Flying Business Class

I'm also 6'5 and at $300 I'd be tempted. On past flights I've taken a steady dose of Advil to keep my back from locking up and to make sure I can walk upright when I get off the plane.

Right you are johnny boy! Factoring in the pacific trade head winds, I'm really suprised that you made it to Osaka from Detroit in less than 15 hours. There always seems to be a 2~4 hour differential depending on the route and season.

As much as I would love to stretch out on one of those United first class "suites," the closest I will ever get (Pre and probably post-MBA) is salivating over the picture posted below

You do make a valid point about the bulkhead row though. Problem is, many US bound flights departing from KIX are codeshared with ANA and originate from Okinawa. No offense to any fellow enlisted men out there, but guess who jumps at those emergency exit rows first? The 6'10" 270 lb. sergeants and lieutenants on leave from Kadena.

I actually do have enough accumulated JCB alliance mileage points to sport the upgrade, but was planning to hold off on using those until I book that final one way flight (hopefully) later this summer.

I actually do remember a bunch of servicemen on my return flight. It probably was more than 12 hours, I forget exactly how long, but I took a sleeping pill and a couple glasses of wine right after take-off which was a good way to shave 8 hours off the flight.

Well good luck, hopefully you can at least get an aisle seat.

i love being under 5'3". Sure, I can't ever reach anything, and I look like I'm twelve, but I'm never uncomfortable on planes. (and the one time I did fly first class -- Moscow to Chicago -- it was a total waste. The food was better, but I was no more comfortable than I would have been in coach.)

As a person over 6 feet myself, i voted $600.

Business class is the difference between being able to nap/sleep or agonizing with back pain. I guess the question is: is an extra day worth 600$ to you? Without business class you'll have to use that day to recover. With business class, not so much.

I voted 600$.

The best business class I have traveled on was on Singapore Airlines. Their Space Beds are just stunning -

https://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/c ... demo1.html

Yeah, you'd think that would be enough to knockout even Akebono {who incidentally has to purchase an entire bulkhead row and sleep on the floor in front of all three seats- one of my clients from Dentsu flew with (behind) him over to Tokyo a couple years ago}. I can handle one or the other, but if I wash down an Ambien with a couple glasses of cab sov, then I actually begin to hallucinate.

Then again, at 6'5" you're clearly a bigger guy with probably a higher tolerance.

After picking a ground staff's brain for 30 minutes, here is her advice on how to significantly increase our chances of getting bumped into biz class (just in case anybody still cares).

1. Sign up for economy plus and always check in late. If EP is sold out or overbooked you will be automatically upgraded to biz. The fee is about $300 p/year. On the flight over, I sat next to a woman from Chicago who happened to have an EP membership. She mentioned that she gets bumped to biz about 25% of the time because people like myself buy EP seats at check in and they fill up fast. EP members are never downgraded to standard coach seats.

2. Dress appropriately. Passengers who are upgraded usually wear business attire and are well groomed.

3. Fly consistently with the same airline and mention that your company has a corporate account. Frankly, United service sucks, but the seats are inexpensive and upgrades are available at check-in for $200~500.

4. Be nice, a little persistant, but don't overdue it. Mention something like, "I would do almost anything for a good night sleep before tomorrow's meeting." Leave your boarding pass with the ground staff agent you personally buttered up and be patient until she calls your name prior to boarding. This gives her more time to figure things out and possibly squeeze you in.

5. Don't buy a "Y" class ticket. I was almost upgraded to biz on the flight back to Japan, but the staff straightforward said that it is against company policy to upgrade Y tickets without paying the on site fee.

I'm 5'5, so I voted for 0.
Why you guys are so incredible tall....

I have also noticed that several members in this club are 6 ft+ (Rhyme, Johnny, Pelihu, Dukes, Matt...)

I travel outside US every summer. I am 6'1 and never had any trouble

hey, I wish I were 6'. Maybe we should trade our bodies.

You are a fat guy's dream on the train. Fat people always gravitate towards the skinny.

You look like your 12?

LOL

Well, I now have about a half-dozen gray hairs, so perhaps 16.

Pulled out my first two grey hairs yesterday. Must be related to all the pre-matriculation stress. Yuck!