Economy Airline Passenger Invented a Genius Hack for Flying First Class-Style

People who've paid for premium economy or just had a seat closer to the front of the plane will know that there is a literal dividing line between those in first class and the other travelers — most often, this is a dark curtain that both gives privacy to and separates those who paid several thousand dollars for a cur

As with anything exclusive, a certain mystery around the curtain exists. Thinkpieces on "what takes place on the other side of the curtain" date back to at least the early 2000s.

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And just like taking a "staycation" or having a spa day at home, some people come up with less expensive solutions for a luxury experience.

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A First-Class Experience In Economy Caught On TikTok

In July, California resident Giga Vashakidze was flying home after a trip to Italy when he noticed her neighbor across the aisle hang up the blanket one gets during the flight from the overhead compartment for a bit of "privacy." 

"Caught my neighbor turning economy class into a VIP section," Vashakidze says over footage of the ad-hoc curtain. "Has anyone else experienced this?"

While only six seconds long, the video got nearly 600,000 views and 1,800 likes from social media users who were either shocked or have seen something similar on their own flights.

"I've worn my hoodie backwards and made my own VIP," wrote one user. 

In reference to airlines charging for more and more things that used to be included, another wrote that "airlines [are] about to take blankets away."

Some Other Ways Travelers Can Get A 'First-Class Experience' For Less

Along with greater privacy, one of the most distinctive features of business class on a long-haul flight are the lie-flat pods that allow one to spread out for a proper night's rest. Airlines with high numbers of wealthy flyers sometimes take this to the next level and create "mini-suites" aboard the plane.

Seeing the interest in this concept even among those who cannot put down several thousand dollars for a flight, Air New Zealand  (ANZFF) - Get Free Report recently announced that it has been testing similar "sleeping pods" for economy.

The concept the airline calls "Skynest"will put six pods measuring 80 inches long and 23 inches wide in a bunk-bed configuration on some of the airline's Boeing 747  (BA) - Get Free Report planes.

Those who want to get some shut-eye will be able to rent the pod for between 400 and 600 New Zealand dollars (about $254 to $381 USD) for a four hour period — each pod will come with fresh bedding, pillows, blankets and a reading light and will be cleaned and sanitized before the next four-hour period on ultra-long-haul flights between New Zealand and the U.S.

According to the airline, the first planes equipped with such pods will start traveling from Auckland to New York and Chicago in September 2024. The total price works out to roughly $100 USD per hour but Air New Zealand said that it is still "working through the exact details" of the booking process and pricing.