Premium Economy v Business?

[bitchstewie]

I have a business trip to the Far East in a few weeks time.

Whilst work are paying and I'm "entitled" to go business class due to the distance, it seems it makes a massive difference to the price to the point where I'm considering Premium Economy or maybe even "plain" Economy.

I haven't been on a flight beyond Europe for a good number of years now. The last international flight I took was Economy and I lived.

I've got a couple of days before the work stuff starts so it's not as if I'm stumbling off the plane and into a meeting, ditto coming back.

Is there that big of a difference between the classes these days?

I presume the airline and type of plane may make a difference too?

[bitchstewie]

Don't get me wrong, if I can go business I will.

This trip is sort of optional though and whilst I don't fly much I've noticed a jump in fares from a couple of weeks back when I was looking to get budgetary costs.

So by the time I'm able to book, if the options are don't go because business class costs have rocketed v go but "slum it" I'll slum it, but would like an idea what it's like and thought I may get a little more insight here v YouTube.

Hope that makes sense

[bitchstewie]

HotJambalaya said:

business class.

If you're sensitive to price on your employers behalf (they dont deserve you), is this price through the corporate travel agent or just online, if it isn't could you choose a different airline which would come in cheaper?

It's not entirely altruistic. If the choice is go to Asia or don't go for the sake of a "grade" in ticket I'll drop a grade. Didn't realise fares shifted so much what feels a long way away from the dates.

[bitchstewie]

Dave Brand said:

Beggarall said:

Which part not true? That airlines don't monitor your IP address or that Private Browsing doesn't hide you? Does a VPN help?

The part about prices being increased if you repeat a search. Yes, the prices do vary, but that's all part & parcel of the vagaries of airline prices.

No doubt somebody will offer anecdotal evidence to show that prices are raised if you search repeatedly; I'll offer anecdotal evidence to the contrary. Over the last few years we've flown transatlantic with half-a-dozen airlines. In every case the final price we've paid has been the same as the price shown by our first search, sometimes with a month or more in between.

Well here's an anecdotal experience:

• On Friday I was searching the dates I wanted from work and a flight came up at a certain price, bingo I thought but our travel person had left for the day.
• Over the weekend I searched the same dates (same URL) from a home computer and the exact same flight was consistently £1k more on both Saturday and Sunday
• I got into work this morning and searched using the same URL and the ticket is back at the Friday price (actually £200 less).
• Over the weekend if I followed the link through to the airline website it was showing "1 left"

This is international business by which I mean not a Ryanair/Easyjet thing, and I don't book airline tickets often so maybe this is perfectly normal, but that seems insane!

[bitchstewie]

Booked, Business, 787-9.

I think that will do nicely

[bitchstewie]

tvrolet said:

I'm presuming the OP hasn't flown business lately?

The OP is scum who has never flown business ever.

[bitchstewie]

Got to be honest it does seem an argument over an especially first world problem

[bitchstewie]

garyhun said:

number2 said:

bhstewie said:

tvrolet said:

I'm presuming the OP hasn't flown business lately?

The OP is scum who has never flown business ever.

you'll wish you hadn't as there's no turning back!

Never fly first, that will really screw you up

OK so here's how fked up this is. I'm going to google whether I need to care what I wear for going Business

Sounds nuts as I assume I'm the customer and it's 2018 so who cares, but I literally have no clue having always flown cattle.

First is an interesting one, on a factual level I'm struggling to understand at some point what paying any extra actually gets you?

[bitchstewie]

djc206 said:

Jeans and a t shirt for me too. I’m not dressing up to sit on a plane.

That was my assumption, just didn't want to turn up and find there actually is some "expectation", however absurd that might sound.

[bitchstewie]

As I seem to have got a lot of worldly travellers on this thread, if you were going somewhere for 10 days (arrive Friday, leave first thing the following Sunday) do you think trying to get stuff into a single carry on is pushing it?

I'm not sure I want to be pulling checked baggage around with me if I can help it but I'm cautious that carry on really isn't that much (though the airline does allow two bags plus a small item i.e. backpack).

I don't need to worry about suits or anything beyond trousers and shirts for the business side.

[bitchstewie]

Does anyone have any views on Lufthansa Business v ANA please?

I'm sure I won't be complaining with either one but with Kansai airport being slightly fked it's looking likely I'll change dates and fly into Tokyo which seems to open up many more options.

[bitchstewie]

Does anyone know how strict Lufthansa Business Class is on carry on?

Bags are within size but not sure how close I'll get the trolley to 8KG.

Could be worrying about nothing but would prefer not to have to check-in.

EDIT: Wi-Fi on airplanes so I don't get too bored during the flight?! I had no idea this was reasonable standard these days.

Edited by bhstewie on Tuesday 11th September 18:29

[bitchstewie]

First world problems - I have a window seat already.

Is there any significant difference between the upper and lower deck of a 747 in business?

[bitchstewie]

schmalex said:

Upper deck is a lot smaller, with only a few rows. It feels more like a private jet and is a bit quieter. If you can get the A or K seats, you get a fair amount more storage with the bins.

Thank you, it's a "K" seat - all I care about is a window I did read the "private jet" comments so given I may never do this again, seat changed