You may as well skip straight to the last 3 paragraphs of this article. Everything written before that could be applied to pretty much anything you pay for. Booking a hotel? Guess what, if you pay through the nose for a 4 or 5 star place, then you're likely to get a bigger room, better service, nicer food and superior bathroom goodies than if you book the cheapest place you can find. Same goes for buying insurance, or a car, or a new bathroom, etc.

We live in a capitalist society where you get what you pay for. The service that airlines provide reflects very closely the minimum standard of service that people are currently prepared to accept. If the people who fly first- or business-class don't get a satisfactory level of service for their money they won't pay for that service with that airline again and ultimately the airline will either improve the service, reduce the cost or lose money. The same principle applies for people flying in economy with the budget airlines.

Simon Carter, London,

I have flown a lot in BA Club World, a couple of time in First and a couple of times on Concorde and I wouldn't hesitate to pay a bit extra on a loooong flight. But the difference between Club World and Economy is now so wide both in what you get and how much you pay, that there should be a "class" in between ... and I'm not talking about Premium Economy.

I want a bed. First and foremost I want a bed. Don't care about the lounge (departures or arrivals), don't care about the food, don't care about all the other "benefits" - which you are paying for anyway.

Change Premium Economy to beds, charge a bit more than now. And You've got me sold.

Karl, Warfield, UK

3rd degree price discrimination. Look it up.

Chris L, Edinburgh, UK

Even funnier is the underlying fact that the average First Class traveller isn't really that bothered about glittery things and pampering!

They want to get into their night clothes and sleep. Ask anyone who works in the industry, they will tell you that the only people who make a big deal of the extras are upgrades or infrequent travellers. The bread and butter First client is someone who is time-poor and will be paying the extra for somewhere to sleep their travel hours away comfortably. The airlines introducing suites have realised this and catered for them.

Roy Ellor, Salford, UK

how right Mr William Michaels is.I dont want to be stuck in my chair by a tray delivering endless courses of food, I just want to get from A to B quickly, and with no hassle.
As for travelling economy, it is something I also do regularly, and it is so unpleasant as to be alomst not worth doing.I cannot bear the smirking media types, endlessly talking up the joys of travelling.It is simply unpleasant, and Id rather not do it at all, whatever the class.

john, london,

I have to say I'm loving the new competition taking place in buisness and first class. I had my first business class experience when I flew home to Australia with Virgin in Upper Class last Christmas and it was a huge difference. Previously I had always flown Economy and for the first time I managed to only feel jetlagged the first day and then after that I had no problems. The beds make a huge difference so if you can afford it you should definitely go busines class on those long haul flights.
Personally I don't have a problem with ryanair and easyjet as generally I only fly them on weekend breaks and the trips are quite short so it is all over before you know it. It probably also helps I'm only 5'4 so I don't have problems with the limited legspace.

Emma, London,

Nobody who has a bit of money uses a commercial airline--they fly private. All the perks you talk about are actually a nonsense.

Harry Rouel, New York,

If they have it and want to be relieved of it then the airlines seem willing and able.It probably translates into profits which can mean lower fares for the sardine brigade.Speaking as a sardine I am happy,that they are happy and lets all land safely..amen.

Red Baron, Dresden, Germany

As somebody who flys over 200,000 miles a year in First Class I can tell you all the frills you list are actually crap. Although it sounds great the quality is poor. At the end of the day the frequent first class flyer wants three things--a quick journey from the front door of the aiport to their seat, to be left alone during the flight so they can read or work and then a quick exit from the airport on the other end.

William Michaels, London,

l think your artilcle has made my day. Funny funny funny. Yes totally agree, the airline has totally forgotten one very important thing. Safety is the key. Hotels are on ground, airplanes are in the air and anything can happen like very bad turbulence or a sudden decompression. l think it is safer to be in economy class with your selt belt fasten at all times unless visiting the loos or just going for a little stretch so as not to suffer DVT. Of course the right way to fly is to wear the most comfortable clothes like tracksuits, no make up armed with a bottle of water, eye shades, neck pillow and socks. Eat very little, drink no alcohol so that you dont suffer upon arrival. Dont envy those travelling premiun class but feel sorry for them. Except for the beds which also can be dangerous in the event of unexpected turbulence or sudden decompression, l rather be in economy class anytime.

Virginia, Brisbane, Australia

Anyone who is willing to pay five times more to travel the same route that I am traveling is welcome to all the perks they can get. Thanks for subsidizing my business or holiday! I couldn't get there without you.

Michael Goetz, Dedham,

Well said Matt. Pretty well everything you & Veronica have said is true. What really leaves me dumbfounded is why Ryan Air is so successful. A recent flight (unfortunately return) from Bournemouth to Dublin was, for a colonial like me, a true eye-opener. Everything, including the frightening excess baggage charge, that Veronica recounts is absolutely true, and the staff were astonishingly rude and uncooperative. But masses of people apparently continue to use and re-use the Ryan Air service. Amazing. For me, the travel experience is much too important to be ruined by that sort of rubbish. Never again.

Paul, Gold Coast , Australia

Last year at Heathrow, queuing for my connection to Canada, some-one asked me how it was possible that I looked so relaxed. My reply to them was that I had just decided that this trip would be my last ever. That day I had reached the very limits of my endurance. I would never again allow myself to be harassed, humiliated, squeezed, stripped half naked and barked at just for the questionable pleasure of making a holiday abroad.
Thus, for more than a year now I did not fly. I feel very relaxed with that newly found, carbon footprint free, life style. Thank you BA !

robert, vancouver, bc

"And you get what you pay for."

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! At least someone understands. And if I cannot afford it today, perhaps tomorrow. And hopefully, with hard work and diligence, my children and their children will be afford it in the future.

Yes, "We want to pay bottom dollar for everything, including our holidays," so if those who have it (and have not gained it at others' expense), want to spend it this way, all fine and good. It should give the rest of us something to work for. Unfortunately, in this Age of Selfish Entitlement, too many believe it to be a God-given right.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Your article isn't nasty enough! We need to wake up. The airlines treat us all badly - and it's intentional.

But we never complain constructively, do we. We never boycott. We do demand low prices and don't think that cheap means cheap.

We don't have to make all the journeys we do. "Is your journey really necessary?" was the wartime slogan. Let us be mindful.

My vote for the worst service airline? Why British Airways. Consistently over the last 30 years they outperform everyone else for bad attitude paradigm.

Next is Ryanair and then all the US airlines who just behave like Americans abroad.

gordon mann, mexico, mexico

Matt Rudd has a new fan! I love this article and can totally relate! We flew in from LAX on Maxjet and had a wonderful flight at an even more wonderful price. The entire plane is business class but the ticket didn't cost more than a coach full fare ticket on Luftansa. We'd never flown Ryan Air and were continuing on to Pisa, Italy. What a joke, the heard (I wouldn't even call them cattle, they didn't have the manners of a cow) and the $500.00 excess baggage fee and the rude employees made me wonder why anyone would want to save money to fly this airlines. I'd rather stay home.
And in regards to your writer, he is hilarious has a great writing style and I can connect with everything he wrote. I'll be checking in from LA to your website to see what else he writes.

Veronica Ondrejech, El Segundo, CA, USA