Questions and Answers

But can someone explain to me the difference in business and first class? I see the terms used so much, but honestly, I don’t have a grasp of what that might mean, especially on say an overseas flight.

Thanks.

[USER=1185]@Jim Patrick[/USER]

Well difference in business aka J and first aka F consists of longer and broader seats, often better catering and more premium drink selections in the air, and better lounges and ground services in general when flying in F

For a comparison see the F and J seats on these B777-300ER planes, J uses up less space because the seats are arrange in a much denser config.
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/American_Airlines/American_Airlines_777-300_ER.php[/URL]
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Cathay_Pacific_Airways/Cathay_Pacific_Airways_Boeing_777-300ER_A.php[/URL]

While both F and J are flat on these planes there is less space especially for you feet in J. The examples shown above feature one of the newest type of J with older product the difference will be big up to F.

[USER=1185]@Jim Patrick[/USER] – and just to go a step further, J & F mean different things in the US and Europe for inter-continent flights.

Within the US, only trans-continent flights like NYC – LAX/SFO typically have true F – meaning they actually have separate First and Business class cabins. For the vast majority of US flights coded as “First” it’s really more a Business class offering. I recently flew Qantas domestic flights (intra-Australia) in the better cabin and it was coded as J.

In Europe, intra-Europe flights coded as J are usually regular coach seats with the middle seat blocked off. You’ll get meal service too but don’t expect much from the seat itself.