The majority of people might never have travelled in anything but economy class when they fly, and given the extra costs involved this isn’t overly surprising. If you’re a regular user of aviation services, however, you may already be aware of the benefits of flying business or first class. For the rest of us, we remain behind that curtain that separates the different sections of the plane, a barrier that might as well be made of solid steel rather than some sort of cheap nylon.
So, have you ever stared at that curtain and wondered what on earth goes on behind it? You probably have, and you’ve also probably accepted that your curiosity will never be cured. The problem is that the longer you remain curious, the more outlandish your visions can become. If you think the seats in business class are made of memory foam, duck-down and endangered sea-sponge, it could be time to find out the real truth.
Let me just say from the very start that I volunteered to fly business class to San Francisco and back, at Rose Media Group’s expense, of course, in order to research this blog post properly. That’s how far I’m prepared to go in the name of authenticity. My offer was turned down, however, but at least I tried. Now I’ll never know just how plush things could have been on the other side of the curtain. C’est la vie, as they say on the other side of the channel.
It should be pointed out that if you fly economy you are entitled to one seat, and if you fly business, you also only get one seat. It’s a bigger seat, though, with more legroom and a chance to recline for extra comfort. If you try to do the same in economy the passenger behind you could end up wearing the yoghurt that he’d planned to actually eat. If you like the idea of having more room, enough room perhaps to swing a very small cat, then business class could be ideal for you.
Duck a l’orange or duck a la polyethylene – the choice is yours
As well as more space, you’ll also get better dining options if you can afford the extra cost of business class. While those in the cheap seats are making do with an alleged chicken chasseur that tastes like it was made from the same material that’s used to clad brickwork, you could be settling back with a boeuf Bourguignon that tastes like, well, a bouef Bourguignon. Accompanied no doubt by fresh, locally grown (close to Heathrow, probably) vegetables, rich onion gravy and a glass or two of a cheeky yet unassuming rioja.
Now, I should also point out what you DON’T get in business class. You will have a deeper, plusher carpet to walk on when you go to the loo, but you still have to walk there yourself; there’s no sedan chair for you to be carried upon. You won’t get your feet massaged by cabin crew members, either, and if you want your post-dinner cocktail stirred, you’ll have to stir it yourself; seems outrageous, doesn’t it? And of course, if the flight time to San Francisco is eleven hours for economy passengers, it will also be eleven hours for you as well. The front section of the plane only gets to California a nanosecond before the back section.
The big question is, will business class be worth the extra expense? Well, there’s no definitive answer to that, except to say if the buyer thinks it’s worth it then it’s worth it. If he or she thinks it isn’t, then it isn’t. Price, as the old saying doesn’t go, is in the eye of the beholder. If you think a Mars bar is worth ten pounds, then you’d presumably be happy to pay that amount. Return flights from London to San Francisco in November cost a minimum of £426 for economy, and £2,798 for business. If you think that’s a justifiable expense, then go for it. Enjoy the flight, and enjoy the Mars bar, too.
Rose Media Group was founded in 2004 by Aneela Rose. We offer high quality B2B PR to the aviation sector and many others
