It was nice.

Back then, they whole "lay flat" thing had not occurred, so they had recliners but the leg support went completely horizontal. Spacing row to row and between seats was vast. The First class section of an MD 11 was very spacious. As I remember it, the seats were red leather.

Back then most airlines had caviar and champagne as a starter course. Delta also had a sushi course as an appetizer going to Japan. And a soup course, with two choices of soup. Delta would set a very nice place mat replete with a decorative hand fan (going to Tokyo) and a rose. They had a little jacket/smock thing they gave you and you got a choice of gifts from Tiffany. It was a little card you filled out, a smaller gift choice if just one way and a larger gift choice if both ways. You simply filled out the card and turned it back in and a few weeks later your Tiffany gift would arrive.

No in seat on demand IFE that I can remember. They did have the old style empower power plugs.

There were separate first class sections inside the crown room in Atlanta (actually had a separate lounge in Atlanta on the E concourse) and also in LAX and PDX (and likely others).

Normally, they would provide escort service to/from the aircraft, ensuring you were not only the last to board but first to disembark (more in the US, not so much in destinations).

Food was very good. For example, on one flight I took to Japan, they had Kobe beef as one of the choices. Since they didn't know how people would like it prepared, they had rare, med rare, med and well done versions of the beef available to suit your taste. Plates were prepared individuality, and not pre made.

Overall, a very good experience. A lot like you will find on Lufthansa today in First (with the exception of LH's FCL in FRA/MUC - Delta never had anything quite like that!)

Billy

PS First still existed in most planes, but wasn't being sold at the end of 1998. I remember flying to MUC in business and getting first seats anyway. Standard Business meals at that time.