Memory Lane: Best Trip in First Class?
 

Note: this thread subject is mislabeled. I meant to have it read: "First flight in first class, not "Best" flight...".

Inspired by the interesting stories in the thread about first flights, how about first flights in first class?

A couple of people indicated that when they were upgraded (one investment banker was upgraded by his/her traveling companion, and one person was bumped into F on full flight), it was an indelible experience.

Well, the same is true with me: I was 16 years old returning to Boston from a summer in France, when I got to CDG all of about 30 minutes before departure to find one only TWA ticket agent still open at the check-in counters. Well, after scolding me for arriving so late, she preceded to hand me a FC boarding pass, and instructed me to hurry on my way! I had no problem making the plane. It was a 707 with about 3-4 rows in first class, plus a little lounge area which could hold maybe two people along the left side just inside the door. I remember being amazed at the total flight experienced. The stewardesses were so nice and didn’t seem to care at all about my young age, so I had more than my fill of champagne and liquor, caviar, and everything else. I was in heaven (or close thereto) and hooked for life on FC.

Well, now that I knew about this sort of thing, I then put myself to the test. About a week later, our family (all 7 of us) was going to LA for a couple of weeks before school started. This was right when advance seat assignments were starting to appear (must have been 1975)...and so I reserved multiple window seats, maybe 4 of them in a row for the 7 of us.

When we got to the airport, the BOS-LAX flight (an AA DC-10) was overbooked, and of course our pre-assigned seats were gone, and they were going to have to splinter the whole family throughout the DC-10. Instead they upgraded us all, so that they could keep up together!

One of the advantages of the DC-10's at the time was that the seats could swivel together, so that 4 of us could dine together.

To make a long story short, we did the very same thing on the way home! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thus began my very successful practice of intentionally arriving late for overbooked flights. This strategy worked well until FF upgrades arrived on the scene, and so the F cabins are/were as fully booked as coach; they also subsequently instituted policies where they would release seats 10-20 minutes before flight time, when reduced these opportunities. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif


[This message has been edited by nologic (edited 09-02-2001).]

UA HNL-KIX, I was the only one in F. For my "convenience" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif they put the Dom and its ice bucket on the tray table of the seat next to me. Same deal on UA KIX-GUM the next morning...

I must have been 9 or 10 years old, flying on a direct flight to Dallas to visit my grandparents. It was the first trip I'd been sent off on by myself. My grandfather had a ton of frequent flyer miles from business travel, and he used some to get me a roundtrip ticket in first class.

I really don't remember much of the trip at all, except that I had to dress up (this was back in the very early 80s, and my parents insisted) and the food was 'yucky'. All that fancy food just wasn't doing it for me. I do remember that the stewardess was nice enough to get me some 'normal' food from the back, where they had sandwiches or hot dogs or something for children meals.

I guess the experience was a little wasted on me at that age...

I started to travel for business in '94, and made AA Gold. My first upgrade was DFW-YYZ, on a flight with a half dozen co-workers. I boarded early, got settled in with my pre-departure drink, and sure enough, when coach starts boarding, my boss (who traveled less) walks by on his way to the back of the bus. The look on his face when he saw me was priceless.

My first trip in first was waaaayyy back in 1997 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif on a BA from LHR to JFK, they had a promo that offered o/w in first on a f/f business ticket, needless to say I was thrilled and had a great time, when I boarded I had a feeling I was not dressed right but it turned out most of the fellow pax were dressed even more casual than I was, since then I have always tried to be in first when I do long haul...

my 1'st was in 1967[or so]. i was commuting ,iad-sfo every week, it was a slow time for business [& for 1'st class] the cost to upgrade from full fare coach [ there wasn't any other fare ] was $ 15. i treated myself one friday. the seats were comfortable, the drinks were free & i enjoyed it. however, i concluded that paying $3/ hour wasn't a good value, & didn't do it again during that period.

I'm not sure this was my first trip in first class, but it was my first international and the earliest one I remember.

Connecting in Zurich going from Milan to Boston, I spent a bit too much time shopping and got to my gate late. The rigid Swissair gate agent scowled and said "We have given your seat to another passenger." When I apologized and asked if there was any way I could get on the plane, she said, meaning every word of the first five with the utmost seriousness, "Yes, but I am sorry. You will have to fly in first class."

I managed to indicate that this would be acceptable under the circumstances, took my boarding pass and got on.

Like swag's boss, mine boarded and saw me as the FAs were peeling me grapes and pouring me champagne or whatever they did. Then he walked through first and business on the way back to his coach seat. (He traveled more than I did, but not enough to earn upgrades in those days of few FF programs.) He never asked how I got there - he wasn't much of a communicator. I didn't stay with that company long.

As a kid, we never flew first - except to Hawaii on United. We'd head over with my aunt's family and between both families we'd take up a big chunk of first. I believe my mother and aunt did it because of the mai tai's :-), but I can't report on those because I was too young...

However, someone in the family always won the "guess when we'll be halfway there" contest - which made us kids really excited even though the prize was bad champagne (which the adults had to then lug to the hotel)

Funny thing - we mostly flew American or other carriers - but to Hawaii...it HAD to be United...

My first flight(s) in first were as a 19 year old college student. I had a friend who worked in Special Services for Delta and he would always upgrade me when I was flying between Lubbock and DFW for school holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, Easter, etc). I always took this for granted and never realized how lucky I was until I started flying for business.

I used to love the look of envy when my school friends (and invariably, the flights to and from Lubbock around school breaks were all Texas Tech students) would board to see me sitting in F. As a typical college student, I always managed to find a way to consume as many drinks as possible on the flight.

It was truly a sad day for me when American, Delta, and Continental all quit flying jets to Lubbock... Southwest was the only carrier left. That was when I started making the five hour drive home instead of flying.

As I recall my first first class flight was on a Delta DC-9, luncheon flight from ATL-ORD. I paid the difference between coach and first which was about ten dollars. I recall feeling great sitting up front. There were only 2-4 passengers riding up front. However, in addition to the flight attendant, there were four trainees. They had nothing to do but serve champagne. It was a Great Flight!!!

My first FC gig was in '85. My girlfriend and I were flying cross-country to visit with her sibling and parents for five days. Four days sounded better to me; and the little witch bought off on the concept of our taking an overnight bump and a $700 voucher each.

Turned out that they did not need us to bump, and we wound up styling and profiling in first. Worked out great; albeit I still would have preferred four days in ATL as opposed to five.

My 1st trip in 1st was an Eastern Airlines DC9 flight from PNS to ATL when I was 12 years old. My sister and I were travelling to ATL to visit my father and coach was oversold. I guess that they figured it wouldn't cost them anything -- liquor wise -- to upgrade 2 unaccompanied minors.

nologic - I've always thought that the first was the best! I remember getting upgraded on a late-evening transcon. Curling up in the "huge" seat under a blanket with my feet propped up on the bulkhead, sipping on Chardonnay and watching the movie. Many first class flights later, that was indelibly the best! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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"What do you mean you didn't get miles for that?!"

Long ago - 1982 I had purchased a ticket which turned out to be an award ticket on CO. Standing in the business line - that's what I had purchased - the agent in First Class called me over. Turned out my ticket was in First Class on the 747 when CO had them. Great flight and a great introduction to New York with that great view landing at Newark.

My other memorable flight was a Christmas Day on UA from LHR-SFO on the old 747-200. I got an upgrade - and was the only passenger in First. The crew enquired if I minded if the Captains wife joined me (dare anyone to say NO), and we had the most wonderful flight all the way! I think I put on 20 lbs!

Well, I have two. My very first was a family vacation/professional meeting to Keystone, CO in about 1997. On the way home the flight was over sold. After boarding began they asked for volunteers. My husband HAD to get home, so he thought. My two boys and I were picked for the bump and it was our best ever. I remember asking FA to get the housekeys to my husband and we couldn't even say goodbye.

This was on DL. THey put us up at a nice hotel in DEN. The bellman drove us in a Lincoln to a drugstore to get a few supplies and then to an amusement park (Elitches?). Next morning he drove us to the Denver Mint. We had several meals on DL and flew out first class that afternoon. Luckily, even tho I wasn't nearly as experienced back then, I asked for First when doing my negotiations. Plus the vouchers back then were ones you could trade for a very expensive domestic trip.

Second was my first international. Booked about 9 months out SAT-LGW on no revenue tickets using miles to upgrade. On the wait list til a few days before departure. I must have checked the web site hundreds of times to see if we'd been upgraded.

Finally, we cleared and the air travel was heavenly to us (we had all been in coach the year before). Now my husband will not go international or to Hawaii unless I can finagle a first class ticket. I have flown other times in first, but not enough where it doesn't feel really special each time I do.

[This message has been edited by paradocs (edited 09-03-2001).]