The World’s 10 Best First-Class Seats for Couples

The Post-Pandemic generation and Gen Z have taken to travelling and exploring. They would pay up for a "Once in a Lifetime Experience”. While some of them would choose to share the experience with their respective better halves, many of them would prefer to travel alone in solitude.

The Couples would want to make the most of special occasions like birthdays, honeymoons, and wedding anniversaries. You will need an airline ticket to get wherever you want to go, so why not maximise your savings? Here, we'll give you our top 10 recommendations for first-class enclosed seats so you may have the best time possible with your spouses!

Emirates First Class Suites on A380

Emirates is a massive airline that annually transports more than 40 million passengers to more than 100 locations across the globe with a fleet of more than 240 widebody aircraft. 

Emirates offers an exceptional first-class experience on the A380. The Emirates A380 First Class Suites contain some swankiest features, including gold finishes, polished wood, an onboard shower, and motorised window shades.

Onboard Shower on Emirates First Class A380

Even if Emirates' seats are undoubtedly the most Instagrammable in the world, you could believe that the airline prioritises form over function. The privacy partition between the two centre seats in Emirates First Class Suites is a potential drawback for the couples' experience.

Emirates A380 First Class Suite

Overall, travellers should consider booking an Emirates First Class Suite. It is without a doubt an airline with high standards and one of the best travel experiences in the world. One can't help but feel that Emirates' novelty appeals to people the most.

Emirates’ 777-300ER Suites

In order for the flight attendants to see you, the walls of most first-class suites don't reach the ceiling. Nevertheless, Emirates' newest first class on its newest Boeing 777-300ER fixed that issue with a pinhole CCTV camera. You can use it to order drinks as well.

Block off your own space, which has a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere in muted creams and tans. Emirates has substituted a variety of textures and a mood-lighting system in the entire area. 

Emirates Boeing 777-300ER First Class Suite

The newest 777s operated by Emirates include three of these zero-g body-cradling seats that can recline into beds in every row. Your windows are fully virtual with HD cameras and screens showing you precisely what you'd see outside.

Etihad Residence on A380

The Etihad Residence is regarded as the most opulent travel option available on commercial flights. Only the A380, which is used on a limited number of itineraries, offers it. You will enjoy unique, exclusive access to a living area, bedroom, and bathroom at the Etihad Residence.

A large loveseat and a long ottoman can be found in the living room. Your separate bedroom has a full-sized bed and some of the most opulent decor you'll ever see, in addition to the living room. You have a full-sized shower, your own vanity, and other bathroom amenities in your own shower suite.

Etihad Residence on A380

Booked through- Etihad Guest Miles (1-3 million)

Route- 

New York City (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

London Heathrow (LHR) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Paris (CDG) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Seoul (ICN) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Etihad First Class Apartments

We discussed the Etihad Residence, unquestionably the most amazing flight experience available. Etihad First Class Apartments are an extra first-class offering besides the Etihad Residence.

These apartments are a rung below the Etihad Residence, yet they are still insanely lavish. The first-class item can act as a "quasi double bed" when converted. There is a divider, but it is not actually a double bed. There is no room for overlap at the bottom region of the bed since the wall rises to the midsection area. The Apartments may be found aboard every A380 operated by Etihad.

You will have a separate armchair that you can use for dining and relaxing in addition to your bed. Along with the spectacular seat, you may use the onboard shower, bar, vanity, in-flight chefs, and Aqua di Parma amenities.

Etihad First Class Apartments

Booked through- American Airlines Miles, Etihad Guest Miles & Asiana Club Miles

Route- New York City (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Singapore Airlines First Class Suites (New and Old)

Singapore Airlines refers to its top-tier First Class experience as "Suites." And you're in for a great treat if you reserve Suites on one of the airline's new Airbus A380s.

Your suite appears to have a bed and a separate armchair at first glance. That is convenient for eating and working because a tray table may be opened nearby. But things get even more fascinating if you're travelling with a partner.

This is so you have more room to spread around since you may lower the wall separating the suites in rows one and two. The crew can combine the beds in each suite to create a double when it's time to sleep and that divider is taken down.

Singapore Airlines First Class Suites (New)

The older suite’s original cabin had a 1-2-1 layout rather than the current cabin's 1-1 arrangement. As a result, the window-side seats continue to be solo suites. When two people are travelling together, however, the suites in the centre can open up to create a common area (as well as a double bed).

The majority of Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 aircraft now have the new component. Yet, this older version of Suites is still on board one superjumbo.

Booked through- Singapore KrisFlyer Miles

Route (New)-

Singapore (SIN) – Hong Kong (HKG) 

Singapore (SIN) – London Heathrow (LHR)

Singapore (SIN) – Shanghai (PVG)

Singapore (SIN) – Sydney (SYD)

Singapore (SIN) – Zurich (ZRH)

Route (Old)- New York City (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN)

China Eastern First Class 

The first-class suites offered by China Eastern Airlines are unknown to most people. The Chinese government owns a majority stake in the SkyTeam partner airline with its headquarters in Shanghai.

China Eastern First Class Seats

The double bed is the main factor keeping it at the top of the list. Even airlines like Emirates Airlines don't have the honour of providing a double bed. Yet China Eastern excels in this area. As one of the few carriers with double beds in first class, it joins the elite company of Singapore Airlines and Etihad.

Booked through- China Eastern Miles

Japan Airlines First Class 

Japan Airlines' first class is the most underrated first-class product out there. The Japan Airlines 777 first class has received a thorough examination, yet the sensation that passengers have is unique. The outdoor suite has a large leather armchair.

Eight seats in a 1-2-1 layout make up the first-class cabin; these seats are ideal for couples because they make it easy to talk. Use the motorised privacy wall to give your partner some space if you don't feel like talking to them right now.

Japan Airlines First Class 

The unmatched soft product, which includes extremely pricey whisky, caviar service, a mattress cushion, plush bedding, and a tonne of flight-related keepsakes are all highlights.

Air France La Premiere 

A wonderful flight awaits anyone who can fly on the 777-300ER in the coveted La Premiere first-class cabin. Only 4 seats, spread across 1 row in a 1-2-1 arrangement, are available in first class. Open-air suites with curtains for seclusion are available. Air France is the only airline that uses curtains in commercial flying, which is classy.

The in-flight good cuisine and service as well as ground service are the main highlights. It is simple to converse with your middle seat partner thanks to the open-air seating. Because the cabin is so intimate, you’ll truly feel like you’re in a private jet. Moreover, it's interesting that you can utilise the ottoman/footrest as a companion seat while dining.

Air France La Premiere Boeing 777-300ER

If you don't have Flying Blue elite status, it is next to impossible to make reservations with points and miles. Even then, a first-class award redemption costs 200,000 miles one-way.

ANA First Class “The Suite”

ANA is gradually updating its 212-seat, premium-heavy 777-300ER aircraft with the new product. It is easy to say that ANA's new first class, known as "The Suite," vastly improves upon their previous offering, known as "The Square."

ANA First Class “The Suite”

The vastness of the suites is the first thing you'll notice. The centre seats are unquestionably the best for couples. You'll see that the middle dividers and layouts facilitate communication between couples. The sliding doors also completely enclose your apartment, giving you a much more private experience. In addition to having a thoughtful design, the TV is enormous. The 42-inch 4K television in this first-class seat is unquestionably the largest one anywhere in the globe.

Lufthansa First Class

Couples travelling first class should consider Lufthansa, which can be booked using points. The first-class seats are identical open-air suites with big armchairs.

Although they are generally arranged in a 1-2-1 arrangement, if they are flying in the nose of a 747-8, they might be arranged in a 1-1 configuration.

The ideal option if you're flying with your spouse, is to reserve the pair of middle seats in Lufthansa first class. These seats' design makes conversing with your companion simple.

From the time you step out of your door to the time you leave the airport to go to your hotel or home, Lufthansa is renowned for providing first-class service that is incredibly polished and professional. It features superb ground service, elegant lounges with a cigar lounge, first-rate catering, and an amazing selection of flights.

Lufthansa First Class

Due to the open-air aspect of the seats, lack of privacy is the biggest complaint of Lufthansa's first class. We view that as a bonus because you don't want to be entirely separated from your companion.

Airline operator SpiceJet on February 24 reported a 160% jump in its consolidated net profit at INR 110 crore for the quarter that ended December 2022. Its net profit stood at INR 42 crore in the year-ago period.

The company's revenue from operations jumped 2.4% to INR 2,316.8 crore as against INR 2,262.6 crore in the year-ago period. In Q2 FY23, the company reported a loss of INR 833 crore on revenue of INR 1,954 crore. The carrier’s load factor, or the passenger carrying capacity being utilised, improved to 91% from 85.2%.

After the results announcement, the stock spiked over 12%. At 2:45 pm, the stock was quoting at INR 38.80, higher by 9.6%. The stock jumped 12.31% to settle at INR 39.70 on the BSE. During the day, it ral­lied 15.27% to INR 40.75. In volume terms, 25.44 lakh shares were traded on the BSE during the day.

For the quarter that ended December 31, SpiceJet’s passenger revenue surged 33% as yields, a proxy for airfares, jumped 21%. That helped offset a sharp decline in revenue from its freight and logistics business. Overall revenue was up 2.5% at 23.15 billion rupees.

“We exceeded our operational targets and continued with our unmatched performance clocking the highest load factor for every single month in 2022. The profits have been driven by a strong performance in both our passenger and cargo businesses. There are renewed signs of recovery and some positive developments and restructuring initiatives in the immediate offing that would significantly strengthen and deleverage SpiceJet balance sheet."

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet

However, the company did flag concerns over high fuel prices and the depreciating rupee. The company said the average aviation turbine fuel price rose by 48% during the quarter, while the Indian rupee depreciated 11% against the U.S. dollar.

The airline's passenger Revenue per Available Seat-Kilometer (RASK) rose by 27% in October-December when compared to the same quarter last year. It launched 15 new routes and operated 254 charter flights in the quarter.

Its air cargo service SpiceXpress has reported a net profit of INR 12 crore and revenue of INR 120 crore for the quarter. The airline said its board is considering raising fresh capital through the issuance of eligible securities to qualified institutional buyers, by applicable law.

SpiceJet Q3 net profit jumps 160%; shares fly high

The December quarter is traditionally strong for airlines as the onset of festivals and the holiday season boosts air travel. The quarter also saw a steep rise in airfares on record passenger demand and helped Indian airlines such as IndiGo report a record profit, and privately held Vistara said it has broken even for the first time since inception.

For SpiceJet, total income from operations rose 6% to INR 2.829.5 crore in the quarter. Of this, total revenue from operations stood at INR 2,314.6 crore, and other income was at INR 514.9 crore. The airline has credited the other income to the settlement with Boeing for 13 grounded MAX aircraft and waiver of lease rentals on some aircraft, which were showing technical issues and were then returned during the period.

The financially troubled airline also stated that it is in talks with banks to raise an additional INR 763.9 crore loan under the central government's Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). In Q3 and Q2 of 2022-23, the airline took bank loans of INR 150.9 crore and INR 60 crore, respectively, under the ECLGS. In the current quarter, it is receiving an INR 128.6 crore loan from banks under this scheme.

ALSO READ - Spicejet looking for a “knight in shining armour” to help with financial distress

In December last year, SpiceJet chairman and man­aging director Ajay Singh told shareholders that the compa­ny is engaged with investment bankers to raise up to USD 200 million to achieve its plans. He had also said the increase in the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme to INR 1,500 crore will go a long way in pro­viding the needed stabil­ity to the sector.

ALSO READ - SpiceJet to sell 5% stake of SpiceXpress to Carlyle Aviation Partners

Reports also said that Carlyle Aviation Partners, a leasing firm owned by global private equity giant Carlyle Group, may convert its outstanding rental dues into equity, obtaining a 5% stake in the low-cost carrier.

ALSO READ - SpiceJet aims to pay off aircraft lessors’ outstanding debts by converting them into investors

The proposed deal would involve Carlyle converting more than USD 100 million of SpiceJet's outstanding dues into equity as well as compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs) in SpiceJet's cargo arm, SpiceXpress. As one of the biggest lessors for SpiceJet, this move is expected to significantly reduce the airline's debt and pave the way for future growth.

ALSO READ - SpiceJet plans to raise funds & convert outstanding liabilities into equity shares

SpiceJet said it has not been operating various aircraft due to technical reasons and despite its inability to undertake revenue operations, it continued to incur various costs concerning these planes. According to its website, the airline has a fleet of 91 planes.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet rescheduled its board meeting to consider capital raising options from Friday, February 24 to Monday, February 27.

The airline last year suffered a string of mid-air safety lapses that drove India’s aviation regulator to halve its approved fleet in July 2022. The curb was removed on October 30.

ALSO READ - A relief for SpiceJet as DGCA lifts 50% cap on its flights

Tata Group-owned Air India is on the lookout for over 4200 cabin crew and 900 pilots in 2023 as the airline adds new aircraft and rapidly expands its domestic and international operations. Currently, Air India has around 1,600 pilots to operate its 113 aircraft fleet and in recent times, there have been instances of ultra-long-haul flights getting cancelled or delayed due to a shortage of crew.

The airline's two subsidiaries -- Air India Express and AirAsia India -- together have around 850 pilots for flying their 54 planes while the joint venture Vistara has more than 600 pilots.

ALSO READ – From A350s to B777Xs, Air India finalizes the Historic 470 Aircraft deal with Airbus & Boeing

Air India to hire 900 pilots & 4200 cabin crew in 2023 after new aircraft order

The airline announced its mega aircraft order with Airbus and Boeing on February 14, which involves 470 airframes and options for a further 370, which could potentially take the carrier to 840 planes - the order includes 210 Airbus A320neo family jets, 40 A350s, 190 Boeing 737 MAXs, 20 787s, and 10 777Xs. It has already announced plans to lease 36 aircraft (11 Boeing 777s and 25 Airbus A320s) of which two B777-200 LR have already joined the fleet.

ALSO READ - Air India will require 6500+ pilots for the recently ordered 470 aircraft

"The cabin crew, who will be recruited from around the country, will undergo a 15-week programme imparting safety and service skills and will be coached to exemplify the best of Indian hospitality and Tata group culture. The training program will include extensive classroom and in-flight training at the airline’s training facility in Mumbai as well as familiarization flights," the airline said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/airindiain/status/1629008470350635008

ALSO READ – What should an Ideal Air India Training Academy be like?

Between May 2022-February 2023, Air India hired over 1900 cabin crew. Over 1,100 cabin crew have been trained in the last seven months (between July’22-January’23), and in the past three months, approximately 500 cabin crew have been released for flying by airline.

“With a sizeable aircraft order that was announced earlier in the month, more flights on international and domestic networks, and re-alignment of domestic routes with AIX connect, cabin crew will play a decisive role in shaping the present and future of the Air India group. Addition of fresh talent will also accelerate the pace of cultural transformation at Air India, which is an integral part of our Vihaan.AI transformation program. We are also looking to step up hiring of more pilots and maintenance engineers.”

Sandeep Verma, Head - Inflight Services, Air India

Air India, or “Maharaja”, landed back in the hands of its founders in January last year, nearly seven decades after it was nationalised and following years in debt. Tata Group was back in charge of Air India after concluding the INR 18,000 crore deal. The historic handover marked the end of a long search for a buyer by the government, which has spent nearly crores propping up the airline since 2009.

Tata Group, at present, is realigning its aviation business under the Air India brand umbrella. It plans to have a single low-cost airline and a single full-service airline by the end of 2023.

The former will be a merged entity between AirAsia India and Air India Express while the latter will be the merged entity between Air India and Vistara. The recent hiring started in the aviation sector after years of lull. Owing to cut-throat competition and other external challenges, India witnessed the closure of a few big airlines last decade.   

Boeing will end the F/A-18E-F Super Hornet production line in 2025 and will not accept any more U.S. orders beyond the eight aircraft Congress added to the fiscal 2023 budget. The company, describing the move as a “pivot,” will refocus its people and facilities on other projects and look ahead at future work, it said in a Feb. 23 statement.

With the St. Louis-based workforce and production facility freed up, Boeing said it will be able to increase production of the T-7A Red Hawk all-digital training system, F-15EX Eagle IIs and 777X wing components for the U.S. Air Force and the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker drone for the U.S. Navy.

Additionally, the company plans to devote more attention to developing future programs. The company is building three new facilities in St. Louis for advanced crewed and uncrewed platforms.

Boeing will close Super Hornet production line in 2025.

Boeing’s announcement caps off a decade of fluctuations for the Super Hornet production line. The Navy initially planned to stop buying the jets in FY14, amid sequestration budget caps, only for Congress to continue adding planes incrementally over the next few years.

The Navy will have bought a total of 698 Super Hornets over 30 years, according to budget documents. India is still in the process of selecting a fighter, and the Super Hornet is one option under consideration. If the Indian Navy selects the Super Hornet, Boeing would build those aircraft and shut down the line in 2027 upon their completion.

Asked about the timing of the decision to close the production line, VanNierop cited internal and external factors.“We must inform our customer and supply base as long-lead aircraft parts and components are ordered and built well ahead of Boeing’s final assembly schedule,” she said.

Boeing’s announcement caps off a decade of fluctuations for the Super Hornet production line.

The Super Hornet Service Life Modification program, which upgrades the jets and adds about 4,000 flight hours to their service life, along with an EA-18G Growler modernization program, will continue into the 2030s on a separate production line in St. Louis.Boeing has not spoken publicly about specific future projects.

However, Boeing Defense, Space and Security CEO Ted Colbert told reporters last summer, months after taking the helm, that “fighters are an important business to the Boeing Company.” Despite the last major U.S. military aircraft programs going to Boeing competitors — the Joint Strike Fighter program to Lockheed Martin and the B-21 bomber to Northrop Grumman — Colbert said “we haven’t given up the fight in that space. We are continuing to invest in it.”

With inputs from Defense news.

Recently, there have been claims that Chinese airlines have an unfair advantage when flying over Russia. This issue has sparked a heated debate among airlines, aviation experts, and governments around the world.

European airlines have warned they will struggle to compete with Chinese rivals as travel rebounds after Covid-19 lockdowns because they are forced to take longer routes to Asia to avoid flying over Russia.

Ben Smith, chief executive of Air France-KLM, said Chinese airlines had an “unfair advantage” over European carriers that have been banned from Russian airspace since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost a year ago.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine redrew some of the world’s main flight paths, cutting European airlines off from Russian airspace when flying the “great circle route” over northern Russia. But Chinese carriers can still fly over Russia and take shorter routes to Europe.

Airlines claim Chinese carriers flying over Russia have unfair advantage'

“Between Paris and Seoul, it can add up to three hours in flight time,” Smith told the Financial Times. “If you’ve got a Chinese carrier that is flying over Russia, they’ve got an unfair advantage over us.”

Finnair chief executive Topi Manner this week also warned that European airlines were at a “significant” disadvantage. “We think that what this will mean is that it will be very hard to make secondary cities of China profitable in terms of flying,” he said.

Finland’s flag carrier built its business by using its location in the north of Europe to offer quick flight paths to Asia through northern Russia, and was badly hit by the sudden closure of the country’s airspace last year. “It adds hours to the journey and thus fuel, costs and emissions,” said Andrew Charlton, an aviation consultant.

Finnair flights between Helsinki and Tokyo now take over 13 hours, up from 9 hours 30 before the airspace closures. Charlton said the rerouted flights would also add to congestion in the skies over Europe, leading to likely air traffic control delays.

With inputs from financial times.

In a first for an Indian private company, Godrej Aerospace has bagged the order to manufacture eight modules of the DRDO's turbojet engine.

On Monday, Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, announced that its business Godrej Aerospace is the first Indian private company to win the order for manufacturing eight modules of the DRDO Engine for aerial applications.

Godrej Aerospace won the order competing with over 25 companies owing to its strong infrastructure, proficiency in working with unique materials, and decades of experience in producing liquid engines for rockets, as well as its service to global aviation majors.

This venture opens up a world of opportunities for future projects to be manufactured indigenously in India, the company noted.

"We are thrilled to have won the project to manufacture the DRDO Engine modules, which is a testament to our capabilities and expertise in the aerospace sector. This achievement reinforces our commitment to making India self-reliant in aerospace manufacturing thereby, contributing to the country's economic growth."We look forward to leveraging our extensive experience and competencies to serve the needs of global majors in the aviation & defence sector and contribute to the growth of the industry."

Maneck Behramkamdin, AVP & Business Head, Godrej Aerospace.

This experience will pave the way for future projects to develop modules for civil aviation engines as well, the release noted. The company has made an investment of around 500 crores for aerospace and defence projects and has incorporated new processes into its manufacturing processes.

With inputs from economic times.