Heaven is a first class ticket
Posted by Christina | | Posted On Sunday, March 7, 2010 at 10:39 AM
Remember when flying in an airplane used to be a fun part of vacation? I just found out how to get that feeling back.
Sit in first class.
Thanks to a pile of frequent flier miles that we needed to use up, I snagged a free seat in first class for our flight down to the City of Angels. And let me tell ya, this upgrade must be divinely inspired. It felt more like hanging out on my couch than flying. Big cushy seats, friendly wait staff, smooth riding and not even a whiff of that nasty jet fuel smell you get when you sit in coach.
As I settled into my seat before take-off, a flight attendant came around and took our orders. A glass of (free) chardonnay for me, please. (Let me note that the wine is good quality too. Mine was from Apex cellars, one of the upper mid-range cellars here in Washington.) Other passengers ordered similarly non-carbonated drinks: a screwdriver to one gentleman, Apex merlot to a businessman, hot tea with fresh lemon to a lady clearly from L.A. All came out in actual glasses and coffee mugs, not that plastic and Styrofoam crap they serve back in coach. And then, while the rest of the passengers munched on bags of salty snacks fit for rodent royalty, we were offered dinner – chicken sliders and side salad. Unfortunately, I had already eaten dinner, but the sheer excitement of being asked if I wanted real food on a plane was overwhelming. The last time I was served food on a plane was nearly 10 years ago on a 5-hour flight to Hawaii! Oh, and if I wanted to view a movie for the 2.5 hour flight, I could do that too…for free.
The remainder of the flight I sat happy and content, sipping my chardonnay and reading my book, basking in the quiet, comfortable luxury that is first class. Meanwhile, Matt was jammed back into coach, getting into an argument with a flight attendant (so sad I missed that embarrassment). For the record, Matt’s gesture of letting me take the first class seat is only a half-baked attempt at being a gentleman, so don’t give him too much credit. He took his lumps now so he could have a first class seat on a much longer, physically and psychologically painful flight in the future. Well played Matt, well played.
Flying first class is much like a pair of designer jeans. Once you’ve seen how good it looks, it’s hard to go back to anything less. But alas, my wallet says otherwise. My one recommendation – do it once before you die. It will redeem the joy you once had in flying on an airplane, and hey, the free booze ain’t so bad either.
Sit in first class.
Thanks to a pile of frequent flier miles that we needed to use up, I snagged a free seat in first class for our flight down to the City of Angels. And let me tell ya, this upgrade must be divinely inspired. It felt more like hanging out on my couch than flying. Big cushy seats, friendly wait staff, smooth riding and not even a whiff of that nasty jet fuel smell you get when you sit in coach.
As I settled into my seat before take-off, a flight attendant came around and took our orders. A glass of (free) chardonnay for me, please. (Let me note that the wine is good quality too. Mine was from Apex cellars, one of the upper mid-range cellars here in Washington.) Other passengers ordered similarly non-carbonated drinks: a screwdriver to one gentleman, Apex merlot to a businessman, hot tea with fresh lemon to a lady clearly from L.A. All came out in actual glasses and coffee mugs, not that plastic and Styrofoam crap they serve back in coach. And then, while the rest of the passengers munched on bags of salty snacks fit for rodent royalty, we were offered dinner – chicken sliders and side salad. Unfortunately, I had already eaten dinner, but the sheer excitement of being asked if I wanted real food on a plane was overwhelming. The last time I was served food on a plane was nearly 10 years ago on a 5-hour flight to Hawaii! Oh, and if I wanted to view a movie for the 2.5 hour flight, I could do that too…for free.
The remainder of the flight I sat happy and content, sipping my chardonnay and reading my book, basking in the quiet, comfortable luxury that is first class. Meanwhile, Matt was jammed back into coach, getting into an argument with a flight attendant (so sad I missed that embarrassment). For the record, Matt’s gesture of letting me take the first class seat is only a half-baked attempt at being a gentleman, so don’t give him too much credit. He took his lumps now so he could have a first class seat on a much longer, physically and psychologically painful flight in the future. Well played Matt, well played.
Flying first class is much like a pair of designer jeans. Once you’ve seen how good it looks, it’s hard to go back to anything less. But alas, my wallet says otherwise. My one recommendation – do it once before you die. It will redeem the joy you once had in flying on an airplane, and hey, the free booze ain’t so bad either.
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LOL...I am in tears of laughter reading this Christina! You need to start submitting some of your writing to magazines and do some free lance honey, you are hilarious...the next female counterpart to the Dave Barry column I think. I needed this laugh today...and Mike is saying "I can just see you shoveling me off to coach sometime sitting in between a fat guy who snores, with a blower light that doesn't work and bitchy business woman who doesn't want to be there! ROFL...Keep it up...I love it!