Embarrassed and upset. Was I wrong?

[fatandembarrassed]

Nc for this

I recently had to take an 11 hour flight. I'm quite pregnant at the moment - not close to my due date, but it's very obvious and I am pretty big now. I was cleared to fly but warned that I must walk about as much as possible.

I didn't have much notice of this flight and so didn't have spare money, so I booked an economy seat next to the toilet, for obvious reasons, and with extra legroom. It was fine, but about 4 hours into the flight, I realised my ankles were swelling, so I got up and started to walk about a bit.

I felt a bit embarrassed, but I was in a fair bit of pain with my ankles and Braxton Hicks contractions, so I persevered very slowly and in complete silence, making my way along the aisles which wasn't easy in Economy as it was very tight. I then walked up and down the Business Class aisle. Nobody looked up or seemed disturbed by me, and it was easier to walk, so I walked up and down that section twice which took me about five minutes.

Next thing I knew, a male flight attendant marched up to me, put his hand on my arm and told me that I was disturbing passengers who had paid more than me, and that I might be pregnant but it was 'not an excuse' to 'make a disturbance'. I was quite shocked to be told I was disturbing anyone - I was very quiet and slow, and there for less than 5 min.

I was really upset to have him talk to me like that, both touching me and implying that I was just being a 'nuisance' to people who were clearly 'better' than me. I ended up crying because I was so humiliated (hate having to walk anyway and draw attention to myself), in horrible pain and having contractions.

Was I being unreasonable here? DH is very upset that I was treated like this and I really didn't think I was doing anything terribly wrong.

Chalk it up to there will always be petty people with zero empathy in the world. Remember all the nice and kind people you have come across and let it go.

It's not economics unless you're a mega earner. It's a perk, a very nice one and justified sometimes as frequent travel for work is exhausting ime. But rubbish that the work you can do while in business va economy outweighs the extra cost. Say, New York to London is about 7 hours, bc costs about £1000 more. Let's say you can get 2 hours work done in economy vs 6 hours in business? You'd have to be on £250 an hour to make it simple economics. Very few people are worth that much. And they're not doing very much work if they're looking up at people who may be walking down the aisle to see if they're economy or bc passengers!!

I think she also factored the cost of being able to work when you get to your destination, instead of being knackered and jet-lagged, since business class let's you get so much more rest than steerage class.

Well it's one or the other. Either you're working or you're sleeping so you can work on arrival. Still more cost effective for most people to have a rest day when they arrive.

My old employer did a reassessment of business class travel. Previously they had a generous policy which went to no business unless extenuating circumstances because they found it was just not cost effective. Of course people kicked up a stink about important they were and how they needed to work in bc etc but policy went through and they ended up saving shed loads of money.

Like I said, it's a perk. It's a legitimate perk for those who often have to travel a lot but it's not simple economics unless you're a top top earner.

Well it's one or the other. Either you're working or you're sleeping so you can work on arrival. Still more cost effective for most people to have a rest day when they arrive.

My old employer did a reassessment of business class travel. Previously they had a generous policy which went to no business unless extenuating circumstances because they found it was just not cost effective. Of course people kicked up a stink about important they were and how they needed to work in bc etc but policy went through and they ended up saving shed loads of money.

Like I said, it's a perk. It's a legitimate perk for those who often have to travel a lot but it's not simple economics unless you're a top top earner.

Well it's one or the other. Either you're working or you're sleeping so you can work on arrival. Still more cost effective for most people to have a rest day when they arrive.

My old employer did a reassessment of business class travel. Previously they had a generous policy which went to no business unless extenuating circumstances because they found it was just not cost effective. Of course people kicked up a stink about important they were and how they needed to work in bc etc but policy went through and they ended up saving shed loads of money. They were right. Of course bc is much nicer than economy but I never managed to just go straight to sleep or work solidly to make it worth the money. I'm sure some people do but lots are like me and others spend their time policing pregnant women walking the aisles.

Like I said, it's a perk. It's a legitimate perk for those who often have to travel a lot but it's not simple economics unless you're a top top earner.

Hmmm. So I guess the 'failed to post' message wasn't quite true then

I agree that it's a perk, but I think it is likely to be more productive while you're working on the plane, and while you get off, because of the greater physical comfort. I imagine someone working on their laptop on a transatlantic flight arrives feeling more refreshed and awake than someone trying to sleep in steerage. I agree with you that the productivity of the employee would have to be high to make business class "financially worthwhile" but I wouldn't say it's one or the other.

Nothing to do with earnings pipi. My firm charges me out at $800 an hour. (This is not what I "earn!" ) I got 8 hours work done on a 14 hour flight last week - more than offsetting the cost. I slept/ate the rest of the time and went straight into meetings (also chargeable) at the other end. It would be nuts not to fly bc in those circumstances. All other things being equal I fly ecomomy.

Perk or not, only bc passengers should be in the bc section.

I always negotiate the flight allowance with the agent before taking a job. It's not a peek it's a component of my contract along with hoysing, medical insurance and school fees.

For example this contract I am termed "grass widow" meaning they only have to support me so 2k a month saves them?. It means they can make me offshore at short notice. No pension or a brilliant gratuity but tax free cash salary. Its not a perk because family sponsorship would cost them a shitload more. As it stands I am in a hotel instead of a home which is a bit crap. But makes me a cheap date

Exactly Betsy - I used to feel guilty about my flight costs but then I realized how many of my colleagues have 2 or 3 kids in school and the firm is paying extortionate fees. Nobody calls that a "perk" or bangs on about those costs. I don't get a salary uplift because I have no kids so they can keep coughing up for bc - horses for courses.

You don't get bc because you have no kids...your colleagues with kids aren't giving up bc because their company may or may not be paying school fees (presumably this is on an expat contract, if you're home based few employers would pay school fees).

You don't need to feel guilty, it's a very nice perk to have but I doubt it's saving your firm money to supply it.

Certainly not if you're policing the aisles for pregnant women from economy rather than working ;)

I do, 2 actually. But I work solo. My husband has a less demanding job and is based on another Emirate on a family residency.

My husband is a headmaster and so gets the holidays off. So my current company is saving a fortune.

Not all female expats are trailing spouses.

Did anyone say they were?!

I didn't say it was because I had no kids - and I certainly wouldn't "police the aisles" FGS. That's what the flight crew do, as the OP aptly demonstrates.

And unless you are really numerically challenged, it's quite obvious that bc does save money in professional services firms. Or at least, minimizes losses. For another thing, its impossible to maintain confidentiality (quite important in my job) in ecomomy when 5 or 6 people can see your laptop at any given time....

It's simple really, nothing to do with kids. The reason people fly business class is either because they are rich or because they have a job that provides it. Either way, it's something that people get very silly about. I don't know why, it's just not a big deal. I chose my career partly because of the lifestyle I wanted and an overseas life. I doubt I would have been satisfied being a teachers wife. It's probably not easy to explain to an angry left wing parenting forum!