According to CEO Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways, which consistently wins top marks in the Skytrax World Airline Awards, won't have first-class seats on its long-haul aircraft. Al Baker claimed that while Qatar's business-class service offers many of the same benefits, investing in the most opulent seats is not justified.

It might be a risky strategy to pull first class from long-haul flights. It goes against the general industry trend where airlines like Air France, Qantas Airways, and Lufthansa have increased their focus on high-end services. According to Lufthansa, more travellers are seeking out unique treats, and the front of their aircraft is becoming more occupied than ever.

However, business class, which Qatar Airways has dubbed its "Q-suite" package, is where Qatar sees its future. For this reason, it will not be offering first class on its upcoming Boeing 777X aircraft. Once the airline replaces all 10 of its Airbus SE A380s, which currently still have 8 first class seats, the 777X aircraft will be the largest it operates.

Over the years, airlines have made introduced more cabins, fitting premium economy between business and economy seats. First class has become more of a 'halo' marketing ploy that are reserved for top executives or standard passengers looking to splurge on a one-off travel experience.