Questions and Answers

Having only flown economy, I’ve always wondered what I would gain if I went for first or Business Class? I find the hardest part of flying economy long haul is the lack of space, poor food, and the difficulty getting the crew to attend to me. On the other hand, I have had situations where the plane was only half full and I;ve been able to lay down flat and had good sleep. I can tolerate economy but I can’t stand the noise from the engine. The thing I occasionally like is that you can be sat next to someone interesting in economy, admittedly its pot luck who you sit next to but I have on occasion sat next to really interesting people, would I be able to talk to other passengers in a business class seat or do people normally stick to themselves?

[QUOTE=”Rob Cottingham, post: 71511″]Having only flown economy, I’ve always wondered what I would gain if I went for first or Business Class? I find the hardest part of flying economy long haul is the lack of space, poor food, and the difficulty getting the crew to attend to me. On the other hand, I have had situations where the plane was only half full and I;ve been able to lay down flat and had good sleep. I can tolerate economy but I can’t stand the noise from the engine. The thing I occasionally like is that you can be sat next to someone interesting in economy, admittedly its pot luck who you sit next to but I have on occasion sat next to really interesting people, would I be able to talk to other passengers in a business class seat or do people normally stick to themselves?[/QUOTE]

Hi Rob,

generally speaking the food (and drink) is going to better in business (or first), and you’ll definitely have more space. Getting the crew to pay more attention is hit or miss, depending on the airline and even individual crews.

Are you traveling for leisure, work, or both? Are you paying out of pocket (or is an employer)? From where are you traveling and to where? I generally buy economy or premium economy to Europe and try to upgrade (at least eastbound). And westbound I can cope with PE even for a long daytime flight.

On the other hand, I’ve lucked out and never had to fly economy to Asia. My previous employer paid for business class. Now self-employed, I save my $ and buy business when I can; I buy PE or economy if I have to, and use miles to upgrade, and it’s never failed.

Do you have miles you could use to book yourself a biz / first trip? See if it is worth it… think “would I have paid $$ for this?”

All passengers can be interesting to talk to :cool:! I’ve never had extended conversations with anyone on board in any cabin, but I’ve certainly been courteous to whoever I sit next to, regardless of cabin (typical travel questions, like – what brings you to this foreign country, where are you from, etc.)

Depending on the airline, even in business class you could have a seatmate next to you. Not all airlines have single seats together up front (direct aisle access), so sitting in business does not always equate to privacy.

It really depends if you’re talking about domestic flights or international. For domestic, quite frankly… It’s just about a slightly larger seat for me.

But for international, having the possibility to have a proper flat bed, delicious food, and attentive service, makes the flight something I’m actually looking forward to as opposed to a dreadful experience. The airport experience is also a lot less stressful since there are usually all sorts of priority lines, lounges etc.

Of course it all depends on the airline, and First class is a notch above with usually completely unnecessary luxuries (but oh so fun).

As for chatting with neighbors, in business or first class on international flights it might be a lot harder to have conversations since often time you’ll have a seat for yourself, or a divider with the seat next to you.

What you gain really depends on what is important to you and where you are traveling. In general, business usually means a little less hassle.

Domestically (assuming no TSA-Pre), a different (usually quieter) check in desk, a different or priority security line, and a bigger seat. You can certainly chat with your neighbor.

Internationally – now there is where the money hits the pavement. Same as domestic (security line and check in desk), but now there is lounge access, which is usually quieter than the main terminal and offers food/drink. They are also handy if there is a delay and you need to rebook. Depending on airline, your seat will likely lay flat or close to it. Food and beverages are generally better. Service in the cabin is usually better. Like Clem says, flying business usually helps to make the entire travel experience more bearable (and for me that is especially when traveling with my wife, who loves it). When I’ve done it for business, I generally arrive better rested. Note that if you want to chat with a neighbor, seat selection will be key as you may be more on your own, or there may be a partition. Also understand, some traveling in business either want to work on the flight or zone out – they may be less chatty than you are used to.