Do we need pajamas in Business, First Class?

Business Class pajamas: do we really need them?

For decades, international airlines’ First class was an icon of luxury in the sky, several steps above its domestic First class, which is closer to economy class, but with free food, drinks and bigger, more comfortable seats.

Business Class Pajamas

The top-notch service, however, has been failing from U.S. airlines for decades. Of the more than 500 aircraft US based airlines regularly fly to Europe, Asia and South America, just 27% offer First class. At this time American Airlines and United Airlines are downsizing their most luxury cabins.
Today, with the economy fragile and the price of First Class tickets sometimes topping $15,000 for a round trip, less than 20% corporations allow employees to fly First class on long-haul flights, while about 75% the typical First class passenger got there with frequent flier status to upgrade after buying a business class or special economy fare.  Few passengers actually pay for it.
In response to demand, airlines have slowly changed the industry's longtime three class model - First, Business, Economy - to a more cost effective version: Business, Premium economy, economy.
The airlines are basically re-branding their premium service by replacing First class with a redesigned Business class that challenges most of today's First class cabins. In the meantime, airlines are also adding extra seats into a new premium economy class: coach seats with extra leg room.
American Airlines plans to reduce its intercontinental First class seats by nearly 90% to 80 from 750 and United is finishing a fleet renovation that will eliminate the third of its First class seats on international routes.
American Airlines “isn't abandoning but rather is rationalizing the size of its First class” on its 47 largest planes into a better Business class and adding a premium-economy cabin. American plans to add 10 new Boeing 777s in some of its most profitable markets - London, Tokyo and São Paulo, Brazil - with smaller, more magnificence First class cabins, which hopefully will increase the percentage of passengers who pay full price for their seats.
Foreign airlines, such as Qantas Airways and Lufthansa also have recently slashed back on First class. Some international airlines have invested anew in luxury First class: Emirates Airline offers showers and private suites with mini bars. Singapore Airlines offers a private suite with a double bed, Air France-KLM has a contemporary art gallery on some planes.
With its upgrades to business class, however, airlines will face another problem airlines have struggled with in recent years: little difference in quality between first and business class, despite a big price difference. The seats in both the new First class and business-class cabins recline into beds and the complimentary meals in both will be recipes of the same celebrity chef. First class fares can be about two-thirds costlier than Business class, but a flight attendant will recline a seat into a bed while the flier changes into  pajamas in the bathroom.

Who need pajamas? There are only two things - proper sleep and a proper meal in Business or First class.

For Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First class fares call 888 819-8896.