How far are you willing to fly in economy?
 

I'm a long time lurker. I notice this is a forum full of Gold's, a smattering of Silver's and then "the rest"... the unwashed masses so they say...

Economy gets some slack on here, but it's not too bad. I enjoyed CW cabins for the first time this Summer thanks to you guys on FT (LHR-BOS/LAX-LHR, LCY-JFK/BOS-LHR, LHR-BKK), but make a point of booking at least some trips in WT/WTP to keep one's expectations in check.

For me, dayflights are manageable in WT, like LHR-BOS, LHR-SFO etc.

But, knowing the FT tricks for CW, something like BA15 to SYD in one haul in Y might be a bit of a stretch. So I guess that's my limit... my spending jumps there to look at stopovers/WTP/ex-EU J.

ET is perfectly acceptable intra-Europe. I fly CE only on RFS when the only good time and availability is in Club, or on an ex-EU positioner to London.

What's your limit for each cabin? (And do you regularly have to pay for flights yourself?)

Curious to get this boards' thoughts!


World Traveller Fuss

After spending 2 hours crammed into an ET seat* my answer is: Zero hours.

WT I've found not bad actually, mainly as it's always been quiet on my flights (lucky, I know) so I've had 2 or 3 seats to myself. Can't imagine it being much fun for a 10 hour flight with just the one seat.

*(extra legroom according to the website, looked the same as others to me. 8E on the A321)

Anywhere worldwide, but then I do phone ahead to let them know I'm coming and to have my favourite drink prepared.

Economy within Europe, OK, but not regularly.

Farther than that, no chance at all now, but I'm in a position where I do not need to travel for work and can choose whether to travel or not otherwise. Long haul economy *is* that bad.

I'm not prepared to fly economy. If I was told I had to I'd decline to fly. I'm fortunate in that a large proportion of my flights are paid for by work and are in F or J. When it comes to leisure I tend to book J and try for F upgrades with miles.

MAN/LBA to LHR or vice versa.

I "commute" between Australia and the UK in Y. There's a fair few hardcore Y-travellers on this board. Work pays for it.

Personal travel, I try to get at least WT+ if not J if prices are reasonable, but the accumulated airmiles usually make getting J flights quite straightforward for me. That may change now that some of the cheaper Y buckets to Australia now only get me marginally more TPs than a return domestic.

My tolerance of long haul economy depends on the strength of my desire to visit somewhere. Having done three return trips to SYD in WT I wouldn't look forward to another, but not being in Club wouldn't stop me from going. There are several regulars here who ply back and forth down under in Traveller and survive.

AKL/WLG/CHC. With no stopovers. And back. And repeated many times.

And yes, I pay for practically all my flights myself.

There are a lot of FTers who are just soft and spoiled. I always prefer not to do it in Y if I can avoid it, but it's hardly life-threatening.

I can do a day short long haul flight, e.g. LHR-JFK. But beyond that and particularly overnight, I upgrade or pay for a minimum of WTP.

H

Pretty much anywhere, though work policy does allow for W for 7hr+ (and C if it is cheaper than W, or I pay the difference myself, and I have seen sales where the fare difference is nonexistent/negligible.)
As for my personal travel, I typically try and grab Z/U class (oneworld), or O/I class (*A) seats to maximise value, almost always on intercontinental flights.

I haven't done a LH flight in Y, ever. WT+ is my norm, and if I upgrade it's usually using Avios or AUP. In terms of Y travel, it tends to be up to 3 hours maximum so LAS - DFW for example (but that is MCE so a little better). I once refused to do LHR - LAX in Y for work. I am not saying I would never travel Y for long haul but I would certainly prefer not to.

I don't fly economy unless I have no choice, such as on domestics.

Quite frankly, this forum is full of wussies.

Having said that. I will accept if you can fly in a premium cabin for not much more than the cost of economy it makes a lot of sense to do so.

I've even got their number now if you need it:D;)