I've been very lucky with my job and where I've been able to travel across this great country (Canada). With all this travel, comes the ability to collect points. Collecting points leads to status and the ability to travel in style, which I cashed in on during my last flight to Halifax.
I arrived at the airport early and decided to use one of my lounge passes. Leather seats, free food, and best of all, free alcohol. Although my thoughts of first class travel were somewhat distorted (me, believing that rich people don't travel with crying kids was completely incorrect), I enjoyed the space, comfort and food before venturing off to my gate.
Ah, but once arriving at my gate, I noticed the long line of people waiting to board the plane. This left me with two options; stand in line and wait to show my boarding pass, or use the priority lane (which had no one) and bump to the front of the line. I chose the second option (don't get me wrong, I felt guilty, but I was determined to use my "privledge" to it's full extent). Upon showing my boarding pass (for a seat slightly behind first class) and showing my identification, they upgraded my seat leaving me feeling on top of the world.
Now, I've flown first class before, but never on a flight like this. My luck was truly cashing in because I was sitting in a first class POD (not just a seat, but a pod). My own seat (no one beside me fighting for MY armrests), my own footstool and my own window. The seats contort into all different positons similar to a lazyboy chair, with one excemption - they can lay flat into a bed so you can enjoy a comfortable snooze during flight.
After settling into my seat, drinks were served and menus were passed out for our dinner meal during flight (flight time was only going to be 1 hour and 45 minutes). Take-off was a little unusual but only because of the position of the seats (which are slightly angled to allow for more room for each individual pod). After airborne, I tended to some work while snacking on cashews and almonds. Dinner was served (cheesecake for dessert), and afterwards, I spent the remainder of the flight relaxing while listening to music on my iPod.
It truly is the best way to fly. The only downside, I'll probably be flying back to Toronto in economy class. Oh well, I enjoyed the experience and highly recommend to everyone that they should try it once.
