Thai Airways Ditches First Class: End of Aspiration in the Skies?
Airlines, like empires, are built on narratives of order. And First Class, the airborne cathedral of champagne and cashmere, wasn’t just a premium seating option; it was a potent parable about the very structure of modern society — a promise of frictionless upward mobility for a select few. So, when an airline like Thai Airways announces its abandonment of First Class, it isn’t merely trimming expenses; it’s dismantling a myth, signaling a tectonic shift in the perceived value of aspirational luxury in a hyper-unequal world. Khaosod reports that Thai Airways will eliminate First Class in the next few years, focusing instead on a beefed-up Business Class and overall service upgrades.
Thai Airways, fresh off a financial reorganization and return to the Thai stock exchange, is betting that streamlining its cabin classes — Business, Premium Economy, and Economy — will ultimately boost profitability and market share. CEO Chai Eamsiri argues that improving seats, food, entertainment, and service for all classes is a winning strategy. They want to offer a more standardized product across the fleet, especially on regional routes using the new Airbus A321neos. “We see aircraft themselves as mass products. The real competition lies in in-flight service—seats, entertainment, food and crew service,” Eamsiri states.
This is not just about Thai Airways. They join the ranks of American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and others in jettisoning First Class. The trend reflects a wider shift in consumer preferences and airline economics. The rise of increasingly luxurious Business Class products, fueled by advances in seat design and manufacturing (think lie-flat beds and individual pods), has blurred the lines between the two classes. Consumers are increasingly questioning the value proposition of a service costing multiple times more for marginally superior perks. It’s a rational calculation in an age of increasing precarity, even amongst the affluent.
But what does this scaling back of the highest tier really mean? It’s not just about cost-cutting; it’s a subtle renegotiation of the social contract. First Class became a potent, and increasingly problematic, symbol. The optics of flying in a gilded cage while others crammed into Economy, fueled a sense of resentment. Remember the outrage over empty “Celebrity Class” cruise ships sailing during the pandemic? Perception, in a hyper-connected world, matters more than ever. The anxieties of inequality are now airborne, subject to instant viral scrutiny.
Perhaps the more significant driver is structural. The cost of fuel, labor, and security have made airlines relentlessly focused on efficiency. Maintaining the resources for a single First Class passenger could accommodate several in Business, making financial sense to consolidate at that level. Historically, First Class was a vestige of the era of national flag carriers, when governments prioritized prestige over pure profit — think of BOAC’s lavish suites on its 1950s transatlantic routes, designed as much to impress as to transport. Now, shareholder value reigns. And those shareholders are increasingly attuned to the optics of conspicuous consumption.
This isn’t to say inequality is disappearing from the skies. Rather, it’s being subtly reshaped. The differential isn’t a chasm, but a graduated climb with “premium” products becoming an increasingly lucrative source of revenue. Airlines can charge more and deliver targeted luxury to Business Class. They are squeezing value at every level. As transportation expert, Alison Prendergast points out in her book, Commodification of Travel “The airline experience is less about egalitarian access, and more about tiered participation”. It’s not about eliminating luxury, but democratizing access to levels of luxury, albeit at a steep price.
The bigger question is: where does this all lead? Will the constant pursuit of cost efficiencies and premiumization inevitably degrade the overall travel experience, making it less human and more transactional? Will the race to capture market share through “standardized” services ultimately diminish the unique cultural nuances that once defined the golden age of air travel? Ultimately, the death of First Class may represent the death of projected aspiration, replaced by a quieter, more curated, and perhaps more insidious form of inequality. Thai Airways and other carriers are not just responding to market forces, but a change in our collective psyche. They may just be reflecting a more pragmatic age, where the performance of wealth is less about grand gestures and more about subtle cues — a shift from the penthouse to the exclusive members-only lounge.
