Having flown between DC and Tokyo (and NOT getting the cushy VIP treatment) I can tell you that the flight flat-out sucked. If you’re going to fly that far you may as well spring for the good seats, but doesn’t sound like the experience is that much better.

I have done a 21 hour one-stop to Singapore in business class on Singapore Air (which is rated one of the top airlines in the world). I was in that small private upstairs level of a 747. My seat went completely horizontal. They gave me noise canceling headphones and I had my iPod set to all sorts of Trance and Classical. They fed me gourmet meals, and waited on me hand and foot. I drank gobs of water and I slept at least 10 hours.

Yet when I got there, I was still completely frickin useless for the first day anyway. It was like I was walking around in a dreamscape. No matter what you do to stave it off, your internal clock just can’t handle the fact that the sun is in the sky when it’s supposed to be 2am. Your brain is like, “WTF is going on here? This is all effed up!” Then when you come back, it starts all over again.

I was there for a week — I can’t even imagine having to do the turnaround in 96 hours with two strenuous physical days in there. The reality is, this is just patently unfair to any team that has to do it. Only someone who doesn’t have to make the trip could’ve dreamed this scheme up.

You know. All sanctimonious and everything. Huge hypocrite.