First-class flying may be fancy, but it's not the fad it used to be
As aviation becomes more competitive prices will be kept down
At the beginning of November, Singapore Airlines announced the world's most luxurious, fully enclosed first-class seat. Passengers can expect bedding (for two, if desired) embroidered by Lalique, dinner served on Wedgewood, a 32-inch HD screen, two bathrooms and a full-sized wardrobe. Ten days later, Emirates Airline sought to outdo this with its own first-class suite featuring hardwood floors, mood lighting, kelp-infused moisturising pyjamas and design details inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The high-end one-upmanship would appear to herald a new golden age of luxury air travel, at least for those who can afford tickets that cost more than $10,000 (R143,000) a passenger. In fact, first-class cabins have been shrinking under pressure from the price-focused global airline industry and the changing demographics of flying. It's not clear that first-class has a future at all. The idea of first-class harkens back more than half a century to the golden age of air travel, when seati...
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