First-class flying is back, and it’s more luxurious than ever

First-class airline service has long been the playground of the fabulously famous and fantastically wealthy, with luxuries ranging from free-flowing Champagne and mountains of caviar in the early years to private cabins with a bed and shower on some carriers today. But after BA in 2000 introduced lie-flat seats in business class for thousands of dollars less than first—an innovation that quickly spread throughout the industry—it was hard to argue that it’s worth the extra cash for a few more inches of legroom and a better wine list. Bookings started to fall sharply as the 2008 financial crisis curbed corporate spending and made public displays of wealth unfashionable, so over the past decade scores of airlines have ripped out some or all of their cushiest and priciest seats. Carriers today say they may have cut too far, especially as the ranks of the super rich continue to expand and the stigma attached to conspicuous consumption has faded. With the global economy back in growth mode and the industry coming off three straight years of fat profits, airlines are reintroducing or revamping first-class cabins at a cost that can exceed $100,000 just to manufacture each seat. Long-haul airlines say charging more than $10,000 for a round-trip ticket in the premium cabin is a profitable way to stand out in an industry that’s come to be dominated by discounters. “First class is developing better than we’d imagined three or four years back,” Lufthansa CEOr Carsten Spohr told staff in a recent briefing. “We’re looking at routes where it makes sense, where we have the customers who want it.” Story has more.<br/>