Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Caviar, fizz on tap and in-flight showers: The best First Class airline seats in the world revealed (and how much they REALLY sell for)

Caviar, fizz on tap and in-flight showers: The best First Class airline seats in the world revealed (and how much they REALLY sell for)

·        After Etihad announces launch of three-room fully staffed suite, experts at Flightfox compile a list of premier cabins
·        Marking criteria included seat size and comfort, the 'rockstar' factor, food and wine and the cheapest route each flies
·        First place went to Singapore Suites, followed by Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Etihad
·        British Airways first class came 22nd overall, scoring highly in the food and drink categories


It's a tough job but someone had to do it.
Inspired by Eithad's launch of a new First Class luxury suite named 'The Residence', crowd sourcing travel website Flightfox has devised a comprehensive list of the 24 best First Class in-flight cabins from around the world.  
To produce the list, they took into account everything from seat configuration, aisle access and suite privacy to the type of champagne served, whether pyjamas were provided and how caviar was plated.
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The height of luxury! First place went to Singapore Airlines for its luxurious first class cabins although a one way ticket  can cost £2,053
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The height of luxury! First place went to Singapore Airlines for its luxurious first class cabins although a one way ticket can cost £2,053

Top 24 First Class cabins                           - and the best-priced flight tickets

1  Singapore Suites  $3,324
2  Cathay Pacific First Class Suites $713
3  Emirates First Class Suites $824
4  Etihad Diamond First $911
5  Lufthansa First Class $5,520
6  Oman Air First Class $3,917
7 Qatar First Class $684
8 Asiana First Class Suite $4,073
9 ANA First Square $9,640
10 Singapore First Class $1,593
11 JAL Suite $3,712
12 Air France La Premiere $7,496
13 Thai Royal First $2,533
14 Emirates First Class $1,318
15 Qantas First Suites $5,037
16 Swiss First $355
17 Garuda New First Class $3,049
18 Korean Air Kosmo Suite $5,922
19 Air China Forbidden Pavilion $849
20 Transaero Imperial Class $2,200
21 Malaysia First Class $6,237
22 British Airways First Class $8,052
23 American Airlines Flagship $3,667
24 United Airlines Global First $4,590
For a full breakdown of scores and routes, see the full survey here 
And it also shows the best rate flyers can expect to pay when booking a seat in luxury. 
Singapore Airlines was crowned king of the skies while second place went to Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific and Emirates bagged bronze.
When Eithad's The Residence launches in December it will raise the bar even higher, offering guests a three room fully staffed suite, a chauffeur to a private check-in and lounge, an onboard butler, fine Italian Poltrona Frau leather sofa, two dining tables and - better yet - an in flight personal chef to whip up whatever takes your fancy.
But, for now, you could do a lot worse than booking a first class trip with any airline featured in Flightfox's survey, you'll just need deep pockets.


The cheapest price for a one-way ticket with survey toppers Singapore Airlines in their Singapore suite will set you back £2,053 ($3,324) for a flight from Singapore to Mumbai. 
For that, you'll be served 2004 Dom Pérignon, provided with pyjamas to sleep in and sit on an spacious armchair hand-stitched by Italian craftsmen - their most leg room friendly design to date.
When it came to overall 'rockstar' status - one of the categories judged - Singapore suites came out as the overall winner too and offer a double bed option.
Comparatively, Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific's cheapest one way first class ticket - who came second - costs just £440 ($713), but you'll need to fly from Hong Kong to Taiwan to bag it.
Choose them and, according to Flightfox, you'll enjoy five star food and drink service. 
Cathay Pacific serve Krug Grand Cuvée champagne, an la carte menu and freshly steamed rice, toast and eggs cooked to your personal specifications.
The most expensive best-priced first class flight, according to the survey, is flying between Tokyo and LA with Japanese airline ANA, and will set you back at least £5,835.
Emirates, known for deluxe treatment, came third and slings it all on. You'll get pyjamas, use of a limousine, an in-flight shower to freshen up, an onboard bar, caviar and Dom Pérignon champagne for flying first.
When it comes to value-for-first-class-ticket-price Emirates scored forth overall, with their cheapest flight taking you from Auckland to Brisbane for £509 ($824).
Fourth and fifth place went to Etihad and Lufthansa respectively. Etihad's cheapest ticket costs £563 ($911, United Arab Emirates to Mumbai) whereas Lufthansa's best deal is £3,409 ($5,520) for a first class ticket from South Africa to Germany. 
Though pricey, Lufthansa climbed higher in the ratings thanks to five star scores for seat configuration, size (a two-metre-long flat-bed) and food and wine. They serve Krug Gande Cuvée champagne, canapes, caviar and food designed by Michelin-starred chefs.


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