to put the children in economy while DH and I fly business class?

[OfCourseIveNameChangedForThis]

Testing name change.

If my parents did that to me I would have concluded that I was an inconvinience to them i.e they don't really love me. Honestly I feel sorry for your kids. Why don't you stay with them?

Amazed that people object so much to parents enjoying themselves at the minuscule expense of their children.

this debate is getting silly and it doesnt matter if these children are going to a 6 star hotel with ontap butlers , Putting children in economy class because Daddy is stressed , is indulgent and neglectful and selfish , mum will spend her time moving back and forward making sure her children are ok or maybe not just let an airsteward do it eh as long as they are seen in BC , and i said neglectful not neglected which is different ,

Also, big difference between being forced to sit separately and making a deliberate decision to.

(Not to mention if you are flying budget, passenger expectations are in line with what you pay and the level of service you are getting. You fly long haul, you pay more and expect a better experience.)

I can't be arsed to read all 9 pages so apologies if it has moved on since the OP.

Just saying that my Mom and Dad did this once when I was a child. In their case they were offered an upgrade for themselves at check-in while us kids (ages ranging from about 12 to about 8) stayed in economy.

We were self-sufficient as we flew transatlantic all the time (family both sides of the pond).

Can't see the harm as from the childs point of view it is exciting to have a bit of independence and feel grown up and the seats in economy are a reasonable size for children so they will be perfectly comfortable in them.

As long as you trust them not to run amock in economy and you pop back regularly to check on them.

I imagine that most of these 9 pages have been posts of horror at the idea though.

I woukd bloody object to the parents enjoying themselves at my expense if I was stuck next to their kids.

If I was the op I woukd object to having such a wet husband.

Yeah I'd love to fly business and ignore my kids for a few hours while I sipped champagne and ate nice food.
However, they're my children and my responsibily.

If I found myself sitting next to unaccompanied children I would happily keep an eye on them. If I found that their parents were on the same flight but had booked themselves in BC deliberately I'd be mighty pissed off. Not my role to superb

I'm learning

I don't think I would feel compelled to assist the children if I were next to them so it really wouldn't bother me.

I wouldn't do it. We like to travel together. They are nice kids.

I haven't a terribly rational reason for the fact that it would make me uncomfortable but it would. There are adult based things like fine dining that seems to lend themselves to an adult treat that is not suitable for a child. But this just seems to be saying 'we deserve something this good but you two can sit back there'.
My DD is 9. I am perfectly content that she would cope. But she would certainly enjoy it less and feel slightly more anxious than if she sat with us so I wouldn't for that reason either.

Dh suggested I took first class seats for our next trip I have never travelled first class/upper class and my back is crap so I could do with a bit more room. But tbh the flight is quite nice. So I would rather we were together.

There seems to be an assumption that the kids will be trouble on the flight. This is a massive assumption. Some (many?) children at 10 and 13 are perfectly capable of sitting watching films, eating their meals and taking themselves to the toilet on a flight without any inconvenience to others around them. I have seen them do it and I did it myself when I was a child.

Only OP knows whether her children are the type to be the same.

I am sending DD (7) to Summer Camp in the US for three weeks next summer (with her brother, who is 14). Obviously I didn't deserve to be a mother and social services ought to grab her from me and have her adopted

Well, she is leaving them behind in the back of the plane for random strangers to deal with....

Ever had a kid sitting next to you and accidentally elbowing their juice all over you?! [pissed off emoticon]

Yea, lovely, sitting in your seat with wet trouser legs for the next X hours....NOT!

Adults knock over drinks too. Children of these ages are scarcely helpless

Le queen you are now making yourself look daft even with your [face] . I dont think you get what other people are saying but thats alright would be a boring forum if we all though the same , This isnt about having a break from children but i really cant be arsed anymore ,

Three million people in this country are unemployed, thousands of kids live in crap housing, the world is going to hell in a handcart and there are nearly 500 (+1) arguing about this person's travel arrangements. Surreal.

Yes but chanderella the person next to your kids woukd quite possibly feel compelled to help. ESP a 10 year old.

I have a very well behaved 10 year old. I still see him as my responsibility & wouldn't assume that someone else should step in.

Sounds good, LeQueen. I wouldn't have sent DD quite so early if she were on her own, but with her big (and competent, well-travelled) brother I'm sure she'll be just fine. She has seen her brothers go off to camp etc in England, Australia and Canada for the last four years and she's a bit "And what about me?" so I think it's time. The camp we have chosen is supposed to be fabulous...

OK I'm back and have read through the posts.

I have genuinely taken on board the comments, and was also amused by the pisstaking.

I think most points have been covered. I don't know what we'll be doing yet, but I am definitely aware that this is a large proportion of MN who think this is a bad idea and that DH and I are twattish parents for even thinking about it.

Will be changing back to my normal name shortly and will try and be a little less controversial.

I've not had a good MN flaming like this before.