Best in class

New First Class cabins provide travellers with an elevated premium travel experience both on the ground and in the air. Here’s our round-up of the best offerings

First class air travel has stepped up a notch since a clutch of major airlines launched their premium cabins. Aside from the elevated privacy and comfort levels, the list of benefits outshines everything else 35,000 feet up.

What all First Class cabins have in common is privacy, be it with a fullyenclosed suite as with Emirates for

example - and the most amount of personal space. The facilities in First make it easy to be businessready on arrival. Givens are lie-flat beds, laptop power, USB plugs, on-board wifi and bags of storage space, a superior in-flight entertainment system and, on the ground, a dedicated departure lounge with restaurant-quality meals and, on some airlines, free chauffeur to/from the airport.

Layer on top of this an abundance of soft products – the sleepwear, plush pillows, blankets, high-end amenity kits, freshly-prepared a la carte food that you can eat at any time and delicious wines that pair perfectly with the food. In culinary terms, anything your heart desires is on the menu, be it carrot and kale juice or Cristal champagne. A superfood salad? Of course, coming up... Dedicated crew are on call in First Class; warm hospitality

“Middle Eastern

airlines have set the bar so high when it comes to airline standards.”

The cost is more than double that of Business Class, making it generally the domain of High Net Worth individuals and senior executives whose travel policy allows them to recharge in the front cabin.

“Some airline’s Business Class is superior to other airline’s First Class, so choose wisely.”

One major caveat with First Class is the inconsistency across the world’s airlines as some airline’s Business Class is superior to another airline’s First Class, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Singapore Airlines has just six Suites in its A380 which are configured 1-1 with sliding doors for extra privacy and even window blinds. Moreover, each Suite has a seat and a separate bed and also offers Double Suites with a double bed. A massive 32-inch touchscreen monitor takes care of entertainment and an enhanced KrisWorld IFE system saves your playlist and preferences for future flights. Passengers are offered both Dom Perignon and Krug on board and passengers can Book the Cook in advance and order food from a menu that’s not otherwise available on board, served on Wedgwood china.

Cathay Pacific also offers just half a dozen seats in First Class. Padded with soft leather, each seat has a touchscreen controller and in-chair massage function. The seats may not be fully enclosed but they are angled towards the windows. Steaming jasmine rice or hot toasted bread - it’s all freshly prepared. Entertainment is from 18.5- inch, HD TV screens while a video handset means that you can browse entertainment, order duty-free items and see the interactive map without interrupting your viewing on the main screen. The airline refers to a more bespoke, sensory journey, of inspired flavours, calming fragrances and refined textures. Passengers are served food on fine china and drink from crystal glassware.

Cathay Pacific

No First Class round-up would be complete without mention of the Middle Eastern airlines that have set the bar so high when it comes to airline standards. Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Oman Air and Emirates take a lot of beating when it comes to premium cabins.

For example, Etihad has First Class Apartments, a dine-on-demand menu with onboard chef and onboard shower, so travellers can freshen up ready for their meeting. The airline is best known for The Residence onboard its A380 aircraft, which provides a three-room suite including private bedroom and shower and butler service.

Qatar provides eight seats in 1-2-1 configuration but travellers also rave about the airline’s Qsuite Business Class as the closing doors provide more privacy than the raised partitions available in First. Nonetheless, what they don’t get to do is sleep on Frette linen sheets, change into sleep suits by The White Company and enjoy vintage

Singapore Airlines

wines and caviar as part the culinary journey on board.

First Class tops on-board service offerings to suit varying travel budgets, from Economy and Premium Economy to Business Class.

THE BEST FIRST CLASS According to Skytrax and its 2019 survey of over 21m airline passenger respondents, tops is Singapore Airlines (SIA) for the World’s Best First Class and the World’s Best First Class Seat.

Following SIA in the World’s Best First Class Airline 2019 is Lufthansa, Air France, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, ANA All Nippon Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Oman Air to finish the Top Ten ranking. 