First class (aviation)

First class (aviation)

First class is a luxury travel class on some airliners that exceeds "Business Class", "Premium Economy Class" and "Economy Class". On a passenger jetliner first class refers to a limited number (rarely more than 16) of seats or cabins located in the front of the aircraft which are notable for their comfort, service and privacy. Propeller airliners occasionally have first class in the rear.

First Class was introduced by Pan Am in the 1950sFact|date=June 2008 but has decreased in popularity with airlines over the last few decades for financial reasons. Although some airlines still offer First Class few new products are being introduced.

Additional Benefits

First Class seats vary from large reclining seats with more legroom and width than other classes to suites with a fully reclining seat, workstation and TV surrounded by privacy dividers. International First Class seats usually have between 58 and 94 inches of seat pitch and between 19 and 35 inches of width while domestic flights may have between 34 and 68 inches of pitch and between 18 - 22 inches in width.

On the ground, First Class passengers are sometimes offered complimentary limousine service and usually have special check-in and security zones at the airport while some airlines operate private terminals. First Class passengers are often able to board the aircraft before other passengers, sometimes through their own jetbridge.

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are complimentary and Gourmet meals are usually served with a choice of wine, dessert, and aperitifs. Often these meals have been designed by leading chefs and are served on white linen table cloths and with real cutlery (often with the exception of knives) and china.

First Class passengers usually have at least one lavatory reserved for their exclusive use, with more than one on larger planes. Business and Economy Class passengers are not normally permitted into the First Class cabin. Normally AVOD (AudioVisual On Demand) entertainment is offered, although sometimes normal films, television programs and interactive games are provided on medium-large seat-back or armrest-mounted flat panel monitors.

Historically, First Class air travel has been very expensive. More recently, passengers have been able to upgrade their Business Class or Economy Class tickets through membership in elite frequent flyer programs and through the policies of some airlines that allow Business Class or Economy Class passengers to purchase upgrades on a space-available basis. First Class long haul fares regularly exceed $10,000 per person round trip, as opposed to $3,000-4,500 international business class tickets and $1,000 economy class tickets.

Cabin separation

Access to the First Class portion of the plane is usually restricted from those traveling in Business Class and Economy Class by curtains, although for security reasons, US-based airlines are increasingly removing these cabin dividers or installing transparent cabin dividers.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • First class — The term First class (or 1st class, Firstclass) generally implies a high level of service, importance or quality. Specific uses of the term include:* First class travel ** First class (aviation) * First Class mail * First class cricket * First… …   Wikipedia

  • First class travel — First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. [first class. (n.d.). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved October 19, 2007, from… …   Wikipedia

  • Aviation & Marine International — Interconair Aviation Marine International Pays  Suisse Langue Anglais Périodicité Mensuel Genre Aviation militaire et …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Aviation Medical Examiner — An Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), in the United States and other countries, is a physician designated by the local aviation authority given the authority to perform physical examinations and issue aviation medical certificates.The International …   Wikipedia

  • Aviation High School (Redondo Beach, California) — Aviation High School (AHS, Avi Hi) was a secondary school located in Redondo Beach, California which was in operation from 1957 to 1982. The school was located at the corner of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard (which runs north to …   Wikipedia

  • Aviation — This article is about aircraft. For the cocktail, see Aviation (cocktail) . Aviation NASA Gulfstream V C 37A …   Wikipedia

  • First Choice Airways — Infobox Airline airline=First Choice Airways logo=First choice logo.jpg logo size=user IATA=DP ICAO=FCA callsign=JETSET parent=TUI Travel PLC founded=1987 [Operations transfer to Thomson Airways on 1 May 2009] headquarters=Crawley, England,… …   Wikipedia

  • First Officer (civil aviation) — Widerøe First Officer at the controls during approach to the Sørkjosen Airport in a de Havilland Canada Dash 8 103 In commercial aviation, the first officer is the second pilot (sometimes referred to as the co pilot ) of an aircraft. The first… …   Wikipedia

  • Iowa class battleship — The Iowa class battleships were a class of six fast battleships ordered by the United States Navy in 1939 and 1940 to escort the Fast Carrier Task Forces that would operate in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Four were completed in the early… …   Wikipedia

  • Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist insignia — The Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy which was created in March 1980. The insignia recognizes those members of the Navy’s enlisted force who have acquired the specific professional skills …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”