I’m sure this won’t matter to those of you who are just here for the reviews, though I find this to be a rather uncovered aspect for those that are keen on airline products and reviewing travel. I’m a premium cabin fanatic, as there’s so much flexibility to first and business class configurations that can be made. However, sometimes you may not have the luxury of sitting in a premium cabin, so you may want to visit or tour a cabin at the end of a flight. So if you want to visit a premium cabin, should you ask for it, what should you expect, and most importantly, how should you approach such a request?
I’ve tended to have pretty high (i.e. 100%) success rates when asking to do so in recent times, so for those of you who take interest in doing so, here are some of my tips.
1. Be Nice About It
Remember that asking to visit a premium cabin is a stretch no matter what situation you’re in. While it won’t cost the airline anything and will most likely give them good press of some sort, remember to always be courteous when asking for something you’re not entitled to. Obviously, courtesy is mainly what acceptance comes with, so make sure that you ask nicely. The flight attendants don’t actually have to do much work to arrange it, so they’re likely to say yes, but still be courteous.
Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Upper Class Bar
2. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask
I used to be pretty afraid to ask for something I wasn’t entitled to – I thought it would make me seem weird, or overentitled. If anything, airline employees should be proud of the products they offer. Even if they aren’t, taking pictures of a cabin after all the people that paid to sit there are gone isn’t going to cost the airline anything or the crew any time.
3. Be Quick
Usually the crew tells you to take your time, but if you stay too long, you’ll hold up the crew and possibly airport operations. Take a few photos, don’t hesitate to go in-depth with the seat if you want to, then quickly move towards the door and deplane. Always thank the crew before you deplane, though.
4. If It’s A Double Decker Plane, Ask In Advance
Sometimes, a shot of a premium cabin may not simply be a quick jaunt from the rear door to the forward door. If it isn’t the case, I’d recommend you ask earlier in advance, as your request may come as a sense of shock to the crew. I always ask in advance just to guarantee that I have permission to do so, though I’d recommend doing so especially if you’d like to take a picture on a different deck of the aircraft, on the A380 or 747.
Bottom Line
I wouldn’t think of taking pictures of premium cabins on an aircraft as something that is out of bounds to most people – all you have to do is ask nicely. However, if you aren’t allowed to do so, don’t argue over it – fortunately, you shouldn’t expect to be rejected most of the time.