Pointy end pyjamas

Pointy end pyjamas Back in the 1930s, when Australians first started flying overseas on Qantas’s flying boats, they did so in a luxurious style. The Qantas Managing Director at the time, Hudson Fysh described the delights of flying boat travel:

Getting up out of his chair a passenger could walk about and, if he had been seated in the main cabin, could stroll along to the smoking cabin for a smoke, stopping on the way at the promenade deck with its high handrail and windows at eye level to gaze at the world of cloud and sky outside, and the countryside or sea slipping away below at a steady 150mph (240km/h) if there was no wind. On the promenade deck there was also a practical useable space where quoits or even golf were played, and child passengers could play.

(from the Qantas website)

Nowadays, long-haul travel is somewhat less leisurely. But for the people in the pointy end of the planes (first and business classes) it is considerably more comfortable than for the rest of us packed into the back of the plane.

And in addition to flat-beds, or first class suites, French champagne, designer amenity kits and cooked-to-order meals by chefs, what is the number one item that really adds to that first and business class comfort? It’s the pointy end pyjamas handed out by many of the airlines.

Apparently, the done thing for these passengers is to change into the pyjamas shortly after take off, and change back before touch down – keeping their regular clothes fresh and unwrinkled as they hang in the dedicated cupboard space in the cabin.

I’ve never flown long-haul in the pointy end, but friends who do assure me that there is nothing at all strange about a cabin full of politicians, captains of industry, movie stars, rock gods or the leisured wealthy all wearing jimmy-jams to chat in the aisles.

I may not have flown in those cabins, but by default I have become a bit of a connoisseur of the pointy end PJs.  A couple of frequent-flying-for-business friends, knowing that I am quite fascinated by these items, bring me their sets home and I’ve been able to road-test (or should that be bed-test?) several of the airlines’ offerings.

Some of my thoughts on pointy end pyjamas:

The Qantas pyjamas win the prize for notoriety. Back in August of 2012, a couple in First class on an A-380 on a flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne refused to fly when they discovered there were no XL-sized first class pyjamas on board. They discovered this as the plane was preparing to taxi from the terminal.   They demanded to be let off the aircraft, and insisted that the cabin crew told the rest of the passengers that the delay was due to them not getting their first class pyjamas.

Apparently, they had been offered sets of XL business class PJs, but that just wouldn’t do. I don’t know why not, as I prefer Qantas’s light grey Peter Morrissey-designed business class pyjamas to the heavier v-necked charcoal first class ones. And so too, do many people in my neighbourhood. I’ve seen them (the light grey business version) being worn in the supermarket, to the gym and there’s even a chap who walks his dog near my girls’ school each morning wearing a full set. Qantas Business PJs

Both versions feature the flying kangaroo, with the ‘roo being a large screenprint on the business class ones and a discreet embroidered emblem on the first class PJs.

Virgin Atlantic used to give its ‘upper class’ passengers (no common ‘first class’ for them) black tracksuits. They had a great stylish shape and interesting extra details, but I didn’t like the fabric which seemed too heavy to be comfortable for sleeping.

Just recently, Virgin Atlantic announced that it will be providing 1,000 passengers on selected flights a ‘onesie’ designed by Norwegian designers OnePiece.

I applaud the airline for its originality, but I’m not sure about the logistics of a one-piece in-flight PJ? Aircraft bathrooms pose a big enough challenge without adding the degree of difficulty of extricating oneself from a onesie.

An older pair of Emirates first class pyjamas I have are two-tone colour with a dark brown for the pants and a lighter tan colour for the top.  Brown is not an overly flattering colour choice for anyone, and that feedback must have reached the ears of the Emirates top brass. A more recent pair is an all-over beige formed by fine tan and white stripes, which is a slight colour improvement. That pair does have a lovely soft, ribbed texture, and added trim details such as pockets. But I can’t see them ever being worn to the gym.

Singapore Airlines first class gives its passengers pyjamas designed by Givenchy. Like the Virgin Atlantic ones, these are made from a dark charcoal, thicker material, and are more like a tracksuit. But what a stylish tracksuit they make! They have great zip detail on the top, with a false under-top front to maintain modesty when the zip is undone.

These are my current favourites and I could definitely wear them to the supermarket or to walk the dog. (If only I had a dog.) Singapore Airlines First Class Pyjamas

I’m hoping someone I know flies long-haul first class with Cathay Pacific soon, as their new pointy end PJs designed by PYE look pretty swish.

But, if I get desperate to try some out in the meantime, there’s always eBay.  Proving that you really can find pretty much anything on eBay, there is a host of airline pyjamas and amenity kits on sale there.

Do you ever fly in the pointy end? What are your thoughts about the pyjamas?

 

This post is linked up to:

#SundayTraveler linkup -on Chasing the DonkeyPack Me To…A Southern Gypsy, The Fairytale Traveler, and Ice Cream and Permafrost.

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