But it's all relative -- the Quaker Oats chew oatmeal bars don't go past row 4.

Most flights in F these days have a fruit & snack basket.

If flying a segment where you won't get a meal, fill your tummy with their pita chips. It's really good :)

I think a lot of it depends on how you got into F. If you paid for it, you might be more disappointed than if you got an elite upgrade or even a mileage upgrade. I think others here have covered most of the good points of FC. If you want the negatives, just ask. There will be many people lining up to tell you everything that's wrong with NW first class. ;) Heck, you might not even have to ask if they provide it unprompted. :)

Love the screen name, rosspanics. ^

Which domestic carrier offers that in first class?

maybe United p.s. -- I don't have personal experience, but new menu offerings include signature champagne cocktails and gourmet chocolates.

Or, we could flashback to TWA in the early 70's :D

Funny. Just took my first flight up front on NW in 4 years on Wednesday. I was really impressed with the professional, expeditious treatment I received from the WC agents and the GA getting on standby on an earlier DTW-PHX segment. The B757 was the dirtiest plane I've ever been in ... no kidding, I'm sure there were blood stains on the overhead area near the call button etc! Too bad really, it leaves a terrible impression and would take maybe 30 minutes and a rag to clean up.
Hard to complain about anything though when you're by a pool, drink in hand, in 92'F heat (as I currently am) while the rest of the country is worrying about frost!

Enjoy.

I've never experienced this domestically- only internationally on British Airways JFK-LHR. It was even better than that as we were given a pre-flight massage, access to a well-stocked liquor cabinet, and a two-page dessert menu. It was also an empty flight so I had four pods to myself; it was like flying over in your living room.

My point is that everyone thinks everyone else's first class is better without actually experiecing it. If you regularly fly NW, you think everyone at AA and DL is flying is sybaritic luxury. If you fly AA and DL, you think United and NW passengers are flying in a Four Seasons in the sky. Except that none of this exists domestically anymore outside of NetJets or BlueStar. Domestic first class is all about the same- notice "about" the same. It's nothing to get excited about.

It is a reminant of the jet age when flying was glamorous not a drag. Everyone thinks somewhere out there remains 70's style first class with pretty stewardesses and a grand piano in the lounge upstairs except it doesn't exist.

That's expecially true on NW.

Jayson

P.S. Now, bring in true open skies and let foreign carriers access to US airports (i.e. let Virgin Atlantic fly US passangers from JFK to LAX) and you will see the return to glamor flying.

My guess is that all those who trash NW's FC service are the first to be at the gate, pleading with the agent for an upgrade
:rolleyes:

I think that NW's first service is just fine. I have flown up front on TZ, NK, UA, US, and NW. Out of that lot, I like NW since it is very easy to get an upgrade as an elite and meets all my needs. Plus, they have made some significant upgrades in the last year (the snack basket was a great innovation). I would like to try UA's service on a PS flight, but NW domestic first is not all that different than UA's standard narrowbody service. It really comes down to, do you like a leather or cloth seat? At what temperature do you like your nuts served? and do you prefer your service with a midwestern or eastern attitude? ;)

If I had to describe NW's FC in two words it would be "blue collar"

(Seats are not luxurious, but better than coach. Service is professional, but not "doting". The focus is on free drinks, not food. The egalitarian ethic of Midwesterners shows at boarding, so the Elite boarding carpet is confusing to many, also kids & special needs are boarded BEFORE FC & elites. There is no IFE or power in ANY NW domestic aircraft. That said, NW is still my preferred airline, because like many have said NW is consistently good at upgrading elites, nwa.com is great and the WP program is excellent!)

I really don't think it's the free booze and granola bar (or banana) that excites ;) us about an upgrade (afterall, just about any airport food is better and you can get all the drink you need at the WC before boarding).

When you get stuck in coach, what are you really missing about that FC seat? To me, it's that there is no middle seat, it's MUCH quieter, you can actually open your laptop and work on it. You're off the plane within 2 minutes of the door opening, the passengers around you are "usually" respectful of your need for peace & quiet and need to work without chatting - and the bathroom is usually a bit cleaner due to fewer passengers - and you can actually get up to use it sometimes while the seatbelt sign is illuminated and not get reprimanded. :)
To me, this is why I appreciate the upgrade! It's more of an environment conducive to working or resting between work rather than the Disneyland- parking- shuttle environment you sometimes find in coach.

the seats aren't leather and the food isn't good. If you have to pay extra to fly it, don't bother.

I have occasionally told the FA's when they come around with the drink service - something like:
I'll have the prime rib - - or . . .
I must have fallen asleep during your meal service. I'll have the surf n' turf.
You could imagine some of the remarks I've had!!! :)
Just a side note - - I remember my first Southwest flight MANY years ago - the FA coming around with the wicker basket of peanuts asking:
"Would you care for some caviar?"

We flew BUF-DTW-MCO r/t a year or so ago. As a Gold, got u/g to First (both of us) all legs.

The DTW-MCO legs were very nice -- hot meal, wine, good, attentive (but not overbearing) FA service, etc. One of the better First Class experiences I've had in a long time.

I think I have flown in F on most all of the domestic carriers and for the most part I think the service is on par with the price paid to get into the cabin.

NW -- most of us elites are getting in there for free anyway; i buy cheap fares, but i buy a lot of them and when i buy them i buy NW, so in return they let me sit in the front if there is a space. the service may not be comparable to some other airlines in F, but I guarantee that I would choose NW in F, over any other carrier in Y.

CO -- mostly their elites and us NW people; on longer flights the CO seat and service is better then NW IMO, but I'm only getting 50% EQMs on the type of fares that I buy so I can ride nicely, but only earn 1/2 of what I do on NW

UA -- nice service, but a lot of people are paying for their first, particularly in some of the premium (PS) markets. To ride in UA F as much as I ride in NW first, even if I was elite, would be an expensive proposition

DL -- service to me seems somewhere between NW and CO, but they are giving their seats for free to elites.

AA -- decent service, and complimentary to EXPs, but upgrade currency required for non EXPs

Overall I think that NW has a product that is comensurate with what people are paying for that product. While I think that NW does not have the best F cabin in the skies, I can't really complain when I'm paying $180 to sit in an F cabin from DC-LA

I could. :)

The WN exchange makes sense since the pax and the FA know all about the low-cost model. However, the joke about prime rib/surf-n-turf on NW is not always so funny. Believe it or not, there are still some people that expect that when flying a legacy carrier's domestic first class.