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Kill First Class
Opinion · August 11, 2003

Flying first class isn't what it used to be, to hear travelers like Gary Arbonies talk about it.

"First class is what coach class was like a decade ago," complained the San Diego furniture consultant. It isn't just the meager meals, which he says resemble those once served in steerage. Legroom and service have slipped, too, as the airlines' fortunes took a nose dive.

Maybe it's time for domestic airlines to stop pretending they offer first-class service, at least on domestic flights. Doing away with the premium seats makes economic sense, not only for the struggling carriers and the increasingly cost-conscious businesses whose employees often sit up front. It also works for passengers on both sides of the curtain: the frequent travelers looking for a better flight experience and vacationers who want a cheap ticket without being insulted.

The most successful airlines already have rejected the class system. Three of the top five airlines in Travel + Leisure magazine's recently released list of best domestic airlines operate a one-class configuration. They are Midwest, Southwest and JetBlue. Two of the three, Southwest and JetBlue, are profitable. Instead of offering separate cabins where passengers are divided according to mileage status or, less frequently, their ability to pay, these carriers seat every passenger in a single space.

"On short-haul domestic flights, first class is irrelevant," said Matthew Bennett, editor of FirstClassFlyer.com, a Web site that shares insider information on first- and business-class values and upgrade tactics.

Operating only one class of service can be more practical on routes within the USA, too. The carriers no longer have to staff a separate cabin with special meals and beverages. First-class seats, which can cost anywhere between $1,000 and more than $10,000 apiece, would no longer be necessary, and neither would special check-in areas for elite travelers.

"One-class configurations are far more efficient," said Kathleen Buckner of Aircraft Interiors, a Carlsbad, Calif., trade magazine. "First class doesn't make sense. It's a money-losing proposition on most domestic routes."

Indeed, nearly three-quarters of company travel managers told Runzheimer International that they're enforcing stricter travel policies, with about one-third limiting first-class air travel to control costs. All of which means fewer passengers are paying for an upgrade and that more folks got up front by cashing in miles.

But wouldn't frequent travelers bolt if the major airlines started to tear out the big seats? Not necessarily. Look closer at what passengers are asking for and it becomes clear they don't want to fly in first class as much as they want to be flying with class.

A survey by the marketing firm Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell found one in 10 business travelers crave lots of legroom, and nearly two-thirds say they value extra-spacious overhead compartments. You don't have to fly in the front of the plane to get those perks.

What else do air travelers want? Douglas Shachnow, a travel counselor, believes they're looking for a "civilized way to travel that does not insult them ... A place where they can stretch out and feel like an ordinary person -- not be squished in like sardines."

But wait, isn't that what the one-class carriers are giving customers? JetBlue recently removed a row of seats to give passengers 2 more inches of legroom than comparable economy-class sections. Southwest already offers between 1 and 2 inches more space than the industry standard. That's civilized.

On the other side of the metaphorical curtain, creating a more egalitarian cabin would improve flying conditions for the masses.

Most travelers are accustomed to doing the "perp walk" between the front and steerage-class sections. Pre-boarded first-class passengers, meanwhile, glare at them between sips of their mimosas. Making a distinction between ''haves'' and ''have-nots'' is a 19th-century notion that must end, and the major carriers quietly agree. Delta's new spinoff airline, Song, is singing a one-size-fits-all tune with its single-class cabin; United's soon-to-be-launched no-frills carrier, code-named Starfish, is also reportedly embracing egalitarianism in the sky.

Simply eliminating first class isn't enough, though. Airlines must give something back: more personal space, better service, possibly even options such as Internet connections or onboard satellite TV. The single class should be a hybrid of first and economy, not an effort to cram as many seats into the plane as possible.

Song is a great example of this: It offers about 2 inches more legroom than major airlines do in economy class, plus it's installing seatback satellite TVs with pay-per-view options.

By eliminating first class on domestic flights, carriers won't just be doing themselves and passengers a favor. They'll also be ensuring their long-term profitability rather than creating an illusion of financial health with the help of taxpayer subsidies. For the ailing airline industry, that would be a much-needed upgrade.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.