My niece is getting married in Australia in January, obviously we will go to the wedding. We will fly down just after Christmas so the whole family will fly together, which sounds lovely buts it’s actually not at all.
I would say we can be split into 3 groups.
Group 1
DSD and her BF - Travelled with them a few times before, it’s chaos. They get to the airport early, somehow still nearly miss their flight, get distracted people watching for over an hour, dilly dally like the plane is waiting for them.
DH also hates spending too much time with them as despite being together for a good while now and not being teens (they are 24 and 27) he still looks at her like she hung every star in the sky and constantly bites his lip/grins. They are also ridiculous for PDA.
Group 2
My DH, myself, my mum, my DS
Fairly normal, arrive at a normal time, no rush but no sightseeing route either. Minimal stress, maximum efficiency.
Group 3
My dad, my DD, DSS and DSS’s gf
Never on time to anything, don’t know where their passports are, run through the airport like they are going for Olympic gold and always last on the plane (unless group 1 got distracted or have decided stopping to kiss is more important than the flight).
On the plane the story flips
Group 1 are suddenly tolerable, they hardly speak, will share earphones for music and are pretty relaxed.
My mum however becomes a nightmare, she is the only woman on earth who can talk for 24 hours straight, nothing is good enough for her, she will tell you the same story 12 times just new wording and gets offended if you stop listening.
My Dad and DSS and DS, all ridiculously loud, no concept of the idea we might just want to sleep and think that discussing the ethics of killing nazis in world war 2 is an appropriate flight conversation.
My DH thinks we all just fly separately, everyone is an adult, we will give ticket money to the kids who are still students and then leave everyone to sort themselves out.
While I think this would be more personally enjoyable. I also know that DSD and her bf just won’t make the flight too distractible and every member of group 3 will lose something, bag, passport, will to live etc.
So AIBU to think we all need to travel together even if it’s frustrating or do I wish everyone luck and enjoy a calm flight with my DH?