by
Tadeusz Grzęda
Departament Zarządzania Segmentami Klientów
In 2017, 43 airlines worldwide offered first class seats. This is by 9 fewer than several years before. However, despite the visible downward trend, carriers are trying to outdo one another implementing ever newer and more luxurious convenient solutions.
Travelling opulently
Let's be honest – most of us fly economy. Little space, little leg room, no privacy. You must have wondered more than once or twice what it would be like to fly first class. Let us help – it would be expensive! For an intercontinental return flight, best seats cost PLN 25,000 or more. With Emirates airlines, a first-class ticket is USD 21,635, i.e. over PLN 86,000. Singapore Airlines offers cheaper tickets – about EUR 11,000, which is equivalent to about PLN 45,000. These amounts are enormous for an average Pole, but almost imperceptible for the first class passengers. After all, they are, above all, celebrities, actors and businesspeople from Forbes rankings. This group is evidently rather small, but with unreasonable demands.
First class – is it worth it?
For such a high price, first-class passengers buy the highest travelling comfort and luxurious conditions. What can high-end clients expect? An exceptional service, which starts even before they board the plane. The offered services include, for example:
– transfer to the airport by a limousine,
– personal assistant for special tasks – for dealing with paperwork and all documents,
– access to business lounges, where you can find: SPAs, restaurants, bars and even massage parlors,
– exclusive, spacious cabins for privacy,
– going through airport security without waiting in lines,
– meals composed by the most famous cooks, upon request,
– increased baggage allowance,
– comfort, luxury and extravagance
– transfer to the airport by a limousine,
– personal assistant for special tasks – for dealing with paperwork and all documents,
– access to business lounges, where you can find: SPAs, restaurants, bars and even massage parlors,
– exclusive, spacious cabins for privacy,
– going through airport security without waiting in lines,
– meals composed by the most famous cooks, upon request,
– increased baggage allowance,
– comfort, luxury and extravagance
“It looks kind of luxurious”... let’s have a peek inside
First-class seats are offered by such European airlines as: Air France, British Airways, Swiss or Lufthansa. In a ranking prepared by Skytrax, La Première (first class of Air France) takes the fourth place in the world. In La Première, you can drink champagne and eat caviar or foie gras. Guests can also savor cocktails invented by the chief bartender at Ritz. Cabins are covered with high-quality leather, suede and wood. Guests will also receive elegant accessories – a pyjama and collector's leather toilet bags with mini cosmetics by Givenchy.
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtTP0Y5kL0
However, European carriers still cannot compete with the luxuries offered by Emirates or Singapore airlines. Emirates have prepared 6 extra-luxurious suites for their guests. Flight attendants deliver meals without opening the door and disturbing the passengers, and the passengers can take advantage of well-stocked minibar, 32 inch screens with an in-flight entertainment system or a video chat to talk to the crew. Seats can be quickly converted into beds, which can be set on “zero gravity” for weightlessness.
First Class Cabin Features | Cabin features | Emirates United Kingdom
https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/experience/cabin-features/first-class/
Singapore Airlines, on the other hand, offers separate suites with a control tablet for entertainment, lighting and seat positions. The seats can be set to face the windows so that you can admire the breathtaking views without straining your neck. Moreover, passengers can use in-flight Wi-Fi, mobile phone signal or full-sized bed. The suites have special textured wall panels to reduce noise and allow you to rest. All “rooms” are separated by retractable partitions. They can be retracted upon request to create bigger rooms – perfect for business meetings or parties.
Sounds magical? Sure! Although it’s certainly possible to survive without all these comforts. After all, even the founder of Ikea drove an old Volvo. First-class banking and the highest flights in the world are offered with World Elite™ Debit MasterCard®.
