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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

860 replies

OfCourseIveNameChangedForThis · 17/02/2012 11:50

Testing name change.

OP posts:
aquashiv · 17/02/2012 20:40

I would be bringing this up in counselling if I were your children. It has nothing to do with the cost v luxury its more how you see your children versus you and your husband. Gee is this a windup?

HazleNutt · 17/02/2012 20:42

10 and 13 year olds do not need "looking after". totally YANBU.

Coconutty · 17/02/2012 20:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bogeyface · 17/02/2012 20:47

Hazlenutt, until one of them throws up. Then I would like to hear the opinion of everyone around them and the cabin crew when it is clear that mummy and daddy are in business class and left them to it.

A family holiday is just that, for family. If your DH wants to go longhaul then he must accept travelling economy. If he insists on business then he must accept a cheaper holiday. Simple as.

dustwhatdust · 17/02/2012 20:48

OP sounds like a good idea to me !

I remember flying with my brother ( same age difference ) sitting away from our parents and we loved it !

squeakytoy · 17/02/2012 20:51

My DC are incredibly well behaved but when they are tired or bored they do bicker. It's "don't touch me, don't breathe on me, stop talking, get over your ownside, turn your music down

sounds just like me and my husband on a long haul flight Grin

lisbethsopposite · 17/02/2012 20:51

I saw this scene 1 time on TV, where a little boy sat on the floor watching TV while his father sat nearby reading the paper. The little boy was wearing headphones. I forget what the programme was about but this image made me SO sad.
and I wasn't a mother at the time.
Your story reminds me of this.
YABU

HazleNutt · 17/02/2012 20:53

Bogey and 10 and 13 are not able to grab an airsickness bag themselves and ask cabin crew to help if they miss? OP didn't mention anything about special needs.

Kids are small and flexible, they can easily survive economy. I could at that age. I can't any more and would really rather not travel. If DC can choose to be separated for the duration of the flight or do not go at all, which would they choose?

squeakytoy · 17/02/2012 20:53

aquashiv Fri 17-Feb-12 20:40:30
I would be bringing this up in counselling if I were your children. It has nothing to do with the cost v luxury its more how you see your children versus you and your husband. Gee is this a windup?

what??? like "mummy and daddy took us to america for two weeks, but we had to travel with the poor people while they went in the posh part"..

get a fucking grip for gods sakes...

M0naLisa · 17/02/2012 21:00

Well if yoy dh can't sit on a long haul flight in economy go to spain where you cann sit together. He sounds like a selfish prick tbh. and.not read all of thread.
Yabu.

TalkinPeace2 · 17/02/2012 21:02

WOW
what do you guys think of the fact that I used to fly transatlantic on my own from the age of 4 ???

marriedinwhite · 17/02/2012 21:03

Am late to this. Your opening post says it all for me. You want a close to the top of the range long haul holiday. This year you can't quite afford it for the whole family for all of the time. Therefore, as it's your family holiday, you chose one that you can all participate in all of the time. That might mean long haul, three star, economy for all or it might mean somewhere in Europe but higher quality.

It would be different if your dh's firm was paying his fare for business reasons and he was flying business and needed to be fresh for meetings and you were accompanying the dc in economy.

zukiecat · 17/02/2012 21:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

marriedinwhite · 17/02/2012 21:05

TalkinPeace2 - I think flying at 4 on an assisted basis because you were on your own would have been fine. It wouldn't have been fine if your parents had been on the same flight and left you with the steward/ess in economy whilst they sipped champagne in first.

TalkinPeace2 · 17/02/2012 21:07

and it has to be said I had a BLAST
when I had to fly with mum I was WELL NARKED that my perks vanished!!!

suebfg · 17/02/2012 21:09

For Christ's sake, if you can't afford it for all your family, then buy cheaper tickets. It's hardly a big sacrifice to fly economy or premium economy - the States isn't that far.

suebfg · 17/02/2012 21:11

I'm beginning to think this is a total wind up as I can't believe anyone would even consider this and if it isn't a wind up, you need a reality check.

squeakytoy · 17/02/2012 21:11

Actually my pyschologist would say that parents putting themselves in first/business class while the children had to fly economy, was showing the DC that they were considered inferior, and worth less than the parents

All leading to low self esteem and feelings of being inferior in adult life

Sorry Zukie, but that is absolute psychobabble tosh... I grew up knowing that as a child, adults got the chairs, kids sat on the floor if there were not enough chairs... adults had the right to a lot more luxuries than the kids.. it was the way I, and all my peers were raised.... we didnt get upset, because we knew that when WE were adults, it would be OUR turn to make the decisions...

These are two kids who are getting a holiday in America.. something that most kids can only dream about. Kids dont give a toss about going in business class, and would probably think it a bit poncey.. they will be more than happy to be free from their parents, to play playstation and watch movies for the duration of the flight.

When I was a kid and we went to the chippy for a treat, my dad would have scampi... back then that was "posh".. but seeing as my dad was the one who went out to work 6 days a week, for 12 hours a day, enabling us to be able to afford the chippy in the first place, nobody begrudged him having a "treat"...

I have certainly never felt the need to go to counselling to moan about how hard done to I was as a child...

missingmumxox · 17/02/2012 21:11

radical plan, last christmas due to the snow and canx flights we luckly got standby on an air france flight to Paris from Boston, (we wanted London but beggars can't be choosers) me and Dts 5 yr olds got premium economy or business class not sure which DH got to go in Economy, isle seat, he was of the opinion he had the best deal as I had to deal with the children, I still haven't told him they slept the entire journey Wink

TotemPole · 17/02/2012 21:14

It depends on the length of the flight. How well behaved the children are. How used they are to flying. How far is BC from economy/premium.

feedbackforfree · 17/02/2012 21:15

I knew of a husband and wife who used to travel separately in the hope that the wife could get an upgrade to business class. His flights were paid for by his work and they used to book her "coach". They used to get a free upgrade for her more often than not! Cheeky buggers.

However, to your original question, I think you are being a little unreasonable. All travel together!

squeakytoy · 17/02/2012 21:16

How far is BC from economy/premium

A curtain and about ten feet away... lol!

lesley33 · 17/02/2012 21:17

Totally depends on the size of the plane - it can be 80 feet?

zukiecat · 17/02/2012 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squeakytoy · 17/02/2012 21:19

it is a plane, not a cruise liner... if there was an emergency, the parents could be summonsed in less than a minute..