First class (aviation)

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First class (also sometimes branded as a suite) is a travel class on some passenger airliners intended to be more luxurious than business class, premium economy, and economy class. Originally all planes offered only one class of service (often equivalent to the modern business or economy class), with a second class appearing first in 1955 when TWA introduced two different types of service on its Super Constellations.

On a passenger jetliner, first class usually refers to a limited number (rarely more than 10) of seats or cabins toward the front of the aircraft which have more space and comfort, including better service and increased privacy. In general, first class is the highest class offered, although some airlines have either branded their new products as above first class or offered business class as the highest class. Propeller airliners often had first class in the rear, away from the noise of the engine and propeller, while a first class on jet aircraft is normally positioned near the front of the aircraft, often in front of the business class section or on the upper deck of certain wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.