The Front of the Bus... err... Plane

I recently made a trip to lovely California. I flew out of Syracuse with a connection in Chicago. For some BS reason that was never really explained (and was later changed to "weather-related" so people wouldn't bitch), my flight was delayed. I arrived in Chicago and I had missed my connection. As I walked around the terminal, something told me to not talk to the counter people by my gate but to walk to the adjacent terminal. So I did and came across this woman who wasn't even at a counter but I asked her to help me. She rolled over to the nearest computer and went looking for the next flight. So she looked and found a flight... with one seat. For whatever reason, the woman says, "let me see if I can get you into first class." So she does some typing and BAM, prints out a 1st class ticket. So I say a few thank yous and happily walk away with my ticket.

When it comes time to board for my flight, there are 36 people on standby due to a separate flight cancellation. And here I am with my golden ticket, so to speak. The first boarding group is announced and I commence my first class experience. I stood up and strolled pass the poor standbies. I make my way to the plane entrance and I take a left (toward the light) to 1st class instead of a right to economy. Now I travel a lot. I splurge on some things but plane travel is definitely one area where I'm fine with being cheap. Therefore, I'm more than content with sitting in economy. BUT it's still GREAT being a chosen one and strutting over to the "good seats".

I've sat in first class before on shorter flights (also by being bumped because of flight delays) but this experience in particular made me think of the class difference and therefore inspired me to do this post. There's a uniqueness about the class separation of first/economy class. It isn't like being in the front/back of the bus where people got separate seats and paid the same rates. People in 1st class are paying nicely for those seats. But this is one case where the differences are just so "in-your-face". I mean, if you stay in a hotel suite, the people in the crammed smokey room aren't looking through and adjacent window at all you're getting. I've been in skyboxes at sporting events and concerts but the people in the cheapseats at those things are separate enough from all the skybox goodness and can't really see all that's going on. But on most planes, you can see/hear the great service in the front section as you get jack squat in economy.

First of all, you sit down and they tell people in economy "for safety reasons, please don't use the first class bathroom". Yeah, sure, "safety". Economy people aren't even good enough for the first class TOILET. And while economy people are still cramming into their seats and fighting for overhead space, I'm up in first class already on my third drink. While economy is told to pay $5 for wine and beer (and your ass better have exact change), unlimited and *complimentary* wine is already flowing in first class. Oh, and in real glasses and not paper cups. Having imbibed a little, and getting comfy after takeoff, I get a warm towel to clean my hands before I partake of my hot food. As I'm finishing off my soup and cutting into my lemon chicken with a real knife on a real plate over a real table cloth, I can hear the announcement for economy that food is not included but snack boxes are available (and your ass better have exact change!) I finish my chicken and fruit, and then I get a warm cookie and milk to wash it down. The flight attendant asks if I need anything every other minute, and I've eatten and drank all I can fit in me, so I lean back and sleep for a bit in my huge, comfy chair until we landed.

Again, this is not a post about me not knowing about first class (or things like it), because I've experienced it before, but I was struck this time by the drastic differences in treatment just inches away and was inspired to post on it.

When we finally land and as I get up, I hear the woman in front of me say, "I paid $1700". What makes this all even better, I didn't pay anything (not even economy price). I flew on my frequent flyer miles. :D Haha!