Originally Posted by
EWR764
The airlines with top-end first class products tend to have one primary longhaul hub through which all premium traffic can be consolidated. Much more difficult to do when traffic flows are very fragmented and can be distributed over major international gateways at six sites. The investment to offer that kind of a product (ground service, greater number of airframes to fit out, more empty seats, etc.) is staggering.
The business has changed. It's not a sCO thing.
This is the key.
LH is an exception because German corporates (pharma and auto) pay for First for more layers of management than corporates in the US or even other European countries.
Total first class seats globally I believe actually grew in the last 5 years or so, but that's because of the Gulf carriers with single connecting hubs taking lots of plane orders and some reckless spending in China that at some point will find the market isn't what they speculate it is.
Even in China they've been scratching their heads on the viability of First - good info here:
http://centreforaviation.com/analysi...sterity-103059
Qatar has effectively exited the market - just the token A380s - and Emirates is taking delivery of A380s with no First.
Sounds like the poster likes paying for J and getting F real estate. Who wouldn't if you have the time to connect. But that's not sustainable. It's low yield F.