to feel a bit shit that they're making me fly alone?

[SF25]

My mum, dad, sister, brother, niece and I are all going to New York for Christmas (can't wait, have never been before!) I admit that they are in much better jobs than me and do have more money. They're all deciding to fly First, I admit, I'm extremely jealous. There is no way in hell could I afford to pay the extra few thousand pounds!! I have tried asking my mum if they could maybe fly with me and they say that I should have saved throughout the year (mainly my brother and sister) but I just don't have enough to save!! Especially just so I can fly first (as lovely as it looks). It means I do the whole airport faff on my own, as they go to a separate bit. It's not that I can't fly alone, but it feels a bit shit. Especially as DC are with their dad this Christmas. BTW, we were all flying economy (which is when they gave me a price and I said I'd love to come) then they upgraded.

Feel a bit crap tbh.

[SEsofty]

Also, first is an extra £5k each way so £10k for return flight. Your family must have a lot of extra spare cash to be able to spend £50k on flights.

Business is an extra £2-3k each way, so £5k in total.

It is the sheer amount of money which the rest of the family are spending which suggests that there may be lots of other extra expenditure. Eg are you sure about hotel costs? Eating out ?

[elvis86]

Sorry namechange102 but I don't buy that. Why would it be once in a lifetime? Have the whole family except the OP received a windfall paid out in notes that can only be redeemed against First Class flights and that self-destruct in January?

Just because everyone else can afford it, why should their desire to fly First trump the OP's feelings? It's just a shitty thing to do. At the very least they should have positioned this with the OP from the start, and then she'd have had the choice to decline to go.

If they're spending thousands on flights with zero consideration for the OP and a "if she can't afford it - tough" attitude, I'd be very concerned that this may also apply to activities / meals etc.

[aprilanne]

to be honest i would never as a mother say sorry darling you are in the cheap seats and i am first class .they could have all chipped in and you all went business class instead i personally would tell my mother what i thought and stay at home

[namechange102]

But surely hotel rooms are prebooked, so OP isn't going to be in the basement while the rest of the family is in the penthouse...
I would think they would also be able to find mutually suitable places to eat, OP said she has money to spend while there, I can't imagine they would choose to do activities which are massively more expensive than discussed when organising the trip...

[namechange102]

Do you know what, Elvis? I don't know why, neither do you. Unless OP asks and they tell , she's never going to know either. Perhaps she should. Let's just hope they all stick together for the rest of the trip and have a lovely time. Some of us can't even afford an economy flight this Xmas, so it's not all bad.

[Longislandicetee]

I didn't think you could upgrade from Economy to First. I know you keep saying First, but I didn't think you could do upgrade more than 2 classes, and First is 3 classes above Economy - Premium Economy, Club then First.

But as others have said, the fast track lane at T5 is usually slow but they can guest you into the Concorde Room, or the Galleries it's actually Club they're flying.

They will be out of JFK first, but tbh since they introduced those machines it makes everything move faster as anyone who is a frequent visitor will be in the domestic line now.

[Radicalrooster]

BA first class is just about equivalent to any other decent airline's business class. Due to cost cutting they've gone so far as to remove the second meal for any long haul flight under 8 hours, and reduced the number of choices on the menu. Plus the cabin is rubbish. As for Club, that's basically like Emirates premium economy. It's laughable.

It's an absolute mugs game to spend your own money on BA First and Club. Wouldn't worry about it op.

[SnatchedPencil]

It's not very nice of them to leave you like that but I don't think you can do much about it. It's not too bad flying for 8 hours or so in economy but it really depends on the selfishness or otherwise of those immediately around you.

[yeOldeTrout]

@SF25: I guess too late to get a full or mostly full refund?
I'm not sure I'd want to go if I was told "you should have saved more" and I knew I couldn't. For me that's the actually unforgiveable thing. Being treated like it's my fault I don't have a spare £5k to blow on first class flights. If they were honest & said they simply hated economy, I could forgive that.

[LeadPipe]

Could you leverage your position with your family, OP?

They might not be willing to pay for an upgrade for you but could you get them to all pay towards a few bottles of Moët from the duty free for you?

Would at least soften the blow, make for a far more enjoyable flight and if you shared you might kick off a right party in economy class.

Leveraging your position is the way forward I tell you.

[icy121]

Haven't RTFT but whilst a bit depressing to be left alone, I personally much prefer travelling through airports alone. Just me to worry about, I can get where I need to be on time, take myself off for a glass of white and a bit of garlic bread with a book pre-flight and then don't need to talk to anyone for another 6 hours - bliss. But I'm a massive introvert.

[hmcAsWas]

Have just read your posts OP rather than whole thread, but I think this is mean and insensitive, not least because you might not be feeling at your cheeriest as your Ex has the dc this Christmas.

[whyohwhy000]

If this goes in the Daily Fail then the airline will get free PR and might offer you an upgrade to first class!

[CharlieSierra]

first is an extra £5k each way so £10k for return flight

This.

Anyone who can afford that can afford to treat you too. It's unbelievable. Only the super rich would blow £10K on a flight to NY.

[rubybleu]

It's pretty bad behaviour and rude of them. I think it's very ungracious on their part.

Have they mentioned how they bought their tickets? I'm struggling to see why they've paid for first on such a short flight. If they are flying club not first then you're not missing out on much! The Galleries lounge at Heathrow is a total zoo. The Fortnum & Mason champagne bar is actually a much nicer place to wait!

However, you should be able to use the priority check in and fast track security at T5 if you check in together. We do this often.

[honeyroar]

That's a bit rotten of them. I can understand why you feel upset. Hopefully they should be able to get you into the lounge with them, and if not there are some great shops in the terminal and a champagne bar, so spoil yourself.

The odds of getting upgraded are low, I'm afraid. It's the busiest week of the year for one thing, and also it's a classic trick nowadays for families or groups of people to leave one member in a different class and to ask for an upgrade, and the airlines have wised up to it. As someone said, BA don't have mid flight snacks anymore nor a second meal, so take a snack with you. Drinks are still free. If you ask nicely and tell the crew that the whole of the rest of your party are in first, I'm sure that the crew will let you go up to first and have a drink with them. You won't be able to stay for too long, but if I was on your crew and you were nice I'd make sure you got a nice glass of fizz while you were there and one to take back to your own seat!

First class is lovely, but it's a lot of money and a short flight, so barely time to sleep on the way home even with a nice bed. My last flight back from there was 5hrs 40mins, the lights were only out for three hours or so... Spend your money in New York instead, it will be much more memorable. I had a magical Xmas there with my mum once. We did a helicopter ride over New York in the morning of Xmas day, then skated on Central Park in the afternoon, it was really memorable. And it's snowed yesterday, so looking really festive.

[SloeGinandTonic]

So if they are 1st with BA which has now been established you can just go into the concorde room with them. They can each guest 2 people in. Get them to drop your luggage whilst you go through scanning. (check it as their luggage). meet them when they come through (but fast track isn't always faster). Meet them at the white door (the access to the CCR) and go through with them. The white door is in the upper level just as they come through the fast track scanning. Just down from plane food (not sure if that is the name- its a restaurant). You can dine in the concorde room and drink lots of laurent perrier grand siecele- its £100 a bottle an lovely.

[SloeGinandTonic]

I'm sure that the crew will let you go up to first and have a drink with them.

They won't. Virgin do into upper class but BA are quite strict on that. BA is very much everyone says in there own pod.

To this who say about the price you can get 1st quite heavily cut in a sale. I got LHR to Oman for £2000 in 1st which is less than the usual club. New york is never a really cheap route in 1st or club though.

They might not be willing to pay for an upgrade for you but could you get them to all pay towards a few bottles of Moët from the duty free for you?

You can't drink your own alcohol on the plane. The OP can drink loads in the CCR before boarding- much nicer champagnes that Moet on offer

It is a really short flight. The in flight entertainment is good (same films in economy as 1st)

[maddening]

At least they've upgraded your niece and not left you babysitting an 8 year old in economy - still shit of then - they could have upgraded everyone to business class rather than leave 1 person out

[Amaried]

Really am I alone in thinking this is very much a first world problem..

[TheHobbitMum]

That is really shitty! We often holiday with family and wouldn't dream of this! To leave you on your own is vile

[everymummy]

I can believe a group of women can't find a more meaningful way to spend 50k.

[MiniCooperLover]

They've paid for an 8 year old to travel in First? OP, assuming it's not a case of having upgraded you but not told you yet, I'd smile and enjoy the peace of a flight on my own. Do you still get free drinks on BA? Just enjoy the rest.

[honeyroar]

Sloegin it's quite a common occurrence for people to have family or colleagues pop up for a chat with people in first class on BA as long as they don't stay too long, disturb the other passengers or service. So it's fine to ask. They may occasionally say no, but usually won't.

[SEsofty]

Everymummy exactly