1st Class Seating
Why do people fly 1st Class?
Is it because the seats are bigger? Well partially, but for the price difference and short flying times that’s not the main reason.
It is not because the food is any better; it’s all bad. Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t even serve special meals any more, even in 1st class.
Is it because you get to board before everyone else? No; all that means is that you get trampled by the crowd as they come on board.
Is it to get off first? I don’t think so.
It can’t be because the headsets are free. What is it?
I choose to fly 1st class because of the level of service by the flight attendants. They think that you just MIGHT be someone important and usually treat you as such. Unfortunately, too many times it is just the opposite in the coach cabin. I’d like to think everyone is “important”.
Today I got “coach treatment” in a 1st class seat. It started when I noticed that there were no non-meat choices on the breakfast menu. I asked if there were any other options, and was told, “No it’s all pre-packaged”.
When I commented that I would go without eating, the flight attendant said, “Well we could take the sausage off of the eggs”. I said, “Thank you”. When it arrived there was some form of mushroom crepe with a “suspicious” looking gravy.
Being a 40+ year vegetarian, I have learned to ask. I asked what was in the gravy. She said, “I don’t know”. I asked, “Can you find out?” She snapped back, “We don’t have a list of ingredients”. I said, “There is no need to be sarcastic, I told you that I don’t eat meat, you should not have brought this to me if you didn’t know. Please take it away.”
Well, things got pretty cold after that until I tore a picture of Hawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerly out of the in-flight magazine, recognizing the Employee of the Year, and wrote “Nina” next to his picture and placed it on my tray. I’m sure that Nina does not know that Mark is my neighbor, but her attitude did improve for the rest of the flight.
I don’t think one should have to be so creative to get 1st class treatment in the 1st class cabin. Actually it would be best if the whole plane offered 1st class attitudes at the coach price.
Am I being too harsh here?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:46 am
The amazing thing to me is, as bad as the service is, more and more people are flying. To me flying is like being on a bus. It gets me to where I want to go, but it’s not a very pleasant experience.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I’ve heard this before about Hawaiian Airlines. For the extra $800 dollars (in some cases) to fly first-class, you get nowhere near any added value. Try another airline next time.
July 20th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I work at a vocational school that places students after training in jobs with the airlines. I had a conversation this week with a recruiter that hires our students. He was telling me that 40 years ago if you worked for an airline you had a great job. You took pride in your work. Customer service classes and skills were given to every employee. Budgets will not allow that now. What a shame that the very thing that made them successful is no longer a priority. No wonder the airlines are having financial problems.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I feel inclined to come to Hawaiian’s defense somewhat. The worst 1st Class treatment I have had was on United. Generally Hawaiian does a great job; (other than food options) this was acase of an individual bad attitude.
November 18th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
A lot has changed over the past 40 years. A lot like: Real wages stagnating or (mostly) falling for the vast majority of workers; Benefits, never that great to begin with, drastically declining; Debt increasing dramatically along with income inequality. All of this while productivity has sharply increased along with working hours and the rate of industrial accidents. And you’re expecting employees, especially from that beleaguered industry, to snap to attention with joy?
I’m a vegetarian myself, and I fly Hawaiian often, and I understand the problem well. Which is why I bring my own food. You might want to consider that for your next flight.