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Graphic compares the availability of first-class seats in 2008 and 2018, highlighting the most popular routes.
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October 24, 2018 - First-class air travel fell sharply as the 2008 financial crisis curbed corporate spending. A decade on, long-haul operators are reintroducing first-class cabins costing more than $10,000 for a round-trip ticket.

First-class air travel has long been the playground of the rich and famous, with luxuries such as free-flowing champagne and caviar in the early years, to private cabins with a bed and shower on some carriers today.

However, in 2000, British Airways introduced lie-flat seats in business class for thousands of dollars less than first-class hospitality – setting a precedent that quickly spread throughout the industry and hammered premium ticket sales.

The 2008 financial crisis hit corporate spending hard and made public displays of wealth unfashionable, leading many airlines to rip out some or all of their most expensive seats.

Ten years on, as the ranks of the super rich continue to expand, the stigma attached to flamboyant spending has faded. With the global economy slowly rebuilding and the industry in its fourth straight year of profitability, airlines are reintroducing first-class cabins – many costing over $100,000 just to construct.

Long-haul airlines say charging $10,000-plus for a premium round-trip ticket is a profitable way to stand out in an industry dominated by discount flyers.

A first-class ticket can generate as much revenue as a dozen in standard or two in business, with the berth occupying as much space as five economy seats or one-and-a-half to two business class seats.

Sources
PUBLISHED:25/10/2018; STORY: Graphic News; ADDITIONAL ARTWORK: Emirates handouts
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