Wednesday, August 10, 2011

How to Get Into Business Class on Your Mates

Many years ago, as I was carefully planning my honeymoon, Lady Luck appeared in the form of cheap business class flights with Singapore Airlines. It feels like a lifetime ago (well before my current days of enjoying one of the many perks of business travel that are the much revered business class flights) and at that point in our lives, bargain basement economy seats were all we knew.

We baulked at first for two reasons: one, because we were ignorant to the heaven-in-a-seat that is business class; and two, because even at their heavily discounted price, these seats were still not what we would have generally considered to be “cheap”.

Fortunately, as we were not overly excited by the idea of receiving bed linen and cutlery as wedding gifts (nor were we thrilled by the idea of wasting the full day in Myers that is required to successfully complete the registry trawl through their home wares section), we had set up a gift registry system with our travel agent that invited our wedding guests to contribute the money they might have put into a wishing well, into our honeymoon fund instead.

Thanks to this bit of foresight (and a bit of luck) we were able to splurge out, snap up those tickets and hence have our first taste of business class and our first experience flying with Singapore Airlines. These were both life-changing events (relatively speaking).

Flying business class is a massive eye-opener to the humble cattle-class traveller, so it’s not hard to understand why my life’s motto became, “once you go business, you never go back”. Well, at least you never willingly go back to economy and if you do have to, then you may shed a little tear as you board the plane and turn right (towards the arse-end of the plane), rather than left (towards that shining beacon of comfort and civilised flying up the front).

Flying Singapore Airlines was also a massive eye-opener. This airline is renowned for being the best in the business and they have bagged a heap of industry awards including Best Business Class Airline Seat at World Airline Awards, and Passengers Choice awards. They are hugely deserving of these accolades and they are my first choice of airline when it comes to holiday or business travel.

These days my business class bum is flown around the world courtesy of my obliging employer. For their generosity in providing business class flights in my budget I thank them dearly… and I also work that little bit harder to close the deal. For at the back of my mind is that niggling thought… the thought of potential budget-cuts reverting my flights to economy. Oh the horror!

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