Flying Business Class - What to actually wear (men)
Discussion
I travel with the company I work for in Business class. We had to wear 'smart' clothing. I generally wear a non-iron shirt http://www.thomaspink.com/traveller_shirts/mens/fc... - one of these. Some chinos and I take a Linen jacket. That normally ticks the box. Fairly stylish and practical. The airline I work for is very good so they come round and hang my jacket up for me in the wardrobe locker. If I was paying full fare myself I'd be travelling in some smart jeans and shirt.
I've taken probably 30 to 40 Emirates business class and first class flights.
I remember when leaving the office for a Dubai to London flight, our office manager looked at me (I was wearing smart/cas knee length shorts, and a polo tee shirt) and said "do they let you in Business class dressed like that"?
The truth is, the first time I took a business class emirates flight (mid 2000s) I went wearing jeans, shirt and jacket (not suit jacket, but smart). Looked around, and thought the following:
There's (typically) three types of people in business class:
1) those people travelling on business - usually either wearing a suit straight out of a meeting and on the plane, or left work to travel somewhere still wearing suit, or in smart cas but with a laptop bag in tow which identifies them as on a work trip. Generaly little trouble and know the drill (i.e. there is no drill).
2) Travellers who pay full fare or upgrade to business class with points. These people are frequent flyers in business/first, usually dressed with comfort in mind but as above average wealth they usually aren't scruffy. Some are more casual than others (the odd girl with a pineapple dance studio outfit on), but they don't really care about anyone else and just want to get to their destination in comfort. There is the "asshole" complex present here also sometimes, especially with middle easterners who feel like as they are in business or first they own the plane. Generally on an Emirates A380 in business (staggered seating) or first (suites) you won't have a problem with the assholes, but beware none the less.
3) Those people new to business class. There is a range here, from honeymooners to older folks spoiling themselves, with everything in between. They are generally very well dressed, overdressed sometimes (think sunday best clothes), and are overly happy. They wink at each other when they receive champagne before take off, and get pictures taken by cabin crew. All very sweet and cute and they are well behaved and on cloud 9.
Bottom line, the crew are not going to be new to their environment or impressed that anyone is in business or first, dress for yourself and not for them or the other passengers. If I was single and thought it would be an opportunity (bar is great on A380 emirates) then I'd look sharp. As I'm married, I generally go comfy without looking like a homeless person. Try to stick to that is my advice.
I remember when leaving the office for a Dubai to London flight, our office manager looked at me (I was wearing smart/cas knee length shorts, and a polo tee shirt) and said "do they let you in Business class dressed like that"?
The truth is, the first time I took a business class emirates flight (mid 2000s) I went wearing jeans, shirt and jacket (not suit jacket, but smart). Looked around, and thought the following:
There's (typically) three types of people in business class:
1) those people travelling on business - usually either wearing a suit straight out of a meeting and on the plane, or left work to travel somewhere still wearing suit, or in smart cas but with a laptop bag in tow which identifies them as on a work trip. Generaly little trouble and know the drill (i.e. there is no drill).
2) Travellers who pay full fare or upgrade to business class with points. These people are frequent flyers in business/first, usually dressed with comfort in mind but as above average wealth they usually aren't scruffy. Some are more casual than others (the odd girl with a pineapple dance studio outfit on), but they don't really care about anyone else and just want to get to their destination in comfort. There is the "asshole" complex present here also sometimes, especially with middle easterners who feel like as they are in business or first they own the plane. Generally on an Emirates A380 in business (staggered seating) or first (suites) you won't have a problem with the assholes, but beware none the less.
3) Those people new to business class. There is a range here, from honeymooners to older folks spoiling themselves, with everything in between. They are generally very well dressed, overdressed sometimes (think sunday best clothes), and are overly happy. They wink at each other when they receive champagne before take off, and get pictures taken by cabin crew. All very sweet and cute and they are well behaved and on cloud 9.
Bottom line, the crew are not going to be new to their environment or impressed that anyone is in business or first, dress for yourself and not for them or the other passengers. If I was single and thought it would be an opportunity (bar is great on A380 emirates) then I'd look sharp. As I'm married, I generally go comfy without looking like a homeless person. Try to stick to that is my advice.
my ex father in law used to fly planes for Cathay Pacific, he had a mate that he used to go sailing with that was very wealthy and used to turn up in t shirt and shorts for a flight in 1st class.
if the ex-fil was flying the plane he would often take his mate onto the flight-deck otherwise his mate would spend the trip telling everyone his mate was flying the plane and they would think he was a tramp in first class as he knew the pilot.
one flight i was on the plane when he was flying, it was so full he couldn't get me upgraded, i did however get treated like royalty in coach (well as much as you can
) and i was on the flight-deck to see us fly into hong kong, kai tak, at night awesome experience.
if the ex-fil was flying the plane he would often take his mate onto the flight-deck otherwise his mate would spend the trip telling everyone his mate was flying the plane and they would think he was a tramp in first class as he knew the pilot.
one flight i was on the plane when he was flying, it was so full he couldn't get me upgraded, i did however get treated like royalty in coach (well as much as you can
) and i was on the flight-deck to see us fly into hong kong, kai tak, at night awesome experience.
wear the s
t-eatingly smug grin of someone who is very aware that they are off the 'bottom rung', and yet is blissfully and naively unaware of that this is full eclipsed by the utterly insignificance of their image-obsessed, materialistic, ISIS-inspiring, white M-Sport BMW driving existence?
t-eatingly smug grin of someone who is very aware that they are off the 'bottom rung', and yet is blissfully and naively unaware of that this is full eclipsed by the utterly insignificance of their image-obsessed, materialistic, ISIS-inspiring, white M-Sport BMW driving existence?Blown2CV said:
wear the st-eatingly smug grin of someone who is very aware that they are off the 'bottom rung', and yet is blissfully and naively unaware of that this is full eclipsed by the utterly insignificance of their image-obsessed, materialistic, ISIS-inspiring, white M-Sport BMW driving existence?
Orange jump suit then?t-eatingly smug grin of someone who is very aware that they are off the 'bottom rung', and yet is blissfully and naively unaware of that this is full eclipsed by the utterly insignificance of their image-obsessed, materialistic, ISIS-inspiring, white M-Sport BMW driving existence?Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff