When I was first traveling regularly enough to earn airline elite status, domestic first class cabins were only filled about 10% with people who had paid the fare to be there. The rest was award tickets and upgrades (and employees).
That means it was disproportionately middle managers – road warriors – not the rich.
To be sure, these aren’t people who are poor. Airline passengers in economy skew better off, averaging over $100,000 a year incomes. And corporate middle management gets paid reasonably well. Still, they weren’t shelling out for first class. And the business travelers who were often found themselves on corporate contracts where their companies were paying a significant discount.
Now, first class is often filled with people willing to spend an extra $40 getting priority over those very frequent flyers. Maybe that’s an extra 25% on top of their fare! But who winds up taking those seats, then, becomes more about what comforts they prioritize for their spending rather than defining rich versus poor.
Still, there’s common perception that the dividing line between first class and coach represents the difference between the rich and the poors, when the differences in passenger makeup aren’t nearly as stark. (Besides, the rich are often – though not always! – flying private.)
First class gets priority boarding usually. I wouldn’t board early – I’d rather be last – except to ensure I get overhead bin space. Still, since they’re given priority boarding, people think it’s special. They take their seats first, and on narrowbody aircraft usually watch everyone parade past them into coach.
- What are those first class passengers thinking about you as you walk to the back of the cabin?
- And what do those coach passengers think is going on when they make that walk?
Here’s a riff on the popular imagination:
I remember flying regularly as a pre-teen, thinking that I’d never be one of those people sitting up front! I’d never be able to pay for it, and even if I could it surely wouldn’t be worth spending for. After all, it was expensive and just a few hours. I was still small, so I didn’t think the extra space comfort was worth it … though I always held my breath hoping there would be an empty seat next to me.
That was at the dawn of mileage programs, and people forget that elite status didn’t start when miles did. (AAdvantage Gold was launched in 1982, before the program was officially declared to be more than a promotion).
The truth is that you don’t know anyone’s story. You can stereotype, and that may even be useful in the aggregate, but often doesn’t give you actual insight in the moment. I knew a man with a nine-figure net worth who used to stay in roadside motels to save money on vacation. Mostly he was trying to teach his son frugality, concerned that his ex-wife’s splurges needed countering. Just as it may be a first year consultant up front, it may be a centimillionaire in back.
And in any case, most people sitting up front are thinking about:
- their work
- their family
- their health
- all of the tasks they need to do, and whether to blow those off and just watch The Big Bang Theory?
In other words, everything except you. And those passengers walking by you if you’re sitting in first? Some of them may think they want your seat, but for the most part they’re thinking about finding their seat and don’t have but a fleeting moment to notice any single passenger in front anyway.
I fly first class for various reasons –
It’s for work, I don’t feel like taking forever to deboard, I want to catch a micro-nap before beverage service starts, it’s quieter because there’s usually a lack of kids, and when I fly with my husband he can feel comfortable at his 6’2″ height.
And when we’re able to stay in the West coast we fly JSX, which is so much better than commercial in many ways. I call it the Uber for the skies because it is – much more seamless than an airport could ever be.
But do I look down on people for not flying first class? Honestly I’m not thinking about anyone but myself. Seems like the people that are most concerned about first class people are also the ones that aren’t in it.
For once, I agree with Gary.
I judge every single one of the peons.
Hoping they remember the bad choices.they made that caused them to become cattle. Bad people. Bad. Bad!
LOL. Just kidding. On the way out, I am usually thinking about the hard days’ ahead. On the way back, all I can think about is my family.
That’s it.
Obviously an American airline if you think those seats are first class . Those are economy plus in the rest of the world. Business class in the rest of the worlds large airlines have lie flat chairs/beds and are much more private. As for first class in the rest of the world, I don’t know as I couldn’t afford it, usually a double bed and personal shower pod arrangement. Why is America so far behind the rest of the world in so many things?
The couple in the piece described as first class wealth in Econ cabin may well be among the happiest people on the plane: they got a seat on the flight instead of being delayed.
I’ve been there a few times over the years; trading my F seat for a middle just to make it to my destination. Have eagerly made that trade each time and then bought $30 worth of snacks and drinks when the cart went by.
Most of the time I’m thinking about how other passengers are hitting me with their luggage or their other junk while they filter past. It’s one reason I enjoy larger aircraft and turning left.
As a former aircraft manufacturer employee and single aisle airlines being the most widely used worldwide. The safest place to sit is the final five rows. Flight recorder is underneath those rows. Strongest area of airplane.