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

[OfCourseIveNameChangedForThis]

Testing name change.

But why not be in different classes and still in adjacent seats, using the method I describe?

I think that the OP should offer those that those that end up looking after her children money for the child care.

I think elastamum has the best argument. Imagine having to evacuate without your children

She's buggered off, she knows she's going to do it anyway, just wanted a bit of a 'middle class angst' boast, so lets let her get on with it eh?

YABVU.

Besides, they will need an adult as they're under 16.

well said, formerdiva.

Ooo how the other half live!

I am absolutely loving the offence at cattle class. That is far more up yer own arse than flying business class. Priceless.

The main, perhaps only, thing that really, really bloody narks me about this is the 'poor stressed out husband needs to rest/be refreshed.

I am seeing so much of this shit on Mumsnet at the moment!

I work in very stressful, 'big' FT job and I don't require all this pandering and pampering that these ridiculous, enabled men seem to need!

Oh i'm with you proudnscary - it makes my teeth itch.

I don't know where people get "facts" from eg Besides, they will need an adult as they're under 16.

All UK commercial flights take 12Yos alone. In the US you fly from 5yo, alone provided it's direct destination and no changing needed, from 7yo if a change of planes

So for all you bubble wrappers with chronic paranoia about crashes, turblulence, paedophiles, peanut chokers and not being able to use the toilet without an adult wiping your 13yos backside - have a read

www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/family-travel/children-flying-solo

At the end of the day, children (and they are still children) are needy. They may not be in danger of injury, but they need adult input. And that adult should be a relative or paid carer, not some random stranger who happens to end up sitting next to them while parents laze around in business class.

But the op is not talking about kids flying solo, just about them offloading the kids so they can lap up some R&R whilst some other poor sod gets the responsibility (either implied or actual) of watching their little darlings.

Sorry Velma - cross posted....

Well I certainly wouldn't do it!

Can you not just pay for extra legroom and have an exit aisle, with the children sat in front or behind you.

It's not exactly a family holiday if the family are separated.

And no, I wouldn't want someone else's unsupervised child to look after either.

Why not just chose the type of holiday you can afford for the whole family rather than putting some members of the family as being more important than others?

Proudnscary I quite agree. I also work FT in a stressful and demanding job. Yes, it is difficult to sleep in economy and arrive in any way rested, but there is no way I would dump my travelling companions in cattle class and swan off to business. No way. I am just not that self-important.

What I find least appealing about OP and her DH is their lack of consideration for other passengers, both those in Economy who may have to deputize for these two self-important slackers, and those in Business who probably shouldn't have their flight disturbed by the two kids coming backwards and forwards between the two parts of the plane.

I'm not convinced that because there's a culture in the Middle East of booking Business for parents and Economy for kids that that justifies it here.

Cross-posted with eurochick.

It's not the time LeQueen. It's the fact that the father seems to think that he's worthy of stuff his children aren't.

Besides that I find all this holiday club activity camp stuff a bit odd, but maybe that's because we used to spend our holidays in a caravan.

No LeQueen - it doesn't. But there are few voices of reason on this thread and I don't expect one to be added to your sensible post. The hysteria and vitriol aimed at the OP is astonishing. I'd say a hefty proportion of the halfheads here either haven't read or haven't understood the OP and don't seem to mind who knows it. You think, reading some of this shit, that the parents were holidaying in St Lucia whilst sending the kids to the Somali border to whoop it up with some pirates. Unbelievable.

How the fuck do you know what the father thinks yellowraincoat? You don't. You are assuming and in a most unattractive judgey way.