Originally Posted by
librarygal
To the people who pay for the upgrade to first class because they can afford it:
Great! I am glad you won the lottery in life or you have special skills and talents that has allowed you a wealthy lifestyle. Most travelers on the plane have to make tough choices.
Option One: Pay up to $500 more for a nicer chair for a few hours.
Option Two: Devote that $500 to having a better vacation over the entire time you are traveling. Nicer meals, nicer hotel rooms, see more attractions, etc. That $500 could give you some great meals at some great restaurants for example, that would give the average person a lot more pleasure over a much longer time period.
Even on, say, a 2 hour flight it's not just the 2 hours on the plane that are in play. There's the time spent dreading and then experiencing the boarding and carry-on lottery experience. There's the time spent at check-in. There's the stress of the upgrade lottery if one plays that game. There's the stress of the irrops lottery.
When I buy a domestic F ticket my entire stress level is reduced
all around the trip, and my on-board experience is marginally better too.
BTW, when a nicer hotel room is important to me I will pay for that too in order to avoid the upgrade lottery.
<shrug>