After a lifetime in coach, I flew overseas in business class for the first time ever. These 4 things surprised me the most.
Jordan Parker Erb
- After a lifetime in coach, I recently took an overseas flight in business class for the first time.
- The journey was on JetBlue's inaugural flight from New York City to Paris.
Until the end of June, everything I knew about business class travel came from observing its passengers as I made my way to the back of the plane.
A lifetime coach traveler, I'd gauged a few things about flying first class: that depending on the plane and airline, passengers usually get lie-flat seats, more gourmet meals, and an all-around more luxurious experience than those of us sat next to the plane bathroom.
That changed earlier this summer when I flew JetBlue's Mint business class for the first time. On the company's first-ever flight from New York City to Paris, I found that my previous understanding was true — business class travelers do get better food and seats.
But there were also a few things I hadn't considered that really surprised me. Take a look.
One of the first things I noticed was the seatbelt placement.
Having never flown first class, I was surprised to see that the Mint seats had three-point seatbelts, the kind more often seen in cars than in planes.
According to Simple Flying, many business class seats have shoulder harnesses instead of the typical lap seatbelts for safety reasons, depending on the plane and carrier.
I'd never used cross-body seatbelts on a plane before, but they didn't feel much different than those in economy.
I was surprised to find my window was placed behind the seat, making it hard to look out of.
I was vaguely disappointed to find that my window was slightly behind my seat, making it challenging to look out of.
Because I was sleeping for much of the overnight trip, it didn't negatively impact my overall experience. But as someone who really loves daydreaming while looking out an airplane window, I wished I was able to do so while leaving New York and arriving in Paris.
That said, the seat's placement did allow for more legroom.
The suite was spacious — almost (dare I say it) too spacious.
I know, but hear me out.
With all my travel being in coach for the past two decades, I've grown accustomed to the TV screen being about two feet in front of my face. But business class suites have to make space for the lie-flat seats and all that sought-after legroom, which meant that my seatback screen felt far away.
The screen pulled out from its place on the wall, however, which made it closer and more accessible. The suite also came with a remote, so I could control the television without having to lean out of my seat to navigate the touchscreen.
So maybe not so bad, after all.
The biggest surprise was that for the first time ever, I kind of wished the flight was longer.
Normally, I can't wait to get off a flight and start exploring a new area. But boy, do I wish I had more time to nap on this flight.
From take off to touch down, the whole trip was about seven hours. Between dinner, settling in for bed, and waking up for the descent and breakfast, I'd estimate that I spent about five hours of the flight sleeping.
Because sleeping is one of my great passions in life, and because meaningful rest can help set the tone for the rest of a trip, I wasn't ready to leave my cozy lie-flat seat — and I wished I had more time on the flight to recharge, not to mention take advantage of the perks.
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