Premier economy mix up...

[JulieHaydon]

My partner and I work very hard and we decided to treat ourselves to a holiday with seats in premier economy as we were flying long distance and my partner is tall.

Fine going out and we had a wonderful holiday.

Then coming back we were all sat down on the plane waiting to take off when parents got on with their young child. Again fine, if they've got the money to do that then good luck to them. A flight is public transport after all.

The problem was they boarded late and there was only two seats left. What the mix up was I don't know but as the child was four the flight crew would not allow him to be on one of his parents laps.

So they had the awful task of trying to get one or two people to swop down into economy to let them travel together in Premier - and no one would. We refused outright as did the other passengers. If it had been up to first class we and others would have gone like a shot but this was never on offer. Perhaps it was full.

It was the parents' attitude that amazed us. You'd think with a child they would have booked in early but they didn't they came late, and expected others to move to accommodate them. The woman was very large and said she needed a wide seat which was obviously true.

But as another passenger said "Why can't two people from economy be upgraded so that they can all sit together in cattle class? They were late after all so why should someone move when we've all paid so much more?" However they went on to refer to the mother as a "Fat lump with no manners, if you need a wide seat with your family then be on time boarding" which I don't respect - there's no need to be rude.

We were delayed for an hour because of them. I think they had to go down to economy to sit together as they wanted because two new people suddenly appeared and took their seats.

And I don't think this was unreasonable do you?

[MeerkatTargaryen]

Nothing to add about premium economy apart from its great.

Just to say, there is a concorde at Brooklands motor museum in Surrey for the concorde fans that still has a cabin setup. It also simulates takeoff. I wish I got the chance to fly on her

[BecauseIsaidS0]

I always wonder about the proper cutlery in Business/First. Because if you are a terrorist intent on crashing a plane, well, it's not like you mind paying for a first class ticket, is it?

[Ioethe]

Why can't one parent sit with the child in the booked seats and the other parent sit elsewhere?

[thekingfisher]

We flew VA to dubai over Easter in PE and def diff menu we had a choice of 4 things starter main course pudding etcetera also proper cutlery

We flew economy back so knew the difference

[HazleNutt]

It's ridiculous, isn't it, that your nail scissors will be taken away by security, but you will kindly get offered a full size metal knife and fork once you board. Because knives, when distributed on the plane, are totally different?

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

Yes, we flew BA Club last year and had proper cutlery. We've flown Premium Economy too, was better than Economy but not all that. How can I get to be a wittering/whittering chav?

[Chewbecca]

You do still get proper stainless steel cutlery on some services btw, BA club you do.

[chipshop]

We got upgraded to Premier Economy with BA on our flight to Australia, World Traveller Plus or something? Thanks to DP knowing someone at the airline. Liked the bigger seats and extra legroom. I can only sleep horizontal so no help with that. The food was terrible though, I survived on crisps and chocolate bars.

On the way back we were in Economy and it made me realise just how good PE had been. Didn't help that two extra large people were in front of us, aisle and window, a couple who had booked separate seats to have more room. A businessman turned up for the middle seat and went mental, refusing to sit there, he was rude about how big the couple were but there was just no room for him to be fair. He was moved.

The huge woman in front of me put her seat right back for the whole journey, apart from when I asked the stewardess to put it up for meals, which she kicked off about. She was totally wedged in her seat so the stewardess had to yank it forwards each time, sending my stuff flying.

I know it wasn't her fault but you get so little space in economy having her in front of me made the whole flight hellish. Worst flight ever.

[treadheavily]

I know it's not the point here but I have twice gotten on the wrong plane, once in NZ and once in LA. and in LA we were taken through the airport back rooms as a "fast track" then shepherded onto the wrong plane by a well meaning but hapless steward.

[fromparistoberlin73]

you suspended her, seems a bit harsh MN!

and this is alloowing so many to share that they travel BC, are chavs (yeh right)- priceless

this thread seems to be turning out to be rather useful for other people we'll leave it for now

how is people sharing that they travel BC useful, exactly?

[vindscreenviper]

where a breeder, sorry.

oh forget it, bloody tablet

[vindscreenviper]

Did you miss the OP's thread were a 'breeder' tried to bully her/him out of their seat on an unspecified mode of public transport Kew?

[BIWI]

Apparent first-time poster, lots of goading - think he/she deserves to be banned Kew

[WanttogotoDisney]

This is DD2 last month.

[Kewcumber]

Goodness can you be suspended just for being a bit of an arse?

[WanttogotoDisney]

Premium economy...nothing worth getting excited about. My four year olds find it outrageous if they don't get a fully flat bed for a long haul flight and a glass of champers before take off. But then they have flown business or first class since birth. Helps us to avoid wittering chavs like Julie Haydon not suggesting that other PE travellers are wittering chavs.

And we board when it suits us. First, last or anytime we fancy pulling the class 'card'.

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

I think Chuntering Chavs has a better ring to it.

This is one of those threads where the OP goes away confirmed in her belief that she is right and we are rightly so the Vipers nest, isn't it?

[ChoosandChipsandSealingWax]

Ah no, don't revoke her ability - she is far too entertaining! Hilarious read, and I now love being a withering /wittering chav (or Chavez, as my autocorrect would have it!)

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Hello Rowan.

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

Lots of you have reported this thread, so just to let you know; we've suspended the OP's ability to post for now, but as this thread seems to be turning out to be rather useful for other people we'll leave it for now.

Thanks
MNHQ

[ExitPursuedByABear]

I thought there was a separate bag check in. I am sure I have used it.

[BIWI]

PE to Barbados with Virgin is definitely a different menu from Economy - much better and not just about china/cutlery.

[bubalou]

When I flew London to Las Vegas on PE with Virgin we got given a menu to choose from with a main and a dessert list with 4 choices on each.

I loved PE with virgin and had a very good experience with very comfy seats, free champagne, the flight attendants came round with huge platters of fresh fruit and mini tubs of
Hagen Daz ice cream during the flight.

Looking forward to doing it again

[CiderwithBuda]

Premium economy definitely varies airline to airline. I've done it twice recently. To New York with KLM which was really nice. Food good althgh no idea if same as economy. Then BA to Sydney. Service was fine. Reasonably comfortable although obv not as comfortable as business or first. The food on the other hand was horrendous. You can def see they are cutting costs there. Disgusting 'breakfast' on the Singapore Sydney leg which consisted of a lurid synthetic strawberry yoghurt and a horrible muffin. Then on return ot of Sydney into Singapore the main meal wasn't too bad. Then a stale bread roll filled with some kind of meat and something else. Main meal out of Singapore was disgusting. Keep meaning to complain to BA actually.

Talk of horror at children in business reminds me on the time DH was waiting in business class lounge to board a flight from Europe to Asia. Large noisy extended family group with children arrive in and he realised they are on his flight. So he decided to use airmiles to upgrade to first. Guess where family were? Yes - first! How I laughed!

I would have loved to fly Concorde too. Used to see it fly past our office in Tolworth in Surrey - around 11 am I think. We have new neighbours and he was a Concorde pilot. He has lots of memorabilia around the house and sells signed photos on eBay!

[Stinkle]

Sorry, took ages to type so crossed loads of posts, didn't mean to repeat everyone else