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This man says he's cracked how to fly first class for economy prices (he hasn't)

*Kind of. In a way. Not really at all, actually.

HENRY BLODGET FLEW from New York to London the other day.

All else being equal, he says “I would rather fly Business Class or First Class than Economy Class”. Wouldn’t we all?

“But all else is distinctly not equal. So I don’t.

“Happily, with some help from a friend, I have finally figured out how to fly First Class for the price of coach.

“(I’m not advocating this method for anyone else, by the way.)”

My upgrade adventure was a gradual process that began in the airport lounge. To get to the lounge, I strolled through the gleaming new Delta Terminal at New York’s JFK. For the first time in decades, parts of this American airport don’t look like they belong in the third world.

JFK1

I then began the transformation from Economy to First Class. It was a simple process. I removed from my satchel a little box my friend had given me …

it-was-while-i-was-juicing-from-the-outlets-and-admiring-the-terminal-details-by-the-way-that-i-began-the-transformation-from-economy-to-first-class-it-was-a-simple-process-i-removed-from-my-satchel-a-little-box-my-friend-had-given-me- Businessinsider Businessinsider

In the box was a sleeping pill. It apparently costs about $2. I swished it down.

in-the-box-was-a-pill-it-apparently-costs-about-2-i-swished-it-down Businessinsider Businessinsider

It was time for me to stop looking around and, instead, complete the transformation of my Economy experience into one that rivaled the “fully flat beds” and hours of snoozing that you sometimes get in Business and First Class …

but-it-was-time-for-me-to-stop-looking-around-and-instead-complete-the-transformation-of-my-economy-experience-into-one-that-rivaled-the-fully-flat-beds-and-hours-of-snoozing-that-you-sometimes-get-in-business-and-first-class- Businessinsider Businessinsider

Ensconced in my coach seat, headrest flaps extended, I removed the second piece of critical First-Class-for-the-price-of-Coach equipment from my satchel. It was an eyeshade from a long-ago-and-far-away Business Class flight. I donned the eyeshade, and rested my suddenly groggy head against the headrest flap …

EYE

The next six hours basically disappeared. I do have vague memories of bodily readjustments, odd dreams, and my mouth hanging as wide open as a grouper’s.

But the next thing I really remember is this: The approach to Heathrow, in full daylight.

but-the-next-thing-i-really-remember-is-this-the-approach-to-heathrow-in-full-daylight Businessinsider Businessinsider

Minutes later, we pulled up at the gate in London. I had gotten nearly six hours of sleep. Unprecedented — and way more than I got on a “fully flat bed” Business Class flight I took last year. That little $2 pill had transformed my Economy flight into First Class. I may never fly without one again!

PLANEPULL

So, there you have it. Is sleeping through a flight just the same as having a full-length bed, nice food and staff at your beck and call? Blodgett thinks so.

Read: Why is aeroplane food so bad?

Read: These amazing colour photos show what luxury air travel was like 80 years ago

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    Mute TonyFlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:03 PM

    What the f*co did I just read?

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    Mute Paul O'Neill
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:19 PM

    One of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read…so basically take a sleeping tablet. Cheers for that.

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    Mute Leo Galvin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:37 PM

    I’d say the author took some sort of pill before he sat down to write that sh*t

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    Mute Byyys
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:24 PM

    No a mention about the Air France flight AF-733 that was enroute from the Dominican Republic to Paris with 156 passengers and crew on board when it declared a mayday emergency. it reported a possible fire on board and requested to divert to Shannon. it landed shortly before 10am this morning.

    The Boeing 747-400 built-in fire extinguishers activated in the cargo hold, its believed that heat from a cargo full of vegetables activated the jet’s sensitive fire system.

    Instead you go with a story about how to fly while taking a sleeping pill…. Genius!

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    Mute James Connely
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:10 PM

    Stupid article and a clickbait headline to boot.

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    Mute Chris Jordan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:14 PM

    Jesus, is that really a journal story!? 2 mins of my life I will never get back!

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    Mute Ross Kiely
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:28 PM

    How do you report a story and not a comment??

    406
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    Mute Andy Patton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:15 PM

    WTF is this bullsh*t?

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    Mute Ricki Brennan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:23 PM

    Makes me want to uninstall this app

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    Mute Paul Nolan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:07 PM

    What just happened…

    275
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    Mute Kevin Gallagher
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    Bloody hell TheJournal, that was pathetic

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    Mute paul compton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:05 PM

    Rohypnol ?

    217
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    Mute Biscuits Patinkin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 10:19 PM

    Date rape YOURSELF all the way to first class.

    24
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    Mute Tatjana Kytmannow
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:41 PM

    Really stupid and dangerous advice. Any sleeping pill which is strong enough to knock you more or less out for six hours in an uncomfortable position has potentially serious side effects. For example, taken with any alcohol, or an antihistamine, you might never wake up again. Not moving at all in economy class can lead to a blood clot. Additionally, if you take heavy duty drugs without prescription you might get arrested. I also hope a responsible person picked this eejit up after landing because he would be a danger to himself and others only six hours after taking this meds.

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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:24 PM

    God you must be an absolute nightmare for any unfortunate seat mates on a plane…

    ,

    34
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    Mute Alan Duncan
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:39 PM

    That was truly pathetic…Clearly a slow day at the office

    163
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    You could at least give us the name of the pill!

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    Mute Davin Lynch
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:37 PM

    Zopiclone 7.5mg. Goodnight.

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    Mute Cian O Donoghue
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:50 PM

    I recommend Stilnocht. Not too heavy but works a treat.

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    Mute Bruce Wayne
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:31 PM

    So that’s why they shoot up heroin on the luas, for the first class experience.

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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:16 PM

    So I’m flying from Prague to Dublin tomorrow… expect a story in the Journal about “The Irish Man who wouldn’t wake up”

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:38 PM

    What ……. Who ……….. When. wTF

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    Mute Al Smith
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:07 PM

    Proton pill? Roger Ramjet used to take them but they made fly too.

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    Mute Jacqui O Gorman
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    Eh……

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    Mute Kevin Carroll
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:29 PM

    Wow. Literally the worst article I have ever read!

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    Mute Leslie Skinner
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:51 PM

    He should have took 100 of them,doziest story i have ever read

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    Mute Rory Patrick
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:26 PM

    Business Insider is like the Daily Sport of Business Media except the only tits involved are the authors

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    Mute Tom McCarthy
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:28 PM

    ?

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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:16 PM

    This year… Flown Business on American, British Airways, Cathay and Qantas plus First on Cathay and BA.

    Once you turn left you’ll never want to go back

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    Mute Al coholic
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:42 PM

    I paid €10 to board early with ryanair your move.

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    Mute Drew
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:12 PM

    What’s a ‘Ryanair’?

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    Mute Al coholic
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:13 PM

    Green thumb for you sir

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    Mute Niall Downes
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:59 PM

    No wonder the author remained anonymous on this article, dreadful tripe altogether.

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    Mute Paul Shannon
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:01 PM

    Christ remind me never to take business advice from the journal if the business insiders best article is about taking a $2 sleeping pill before a flight.

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    Mute keith palmer
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    Dec 14th 2014, 6:55 PM

    Apparently this is part of the new James Bond movie script which was stolen in the Sony hack!!

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    Mute All Aboard To China
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:29 PM

    Call the cops!

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    Mute John Condon
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    Dec 14th 2014, 8:12 PM

    Idiot

    11
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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Dec 14th 2014, 7:28 PM

    Why has the headline been changed? ???

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    Mute Michael Flavin
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    Dec 14th 2014, 10:55 PM

    My eyes are bleeding after reading that

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:22 PM

    Malatonin?

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    Mute Andy Patton
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    Dec 14th 2014, 4:30 PM

    *Melatonin. And no – it’s probably valium or xanax.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Dec 14th 2014, 5:07 PM

    Melatonin did wonders for me on a trip. Out cold for the whole flight – London – SF.

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    Mute Stephen Doyle
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    Dec 15th 2014, 12:01 AM

    Another Pulitzer Prize in the bag for the journals investigative reporters

    6
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