One of life’s minor thrills is getting on an airplane and turning left instead of light. To the left lies Business Class and, for the truly blessed, First Class. Passengers here are first on and first off the plane, and never have to wait foe their bags. They relax in large, comfortable seats that fold down into beds with clean, comfortable blankets. They stretch out their feet with enough leg room for an NBA center. Personal satellite phones and laptop ports keep them i

n touch with the outside world at all times. When they get tired of working, they can turn on their personal televisions and choose from a huge selection of CDs and DVDs. Meals are specially prepared by award-winning chefs: lobster, fresh sushi, fillet mignon-the options are nearly endless, as is the flow of complimentary champagne.

　　It’s world that most air travelers can only dream about as we turn to the right, towards Economy Class. Cramped seats and screaming babies. Soggy, tasteless microwaved food. Unending lines to get into the tiny toilets. Overworked flight attendants scrambling to serve drinks, stow luggage, and soothe raised tempers.

　　Airlines depend on economy travelers to cover their costs, and make their profits on Business and First Class passengers. However, with the sagging economy, companies are slashing their travel budgets. Economy tickets often cost less than 15% of the price of a full-fare First Class ticket.

　　Airlines are trying to make up the difference by squeezing more seats into Economy Class.”The temptation to make Economy Class more narrow is enormous,”says one travel industry insider.“But if you put in one more row, everyone winds up with their knees in their nose. There isn’t a lot of room to go.”