Whenever I am not seated in First, I am obliged to take that humiliating "perp walk" through the first class cabin back to steerage, while the posh passengers glare at me in between their sippings of champagne. Anyone find this walk humiliating or awkward? Any stories?

Don't worry about it. Don't sweat about it. Just aspire to it. Too many Americans spend too much time worshiping the rich when their energy would be better spent trying to BE rich.

Great answer, Internaut! ^

But seriously, I do find this parade awkward -- I frequently find that my champagne gets spilled when people push past my elbows....

If I don't get First I am always a little regretful as I walk through, but never humiliated or awkward. Also, as I fly US, I very rarely see the posh passengers sipping champagne. They do have a bottle of water sitting there though! On TA flights I may feel a little more than regretful, downright envious!

And to think that Americans consider us Brits to be status/class conscious!

Doesn't bother me any. As the song goes, sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger, sometimes you're the ball. If I wanted/needed to fly F each time I flew, I'd pay for it more often.

You can take the dual approach that I do:

When in business/first I look at those heathen, huddled cretin masses as they walk by me with their chickens and pigs with a look of disdain.

When I am in economy, I fight for the rights of all free men against the oppressive wealthy.

and so well said!

ROTFLMAO

if it makes any of you feel better, when you see me sitting in fc, i am only there for the wider seat. i would rather be in coach!

Great approach! I'm all for power to the people as long as I get my pre-departure drink

I randomly spit in one business class passengers champange as I walk by. That'll show 'em for being all hoity-toity.

Interesting...

Hello FTers,

I was supposed to have been upgraded to business on a 3 class 767. But my connection from DCA to JFK was delayed sooo much that I had spring in my suit and laptop from T8 to T9. And, of course, I had to go through "attitude" I mean "security" at T9. AA was doing final boarding call... and, by all rights, AA gave away my seat. So I was stuck in coach.. first row. I was sweating and just ticked off. As I walked by my should-have-been-seat in business, I kinda' said "you got lucky because of my misforturn" (not outloud, mind you).

So, I plopped my butt in coach. I was ticked off. So, I decided to read my magazines that I brought with me -- Advocate, Out, Genre. And I made sure that people around me knew what I was reading. For some passengers, guys reading gay magazine make people squirm. I didn't care. I simply didn't care. C'mon, I'm ready for a fight.... c'mon.....

After takeoff, the flight attendant came up to me and said "there's plenty of room in the back." I looked back and the whole back end of the plane was empty. So, I gathered all my magazines, my carryon and went to the back of the plane. One of female flight attendants gave me a free drink and then another, I caught up with all my reading. I had the whole back end of the plane to myself.

I was a happy camper....

When we landed at SFO, as I was walking through business, I felt for sorry for them because that section was crowded whereas I had all the room in the world.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.... and then find someone with vodka.

David

You Brits have thousands of years of class snobbery experience. It flows through your veins. You're used to it. You self segregate everything into classes by instinct.

Over here in your Former colony, many subscribe to the "all men are created equal" jazz of a supposedly one class society*. For this reason, transportation seating is so noticeable, almost a shock to the system, as it is one of the few times we get publicly separated into distinct classes. Call it the novelty factor. That is why we pay more attention to it than it deserves.

Me? I don't care where I sit as long as I have a wide reclining seat and free drinks. It's not about the class, its about having enough room to fit my a**. 17 inch seats in Y? Ouch.


*Footnote: In reality, America has two classes. You're either a Rich Republican Friend of Haliburton; or you're Not.