Airline History

an idea that amused me – I would host a concept party even though I don’t know that there is such a thing. I would invite people over to 'fly' and we would sit there, never moving.  Yet we would experience the same things that seem so ‘valuable’ at cruising altitude - spacious seats, glassware, socks; cramped legroom and plastic bread, tomato juice. 

With (un)earned superiority and the concentrated absurdity, we would bring humanity into high relief. In experiencing this on the ground we would collectively simulate all the feelings that often occur in that compressed space in the sky.  The ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’. Class, value, cost, speed. Important people on important business. The longing to be upgraded. Snapped curtain closures, extreme physical proximity to strangers, queuing, smugness, the overhead compartment dance, the sleep head bob, mild peril. Romantic comedies and quiet tears. All infused with the pregnant guilt of carbon emissions and over-tourism (as we clap foolishly on landing).

In 2024 I shared the concept with colleagues, friends and a few strangers from all over the world, and they offered more: The in-flight magazine selling you more – more holidays, perfumes, a second home, a better you; public parenting; ABSOLUTE DEATH FEAR; the captain’s authoritative calm; tray-table bacteria; the time standing still meandering reflections on life and love. The ‘how did those little s**t hipsters get in first-class?’ inner monologue.

Noise. Utter quiet.
People that can’t afford to fly.
People that fly to flee.
And the shared imagination for a better future where we can still tour the world even as it burns.

~~~

Some days I seem to seek out communal spaces — where people can take emotional risks, build genuine rapport, and explore their beliefs without performance or pretense. Business Class© is that space. The 'flight' invites participants to confront unspoken fears, untested values, and everyday contradictions with solemn levity. 

Together, outside the confines of echo chambers & performative roundtables, we connect with “the other” and take a crucial first step in systems change: trust-building. That phase—so often skipped or rushed—is where transformation, collective action and hope begin.