To read the aviation news these days, you’d be confused about the future of luxury flying: Singapore is taking first-class to new heights, and Emirates is dropping it on some key routes.
Singapore’s new offering, above, features plush leather swivel chairs, a large bed, 32″ TV, personal wardrobe, and more. Like Etihad’s ‘Residence.’ it mimics an apartment, up in the air. Both offerings are on A380s.
But at the same time, a number of airlines that have been touting first class are starting to scale it back—not the luxury, but the quantity. Emirates has just announced that its A380s flying from London Gatwick will no longer offer first class, bumping the capacity of the planes from 489 up to 615. Heathrow flights will still offer first.
Around the world, except for select Asian markets, it’s become a rarety. It barely exists in the U.S. domestic market, and where it does exist it’s nowhere near the standard found on international flights. In Europe, it’s only on Air France, BA, Lufthansa and Swiss.
A look at airplane economics explains part of the discrepancy. First class can contribute many times its weight in revenue, compared to lesser classes, even more than business class. That’s because for true first-class flyers, the sky’s the limit. Five-figure fares are not that rare, and go up to about €22,000 to fly in Etihad’s apartment between Abu Dhabi and New York. On the other hand, very few airlines actually fill all the first-class seats, and end up upgrading business-class passengers.
So: expect fewer first-class seats. And expect them to be even more fabulous.
I’ve never been able to understand the appeal of ultra first class. If you can afford a $20,000 ticket I would think you could afford to charter a small private jet to take you to your destination. The freedom of that type of travel would offset the few perks you might not have on the smaller jet.