How to fly economy class but feel like you’re in business

theguardian.com:

Flying economy class can often feel like you are in a jail cell in the sky, particularly if you’re flying long haul.

From cramped seats and toilet queues to waddling past luxurious business class seats, there is no end to the many ways airlines remind you of your class.

But after Air New Zealand introduced its economy class sleeper pod earlier this week, and amid surging costs, it has become more essential than ever to stay across the many ways you can improve an economy seat.

Here are a few ways to feel like you’re flying business class in economy.

One semi-luxurious option for long-haul flights is the Neighbour Free scheme offered by Etihad Airways.

Basically, travellers can place bids to ensure that the one or two seats next to them remain free, allowing them the full row of seats to themselves.

The bid can be placed when buying your seat, and there is a minimum and maximum bid that Etihad will share with you, based on your flight and destination, with priority given to frequent flyers.

Winners of the bid will be notified 32 hours before the flight departs, and while Etihad does not have firm prices, it’s a potentially cheaper way to have more room on a long-haul flight.

Qantas is also offering a Neighbour Free scheme that works in a similar way, with the airline contacting eligible passengers on select Qantas operated Australian domestic flights.

On an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi in June, one extra seat will cost only A$187, while two seats will cost A$373. Additional seats can be bid on for each flight on a multi-legged trip, so costs can add up, but who can put a price on comfort?

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Late last year, Air New