact that we like flying the SQ and EY, A380 F Suites. However, as a single passenger I would be most reluctant to book the SQ 3A or 3F suite. Additionally, I would personally avoid the EY 5C and 5H single suits too.
I have overheard complaints of excessive noise from passengers who have occupied those suits and suffered the disturbance. These suites are just too close to the bar areas for my liking. Evidently some exuberant J passengers have been known to monopolise the facility.
Might be a little while until we get to enjoy QR/EK/EY again, but hopefully sooner than later.
Any one else seeing a central theme here?
Back in the 70s the piano bar lounge concepts etc., upon the new large capacity wide-bodies, disappeared, once the airlines began to be able to fill up the airplanes with paying passengers.
So far the monetization of every inch of cabin space upon a certain fleet type and aircraft indicates a capacity planning or architectural design flaw of a passenger popular but commercially unsuccessful airliner. Anyone else notice which one other commonality nearly all of these airline with bars share?
Virgin actually planned to have a casino onboard if they took delivery of their A380s.
Please tell me that any nuts in the KE onboard lounge area are served on a plate.
Hey Ben, if we're down to six who else have we lost in the last few years. I can think of Virgin Australia when they gave up their wide bodies, but anyone else?
The QR 777s which were acquired from Virgin Australia have a functioning bar too, albeit not as fancy as the A380 ones.
Richard Branson was bragging about putting in a spa and gym too. They ended up with 0 A380 flying.
The only thing Virgin that Richard Branson isn't bragging is his ties to Epstein.
And like it or not, I personally felt KE soft product was in decline ever since Heather was gone.
The new VS lounge concept is such a dud. The space is not inviting at all. I hope they backtrack and keep the bar concept.
One of the best airplane movie shooting is Daniel Graig getting sad and drunk on board Virgin Atlantic bar in 007 Quantum of Solace. His travel companion gets up, walk to the bar to find Bond sitting alone and asks the bartender what is he having?... response: «vodka blah blah blah, six of them! »
Sometimes on VA Upper Class they will leave some champagne and glasses at the bar for you to self-pour. On other flights they won't (and will even tell you that by regulation they can only serve you at your seat). Obviously some flight attendants are fibbing but it's definitely crew dependent on VA now.
The only "bars" that are real are the ones that are attended. The others that are self service are just a redesign of the galley area. On major airlines in business class you can go to the galley and there is a cart with some drinks and pre-packaged snacks or the flight attendant will offer to pour something for you. May not be as nice looking as the bar idea but services the same. If it is self service anyway, does it really matter. Given the trend of people staying in their seats, passengers could always ask a flight attendant when not in service in the premium classes for a drink and it will be served to them.....
If I had to pick whether the plane had a bar or a cappuccino machine, I would pick the machine. Qatar picked the bar and cannot make a proper cappuccino.
There was a bar on my Qatar flight DOH-BKK using the ex-Cathay planes. Looked to be available to both 1st (where I luckily was) and biz, though nobody really knew about it. Fun way to wrap up the flight!