How many people actually fly F in their lives?

[Pushka]

But that's a 737

Yeah. Awful.

 

[Denali]

.....t. Pointed out I'd have a full bed with pillow and doona and she was a bit stunned .....

Friends have made many comments about the PJs, the bar and flat bed (because theyve not experienced it) and thats just in J in our experience. I was prepared to use points to fly hubby F to UK but he said no.

I once posted mid flight that I had to google where my Do Not Disturb button was for my seat.

 

[harvyk]

When talking real actual F (not domestic F in the US which is more akin to dom J or even a Y service with food) I'm guessing a very small number, fractions of a percent type numbers, for three reasons.

1. Very few carriers even offer an F service.
2. Of those carriers whom do offer F service, most fleets only have a few planes which even include F, and of those, there are very few seats available.
3. Assuming 1 and 2 haven't stopped you, it is extremely expensive, even when you factor in cheap ways to earn points, it's hardly cheap, and even then learning ways to earn and burn points effectively takes time.

So in saying that, my own experience of F has been a single EK F flight from SYD-AKL. It was a wonderful experience, and don't get me wrong, I would love to do again, especially on a longer route, but I'm also a realist. I am unlikely to purchase an F fare any time soon, I am unlikely to purchase J and then upgrade, and I am probably more likely to go for two J awards than one F award as ultimately it's more bang for buck, and J doesn't suck.

 

[mviy]

I have flown F one return trip (got upgrades both ways MEL-LHR return on QF9 and QF10). Most of my friends have never flown F.

I would like to fly F again sometime, but J is good enough so it’s probably unlikely to happen any time soon, if at all.

 

[harvyk]

Oh, and one more point,

4. Most employees are forced on to a best fare of day policy, or economy only policy. Even employers who do allow their employees to fly in higher classes often limit that to either PE or J.

 

[mviy]

My employer will do economy only, though if you have a medical reason to need to fly Business or wish to pay out of your own pocket then obviously things are different. If a medical reason then the increased cost would affect the budget and may lead to them reconsidering the need to travel.

My employer doesn't mind paying a little bit more to get better timing within reason. I don't think I'd cope well working for a company requiring best fare of the day.

My trip in F was a holiday.

 

[cove]

Our last group of staff went on Air New Zealand PremiumEconomy to Los Angeles. No it isn’t first class but everyone said their flights were comfortable.i think they have the best Premium Economyto Los Angeles at the moment.

 

[SFSC]

Our last group of staff went on Air New Zealand PremiumEconomy to Los Angeles. No it isn’t first class but everyone said their flights were comfortable.i think they have the best Premium Economyto Los Angeles at the moment.[/QUOTE

My first ever F flight on 2 January 1981 as a result of a complimentary upgrade on a PanAM 747SP upper deck SYD-LAX was probably equivalent to Air New Zealand Premium Economy today in a lot of ways.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My first ever F flight on 2 January 1981 as a result of a complimentary upgrade on a PanAM 747SP upper deck SYD-LAX was probably equivalent to Air New Zealand Premium Economy today in a lot of ways.

do you mean in terms of price? ... actual dollars then compared to now (not adjusted for inflation).

 

[harvyk]

My first ever F flight on 2 January 1981 as a result of a complimentary upgrade on a PanAM 747SP upper deck SYD-LAX was probably equivalent to Air New Zealand Premium Economy today in a lot of ways.

That's the thing, what J gives you these days would win out against most F seats of old. Don't get me wrong, I loved the F flight I've done, there was something special about the word "first" on the boarding pass. However International J doesn't exactly suck. The seats are often fully flat beds, you get good quality food and decent booze, and the suites which are installed on some International J aircraft are very roomy and private.

The way I see it is "first" is almost an arms race, with each airline attempting to out do each other in space provided to the pax, for proof, just look at the new SQ suites. Ultimately this is an unsustainable proposition. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years all airlines drop F and make J their top class. When that happens I also think we may see a marketing person turn around and start calling that class "First" again. (much like the "BusinessFirst" name one used).

 

[SFSC]

do you mean in terms of price? ... actual dollars then compared to now (not adjusted for inflation).

I don't know anything about F pricing in 1981. My flight was an upgrade from Y (J was just beginning to be introduced on some carriers then).

I was thinking more about the comfort and catering. As I recall, the seats reclined a fair bit but not flat. Legroom in F seemed adequate and the booze flowed (I ordered a crème de menthe at some stage during the flight). I can't even remember if PAX in Y received complimentary alcoholic drinks in those days.

 

[Dalescott]

Never been in F, and only ever had one upgrade, and we fly 3/4 times a year. Some in J but now mostly Y/J mix. We fly QR now, but used to fly QF. We can only dream of F, I know people who can afford it, but fly Y.

 

[mel-world]

I've been fortunate to have flown F on a number of occasions as a result of last minute company paid bookings, airline upgrades due to overbooking, upgrades by points, money or a mixture of both and, finally as a paid fare from my own funds during a sale when the difference between J and F was small enough to make it worthwhile.

Have never taken the opportunity for granted and it has happened so rarely over 50 years of flying that it is always an 'experience'. My favourite story was an AI flight from HKG to BOM via DEL when F was the only ticket available at the last minute and I had only returned to HKG a day earlier after a week in India so insisted on a F seat, especially on Air India. It was on a 747-300 in 1994 when I woke up only as the plane took off from DEL, having slept the entire first segment, the landing and the 2 hour stop in Delhi. Would not happen today due to security (and the fact that I cannot sleep on planes much anymore, no matter the class).

 

[Buzzard]

Regarding no more F in the future @harvyk, I agree. On my recent EK A380 there was only 2 of us. Mine was an award fare, the other guy upgraded from J using points. How can you sustain F without cash? Already there is no F on some aircraft eg my upcoming SQ A350.

 

[Atleastonce]

Flown long haul F once on EY AUH-SYD and it was amazing, but have no worries at all about doing J long haul, and will not do anything other than J long haul now, all on points.

 

[Flying Fox]

Regarding no more F in the future @harvyk, I agree. On my recent EK A380 there was only 2 of us. Mine was an award fare, the other guy upgraded from J using points. How can you sustain F without cash?

I agree about the future of F but the airlines have already been paid cash from the vendor that purchased the points to allocate to their customers.

 

[bosox76]

First time in F was 1999 when I flew back on QF using points from DUB via LHR for a best mates wedding. Thought that was going to be may only experience in F. Recliner seats with good leg space. Video cassettes for movies and dine on demand. That was the life.
In more recent times after joining AFF I’ve learnt about using earning and burning points or points upgrades on QF to LAX and DXB/LHR. Also had the good fortune to have a few EK comps in the early days of the joint venture and this year flew QR for the first time to BCN and got upgraded each way from MEL to DOH. That was quite the experience. Not sure I’d pay for it though. Here’s hoping for another upgrade in Jan for our flights to Europe.

 

[Prettyswanni]

I have never flown F but would like to experience it at least once - likely through point redemption/upgrade unless I win lotto

 

[downgraded]

F disappears, J shrinks, PE grows and we're basically back to where the airlines were before they created PE.

 

[downgraded]

Have done a few F flights: Op up from award J for 2 of us lhr-mel, op up paid J to F SIN-LHR shortly after QF A380 started. Run of CX op ups to Asia a while back and the odd points upgrade from J on work travel.