Fancy a shower at 12,000m, a lie-down in a full-size bed or a porter to help with your luggage at the airport? Welcome to the top end of the A380.
Airlines operating the superjumbo point to improvements in economy cabins - more space, bigger common areas and betterentertainment - but it's in the premium cabins where there's a real dog-fight to wow travellers.
Singapore Airlines' 12 first-class suites have sliding doors almost to the ceiling and offer "a haven of tranquillity". The airline boasts the largest airline seat and a large standalone bed.
Emirates has a snazzy lounge bar for all premium-class passengers where about 20 can comfortably congregate.
It created commercial airline history by providing two showers for its 14 first-class passengers. On the aircraft's inaugural flight from Dubai to New York last month, the Herald was told the single shower occupancy rule would be enforced by the two janitors who scrub the bathrooms between use.
During that flight, first-class passengers sipped 1985 Dom Perignon notheque, a 1982 Chateau Latour and a 1946 Chateau dYquem.
Qantas's 14 first-class suites have a large armchair that converts into a wide bed, an ottoman chair for a guest, a dining table for two and a 17-inch LCD screen.
Geoffrey Thomas, senior editor at Air Transport World, says the airlines' promises of large common areas, bars and lounges throughout all classes have not come to pass.
"Reality has caught up with them big time in terms of what's available to the passengers."
