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

[pietersburg]

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

She is travelling 14 hours with a rich friend who travels Business. She’s only ever been in Economy, extra leg room seats at best 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.

AmICrazyorWhat2

I agree.

I took my kids to some exotic locations when they were growing up and admittedly club/5 star. One of them still communicates with a kid she met in Mauritius.

But gap year travelling/backpacking for me is a right of passage which I totally encourage. And I agree they should fund it themselves. My friends daughter went on her own, aged 21. My friend was beside herself with worry. She'd never been backpacking when younger. Had she, then maybe she would have relaxed a little.

nadialeon at that age I didn’t get jet lag. Bounded out of the plane fresh as a daisy. Through my 20s it started to appear. Then in my 30s it hits like a sack of bricks. From business class she should come out feeling amazing!

£180 is very cheap for a 14 hour flight. So it must have been subsidized by loyalty points as well.

IS the DD going backpacking? It just says she's flying with a rich friend whose parents wanted to upgrade them.

I think many 18 year olds have wasted far more money on experiences that lasted less time and that they will remember a lot less than a 14 hour business class flight when you've only ever traveled economy before. If she'd had to spend the 3 - 5x economy fare that they normally cost it probably wouldn't be worth it because she'd be giving up a lot more for it. But 180 is not a huge amount for a 14 hour (plus the airport lounge time!) experience instead of a 14 hour ordeal.

So an adult has used their savings to get a good deal on a business class flight?

Good for her.

The friend's parents sound the worst - how embarrassing to be so ostentatious as to put two teenagers in business class, but not be able to back it up without taking nearly £200 of someone else's 18 year old's savings at the start of their holiday.

Good for her, it definitely makes a difference being comfortable on a plane and it’s her money so your dh is bu, not your dd.

I think your DH is being unreasonable.

Your DD is 18 and she uses some of her saving for that upgrade. I say she's an adult and she's allowed to make decision. Hope she enjoys it! :)

Good for her if she can afford it. She'll remember it and it would only have been dribbled away on 60 cups of coffee.

If I could have upgraded a 14 hr flight when I was backpacking for the bargain price of £180 then I would have!

14 hours in economy is knackering its her money. It will mean that she misses a few happy hours she sounds perfectly sensible to me!

I think it is extremely small minded of the friend's parents. Why take any money off her at all? Why £180 - it is not a round figure? Why force her to negotiate?
I would be hopping mad if another family put my 19 yr old (who has flown economy with and without us all over the world - ditto myself - never flown business) in this position.
Frankly I would prefer my daughter not to be friends with a friend like this. What sort of person cannot hack flying economy? The friend's parents are just spoiling her and giving out the message that money talks and you need to buy privilege.

Good for her :)

£180 for an upgrade is a steal.
My only worry is that her travelling mate will struggle to stay in grotty hostels and expect DD to upgrade to the Four Seasons,

Well. I think it’s a waste of money if you’re backpacking on a budget, even if the price is an amazing bargain. £180 of a backpackers budget is a fuck of a lot.

I would be concerned that she is going to get pressurised into burning through more of her savings to keep up with rich pal.

Start out as you mean to go on. We always travel business, even though sometimes we have to cut back on something else. If you want it then you pay and get on with it. Be thankful her friends parents contributed. Hope she enjoys her adventure.

Lucky duck! Just right. Life’s short and if she had that wonderful opportunity literally gifted to her why not?
Might never happen again for her 😊

I think that her friends parents should have paid the full whack actually. Taking almost £200 off a teenager when they clearly don't need the money is pretty mean.

Amazed that people are saying it is mean for people who are paying out probably thousands for someone else's child not to pay the full amount. This is a token sum to make the teenager fell better about the - extremely generous - gift.

Also agree it is mean of the parents, 180 is quite a lot for most backpackers :(

Nobody regrets sitting in First Class.

If it were my ds th would of paid for him...not to be left out....let her have this maybe one time only thing....I'm excited for her...

Her friends parents should have paid.

A total waste of money imo. She would enjoy that money a lot more when backpacking rather than an extra bit of comfort for 14 hours.

Hubby sounds jealous lol 🤣

I would be really unhappy about another family paying for this OP, I'm not sure why you are proud of her? I'm not sure why people are saying they were mean?! They have paid probabl y nine tenths of the ticket. £180 really is a token amount.