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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My daughter upgraded to Business Class on a flight! She’s 18!

214 replies

pietersburg · 14/08/2018 09:05

DH has chastised her for being a spend thrift, and wasteful. I’m proud of her in a wayWink

She is travelling 14 hours with a rich friend who travels Business. She’s only ever been in Economy, extra leg room seats at bestBlush I’ve flown Business for work a few times and it was great.

Her friends parents wanted to upgrade but DD said sorry no she couldn’t afford it. So they said ok if you make a contribution they’ll
pay, so they came to the sum of £180.

It’s come out of her savings for her spending money whilst back packing.

Who’s being unreasonable, me or dh? I think it’s OK, as it’s a one off and heavily subsidised.

OP posts:
supadupapupascupa · 14/08/2018 09:06

Sounds to me she had little choice tbh

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 09:07

I think your DH is being unreasonable. Unless he was asked to pay for it it’s none of his business.

NataliaOsipova · 14/08/2018 09:07

It’s come out of her savings for her spending money whilst back packing.

That's the answer, surely? She's an adult and has made her own financial choice. Up to her, I say.

Moomicorn · 14/08/2018 09:08

Good negotiaton skills

serbska · 14/08/2018 09:09

It’s the cheapest upgrade she’ll ever have for the next few years anyway, until she becomes a frequent long haul business flyer :-)

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 14/08/2018 09:10

I think the parents were cheap; they were the ones who wanted to upgrade in the first place. They're rich (according to you) and they charged your daughter a 'drop in the ocean' contribution. I think that was mean of them actually.

Clairetree1 · 14/08/2018 09:10

Total waste of money, she will regret it, but then she will learn

ajandjjmum · 14/08/2018 09:10

It will make a huge difference for a 14 hour flight - lucky girl!

SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning · 14/08/2018 09:10

She’s got a seat worth a few thousand for an extra £180. Sounds pretty intelligent to me. Grin

summerFruitPudding · 14/08/2018 09:10

I think the problem is that her friend's parents are subsidising it. This would make me feel uncomfortable.

How long is she backpacking for? Has she budgeted adequately? Is this £200 going to be noticeable?

Business class is great. My children haven't actually flown economy thanks to work / air miles etc. I can see why she'd like to.

I don't think she should but not because it's frivolous.

Frogscotch7 · 14/08/2018 09:11

Good on her! Hope she enjoys it.

Shitonthebloodything · 14/08/2018 09:12

Good on her, might as well enjoy it if the alternative was to sit in economy whilst her friend was in business.
I think she might regret it when she's low on funds but she'll enjoy it so why not, it's her money.

Cuppaorwine · 14/08/2018 09:12

I think the friends parents were mean too. I expect your dd was bounced into it a bit.

None of your dhs business as its her money and she’s an adult

Labradoodliedoodoo · 14/08/2018 09:12

Her choice

teaandtoast · 14/08/2018 09:13

Good for her!

ShumpaLumpa · 14/08/2018 09:13

£180 for something that costs thousands. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Why are you proud, OP? You should be grateful to her friend's parents, surely?

Broken11Girl · 14/08/2018 09:13

Good for her. Subsidised upgrade, yay. I'd have loved to start off backpacking rested from a business class flight. I would 'waste' money on the odd treat, it keeps you going - 90% was shitty tiny dirty hot room, eating 10p noodles etc, the other 10 is necessary to not go insane. Grin

Ignoramusgiganticus · 14/08/2018 09:16

I'm a bit worried that she will be persuaded into spending more than she is comfortable with on the rest of the trip, if the friend she is going with has more money. This could be just the start...

timeisnotaline · 14/08/2018 09:16

I don’t get being proud. It’s fine as long as she doesn’t then think it’s a valuable use of her holiday funds in the future because it’s so comfortable. It would be great to do a long flight business class certainly beats 27 hour economy flight solo with a 3 yr old changeling and 6mo waaaahh

Finfintytint · 14/08/2018 09:16

She just needs to be careful this doesn’t set the tone for their holiday. My son and his (now ex) girlfriend did the whole backpacking malarkey for a few months. His girlfriend soon tired of the budget they had set themselves for hostels etc and constantly demanded up grades in accommodation, wanted internal flights instead of agreed trains and buses and fancy restaurants. We ended up subbing him an extra two grand just so he could keep up.

Original poster
pietersburg · 14/08/2018 09:18

Proud of her in the sense that she had the gumption to stick up for herself and say no first of all. She’s saying this is her treat for getting into her university course.

I am grateful to the friends parents.

OP posts:
whathappenedtherethen · 14/08/2018 09:19

I can see both sides. Wow! Business class at 18, she'll love it and at that price too 👏👏.

Dad might be a little resentful if the money has been given by the parents. He might be feeling that she'll need more money now. Money can be tight. If they've helped her finance her trip he might be a little miffed.

StarfishSandwich · 14/08/2018 09:19

Good for her! For a 14 hour flight I would kill to travel business class but my budget would never usually stretch that far!

SadieHH · 14/08/2018 09:19

Hmm, sounds a bit unfair from the parents tbh. I get that the paying £180 for something worth thousands thing. But if that's £180 off her back packing budget then it's not a small amount in itself. If they wanted her to travel business with their child they should have paid the whole thing or left her to her own plans.

RachelAnneJ · 14/08/2018 09:22

She'd have been daft to say no!

Business class on a long haul flight makes such a difference. Yes it's an expensive luxury (lucky daughter and those with work accrued air miles) but for £180 your husband is definitely bu. If she'd paid full price I could understand his point but I doubt many would turn it down at that price!