Rich Travelers Can't Stand Flying Anymore

Airlines make a lot of their money by selling pricey first-class seats to wealthy travelers. They might need to rethink this strategy, though, in light of a new survey that shows big-ticket travelers are turned off by the quality of the service they receive.

According to research by travel-focused market research firm PhoCusWright, a quarter of all fliers feel negatively about the air travel experience, while rich travelers are twice as likely to feel negatively about the service they receive.

This disconnect between the airlines and their luggage-toting cash cows is nothing new, according to airline industry consultant Bob Mann, but it's gotten worse in recent years.