Air France still offers full FIRST class service...

[brooklynite]

All that socialist safety-net spending (and taxation), and there's still a market for top dollar, high-end plane service...

[Bobstandard]

1. Our overlords fly private

They consider First Class commercial to be a step down. Many business travelers get to fly First. The mere mercantile class. Middle managers.

Private. Well beyond First. And a long, long way from Coach.

Reviewing my last airline ticket, I seem to be a peasant. I remember searching vainly for overhead storage space I remember elbows. Did somebody fart?

[Calista241]

20. Sinema was accosted by activists while sitting in coach.

Even Ivanka Trump was confronted by voters in 2016 on a JetBlue flight while flying coach. If i recall correctly, both Jared and their kids (and the Secret Service) were with them on that flight.

[former9thward]

2. Air France does have excellent First service.

I always fly First when going overseas and look to fly Air France if they are available.

[Sgent]

12. I've never flown it

but their business class was underwhelming the last time I flew TATL. The soft product was excellent, but the hard product was dated.

[Ron Green]

3. This segment of economic activity is especially harmful,

within the transportation sector, in environmental degradation.

While the worst are hops of under two hours, even long flights do a lot of damage. However, the only way to reduce such transoceanic travel is to aggressively pursue economic degrowth; there’s very little political will for that.

[TomSlick]

4. Very posh.

At €1,000 ($1,160) for upgrade from business travel, it should be.

I will grant you that the one time I had to fly through Charles DeGaulle, I would have been tempted to pay €1,000 to avoid the lines and the abusive airport employees. Nevertheless, spending that kind of money to be driven to your plane and for the use of Air France PJs, is simply obscene.

[DFW]

6. Where were you quoted that?

I am platinum for life on Air France and upgrading to First from Business costs many thousands of Euros for transatlantic travel from here (EU).

AF ditched first class on short flights long ago. The longest intra-European flight I ever took with AF was Paris to Moscow, and there was no first class on that plane.

[Dial H For Hero]

8. First class on Air France is almost impossible to book using points. Given that, I'm almost

certain never to experience it.

I have flown them in business class, it was very nice.

[TomSlick]

14. That's what the guy said in the video. Actually, he said something over 1,000 - I rounded down.

He said it was quite the bargain to upgrade from Business class.

[DFW]

15. It sure would have been!

It’s a bargain I’ve never seen offered over here, and AF sends its platinum for life members every deal they offer.

[Dial H For Hero]

5. I've flown international first class about half a dozen times.

Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, and American Airlines. Which is, BTW, my ranking of them from best to worst.

[dalton99a]

7. Singapore Airlines should be way up there

And Asian carriers always have the best looking and most attentive flight attendants

U.S. carriers are the worst

[Dial H For Hero]

9. They have a fantastic reputation, but I was only listing those airlines on which I've personally

flown in first class.

As for Asian vs. US carriers, I couldn't agree more.

[DFW]

11. I've never been on ANA or Thai

But I love JAL and CP

I avoid American like the plague. They are downright awful. Unfortunately they practically own the DFW airport.

[Dial H For Hero]

13. Can't argue when it comes to American. I've actually flown business on an Asian carrier rather than

first on American, even though it actually cost me a bit more in points.

[DFW]

10. I have been in First transatlantic exactly once on Air France

I have been Platinum-for-Life for over 20 years now on Air France. Because of knee issues, I always fly business class for transatlantic travel. I have no problems with coach for flights of less than two hours.

We were upgraded to First Class exactly once, although it was Paris to Los Angeles, so at least we had time to enjoy it.

Like most state airlines here, AF was privatized long ago, although the government still keeps an eye on them, being a flagship national symbol. Quite a few years ago, Air France bought up the Dutch national airline, KLM, which seems to have worked out for them. KLM did away with first class long ago.

This is not unique, by the way. Lufthansa, the German flagship airline, bought up the national airlines of Austria and Switzerland long ago. It was evident, too. Before the buyout, flying Swissair used to be a privilege. Now, it’s just another flight.

[BannonsLiver]

16. LOL

[Dial H For Hero]

17. Which carrier's first class service would you rank above AF's?

[Hawaii Hiker]

18. Aren't those food portions rather small?

Both when he's in the lounge as well as on the flight.

[Dial H For Hero]

19. One can always order more food while in business or international first.

Now granted, after you and your fellow first class passengers have finished their lobster thermidor there may not be any more of it on the plane, but you there's other food on the menu that you can order any time you wish (fancier in first than in business, natch).