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?

If I believed you, OP, I would think you were a pretty awful person.

Haha! Are you having fun winding people up op? No offence but surely you must realise most family's don't live like this! Who cares what opinions we all have? How can we know what your lifestyle is like? 7 hours away from Your kids sounds -like bliss- ok to me. I don't think the nanny will mind either! Just enjoy yourself and forget the rest.

lightbulbon it will be fine, there are 2 laps and it's possible that there may be spare seats. Honestly it'll be fine! It gets trickier after 2 because they are more active and Bigger.

I could see why the 2 year rule when I used the return on a ticket after ds turned 2.

dont rem reading that fluffy but most private school go back very early sept, tho do have 2 weeks ht so could be middle/end of sept

op - what date are you going and any reason why in autumn ie not a business trip combined with family/work etc

Who enjoys long haul flights in economy with kids?

You can't just cherry pick with kids. You have to take the rough with the smooth. I wouldn't say I love travelling economy with kids, but I would hate not to be sitting with them. I love seeing their faces when they look out of the window and their eyes light up.

Blondeshavemorefun - does it matter if she has permission to go during term time? Pretty sure OP can afford to pay any fines...

I can't see how her having permission or not has any bearing on the subject in hand, unless it's a question asked deliberately to insight lots of posters braying at what a despicable human being the OP must be to take her children out during term time without permission.

OK, have made it through the thread. Looks like lots are dubious about the situation. Sounds realistic to me, and many others have said it does happen. And everyone is assuming you're rich, but not necessarily if it is airmiles. Also, if you are flying on points you may well have difficulty getting more than two in business, which others might not realise.

If it's ba definitely get the child seat and have toddler in cw with you for 10% of the adult fare. And I assume you would be able to guest the nanny/kids into the lounge with you, there are children's rooms in some.

Other things that have been mentioned that I thought i would resuggest-

La compagnie fly from Luton to Newark. I got one of their introductory deals and it was good. Not the ba or Virgin experience, angled lie flat seat but champagne, lounge, space, and a great deal cheaper than normal business. Check it out, you might be able to all go in their all business service.

If you fly from Dublin you might be able to get much cheaper business deals, and can clear us customs before takeoff.

ah, but mumoftwo, I think that the seat payments depend upon op being able to utilise air miles/whatever, so no good if the co.you recommend isn't in a share with the company they're using?

And to the person who suggested the nanny and children board first - they can't. Definite hierarchy there and the parents may already be quaffing their first glass while the rest are still struggling along the walkway to the plane, including the nanny with babe on her hip...

Really, but really dismayed to return to the thread to find that another seat hasn't been booked. Advice falling on deaf ears?

But Autumn in New York is really lovely and we've pics of our dd feeding the squirrels in Central Park and having the horse carriage ride through it. Even tho she was saying "poor horsey looks very tired. Can we get him a carrot?"

And I assume you would be able to guest the nanny/kids into the lounge with you

Guest an economy class adult into the business class lounge?

I would be amazed if that were possible.

mumoftwo thank you SO much for pointing us to the companies website I've just had a quick look, fab prices which include all airport taxes? And flying out of Luton rather than thiefrow-doesn't get better than that! I've bookmarked it to sell the idea to dh. It looks brill for the four of us. Yippee!

jon I've said I will definitely be booking another seat for DS if we end up going, nothing has actually been booked yet!

DD's school has a two week half term in October, we'll be going in the second week which I believe is not the same week as the majority of schools.

As I said previously, we are not particularly rich, but my DH is forces so it makes sense for us to have a nanny or I wouldn't be able to keep working.

Those with small children can board first along with those in first then business. Most flights I'm on are going to Manchester so no first. It's only a few of the flights from JFK to LHR that have first.

badlad I've used the business class lounge while travelling in economy, passes are easy to buy and its do-able. But I'd still put the money towards another seat...

Oh right, op, I'd thought the seats were already booked. I'm leaving this thread now, so wishing all of you all the best for your trip. Hey! Might even see you in Central Park. Those other airline prices are a revelation!

I've learned something new then.

no digs about parents taking children out of school - i dont see the harm for a week tbh, but many schools wont give permission now, but as its HT then no need to worry :)

was just wondering why you wanted autumn

The thing is OP..... you mentioned the word Nanny. All these breast feeding until 5, pull ups until 6, will hate you anyway.

It depends on status with the airline, BadLad, as to bringing guests in.

Lightbulbon if there are two of you that is a lot easier than just one.

Do consider flying through Dublin though. It is so nice to just be able to walk through the airport on the US end. The alternative is a long queue when you are already tired and your toddler may be at the end of his or her rope. You can fly back direct to wherever in the UK you are heading.

OldFarticus business class on Emirates or any other airline is an expensive treat for everyone, and that means parents of small children who decide to shell out for it. Unless you pay the premium to travel on some of the very few airlines that offer 'child free' zones then you take what you get as far as fellow travellers go.

OP your nanny clearly hasn't either flown transAtlantic before or taken small children in cabin with her before, so any claims she makes that your holiday plans sound like a good idea must be taken with a large shovelful of salt. If she is to fly economy with the children then she will need both days immediately following the trip off (outbound and return). She will be wrecked.

Overall, I agree with Poppy's comments about taking the ideas of 6 yos seriously and maybe spending a little more time en famille would have taught you that. You do what you can, of course, but even so, DD is all of six. Could she pick out the US on a globe? Did you make an effort to narrow down what precisely she liked about the US or to get to the bottom of her fascination? It might well be that she wants to explore the UP of Michigan, see the odd bear, go fishing, etc. Or go to the lovely beaches of the Gulf coast. NYC has some nice playgrounds, but it's not the first place that springs to mind when you say 'holiday with children in the US', one of whom is a toddler presumably still in nappies, and in autumn especially, when you might be looking at rain or cold weather.

The trip is obviously for you and Dh rather than the kids. You've already picked three restaurants you want to eat in without them out of the five nights you're there. It's not really for the kids is it?

I think the last week of October is the most usual week for October half-term.

Coming in late to this and haven't RTFT, but I'd leave the nanny at home with the kids and have a few days with DH in NYC. There's little point in taking a 16 mth old anyway and perhaps sent nanny off on an internal UK flight to satisfy the 6yr old. Got to be easier.

Math I am not sure whether you and others on this thread are being deliberately obtuse or just misunderstanding what I am repeatedly saying. I have no problem with children in Business class. I fly frequently enough to have seen hundreds of them, in fact. I would expect those children (and their parents, and any adults in the vicinity) to behave respectfully and have consideration for others, which includes parents of noisy children being mindful that other passengers might not want to hear little Tabitha shrieking for the whole flight.

Some of you seem to be arguing for the right to be inconsiderate towards others. Which is hardly going to enhance the sum total of human happiness in any situation.

If I go out for a cheap burger and it's spoiled by badly behaved kids/adults then it's no big deal. If I go to a premium restaurant for a treat and spend $$$$$$ then I am going to be pretty fucked off if it's ruined. It's EXACTLY the same when flying. And apparently the airlines agree, because (as frequent fliers) we received literally thousands of air miles when DH complained about a noisy (and unsupervised) child in the Business cabin.

OldFarticus You may feel like that but that is because you can afford to eat in expensive restaurants or pay to travel business class. Why should those who don't have much money have to put up with noisy and badly supervised children (supervision won't be as good if there is only one adult with the toddler and six year old) while the parents of those children enjoy business class. At the very least the parents should look after the toddler during the flight.

Mary I agree - people should supervise their children and do their utmost to manage their behaviour everywhere - but the degree of annoyance is relative to the cost. I also get irritated when flying economy (i.e. the vast majority of the time, including last night as it happens!) when parents make no effort to manage noisy disruptive kids AND when adults (who should know better) are loud and obnoxious. Sometimes the disruption is not avoidable and that is fine. My argument is for MORE consideration, not less.

I am sure the OP's nanny is more than capable of managing two children (especially with 3 seats) and that the cabin crew will help. I am equally sure nobody on this thread would suggest that a lone parent didn't fly because there was a risk of disruption to others, but the OP has committed the cardinal MN sin of being reasonably well-off. People seem to want her to wear some kind of hair shirt because the scenario doesn't meet their parenting standards.

FWIW -and I am aware I am totally justifying my user name - DSis and I used to fly as unattended minors when our parents divorced. I was not much older than the OP's DD and DSis is a couple of years older. I seem to recall wearing a high vis vest, eating loads of boiled sweets and being really excited over the tiny tube of toothpaste in my toiletry pack. Of course it wouldn't happen now, but no therapy was required and no children came to any harm!