The 10% up front

[Xeque]

I just had an e-Mail from Asia Miles. There is this wonderful picture of a new Gulf Air First Class seat (which can become a fully flat bed at the touch of a button or three) set up with a dining table and a 'jump seat' opposite for your luncheon/dinner guest and attended by a 'Sky Chef' (there's a joke to start with - he doen't cook anything) and a 'trolly dolly'.
The immediate thought springs to mind. Who will actually occupy the opposite seat? It certainly wouldn't be another First Class passenger because they will have their own dining table and opposite jump seat. Having paid a kings ransome for the privilege of occupying one in the first place would they be likely to give it all up to join someone else? I think not.
So where will the opposite 'guest' come from?
Business Class? Don't think so. They'll all be pounding away on their laptops getting the Powerpoint presentation ready for the company sales pitch 55 minutes after landing at Heathrow.
Invite a guest from cattle class? Now there's a novel idea. Like giving cake to the peasants on the barracades. Perhaps there could be a draw based on seat numbers followed by an announcement "Would the occupant of seat 49K please make themselves known to a member of the cabin crew? You are going to be given the 'privilege' of a meal in First Class as the guest of someone who probably hasn't actually paid their fare (their employer did that for them)"
Ahh the airlines and their dependency on a three class system. Don't you, as a member of the regularly travelling public and crammed into your 31 x 17 inch boxes in cattle class just love them ? Willie Walsh take note - but I know you won't. :ugh:

[Crepello]

They give you 31 x 17 down the back these days? I'm sure 28 x 14 would be enough, then they could add more economy pews to subsidise the prices upfront. :p :E ;)

I doubt the 'guest' seats are used much, and then only if a pax wanted to converse with another in First. The fare includes only one meal (far as I'm aware) regardless of the marketing. Travelling companions may want to dine together, but the extra 'seat' is mostly there for flatbed.

Not really sure what point you're trying to make. If you want to pay more $$$ for more space, try the middle cabin?

[Globaliser]

There is this wonderful picture of a new Gulf Air First Class seat (which can become a fully flat bed at the touch of a button or three) set up with a dining table and a 'jump seat' opposite for your luncheon/dinner guest and attended by a 'Sky Chef' (there's a joke to start with - he doen't cook anything) and a 'trolly dolly'.

The immediate thought springs to mind. Who will actually occupy the opposite seat? It certainly wouldn't be another First Class passenger because they will have their own dining table and opposite jump seat. Having paid a kings ransome for the privilege of occupying one in the first place would they be likely to give it all up to join someone else? I think not.
This arrangement is hardly novel. BA have now had it in the First suite for years. AFAIK, it is indeed usually used by another First passenger when two are travelling together.

And BA are now far from alone in having such an arrangement.

[PAXboy]

I'm guessing that the original post was a bit tongue in cheek?

This is now part of the VS Upper Class suite and is meant for when two people are travelling together. Because the new style First seats are not set in pairs, they thought of this as an idea for when folks are travelling together. And no jokes about your secretray taking dictation ...:cool:

[ExSimGuy]

You mean my secretary can't take dictation :E

[Skyflier]

Having sat in those nice seats at the front lots of times, I can safely say that the crew only really like you to have another passenger sitting in the same cabin occupy the opposite seat. It's useful for having discussions rather than anything else as the seats are so individual that it's often difficult to talk with someone else. I've never known them to agree to someone visiting other than briefly from Business Class but even then, certainly never during a meal time.

When there are such nice seats at the front which are quite comfortable, I really don't understand why people travel in those 31x17 ones further back, they never look very nice and when I go for a walk, the people sitting in them never look very comfortable or happy. :E

[MichaelJP59]

If you own your own company (as I do) then things are different. I usually fly Virgin PE, with the occasional upgrade to UC. I would never pay the difference as it really is poor value for money and I can think of much better things to do with the money i.e. pay it out to myself in dividends:)