Flying Business Class can be intimidating when it's your first time but some expert advice will help you feel right at home. Photo / Getty Images
Your ultimate guide to flying Business Class for the first time.
Travelling for 30-plus hours to get to the UK or Europe is always going to be taxing, no matter which part of the plane you’re in.
But perhaps you’ve decided you’re going to travel in style on your next trip and make it a wish-list worthy holiday from start to finish.
Business Class is certainly worth the splurge for long-haul journeys but doing it for the first time can feel a little intimidating, especially if you’re usually at the back of the plane.
Here are some expert tips to make the most of your journey, so you can arrive at your destination feeling revived, not deprived.
Business Class travel isn’t only about your flight. Premium tickets come with luxurious added extras, including dedicated check-in areas at the airport, express lanes through passport control and security, priority luggage service, and access to exclusive lounges once you’re airside.
Some even allow your holiday to begin the minute you leave home: Auckland-based passengers can opt for a complimentary chauffeur service for most Emirates flights. A driver in a luxury car will pick you up from home (within 80km of Auckland International Airport), so you arrive in style. If you live outside the 80km zone, you can pay a fee to cover the additional mileage.
When you arrive at your destination, a chauffeur will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall, which is a godsend to relieve your tired, jetlagged brain of having to navigate public transport or unfamiliar taxi services.
So you’ve made it behind the frosted glass doors of the premium passenger lounges. What now? Find yourself a seat then head to the bar and get a glass of champagne. Yes, it’s free, and you can pour your own. You can even mix yourself a cocktail if you so desire.
The standard of food in premium lounges is often extraordinary, and is a great hack ahead of late-night flights – eat dinner in the lounge so you can sleep on the plane as soon as the seat belt light is turned off.
You can also use a premium lounge during transit, and that hot shower in between flights will be one of the best you’ve ever had.
My biggest tip when it comes to the lounge experience: don’t be the person talking loudly on the phone, showing off to your friends and family that you’re “IN THE LOUNGE”. Be cool. Act like you’re there all the time, sit back and relax before your journey.
Don’t immediately leave the lounge as soon as the screens show your flight is boarding. Lounge staff usually make a PA announcement when it’s actually time to board (but double-check they will, as some lounges don’t). I’ve made the mistake of leaving according to the screens only to wait at the gate for another 15 minutes... time I could have spent enjoying a last glass of champagne.
Premium cabins have a higher staff-to-passenger ratio than in Economy, so crew have more time to dedicate to you. They’ll greet you by name, hang up your jacket, remember your drink preferences, help with any requests, and spend more time chatting. Hit them up for their tips on what to see and do in your final destination – they visit regularly, and will have insider tips you might not find in a travel guide.
When you’re paying for a Premium cabin, you’re paying for a sense of privacy, extra legroom, bigger and more windows, additional storage space, and – best of all (on most airlines) – a lie-flat bed.
Different airlines have different mechanisms to turn their seats from upright to lie-flat. Sometimes it’s easy to work out for yourself, but don’t be afraid to ask the crew to help. They will happily convert your seat for you, add on a padded mattress, tuck in a duvet and plump up your feather-filled pillows.
There is a magical novelty to being able to lie down on a plane... and if that novelty has started to wear off because you travel in Business Class regularly, maybe fly economy on your next flight, just to appreciate how wonderful your Biz bed really is.
Many airlines now collaborate with celebrity chefs to create their premium cabin menus, like Sid Saharawat’s recent partnership with Singapore Airlines, Peter Gordon’s menus for Air New Zealand, Neil Perry’s long-standing collaboration with Qantas, Tom Kerridge with British Airways, Duangporn (Bo) Songvisava with Thai Airways, and Cathay Pacific’s partnerships with Hong Kong Michelin-starred restaurants like Duddell’s.
Your food will also be served on real plates, with proper cutlery, salt and pepper shakers, specialty breads and linen tablecloths and napkins. Your drinks service will also offer a wider choice, and you’ll usually be served each course individually.
As well as champagne on arrival, and wine with meals, on many airlines you can also enjoy expertly mixed cocktails and top-shelf spirits. If you like to celebrate your holidays with a tipple or two, there can be no better place than the Emirates bar, situated at the back of the airline’s A380 upper deck.
But just like any licensed establishment, don’t be that person and drink to the point of excess. The hangover will be much worse, and you’ll be cut off if you start being a nuisance. I also don’t want to be a party pooper, but some medical research states you shouldn’t drink alcohol at all on a long-haul flight, especially if you have pre-existing heart and lung conditions.
Consider yourself warned.
The cost of your premium plane ticket also includes additional benefits, like amenity kits with luxury brand toiletries, for example, Air NZ partners with Aotea, Fiji Airways with Pure Fiji, Hawaiian Airlines with Loli’i, United Airlines with Sunday Riley, and Emirates with Bulgari. The bags themselves are ones you’ll want to keep and use again – my Bulgari kit now doubles as my make-up bag. Some airlines also offer complimentary pyjamas, and yes, you can take them away with you.
Your entertainment experience is levelled up in premium cabins, with bigger, higher-def main screens, sometimes complemented by handset screens and tablets. Watch the airshow on one to keep an eye on the route map, while watching movies and TV shows on the big screen.
Onboard Wi-Fi often comes at a charge in Economy, but is provided free for those in premium cabins – essential if you’re travelling for work (or simply want to post a #humblebrag photo on your social media).
Don’t forget to sign up for the airline’s loyalty programme before you travel. You’ll earn points that can be used for online shopping, or towards your next flight or upgrade. Because one thing’s for sure with Business Class travel... once you turn left, you’ll never want to go back.
Stephanie Holmes travelled to the UK with Emirates, via Dubai. Her flight was courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Lines, and her upgrade to Business Class was courtesy of Emirates.