Holzklasse (literally, wood class) refers to the cheapest ticket that used to be available on a German train. In the past, that meant spending the journey sitting on flimsy wooden planks. Today, the term is often used to describe economy flight tickets, where leg room seems to be continually shrinking. First class seats, like those pictured, come with a price.

Author: Breandáin O'Shea
Editor: Kate Bowen