World's Best First Class
1. Qatar AirwaysFlying first-class here means access to a separate terminal in Doha that mimics a five-star hotel with several fine-dining restaurants, a medical center, and a spa with sauna and Jacuzzi. On board passengers get caviar service, full-size pillows, white linen mattresses, Australian wool blankets and Bulgari toiletry kits. The seats are 79 inches long, have 15-inch LCD screens and come with a 23-inch meal table that allows dining for two, just as in a restaurant.
2. Singapore AirlinesPassengers here have total control of their experience including picking between Dom Perignon and Krug champagne and food whenever they want it and however they want it whether it's an extravagant five-course blowout or a quick meal served all at once. The seats are 82 inches long and 35 inches wide. Fliers are given a Ferragamo toiletry kits, Givenchy sleep suits and slippers. Seats flatten into beds with sheets, a down duvet and oversize pillows.
3. Cathay PacificSeats here become 'suites,' thanks to sliding panels that provide total privacy. They turn into 81-inch-long beds and have built-in massagers. Each flier also gets a personal closet to store belongings. Cathay got high marks for its food: It's one of the only carriers to have rice cookers, skillets and toasters onboard, so parts of meals are prepared fresh, like eggs made to order.
4. Malaysia AirlinesThis airline is a winner for its service--welcoming and warm, yet efficient. The seats are individual pods that turn into 180-degree flat beds. Fliers also get plush blankets and pillows. Food includes Malaysian cuisine, like a signature satay. On the ground, Kuala Lumpur's first-class lounge has a new upscale restaurant.
5. Thai AirwaysFirst-class fliers are greeted by a personal concierge at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi's Airport who checks them in and escorts them through security. The lounge has wi-fi, a sauna and a spa offering Thai massages. When flying into Bangkok, a concierge fast-tracks fliers through immigration, customs and baggage claim. Seats on board become comfortable 180-degree flat beds. Other amenities include Bulgari toiletry kits, cotton pajamas and a choice of 22 entrees, which can be pre-ordered.
6. EmiratesEach of the roughly 18 seats in first-class can be transformed into a mini-suite by the use of sliding doors. Other perks include soft pajamas, slippers, 600 channels of on-demand entertainment, chauffeur service from select airports, seven-course meals served on bone china and access to lounges that have wi-fi, an extensive dining buffet and are decked out in Italian marble.
7. Jet AirwaysThis airline boasts the longest flat bed in the sky: 83 inches. Seats have 24-inch flat-screen televisions and can be configured so that two people can dine together. Champagne onboard is either Dom Perignon or Krug, and toiletry kits are filled with Bulgari products. Food includes a wide range of Indian and Western dishes. On the ground, an attendant escorts passengers through check-in and to the lounge.
8. LufthansaThis airline, ranked third on the top-10 list, is a star performer on the ground. When fliers arrive at Frankfurt Airport, they lounge on couches and sip drinks while an attendant checks them in. After clearing security, they are led to a lounge where a chef cooks any meal of their choice. When it's time to board, they are driven to the aircraft in a Mercedes. Comfortable lie-flat seats and efficient service await them onboard.
9. Korean AirKorean Air debuted a new first-class cabin last year that features a cocoon-like seat with a massage function that turns into a flat bed. The airline also placed in the top 10 because of its excellent ethnic food that includes choices such as steamed oxtail, Korean bibimbop and various top-grade meat dishes.
10. Qantas AirwaysThe lounges in Sydney and Melbourne have a library, a fine-dining restaurant, a business center and a spa that offers massages. Seats onboard are 6.5 feet long, and entertainment is video on-demand (400 channels). The designer silk toiletry kits--Akira Isogawa for men, Collete Dinnigan for women--are stuffed with Payot products. Meals are eight-course affairs.
http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/08/travel-airlines-firstclass-forbeslife-cx_sv_0809firstclass.htmlWorld's Best Business Class1. Singapore Airlines : This airline introduced a new business class in November 2006 that surpasses that of any other airline, according to Edward Plaisted, chief executive of Skytrax. Its 30-inch-wide lie-flat seats--the roomiest in the sky--come with full-size pillows and plush blankets. The bathrooms are 50% larger than average airline bathrooms; the menu is designed by Alfred Portale, chef of New York's Gotham Bar & Grill, and passengers get deluxe Givenchy kits.
2. Virgin Atlantic : Virgin came in No. 2 because of its stellar ground services. Passengers flying business class, known as Upper Class, get chauffeured cars to the airport in key markets, including New York City and London. The bright, modern lounges have large spas that offer free haircuts and massages. On board, there is a bar area, lie-flat seats and therapists who give neck and shoulder massages.
3. Cathay Pacific Airways : This airline is a high performer all around, both on the ground and in the air. Hong Kong passengers have separate security lines and comfortable lounges with wi-fi, high-speed Internet and a noodle bar. On board, the lie-flat seats stretch 6.5 feet long. The entertainment screen is 15 inches. Service? Exceptional.
4. Malaysia Airlines : This airline, ranked No. 10 last year, is now No. 4, thanks to changes that include (on the ground) a new restaurant in the lounge at Kuala Lumpur airport, complete with a team of chefs and proper waiter service. In the sky, the airline scored high for its food, which includes a signature Malaysian satay and seven kinds of bread. The comfortable lie-flat seats also get a thumbs-up.
5. Air New Zealand : This airline introduced its new business class, called Business Premier, a year ago. Amenities include 7-foot long lie-flat seats, a 10.4-inch video screen with nine channels of on-demand entertainment, lamb's wool blankets and brasserie-style cuisine emphasizing New Zealand ingredients and wines.
6. British Airways : British Airways' business class, called Club World, was the first to introduce lie-flat beds 10 years ago. Recently, the airline made these seats slightly wider and longer. On board, passengers get a Molton Brown toiletry kit and can expect service that Plaisted describes as consistently efficient though not overly warm. On ground, complimentary massages are available at the Molton Brown spa in lounges at major airports, including Heathrow and JFK.
7. Jet Airways : This Indian airline, which started service from Newark to Mumbai just this month, scores high for its Bulgari toiletry kits, lie-flat beds and tasty Indian cuisine, which might include choices like chicken tikka masala or spiced fish curry with basmati rice. One drawback: the lounges in its key Indian airports are lackluster and don't offer any of the bells and whistles of typical business class lounges.
8. Qatar Airways : Business class passengers have a premium terminal in Doha, Qatar, which makes for easy check-in and boarding. The lounge has marble floors, cascading waterfalls, a Jacuzzi, several treatment rooms for massages and a restaurant. The multilingual on-board staff represents more than 40 nationalities and offers the best service of any Middle Eastern airline. The seats are lie-flat, and the high-definition in-flight entertainment system offers satellite television.
9. Qantas Airways : Qantas has one of the best business class seats in the sky. The plush seats are called Skybeds, and they recline to a flat bed that is 6.5 feet long and almost 2 feet wide. Other pluses are a 10.2-inch touchscreen with a choice of over 60 movies, Ultraceutical toiletries and tasty cuisine that includes choices like a crab and potato galette and snapper poached in coconut milk.
10. Etihad Airways : Established just five years ago in Abu Dhabi, this airline has quickly become a major contender in the business class market. Perks include access to a multilingual staff, an in-flight entertainment system with a 15-inch entertainment screen, comfortable lie-flat seats and an extensive dining menu with Asian, Continental and Middle Eastern choices.
3. Apple will not lay people off because Steve Jobs would have to admit he had made a bad decision and the company would appear not to be perfect.
1. Michael Bloomberg : Mayor, New York City; Bloomberg LP
2. Silvio Berlusconi : Prime minister, Italy; Fininvest
3. Lakshmi Mittal : ArcelorMittal
4. Warren Buffett : Berkshire Hathaway
5. Vagit Alekperov : Lukoil
6. Carlos Slim Helu : America Movil, Telefonos de Mexico
7. Mukesh Ambani : Reliance Industries
9. Bill Gates : Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft
