Most of us try to maintain a certain standard of class when flying NW. I think the FAs are fairly classy, too. In a down-home kind of way.

Oh, wait... You meant class of service!

In theory First is better than Business, and both are better than coach/economy, as is the case on pretty much all airlines.

But NW no longer has international First, so nowadays all NW planes (except the all-coach CRJs and Saabs) have only two classes of service. In back is economy. In front is First if you're flying domestic or World Business Class if you're flying international.

And although First is technically "higher" than Business, the seats and service in WBC are far superior to domestic FC.

If that wasn't confusing enough, there are a few routes like MSP-HNL that are sold as "First" and provide domestic first class style service, but that are flown with the DC-10's, which are equipped with WBC style seats.