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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
HazleNutt · 17/02/2012 21:37

why would people have to put up with them LadyBeagle? Again, they are 10 and 13, not babies that some other poor passenger has to take care of. Surely if the OP is considering seating them separately then she knows they can behave?

and Zukie this is not about you. the DC of OP sitting separately does not equal child abuse.

LaBoccaDellaVerita · 17/02/2012 21:38

The reasons, IMO, don't even need to be sound tbh. The kids are quite old enough to amuse themselves and don't need to be 'babied' - they would surely welcome a bit of independance. If the parents want to sit in business then that is their choice, their business and for their benefit. Children do not need to be tied to their parents for ever and on every available occasion.

zukiecat · 17/02/2012 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

suebfg · 17/02/2012 21:41

It's just wrong.

TotemPole · 17/02/2012 21:42

Typical 10 & 13 year olds, don't need constant supervision. It depends on the length of the flight.

LaBoccaDellaVerita · 17/02/2012 21:42

No suebfg - it's not just wrong. It may be wrong for you - but that doesn't make it wrong for the OP or anyone else. Don't confuse the two.

LadyBeagleEyes · 17/02/2012 21:42

No, more d and v or something, you know those simple childhood illnesses that do happen, and which other paying passengers would feel obliged to deal with until Op came through to help. But she wouldn't be able to stay as she's already booked in Business class so I doubt there would be seat for her.
I'm ignoring her DH in this, he'll be sitting in the good seats dozing on his business class seat.
But bless, he did defer his bonus so he deserves it.

zukiecat · 17/02/2012 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

yellowraincoat · 17/02/2012 21:42

I just find it weird. I find it weird that parents would not want to be with their children on holiday. I find it weird that the parents are prioritising their needs over the children. I find it weird that people feed their kids chicken nuggets while they eat proper food. To me, it just seems like you're not really that into your kids and you've only had them because that's what people do.

sodapops · 17/02/2012 21:42

They don't have to sit seperately, Hazle, they choose to because the OP's DH couldn't bare to be stressed after a flight in economy!

If one of the DC did become ill, it is not 100% possible that the parents would be able to get to them. If the seat belt signs were on they would not be allowed out of their seat!

GColdtimer · 17/02/2012 21:42

Call me old-fashioned but I sort of thought family holidays were about spending time with your family. Why does anyone "need" to sit in BC anyway. My parents scrimped and saved for our annual jaunts away. I just cannot imagine them in a million years swaning off to sit in z different part if the plane.

suebfg · 17/02/2012 21:43

I am entitled to my opinion, as are others.

BobbinRobin · 17/02/2012 21:44

I would only consider it reasonable if you shared the four seats out as a family resource, as in 'we can afford two nice seats and two not so nice seats, and we'll all share them fairly', and give the children turns if they wanted them. Especially if they offered better computer games / headphones etc.

And for those saying 'kids like to have the independence of sitting alone' - yes (speaking from experience) they do, doesn't mean it's that great for those sitting near them though.

Maryz · 17/02/2012 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Herend · 17/02/2012 21:46

Oh i'm so glad you started this thread. Dh and I are considering it this year. Normally we all fly Upper Class but now both the children are over 12 it becomes ridiculously expensive.

I'll remember not to run this past the MN jury and just relaaaax in upp while the kids slum it in premium.

GColdtimer · 17/02/2012 21:46

When my brother was 14 he got a terrible bout of airsickness. The seatbelt signs were on because the turbulence was so bad. He was quite upset. Would you like to have been the person sitting next to him whilst his parents were living it up in business?

LadyBeagleEyes · 17/02/2012 21:49

Zukie, you make good points, but always end up apologising if someone disagrees.
Lesson 1 in your recovery, your points are as valid as every other bugger, say what you think And Never Apologise.
Sorry I sound like a bossy cow btw.

Yellowstone · 17/02/2012 21:53

Just extraordinarily self-centred parents.

swallowedAfly · 17/02/2012 22:01

you're not 30 seconds away. you are a stay in your seat and fasten seatbelts sign away from your children. so, no in the event of your child being ill you would not necessarily be able to get to them.

i've had the experience before where we've had to sit for an extra hour and a half on the tarmac without food or water at the end of a flight because there was a problem with the airport security being able to accept us into the airport. i've had unexpected detours mid air to another airport because of weather issues. i've been sat next to really unsavoury people. etc etc. i'd not leave my child to negotiate all of these possibilities without me because i fancied sitting in bc without them.

then there's the things that i've never experienced like someone kicking off violently and having to be restrained, hijacking, emergency landing, plane crash etc. these things all happen to someone even though they never think it will happen to them.

for me personally no matter how i tried to justify it to myself and say these things will never happen i wouldn't take the risk - you would never be able to live with yourself if an emergency did happen and you couldn't be there. those who are using the physical space as an indicator of how long it would take to get to them are being disingenuous - if the fasten seatbelt sign is on (as it would be in any emergency or violent disturbance etc) you are going nowhere.

zukiecat · 17/02/2012 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

northeastofeden · 17/02/2012 22:05

I think premium economy is fine for you all, it is only the states ffs not proper long haul like Australia etc.

I went Economy to NZ, and it was fine and I slept most of the way even with a very fat lady sitting next to me who spilled over into my seat (poor woman was soooooo embarrassed, I didn't mind at all, she was lovely and like a big perfumed pillow!)

So your DH needs to get over himself, he is behaving like a spoilt middle aged business man, a stint in economy will do him good.

TalkinPeace2 · 17/02/2012 22:05

a friend of mine commutes between florida and New England
I assume she flies first at all times
she emails tickets to her kids at boarding school so they can meet her wherever she is
if they were ill, she is thousands of miles away
is she wrong

or are you lot conflating teenagers travelling alone
and parents having limited air miles

swallowedAfly · 17/02/2012 22:06

anyway as i speculated earlier and another poster confirmed there are statutory rules that prevent this - the airline will not let them book seats apart from their children.

suebfg · 17/02/2012 22:08

Don't get us started on boarding schools ...

LadyBeagleEyes · 17/02/2012 22:09

Well stop now Zukie.
Slaps Zukie's hand,
Repeat after me
'My opinion is as valid as everybody else"
and considering the total wankers that appear on occasion, probably more valid Grin