I enjoyed my summer. The one week I had was great. It took a fifteen hour plane ride, followed by clearing customs, a four hour layover, and another two and a half hour plane ride. I went thirty-two hours without sleep as I lack the ability to sleep on planes. When I got home and finally saw my kids, it was all worth it. We said some goodbyes in Washington, met my folks in California, took the kids to Disneyland and Legoland, and it was another fifteen hour plane ride (with kids this time) back to Oz.
I don’t mind admitting that I am mildly claustrophobic. Combine my mild claustrophobia with my 6’4” frame and that more or less explains why I can never sleep on planes. There is one exception to my no sleeping on planes disorder - when fate has smiled upon me and I have weaseled my way into first class, I sleep like a baby.
During a very weird period of my life, I used to take the red eye from Los Angeles on Sunday evening and arrive in Baltimore on Monday morning. I would work until Thursday evening and then get back on the plane for LA. I was getting 6,000 frequent flier miles a week on US Airways and it didn’t take long for the upgrades to start coming my way. After the first six weeks, I never saw coach again. It was nice. I got a little sleep, a nicer meal, and the occasional free cocktail or five to unwind from a busy week. I am no stranger to first class, which got me thinking...
As I finally lay down after my thirty-two sleepless hours; exhausted, exhilarated, and delirious - I made a mental note to check the price difference between a round trip coach ticket and first class. As I drifted off, I decided that I would be willing to pay up to $500 for a first class ticket on a flight that long.
A few days went by and I forgot all about my mental promise to look into the price difference. When I finally got around to it, all I could say was, “HOLY FUCKING SHIT!”
The price difference was... Seven thousand dollars per ticket. I love sleep, but there is absolutely no way I could pay that much money for a little shut eye on a long flight. It got me thinking. What if someone told me they were doing an experiment. I could go over to a lab and sit in a mildly uncomfortable seat for fifteen hours. I would be able to watch videos, play with my iPad, read books, or do whatever in this seat. I would receive two meals and some snacks during the experiment. I would be permitted to get up and go to the bathroom whenever I needed or just get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. If I complied by the rules, I would receive $7,000 - tax free. Would I do it? Hells yes!
What’s more, not many people travel by themselves. In my situation, to fly the entire family first class, it would result in additional $28,000. I like to think that I’ve done OK financially, but there is no way I could even consider that additional cost. As I’ve said, I’m no stranger to first class and it made me wonder why would anyone even consider that much additional money.
There is a very small group that simply has so much money, they don’t give a shit. I can respect that. For the 99.99999% of us who are not stinking, filthy rich; what would compel someone to pay that much more? I really think that it comes down to status and bragging rights. If anyone has any ideas as to why anyone would pay a fee that outrageous or can offer any tips on how to get free or low-cost upgrades, I’m all ears.
I don’t mind admitting that I am mildly claustrophobic. Combine my mild claustrophobia with my 6’4” frame and that more or less explains why I can never sleep on planes. There is one exception to my no sleeping on planes disorder - when fate has smiled upon me and I have weaseled my way into first class, I sleep like a baby.
During a very weird period of my life, I used to take the red eye from Los Angeles on Sunday evening and arrive in Baltimore on Monday morning. I would work until Thursday evening and then get back on the plane for LA. I was getting 6,000 frequent flier miles a week on US Airways and it didn’t take long for the upgrades to start coming my way. After the first six weeks, I never saw coach again. It was nice. I got a little sleep, a nicer meal, and the occasional free cocktail or five to unwind from a busy week. I am no stranger to first class, which got me thinking...
As I finally lay down after my thirty-two sleepless hours; exhausted, exhilarated, and delirious - I made a mental note to check the price difference between a round trip coach ticket and first class. As I drifted off, I decided that I would be willing to pay up to $500 for a first class ticket on a flight that long.
A few days went by and I forgot all about my mental promise to look into the price difference. When I finally got around to it, all I could say was, “HOLY FUCKING SHIT!”
The price difference was... Seven thousand dollars per ticket. I love sleep, but there is absolutely no way I could pay that much money for a little shut eye on a long flight. It got me thinking. What if someone told me they were doing an experiment. I could go over to a lab and sit in a mildly uncomfortable seat for fifteen hours. I would be able to watch videos, play with my iPad, read books, or do whatever in this seat. I would receive two meals and some snacks during the experiment. I would be permitted to get up and go to the bathroom whenever I needed or just get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. If I complied by the rules, I would receive $7,000 - tax free. Would I do it? Hells yes!
What’s more, not many people travel by themselves. In my situation, to fly the entire family first class, it would result in additional $28,000. I like to think that I’ve done OK financially, but there is no way I could even consider that additional cost. As I’ve said, I’m no stranger to first class and it made me wonder why would anyone even consider that much additional money.
There is a very small group that simply has so much money, they don’t give a shit. I can respect that. For the 99.99999% of us who are not stinking, filthy rich; what would compel someone to pay that much more? I really think that it comes down to status and bragging rights. If anyone has any ideas as to why anyone would pay a fee that outrageous or can offer any tips on how to get free or low-cost upgrades, I’m all ears.
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