Your hatred for First Class (which I don't quite understand, but to use today's vernacular, "whatever") assumes that every airline would eliminate First Class. Sadly, you are missing the classic problem with cartels: cheating. Let's say that all 10 of the majors got together and said "Okay, from this point forward .. no more first class." Assume that Delta (for the sake of argument) agrees to do so, but doesn't. Who do you think is going to see a spike in business? Delta. Then, every airline will be forced to put first class back in to compete with the Delta product. As for people "paying" to be in first class .... you don't think a guy who flies 200,000 miles a year deserves a bit of extra compensation from the airline? I mean, he's paid quite a bit of money for those trips. Who the hell cares if they bump him to first as a "thank you" for throwing a ton of business their way? How is this different from a hotel that throws a suite to somebody who spends 150 nights a year in their facilities? To say that first class is what is causing the problems the airlines are facing is, in a word, absurd. -----Original Message----- From: The Airline List [mailto:AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Dennis W Zeuch Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 6:24 PM To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Re: If I ran United... In a message dated 5/3/02 5:54:46 PM !!!First Boot!!!, stepan-ilych@multipro.com writes: << I've heard this several times, but what exactly has changed? >> When everyone sitting in F paid for it. They were all dressed properly (no jeans, tennis shoes, tshirts etc ) They were generally important people (not just freq flyers who THINK they are important)They paid maybe 10 times the Y fare because they could. F/As realized the very high amt paid for those seats and seemed to treat the psgrs with a bit more sincere service and attitude(you were really treated with respect and deference) The food service was often fabulous, reallly great meals (keeping in mind the location) far better prepared and with much costlier ingrediants than todays odds and ends. Again since youre giving it away free--who would pay for it? no one and whats the incentive to provide anything really special? none. Its just a perk for FF and if all the majors dumped F class ( like they all stopped paying travel agents commissions) what ya gonna do? You would just have to put up with it.