Posted on Wednesday, 21 September 2016

One of the undeniable perks of working for a larger firm and having an expense account is being able to take business or first class flights to (hopefully) exotic locations around the world.

We've all seen the slick adverts for business/first class on the TV and Internet, but we rarely get an idea of flying non-economy from a normal person's viewpoint.

Casey Neistat's recent video gave us that viewpoint. Ok, he might not be everyone's notion of a 'normal person', but he does make entertaining videos that most of us can relate to (even though he lives in Manhattan and makes a living from YouTube). Indeed, more than seven million people have watched his First Class video so far.

Upgraded to First

The YouTube superstar flew Emirates from New York to Dubai recently and was upgraded from Business Class to First Class. Why? Probably because the airline thought he would make a video about it.

Which he did.

Indeed, with 4.4m subscribers, Neistat is the kind of guy you want vlogging about your airline.

After boarding the plane via a dedicated gangway ('or jet bridge'), the charismatic vlogger was led to his seat.

He was like a kid in a sweet shop.

An electric sliding door sealed off his seat from the rest of the First Class cabin. From a sitting position he had access to a motorised rack of drinks which would emerge from the wall at the touch of a button. His TV was vast and his seat could be reclined so far back that it doubled as a flatbed; he did look rather cosy later on when he went to sleep.

Showering, One Mile High

The First Class ticket also got him a shower. He had to book it in advance and he only got five minutes of hot water – but how many people get to take a shower at 36,000 feet?

However, the most impressive aspect of First Class was, arguably, the bar. Neistat quaffed Champagne with his fellow First Class travellers and didn't even have to return to his seat when the turbulence hit: he could just strap himself into a bar seat and keep drinking!

How Much?

Neistat's video offers a tantalising insight into a rather exclusive world – and it looked like a lot of fun. But was it worth £16,000? That's for you and your expense account to decide.

Other notable First Class offerings:

Air France's La Premiere offers an equally impressive first class service, with an à la carte menu, fully flat bed and complimentary sleepwear. One customer even got to visit the cockpit in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIP7abHKTzY

Another leading (and often top-rated) First Class offering is Singapore Airlines' 'Singapore Suites', which delivers a luxurious experience from start to finish.

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