You see, you comparing apples and oranges. You are talking about domestic first class, which BTW, is much more comfortable than BA European Business class, which is nothing more than coach seats, with the middle one blocked out. The terms "first and business" are just that, terms, because in most cases these are 2 class planes. AA still runs a true 3 class 762 on some transcon routes.

I'm comparing international first class only, and I'll say it again:

1. Cathay Pacific
2. Qantas
3. JAL
4. AA (I'm sure this will shock you)
5. BA
6. Singapore (although I only tried it once, so not a good sampler)
7. Emirates - great suites and (for their beautiful FAs)

Next month I will get to try LAN, which I hear is great in F, and I will be sitting in the nose of BA 747 again. Maybe this time BA will add few points to their standing on my list. :-D as I was never impressed with the service, food or wine selection. Their lounges, PJs are great!

6.

According to www.seatguru.com, American Airlines has 18 First-Class seats on their 777. I'm glad they do a nice job with those 18 people. However, for the big majority of people in coach, the situation isn't so rosey. $5.00 beers, "Fasten seat belt signs" that never go off, and rude flight attendants. But I suppose it is good for tourist coming to the United States to realize on the plane that the United States is a country of the very rich and very poor. The rich get their drinks free and the poor pay.

How about taking a moment to compare coach flying amount the international airlines? Come on, we're waiting.

You made the following statement, not me:

<i> First class on the U.S. airlines is what Second Class used to be and Second Class has become excess baggage class.</i>

I was just responding to that. :-)

When I win the lottery, I'll come back to American Airlines for First Class. I don't need P.J.'s anyway, I sleep in the nude. In the meantime, thank you BA for filling my glass of wine.

You see Wally, I don't need millions to fly in great style on long haul international trips. All I need is AA and it's great AAdvantage program.

After 5 flights, you get 25 free drinks and a free R/T flight. I get to sit up in the nose of a QF, CX, BA 747 enjoying the finer things in life just because I figured out the system and AA's FF program is one of if not the best for this purpose.

So, you enjoy your few free drinks and one free trip to Europe on occasion while I will be flying all over South America in First class on AA, BA and LAN next month for a grand total of ~$100.

Okay, this is only anecdotal evidence, but so is most of this thread:

I'm one of the poor suckers always stuck in coach. In recent years, I've flown trans-Atlantic on United, NW, KLM, BA, Lufthansa and a couple of others.

Here's my observation on the diffferences between cattle class on US carriers and international carriers: What difference? Coach is coach, and it stinks. Okay, I had a couple of really rude flight attendants on BA, but is it fair to generalize based on them?

But then again, I don't drink on the plane, so I guess I'm missing out on the most important difference. SAS did charge for soft drinks on my intra-Europe flight with them, though....

If one's read plenty of wally's post, you'll know that all he cares are two things:

- Free booze
- Seat belt signs that are turned off

Perhaps Wally should look at these pictures and see how he feels about wearing seat belts:

<b>http://www.planecrashinfo.com/w880428.htm</b>

Unfortunately, a flight attended lost her life because she was checking for seat belts &quot;on&quot; and she got sucked out at 30K ft. All the passengers survived because they did have seat belts on. (although I'm sure, many had &quot;extra&quot; luggage in their shorts and premature grey hairs after that).

OK, here's a situation to think about.

A mother and baby board a plane for Europe. After one hour, the baby begins crying. It's a smooth flight but the pilot keeps the &quot;Fasten Seat Belt Sign&quot; on. After two hours of crying and passengers making looks and comments, and the fasten seat belt sign staying on during the smooth flight, the mother walks the baby to the restroom for changing. The plain hits turbulence and the baby's head is cracked on the roof of the plane.

Who's responsible? I, as a passenger don't want to listen to a crying baby for eight hours. Perhaps U.S. airlines need two fasten seat belt signs. One that says, Don't get up, its really bad, and the other that says, It might be alright to get up but we don't want to be held accountable if something comes up.