“Don't belong here.” Flying business class is a minefield of social protocol and the correct behaviour can change all the time. After three decades of regular travel at the more privileged end of the aircraft, here's my essential guide to navigating the etiquette of making your way to your seat.
1. Keep it casual – but don’t overdo it.
Now, if you wear one, it makes you look like a complete novice. Since airlines have been providing lie-flat beds and suites with doors, the focus has shifted to privacy and comfort. So, you needn't bother with that tailored navy blazer from some lesser-known Tokyo designer, a Sea Island cotton crew-neck sweater, light wool trousers, and loafers. Instead, opt for chinos or smart sweatpants, a polo shirt, and trainers. But please, don't show up in your pyjamas, leggings, sportswear with a designer logo, or shorts and flip-flop sandals with flashy logos.
2. Remain calm with your hand luggage
Instead, use a well-travelled luggage set that exudes a sense of style. A sturdy Globe-Trotter trolley with two wheels for the true enthusiasts, paired with a compact holdall, such as a Prada bowling bag or a vintage Globe-Trotter Concorde luggage. Whatever you choose, make sure not to display your exclusive VIP card alongside your luggage tag, lest you suffer instant social ostracism.
3. Do proceed to the express check-in desk, security and boarding.
You've paid for it. You'll earn extra status points if you board in Group Zero, a new policy introduced by British Airways for super-premium customers, allowing them to board before even first-class passengers.
4. Do not underestimate the opportunities offered by the lounge area.
Terminal 3 is the only place in the UK where you can order a martini at 8am and no one will bat an eyelid. Take advantage.
5. But avert your eyes...
...if you board first and economy class passengers have to file past your seat to get to theirs at the back of the bus. This is certainly worth considering, especially if you've booked for your partner and children in economy class.
6. Don’t go nuts
– packet in 2014. Cho was later found guilty of breaches of aviation safety, malicious coercion and abuse of authority, and received a five month prison sentence (during which meals in advance weren't provided).
7. Social faux pas
No video calls are permitted in the lounge areas on flights. Your fellow travellers also have no interest in hearing the details of your professional life or your personal relationships.
No photos, please: nobody wants to see you posing for a selfie in-suite - especially not if you've managed to sneak into business class early like the Emirates influencer who recently posed as if they were travelling in style before reverting to economy.
Don't bother these celebrities. I've travelled with Gwyneth Paltrow (Concorde), Raye (Virgin Atlantic) and, er, David Hasselhoff (British Airways). They're mortified about being seen on commercial flights, instead of private jets, and don't want to be reminded of it.
Please keep it under your hat, but don't mention if you bought your ticket with miles. Don't casually disclose how many miles you've flown this week, month, year, or throughout your entire life.
If your British Airways plane is delayed at Heathrow, don't expect to meet the airline's chief executive, Sean Doyle, at the aircraft door to explain why it's late (as one self-assured passenger did earlier this year).
8. Issues with on-board wardrobes
I once spotted an Everton player removing his T-shirt and sitting semi-naked on a 14-hour Emirates Airbus A380 flight from Sydney to Dubai.
Only use the hot towel to wipe your face and hands, not anything else with it.
9. Food and drink
When you want to wake up feeling refreshed and choose a dinner high in protein and complex carbohydrates to help you sleep.
If you're lucky enough to get the table for four in the bar on the Emirates A380, do be considerate and don't book it all day. Use it for an hour or so at the most.
10. Devices on silent
If you need to use email and WhatsApp, enter silent mode and mute keyboard typing notifications.
11. Children
Tweeted last year from her comfortable seat. When a follower asked: "What are parents flying business class supposed to do with their kids?", she replied: "I don't know, put them in the luggage hold or something." Major airlines won't penalise children for flying at the front out of fear of losing their most lucrative customers. However, this doesn't mean you should book your youngsters in. As the mother of two kids, I've found it's only right to take them in business class when they're old enough to use the in-flight entertainment screens or electronics. It's not fair on other passengers.
12. What items should I consider bringing as a keepsake
PJs – only if you're flying with Qantas, Qatar Airways or Virgin Atlantic, as they're the only decent ones. Plus, take as many Acqua di Parma travel kits as you can stash on an Etihad flight. But leave the life jackets and noise-cancelling headphones alone.
13. And if you're going to go the full diva, make sure you amp it all the way up to 11
Take a Farrow & Ball paint swatch to show the cabin crew the exact shade of brown you'd like for your coffee. Complain that the ice cubes are too chilly, the plane is proceeding at a pace that is too sluggish, your seatmate is "far too unpleasant" to share a cabin with, and the hue of the sky does not perfectly complement your attire. You'll need a full reimbursement.
This article was originally posted in April 2024 and has been reviewed and revised since then.
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