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I have seen teenagers flying alone in International Business Class. You don't necessarily have to be wealthy for Business Class. It's First which is unaffordable and unrealistic imo.
Do you think the teenagers bought their own tickets?
You don't have to be wealthy but plenty can't justify the extra cost or it simply doesn't fit into their budget.
I fly whatever upgrades are available or fly First on award tickets (lots of miles to blow every year). I have a lot of airline status, so I automatically get the best seats in Economy Plus or Economy Elite or whatever it's called this week. I just book the best seat I can, which the airline charges most people a stupid price for an "upgrade" but not me. Then I take an upgrade to a better class if available. If not, whatever. I weigh 145# so my rear end manages with any seat. It's the forward space I want.
Personally I don't justify upgraded travel, I justify stepping down a shelf if necessary. But I don't have a problem doing it. It's just that most of the time doing it isn't necessary for a seasoned traveler working rewards programs and with good knowledge of what days and times of the year are best to travel for the best results.
I've never been able to sleep in coach, not even with the best neck pillow and noise cancelling headphones.
For a 10+ hour flight, you are buying a much higher chance you'll arrive at your destinations having slept at least part of the way. As a taller traveler, I am also buying my way out of sore legs, cramps, and the risk of DVT (much easier to get up, walk around, etc in business class).
I guess I was trying to say that I would rather stay an extra day in a hotel and get an extra night's sleep in a real comfortable bed and pay the extra $300 for the hotel, than spend an extra $2k for 12 hrs in a seat that becomes flat. And also enjoy the hotel's bathroom, TV, room service, swimming pool, restaurants, etc.
If you don't have the luxury of time, chances are you are on a business trip, and then chances are your company is willing to foot the bill anyway.
Now if you are talking about medical issues like DVT or say a spinal or neck injury, that is a completely different matter. Then the extra $2k you are paying is not for increased comfort but to reduce risk of injury. Then a lot of people would make that choice, especially people with a high risk of getting injured in a coach seat in a long haul flight.
Most people without these medical issues do not generally get injured in a coach seat in a long haul flight. You're probably a bit more tired, that is all. Admittedly, if you are quite tall, the coach seat would be a lot more painful for you.
The bf and I will be traveling to France/Italy next year and we'll be flying first class to be comfortable. Flights aren't that crazy priced if you book way in advance
I've flown 11 hour flights in coach. It honestly wasn't that bad at all.
I'll be flying 16 hours (JFK to Guangzhou), so we will see if I come out with a different attitude after that one. Not like I could afford to upgrade anyway.
Never, or I would have to be pretty darn wealthy for me to do it.
I have taken some seriously long flights, the economy class has always been fine for me, or at least the extra cost of business never outweighed the negative parts of economy.
A lot depends on one's age too, when I was younger BC wasn't a consideration. When I hit my 40s & started visiting SE Asia regularly coach was ok but exhausting (24 hrs of travel) but when I hit my 50s BC was the only way to go to Asia with it's minimum 14 hour flight time. Coach would take several days to recover from out of my vacation time, BC only a day, that wasted time is a factor.
I buy the cheapest fare sale possible, typically off season & upgrade with points (from credit cards) & now copays too, which make the flight not as cheap as before, but what is? I still fly coach to Europe, I think 9-10 hours may be my limit for economy.
I paid for a business class ticket to BKK last year. Cost 5x as much as economy fare. Was a complete waste of money IMO. Would do it more often if it was only 2x the cost of economy. Doubt I will do it any time soon unless I start making a lot more money.
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