Some Airlines Forgoing Them Altogether

With premium airline seats going unsold in the recession, the world's airlines appear split on the value of first-class upgrades as marketing tools. The New York Times reports British Airways will take delivery of four new long-haul Boeing 777s without First Class seats, and will review each new plane order case-by-case.

Qantas says it's dropping first-class at least temporarily on three of its flights, and the sheepskin mattresses, hand-made chocolate truffles and designer sleepwear that came with them.

Airlines in the US have already cut first class seats dramatically after finding it hard to fill them with anyone but reward-points upgraders.

But if you just can't handle coach, perhaps Open Skies will bring you what you need. Lufthansa will offer an opulent first-class section on its new Airbus A380s. Emirates will have eight private suits on each of its A380s. Both will offer free caviar and showers.

Air France has just opened a new first-class lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Lufthansa has an entire terminal reserved for first-class passengers at Frankfurt.

Fortunately, for many readers, viewers, and listeners of Aero-News, there remains one option for comfort and privacy on domestic routes. It's called general aviation.

FMI: www.gama.aero