Cramped legroom, unpalatable food or no food at all, lack of luggage storage and the guy in front of you reclining his seat back into your personal space: we associate all these horrors with modern air travel. Fortunately, these assaults on your well-being are largely confined to economy class. All these problems disappear when you upgrade to first class.
Generally speaking, first class is the highest class of airline service available, sometimes costing as much as 10 times what's charged for economy class. This premium garners you a cabin with fewer seats and more personal space. The lower ratio of flight attendants to passengers allows more personalized service.
The comfort begins on the ground when you check into a separate counter and board before nearly everyone else. Virgin Atlantic's Upper-Class service, for example, lets you attend to this detail at Heathrow Airport from the comfort of your free limousine. Often, you may have a concierge personally taking your luggage and guiding you through the entire process. Economy class passengers, by contrast, need to jostle each other in long check-in lines.
Before boarding, first-class and business-class passengers luxuriate in a private lounge away from the hustle and bustle of the main airport lounge. These oases can boast video entertainment, massage chairs, free high-speed Internet access, childrens' play areas, showers, and complimentary food and drink. An attendant informs you when it's time to head for your gate.
Up-to-date first-class seating features semi-enclosed privacy, private lighting and power outlets, large video screens and a turn-down service that transforms your seat into a bed, complete with blanket and pillow. The Singapore Airlines first-class suite on an A380 even contains a door that converts your space into a private cabin.
First-class meals typically appear course by course, served on china and crystal. You dine at your convenience, while drinking complimentary alcoholic beverages. Compare this to the scheduled mealtimes in economy where precooked edibles are mummified in plastic containers and alcohol costs extra. In first class, many dishes are cooked to individual tastes. Some airlines may even have a separate bar area, which is managed by a bartender, and a snack area where you can serve yourself whenever you feel hungry.
