Do You Fly First Class Or Steerage To The LOS?

[Ladyboy_Loser!]

I fly only EVA Air in their Economy Deluxe class and because of this I have accumulated a ton of miles in their Evergreen Club. Since the flight from SFO can take up to 13.5 hours just to Taipai it's well worth the extra dollars to have that extra leg room. More ofthen than not they show their appreciation for me being a good customer by upgrading me to Business or even First class. I like that but can never enjoy the royal treatment to to max because I take an Ambien CR about an hour into these overnight flights and sleep through the meal service.

[jadeite]

It is amazing how honest people are on polls here. This one is another example where not even a single boast for first class has been made. There could be some that go first of course; it's just there isn't tons of exaggeration.

Historically I have preferred biz class, but after living in Thailand long enough I am a lot less squeamish about such things now and it's not nearly as important to me as before. I don't think there is a large difference. Food in business class is peculiar (what would be wrong with some pizza and burgers rather than all the oddities?). The extra space is nicer, but still limiting. Wowing people that you do it is about the biggest perk, though the other half of the people think you are just wasting cash. Just having a personal console with VOD can make a bigger difference than the class to me. First class is nice to have full recline, but it is priced such that it has never seemed worthwhile--$8K to USA.

[stogie bear]

SO LONG as I get a window seat which I ALWAYS pre book...

Amen to that.

I don't really enjoy the whole process of flying these days and although flying Biz or First would make it better I still wouldn't really like it that much more. (Yes I've done it in the past and it was great, but flying is flying.)

It's just one long collection of drawn out routines where people that hate you steer you through a few thousand miles of discomfort.

[Road Runner]

(stogie bear @ Apr. 08 2008,17:49) ..... people that hate you.....

They don't really hate you but there is a tendency to get fed up dealing with people in large numbers.

The few I tend to deal with are the ones that require assistance and the complaints.

The assitance ones are usually glad of the help and are usually a pleasure to deal with.
The complaints vary from no real problem to being a real pain. Fortunately the latter are normally few and far between.

RR.

[PigDogg]

(stogie bear @ Apr. 08 2008,11:49)

SO LONG as I get a window seat which I ALWAYS pre book...

 Amen to that.

On long flights an aisle seat is extremely important to me though for my upcoming flight I've chosen a middle seat in Row 44 that has more legroom that I could possibly ever need.

It's important to me that I am able to get up as often as I like and only aisle seats and the special situiation of 44E and 44F on the Thai non-stop allow this.

Just curious why you like a window seat? The view? Or that no one is climbing over you?

[PigDogg]

Although I've been bumped into first class twice due to overbooking/cancellation situations I've only paid for first class once.


That's on Nok Air where it's only 500 extra and not talking dollars, punds, or euros here.

[PigDogg]

(jadeite @ Apr. 08 2008,11:36) Just having a personal console with VOD can make a bigger difference than the class to me.

On international flights VOD is very important. The time really flies.

Thai offers about 60 movies and there has to be a few good ones. Add in some old TV shows and documentaries and Berlitz language lessons and the 17 hours is bearable.

[koykaeng]

I had a very good deal going which resulted in Business Class seating for the same price as an Economy ticket.

Have managed a few upgrades simply by asking the question during check in.

Last couple of trips have been in Economy however have had various forum members seated with me, which definitely makes the time go quicker and the experience more bearable.

Cheers
Koykaeng

[daveduke007]

The Economy on Emirates and Etihad is good enough for me with their extensive "entertainment" systems which are "superb" and do stop me being "bored"

I request an "aisle" seat on "check in" and for the "second leg" of the journey also, I dont like to feel "trapped" in between other passengers and can get up and wander as I please

[azza33]

(stogie bear @ Apr. 09 2008,02:49) I don't really enjoy the whole process of flying these days and although flying Biz or First would make it better I still wouldn't really like it that much more. (Yes I've done it in the past and it was great, but flying is flying.)

For anyone who has been to Japan, and used the shinkasen trains (bullet train), it makes domestic flying look like a joke!

You can turn up 5 minutes before departure (and you know the train will be on time) , jump on and get off generally right in the middle of where you need to be.

No 30-60 min trips to the airport, to have to sit in check in 60 mins before a flight, only to end up at an airport at the other end that takes another 30-60 minutes to get back to where you need to be... up to 3 hours wasted for sometimes a shitty 1 hour flight....

Sometimes the Japanese do some good things....

~~~ just a bit of a rant

[Torurot]

>>Just curious why you like a window seat? The view? Or that no one is climbing over you?>>

No 1 YOU get a view. I LOVE clouds of which I have many photos especially the really huge Cumulus that go to 11000 m or more. YOU get to see the taxi in/out on the runways, the city you are going in/out of. YOU get to control the window shade. Attendants love to have it pulled ALL the way down especially early in the morning so they don't have to have any awake passengers. I on the other hand like to look out the window & watch the sun come up/down. YOU have the window, YOU have the control. Only one moron can lean on you, or crowd the limited economy space. No one climbs over me, and I'm tall enough to get out any time I want without hassling the persons next to me. You can lean on the wall and sleep a little more, and if you get a seat WAY down the back where the seats go to two there is usually slightly more space.. No one gets to spill drinks/food hot/cold on you because they are reaching across during meals or other times. There's probably other reasons, but a window seat trumps all others in my book.

[Snick]

I fly economy too, and reserve a window seat at the time I book the ticket.
A few other tricks and observations.

Thai direct is great for economy, nice leg room AND the plane is usually 50-70% full so odds are good you can get an empty seat next to you ( 2 out of 3 for me )

Japan Airlines runs a 747 double decker between Tokyo and some USA stops (like JFK). The upper deck is economy and if you get a window seat up top there , there is LOTS of space.

Asiana flies 747s Seoul-USA without an entertainment system, just a single screen in the cabin --- do not fly them.

A neck pillow and Noise Canceling headphones are a must. With the headphones you can use them without music to sleep in silence.
If you don't need/want xanax or ambien, try regular NyQuil ( with or without 1 glass of wine), for a good sleep.

[Guest]

From Oz for me it is Singapore airlines (hard to beat the service) Also have flown direct with Thai.
*** A note those who get the new 380 due to its size it starts loading 1 hour before flght **************
if EC my pre booked seat is 33c
if BC who cares where sit

Airlines i will not fly Ba/Qantas so f****king rude
Luthansia i got german stewardess from hell (bkk to kl)

This trip going via macu on viva then to bkk via asia x

 

[perth_couple]

Economy all the way. My old school working class roots refuses to allow me to fork for business so long as I have to pay for us - that and my job allows us less freedom in this decision!

Glenn and Natalie

[BAM]

(bigdave123 @ Apr. 09 2008,20:25) Airlines i will not fly Ba/Qantas so f****king rude

Yeah what's with Qantas or Cuntass... the flight crew is made up of these old bitchy gay guys that all seem to hate their jobs and you for flying Cuntass.