Flying with Class?

Sometimes the people flying in First Class are the ones with the least class. I've seen some really bad behavior up front. Usually it involves some guy feeling he is entitled to everything, even beyond his ticket terms.

I recall a passenger being so upset because he boarded last and had no room for his luggage in the overhead of the first class section. It got so heated the captain came out as he made an arse out of himself. Well, board earlier guy! I'm fully aware the overhead compartment fill up and my ticket does not guarantee it will be available.

I've seen people get upset in the first class section because main cabin people are using their "private" first class bathroom. Really? Unless you need to use it and there is a line, let it go!

Really there are many examples to choose regarding the low class behavior of first class passengers. As well as coach class passengers. The class of service people fly is not a measure of the class they possess.

I know many prefer to fly Southwest airline because there are no classes of service. All seats are the same and so is the service. I guess you could say they are a classless airline!

Personally I do prefer the larger seats in first class, but that is the main appeal. Although it is nice to feel special, I don't like it in a public setting. It makes me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. Like the incident I shared here:

https://www.kirkstravelstories.com/post/executive-platinum-experience-with-american-airlines

I'll share one other story here of a very embarrassing moment regarding flying in elite class with me. This one had more of a racial twist to it.

I was flying to Zimbabwe in business class, they didn't have a first class section but business class is really the equivalent. I was making a connection from a different airline so I needed to get my boarding pass at the airport. I arrived with about 5 hours to spare between flights at this connecting airport.

I really hate these long layovers outside of the security area because there is not much to do but sit around and wait. On the other side of security I can walk around or visit a lounge. Since the ticketing area normally opens 3 hours prior to the flight I was prepared to sit for 2 hours in wait.

As I sat I watched the line grow in the economy class section. People willing to stand in line for an hour or more to be ticketed first. Well, I'm not up for that so I sat and waited.

But, four hours prior, or one hour into my wait, I noticed a single agent open one booth for ticketing. Hurray, I thought. Maybe I can clear security and get to a lounge sooner.

So as the agent was preparing to open, I walked over to the business class line where there was nobody. Now, normally thete is a dedicated agent for business class but that person had not arrived yet.

So, the scenario is I'm alone in the business class line and had just arrived in line, and there were maybe 100 people that had been waiting up to one hour in the economy line. They had all seen I just got in line because I walked past them.

The agent opened up and then waved at me to come up. I was far from him but he did what he was supposed to do and serve business class first. So, I had to walk past all 100 or so economy class customers to be served first. What really added to the embarrassment is I was white and every passenger I saw was black. Remember I was going to Africa.

I was well aware of the appearance. I immediately regretted the decision to immediately get in line. I should have waited at least 15 minutes or so. That way I would not have jumped the whole queue.

So, with all 200 eyes upon me I walked past to be the first served. There was a group traveling together at the front of economy queue. One man spoke up in protest because he did not understand the airport protocol. He just saw a white man jump to the front of a 100 black people.

The agent explained to him what was going on, and immediately all his companions laughed and made fun of the guy who spoke up. But, I was so happy he did! That way everyone knew it was not a racial thing because the only two white guys were me and the agent!

Anyway, that is the type of thing that happens when traveling in classes. Whether you're pro class separation because of money (or points in my case), or not, that is the world we live.