First Class Distinction

• 

  Singapore Airlines new first class

  © Singapore Airlines

When it comes to flying international first class, not all cabins are created equal. Five years ago you’d be assured of a big, plush seat, a multi-course meal and the finest champagnes. Today, as airlines strive to differentiate their products and services, you’ll find an increasingly varied picture. We take a look at the different options available.

Best for privacy

Emirates, Eithad and Singapore Airlines (on their Airbus A380, at least) all provide suites with closing doors. Sure, the doors are not quite floor to ceiling, but they do afford a level of privacy not previously found beyond the confines of private jets. Sitting in your suite working, sleeping or just relaxing in front of a large LCD screen could be the height of solitude, but lower the central partition and you’ll have a bedroom for two to share.

Best for food

Caviar service splits the first class pack: Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Lufthansa and a few others all serve it in first class although sometimes the quality is variable. Being able to pre-order your meal from a menu prior to flying is also a plus: both Singapore Airlines and Thai allow you to ‘Book the cook’ and choose from a long menu of tasty main courses. And of course, you might match your food preferences with the airline. Want a great steak? Try United or American. Seafood? British Airways’ Catch of the Day is usually a good option. Satay? Singapore Airlines of course. Or if you really fancy a challenge try the 8 course Neil Perry tasting menu on Qantas.

Best for sleeping

A flat bed is the minimum requirement for first class, and all major carriers will give you 72-inches (or more) of space to spread out. Apart from Lufthansa whose top deck 2+2 arrangement is great for flying with a companion, but less so for a solo traveller, most airlines have some form of private pod arrangement at the front of the plane. BA’s groundbreaking first class, angled seat was a leader in its day, but you’ll now find similar arrangements on Qantas, Thai, Malaysian, United and American. Leading the pack once again are the Asian and Middle-Eastern airlines where wide beds, mattress pads, private wardrobes and even showers (on the Emirates Airbus A380) are the order of the day.

Best for ground services

First class is as much about what happens on the ground as in the air. Lufthansa boasts a separate First Class Terminal in Frankfurt with valet parking, dedicated PAs, excellent food, day rooms and a limousine service to the plane. Other airlines focus on keeping passengers refreshed with complimentary spa treatments: at Thai Airways’ Royal First lounge in Bangkok you’ll receive a full hour’s Thai massage, enough to leave the most world weary traveller feeling refreshed. Both BA and Qantas have similar spas at their home bases, just the thing before a taxing flight.

Best for entertainment

Inflight entertainment has moved on from a pull-down screen and a projector in the cabin. On most first class flights you’ll find video and audio on demand, and even where this is not available a personal video player will be an adequate substitute. Emirates ICE system and Singapore Airlines KrisWorld both score high in terms of channels and content, but you’ll find that many other airlines now offer touch-screens with the latest movies and a huge catalogue of entertainment.

Best for champagne

Krug or Dom Perignon? Cathay for Krug, Thai for Dom Perignon and Singapore Airlines for a choice of both! But don’t discount some other options: at the time of writing BA is serving Bollinger La Grand Annee on some of its flights and Etihad offers Billecart-Salmon Brut Blanc de Blancs and Baudry Brut Rose.

Your holiday starts here

First class cabins are still a haven of luxury: from caviar and Krug through to personal suites, turn down service and eggs cooked to order when you wake. What better way to start your holiday than flying in the lap of luxury and arriving content and refreshed, leaving the cares of home behind.

Do you disagree with any of our choices? Join us in the air travel forum to give us your thoughts on premium travel.

By Mark Stephens