FIRST CLASS IS SHRINKING ON AIRLINES AND IT MAY DISAPPEAR ALTOGETHER

• First-class cabins are shrinking, and in some cases have disappeared entirely.
• If you're flying a domestic airline, you'll be hard-pressed to book a first- class seat on Delta, which eliminated international first class, or United, which is phasing out its first-class cabins on international travel.
• The economics of first class are ruinous to both the airlines and passengers.
• Despite the hefty ticket prices ($1,000 an hour, on average—up to 70 percent more than business-class seats), carriers say they barely break even.

Have you noticed that first-class cabins are shrinking, and in some cases have disappeared entirely?

If you're flying a domestic airline, you'll be hard-pressed to book a first- class seat on Delta, which eliminated international first class, or United, which is phasing out its first-class cabins on international travel. American Airlines announced it will soon offer first class on only 20 of its Boeing 777-300ERs that fly to major financial centers, including London and Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific, British Airways, and Lufthansa are all reducing their proportion of first-class seats as they refresh their fleets with new Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s. Qatar Airways, often touted as the world's most luxurious airline, is limiting first class to the eight-seat cabin on its 10 A380s.

Even mighty Emirates, the world's largest international long-haul carrier (by passenger miles own), is reducing first-class seats on numerous carriers and eliminating the first-class cabins entirely on 30 of its 777s and 15 of its A380s.

What's behind the downshift? Money. The economics of first class are ruinous to both the airlines and passengers. Each seat costs between $150,000 and $300,000 to develop and build, and caviar and Krug aren't cheap. Despite the hefty ticket prices ($1,000 an hour, on average—up to 70 percent more than business-class seats), carriers say they barely break even.

Read More >>