To make nanny and DC travel economy?

[BooAvenue]

We are planning a trip to NY in the autumn and plan to take nanny, DD who will be 6 and DS who will be 16 months.

DH and I will be flying business, partially because I am a crap flyer despite flying frequently and partly because we have quite a lot of air miles that we want to make the most of.

The plan is to bring nanny on the 5 day trip so she can help out with the travelling and babysit for us on three of the nights. I've discussed it with her and she's very eager to come, and the plan is she will have 2 days and 2 evenings completely free to do as she pleases, plus TOIL of 6 days. We will of course pay for all hotels/flights/meals out and she's welcome to join in with us on her days off if she wishes. She also gets her own room whilst we have a 2 bed family room.

The difference between economy and club is about 2.5k per ticket, which whilst we are not poor is still a fair chunk of money.

So AIBU to fly business whilst she flies economy? And will DS need his own seat or will he need to go on one of our laps?

Have you discussed with your nanny the fact that you will be expecting her to look after your children by herself with one on her lap during the flight while you and your DH sit more comfortably in business class. It doesn't sound like much of a holiday to me? The whole thing seems very upstairs downstairs.

Rose with the greatest respect, get a fucking grip. What a bizarre, nonsensical rant!

That might have to do with the woman marrying for money along with the man thinking children should be seen and not heard. Twatish behaviour no matter what Blether.

Its only bizarre in your quarter paul and your dog

Ok... weirdo

Back at you. snob

What about all of you, parents children and nanny, going premium economy?

I know it is the nanny's job to look after the children but to do so in a lane, with minimal space and distractions is a hard task. I think you should book ds a seat in economy and share sitting with the children with your dh. But then I can't quite imagine how the nanny dynamic works in your family space.

Snob? I'm a single parent making 18K a year. I'm no snob, I'm just not bitter about others having good opportunities. Try meditation or something, might help with the anger and aggression.

Marynary it's only a daytime flight (I'm guessing) and IIRC approx 5 hour flight so during the flight and for a couple/few days off she'll be working and for the rest of the time TOIL and holiday for the nanny.

I've flown transatlantic business and economy class, no idea if it's worth it for young children as really only seen babies in economy class to NY. But if they sleep/get fed and get the necessary attention from the nanny and air hostesses then what's the problem?! Like the OP says too she's trialling it to see if it works... If not OP will hopefully rethink. It's not like OP knows things will be magically better or not if OP can help care for her DC or if they're in business class with her with or without the nanny.

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Only bit I don't get are posters saying you shouldn't bring kids into business. I bring my kids into business because I don't have a Nanny and I don't want to sit in Economy. If I had a nanny though I would do like the OP. Great opportunity for the Nanny to go to NY and get TOIL. Sounds like a good deal.

I have done this before as a nanny. No problem and I suspect most of those that object either wouldn't employ a nanny or don't understand that anyone in that position wouldn't truly expect it to be any other way.

Really Imperial? I was hoping for future threads so I could live vicariously through her.

I also think (sometimes I do wonder) why OP hasn't mentioned the care and class of nanny before now to her rather than asking randoms on the Internet?!

Thank the lord im not a nanny.
The thought of sitting behind a curtain like a prize prat looking after someones kids while the parents(my employers) are sipping champers to help with anxiety is terrible.
I have no idea what some mumsnetters do for a living but are clearly living in some kind of parallel universe to me.
One where they go on holiday and take a nanny to care for the kids (doesn't a nanny usually help while you are working? ).
A parent who acts like a sleb or something. Jetting off while someone else geafts with the kids?

Good lord, it's only a 6 hour or so flight. You can't cope with your own children for that length of time? Poor kids.

But really, it's hardy a long flight.

So imperial if this has been raised before here now what was the general opinion of MNers?

I work for an airline, what you're suggesting is very common, even standard practice when travelling with a nanny. I'd stretch to an extra seat for the little one if possible. Remember if you want baby in business with you at any stage you'll need to pay for the baby ticket in that cabin, not economy though. Also those suggesting DH swaps with nanny for a while doesn't work either, nanny doesn't have a business class ticket!

I do know non celebs like this though so wasn't actually surprised a the thread.

carmen - when we went to Dubai we were literally the only family who didn't have a Nanny with us. To be honest its probably no different from putting them in kids club to get a few hours break!

Boo if the nanny complains, will you hire me instead? I'll hold both the kids on my lap there and back in economy if I got that kind of holiday out of it!

And I disagree that its meant to be as some kind of enjoyment for the nanny.going on holiday with boss even if they were lovely is not a bloody holiday! And working in between too. Sounds like a shit deal and just a way of OP getting a babysitter on tap.

I find the thought quite...distasteful...tbh. I can't think of a better word to use.

Sitting with DH in Business whilst the nanny sits with the dc in Economy brings to mind Downton-Abbey esque childraising where the dc are not included and are brought to mama and papa when convenient. It seems kind of detached. And if my dc were going on their first (in their memory) plane trip then I would want to be with them, both for the experience of it and for safety/peace of mind and so on.

I would have no problem in going to NY with dh alone for a long weekend and leaving the dc with nanny/grandparents completely. I don't believe that young children will melt if left with other caregivers for a few days and they don't permanently need to be attached to my apron strings.

But to be on the same plane and sit away from them...no. If funds allowed, I would sit us all in Business or first. If not then we'd all sit in Economy.

And it's not just because of the dc either. Yes, most nanny's would jump at the chance of a free trip. If I was a nanny and it was a 'travel in Economy or don't go' scenario then i'd be biting your hand off. If I was buying the nanny/au pair an airline ticket as a gift/perk and they were going alone then i'd not hesitate to buy an Economy ticket.

But you're inviting her. As a guest, to join you in the hotel and on trips and outings, employee or not. To sit in business on the same flight as her sitting in economy, because you frankly don't think she 'deserves' the same spent on her is just rude. And yes, very upstairs/downstairs in mentality. Either include her, with all that that entails, or don't.