Although it’s still possible to see different terminology used to describe different types of seat (to everyone’s confusion!), in general over the years most people have come to know airline comfort levels by the three classic descriptions:
- Economy (or ‘ordinary’, ‘standard’ etc)
- Business (sometimes called ‘comfort+’, ‘Traveler’, ‘executive’ etc)
- First class (or ‘luxury’, ‘dream-class’ etc).
- Differences between the classes
It can be difficult to make generalizations, as there will be considerable differences between airlines and whether or not you’re on a long-haul flight.
You should be able to safely assume that as you move up the grades, your legroom and seat width will increase. You may find that the food and drink is better quality and served in/on slightly more chic glasses and plates. You should also see a higher ratio of cabin crew and flight attendants to passengers, so the service should also be better.
Some ‘extras’ may be free in higher classes but chargeable in economy. You may also find more sophisticated and personalized in-flight entertainment and support systems, such as personal TVs, PCs and possibly net connectivity as you move up the grades.
Some business and first-class passengers may be able to use executive lounges in the airport before boarding and they may have reserved boarding channels. These can be big advantages if you’re in a busy and congested airport.
Not everyone would agree but many would argue that there’s not much point in paying extra for business class on shorter ‘shuttle’ type hops between major hub destinations. The aircraft tend to be smaller and the extra room and facilities over and above standard economy class may not be enough to justify the sometimes significantly higher cost.
How To Get Free Upgrades
Well, the obvious way is to dig deeper into your pockets and buy a more expensive ticket!
If, like many of us, your bank and credit card balances give you cause to think again, then don’t give up because there are other possibilities.
Promos
The global airline industry is under intense pressure from what some would call excessive competition. This could benefit you because some airlines offer promos along the lines of “book early and get free business class upgrade” or “upgrade for only 10 dollars”. They’re rare, but they do exist and it might be worth keeping your eyes open and searching around for special deals.
Restitution
Airlines regularly make mistakes that can cause you inconvenience, discomfort, disruption and sometimes all of these combined. If you fly regularly and suffer (e.g.) delays or the sudden mysterious unavailability of that window seat you thought you’d booked, then demand something other than a sincere apology.
Stay VERY polite as airlines rarely cave-in to rants and aggressive demands. You may be able to talk your way up the grades by way of recompense or get a promise that you’ll get a free upgrade in future – though make sure you get that in writing as a verbal promise counts for nothing in the airline business!
Seat-Filling
Some airlines understandably don’t like the idea of having vast rows of empty seats on a flight or flight attendants sitting around bored and doing nothing. As a result, to fill seats and balance the aircraft (from a psychological rather than aero-stability viewpoint!) they will sometimes spontaneously upgrade economy passengers to business class.
It’s not very common and there’s no sure-fire way to guarantee you’ll be chosen but you could just try asking at check-in or even when boarding. Sometimes a smile and cheeky question can work wonders – though also be prepared for some ruthless slap-downs from time to time!
Overbooking
Some airlines in some places around the world deliberately operate a policy of over-booking the aircraft. They do this on the usually correct assumption that a percentage of passengers won’t turn up, meaning they will have enough seats.
The trouble is, sometimes this doesn’t work and everyone turns up – much to the airline’s chagrin. In such cases, if economy is full and over-booked, you may get upgraded.
The only way to be sure you’ll be chosen should such a possibility happen is to avoid specific advance-seat reservation choices and to check-in towards the end of the allowed period – though some argue the opposite on that tip. It’s a very risky strategy as you could get bumped off the flight entirely, but it may work at times!
Play The Emotions Card
If you’re traveling for a special event such as a child’s graduation or your marriage, let the airline know. They may recognize this by upgrading you. Airlines are also often inclined towards pretension and snobbery. As a result, they can be suckers for a title or honorific. So if you have one – use it!
Look The Part
If you are hoping for an upgrade, then remember that the airline will be seating you in an area containing people that have paid an awful lot more for their ticket than you have. If you’re smartly dressed, your chances of getting upgraded will be far higher than if you look like you’ve just come directly from 6 months in the wilderness!
The bottom line is that there is no certainty any of these things will work but they may be worth a try. Good luck!
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