Tchiowa

Rather than add this to another thread that is headed off topic I'll create a new thread.

What is the best treatment you've ever had in First Class? Total experience.

In my case it was Garuda Indonesia. I was on a Business Class ticket. Headed from Bali to Jakarta to Bangkok. I checked in at the counter in Bali and they told me they had moved me to First. They asked me to take a seat.

While relaxing a young lady came to me, took my passport and ticket and got my boarding pass (SQ does that, too). Then she told me we had to go to Passport Control. She grabbed my carryon. I was one of those who took pride in never checking a bag so my carryon was huge. I tried to tell her I'd carry it but she wouldn't allow it.

She did the Passport Control process while I stood there. Then she took my bag again an escorted me to the Lounge. Asked me if I wanted a drink or snack. I told her what I wanted and then she fetched it for me.

Then came the kicker. After giving me my drink she walked around my chair and stood behind me. I looked around and realized that everyone in the lounge had a girl assigned to him. My drink got a little low, she asked if I wanted a refill, etc. She was my servant while I was in the Lounge. Came time to board, she took my bag, escorted me onto the plane, had someone stow the bag, waied me and left.

I could get used to that.

(Note that this was around 20 years ago. I've heard it's not that way anymore.)

backprop

Wow, that would drive me crazy. I'd be really uncomfortable with a 'servant.'

Of the experiences I've had, the most comfortable from a service perspective was in QF. Crisp, kind, attentive - but not obseqious like I've experienced on the likes of CX, or SQ to some extent.

jspira

My best experience in first was on a Transaero flight in Imperial Class from New York to Moscow last year

The level of service was simply amazing. It wasn't just the beautiful china and crystal, the truly excellent food, but the overall service. Here is a small detail but a very good example of the attention to detail:
Above from Transaero Airlines New York-Moscow Imperial Class – Flight Review

... and appeared in FBT, where I serve as ed.dir.

SIA747Megatop

My F travel is limited to a few sectors a year on SQ but I've had some memorable experiences.

On SQ1 SFO-HKG, 2 of us in F and post meal service neither of us slept and struck up a chat. The Inflight Sup. asked if we'd like the lights on which led into a discussion about the mood lighting - he showed us the different mood lighting effects changing over time as the 5 of us (3 crew and us 2 pax) stood around chatting. My champagne glass never emptied and we had a great time - I exchanged contact details with the crew and we met up for a seafood dinner a few weeks later which was great.

Was the solo pax on SQ637 NRT-SIN on my birthday a few years ago. After lunch the crew came to my seat with a trolley with a cake, bottle of Krug, a couple SQ teddies and a cocktail with dry ice and some flowers along with the usual SQ gifts - pack of cards, writing kit and postcards. The IFS gave me a handwritten birthday card with messages from the crew serving F and signed by a few other crew members, I had 7 crew members singing happy birthday to me and clapping at the end, never will forget that experience.

Most recent - SQ1 HKG-SIN, I was recovering from an injury and was wearing a small support strap on my right foot. Crew noticed I was limping and asked if I needed a wheelchair, I did not, he then insisted on carrying my briefcase to the top of the escalators leading down to the immigration hall even after I told him I could use a trolley.

Any airline with deep pockets can buy nice seats but the real differentiator is the service - SQ is hard to beat.

Thunderroad

The best F service (and overall) experiences I've had have been on SQ, CX and LH. If I had to pick just one airline, it would be SQ by a nose over the other two, service-wise. (The gap gets larger if you take SQ's A380 F suites into account.)

Now, if I had to pick just one flight, it would be an LH flight in which, as part of overall excellent service, the FA indulged my wine aficionado wife in a de facto tasting of all eight (??) of the wines on offer, pairing some of them with the dinner courses. A real treat for her.

Having said that, the best on-the-ground F service I've had has been on TG, where in Bangkok they ferry you to and from the flights, offer semi-private rooms in the F lounge as well overall fine service there, and include an hour-long free massage in the TG spa just across the hall.

Efrem

The best single flight experience I've had in F (out of many) was, despite what some FTers will say, on AA PVG-ORD (Shanghai-Chicago) about ten months ago. My wife and I had picked up nasty colds somewhere in China in the previous few days. The purser, Trish C., did everything anyone could ask for our comfort, up to and including tucking us in for the night. Granted, the fact that there were only five people in the F cabin of a 777 and two other FAs besides her to take care of us kept the workload down, but the personal service was still exceptional. If you're reading this, Trish, thank you again.

Another kind of exceptional happened a few decades back when I spent too much time shopping at ZRH (Zurich) and barely made it to the Swissair (that's how long ago it was) gate before they closed the doors. My economy seat had been given away so they had to put me in F. I was reclining and sipping champagne before take-off while an FA peeled grapes for me or something when my boss, who was supposed to be next to me in back, walked by en route to his seat. I don't remember much about the flight, it was mostly downhill from there on, but the look on his face was priceless. He never asked how I got that seat, though he approved my expense report so he knew I didn't ask the company to pay for it.

STBCypriot

About a year ago, I was upgraded (op-up) at the gate from business class to first class on an Etihad flight from AUH to JFK. This was my very first intl F experience, though I was quite familiar with intl J on EY and DL. I had a terrible cold on the day of the flight. I ended up being one of two people in first. The flight attendant was fabulous. Not only did she show me all the features of the cabin, but she had cold medicine and throat lozenges if I wanted them - something I would have never expected to be provided by an airline. She made sure I had plenty of water and tissues. I slept most of the flight, quite comfortably after literally being tucked in by the FA, and prior to landing the onboard chef prepared a special dessert for me (I didn't even ask for a dessert) and had written "Have a great day ahead" in chocolate around the edges of the plate. I was thoroughly impressed. I've flown EY first since then, but this first first experience was the best for me. EY made this sick traveler so very comfortable on what could have been a miserable flight.

icedancer

Most memorable F experience: AA (gasp!) from CUN to MIA back in 2006. I was the only one in the F cabin. Got to chat up the pilots and had a flight attendant of my very own . I asked if we'd be able to fly over the beach on our way out, and the pilot said he'd check with ATC. Sure enough, we did, with amazing views. (I hadn't gotten to see it in daylight, as I had arrived late the night before from HAV and had to go to the airport before sunrise that day).

Other memorable experiences were in UA F (IAD-MUC) while 30 weeks pregnant back in 2008 and on CX while 20-odd weeks pregnant in 2012. Never been so doted on in my life...not saying that being pregnant should entitle one to such things, but I won't object when it happens

deniah

my F experiences with very good carriers, have always been marred one way or another. sometimes not related to carrier itself, but marred nonetheless.

-absolutely stuffed BA-CCR room in LHR
-getting stuff confiscated by security in PEK and misconnecting with LH
-annoyingly not offered private tarmac transfer in VIE with LX
-waiting seemingly 15 minutes in LH-F check-in line at FRA
-stupid maze of a connex with LH in FRA
-LX's horrible basement lounge in IAD
-losing the seat lottery with end-of-life old products multiple times on LH/LX

etc etc...

all minor stuff, sure, but not the full seamless experience and comfort expected of F

except ground services with TG in BKK... arriving at the airport smothered in the city's heat and sweat, to the tranquility of the private check-in lounge, being plied with cooling drinks and towels, escorted through security and to lounges, full relaxing massage, and so on.

food on-board wasnt the greatest, not the service level of an OZ, but from start to finish TG gave the best impression

Annalisa12

I'd say SQ F followed closely by JAL J.

travellingwineO

I've never flown F (several TATL J experiences is as good as I've experienced), but all these reports of SQ experiences make me even more excited about the upcoming trip my wife and I have scheduled- SQ2 SIN-HKG-SFO. Hopefully it lives up to expectations!

Duke787

Hmmm this is a tough one. That being said I think I have to go with TG F BKK - SYD on the 747 (with new F) as the only passenger was an experience I'm unlikely to ever replicate. I've definitely experienced better food (NH and JL specifically) and seats (CX F) but being the only passenger on a long haul F is a special experience. Combined with the 60 minute massage and semi-private room on the ground in TG it was probably the best overall F experience to date.

Hoping to do SQ Suites in the next couple of years and I'm doing EK F longhaul (IAH-DXB-SIN) in March so we'll see if that experience holds up (have only done EK F AKL - MEL).

Kiwi Flyer

In my experience a few airlines do this, e.g. SQ, KE, CZ, OZ, EK (sometimes).

ckx2

Flying DFW-FRA on AA First on a very short notice due to family emergency (couple of years back). The lovely FA realized what was going on (I must have looked like sh*t, trying to focus, holding back emotions). She was simply great, brought me several cups of tea to calm down, offered to listen and simply hugged me when I was about to cry. She provided me with emotional support for full nine hours during my worst flight (knowing you might be too late until you touch down).

Due to being in a rush and completely disorganized and panic after touching down I couldn't get her full name. A couple of days later I got in touch with AA and they've got me in touch with her so I could express my gratitude.

A complete stranger was there when I needed it the most.

moondog

JL J? JL F can be pretty awesome ex-NRT, but J is nothing special IMO (more than half the plane on 787s, in fact).