Kids in economy, Adults in Business ! Is this allowed !

[RubyViolet]

Friend is taking her Grandchildren to the USA to holiday with their Dad. Dad lives full time on West Coast, it’s a long flight.
Granny and daughter/ Auntie have bought Business Class returns for themselves but Dad has paid for the 12 and 14 year old to sit in Economy.
Is this even allowed ? I know BA have ruled that no under 14’s can fly unaccompanied now. I don’t know who they are flying with but l can’t help feeling that this is unfair on the other passengers who will have 2 very lively unaccompanied kids amongst them for 14 hours.

My old boss used to fly first and the kids and I would be in economy.

This is why we tend to eat out at meze or tapas restaurants

Yes smaller local restaurants where food is cooked on site and children are welcomed tend not to be British cuisine. Our local Italian welcomes kids as do the Thai, Indian and Chinese and will adjust sizes/ingredients on request.

It was away from home that we had the most problems. It can be quite hard to tell from appearances which are the "computer sez no" chains selling reheated cook-chill when they are dressed up as local restaurants or gastro-pubs.

Dapplegrey Yeah I never thought of it before but my parents would often be a few rows away & often on the opposite side (they could turn and see us). This was when we were teens though & when we wanted to sit together. When younger one parent would take 2 & the other 1 although my mum often flew alone with 3 of us (Europe) so we couldn’t have all sat completely next to each other then either.

At what age is it acceptable to leave your kids in economy?

When they’re going on holiday in their own.
We travel together as a family, if we can’t afford for us all to go business class then we all go economy.

Why would anyone think a 12 & 14 year old would cause trouble? My 14 year old Ds would sit quietly, listen to music, watch downloads, or nap. And strangely enough would also say please and thank you when purchasing his snacks, being handed his meal etc. Don’t stereotype all kids with how you believe they are. Majority would be well behaved. Not all kids are delinquents you know!

You are saying you are more valuable by paying for yourself only to go in business class.

^ This. They'd also benefit from being with parents because, you know, they are parents and not strangers.

Yes, it's extremely unlikely but parents who sit their children in economy without them are saying they are happy to rely on a complete stranger to put their child's oxygen mask on and reassure if there is a problem.

I always sit in the more comfortable front seat of the car rather than squidged in the back. I bet most adults do

I don't, because DD feels carsick in the back. (She's slightly taller than me now anyway)

When she was smaller she had to sit in the back because of airbags being unsafe for little 'uns.

When they’re going on holiday in their own. We travel together as a family, if we can’t afford for us all to go business class then we all go economy.

I’m in my 30s as are my siblings, we have partners & children & regularly go on holiday with parents/family. My dad has a bad leg so prefers the extra seat room, even if he didn’t I have zero problem with him flying BC. I would never dream of expecting him to fork out the difference in cost for 10 of us to go BC!!! I’m just grateful we still can all holiday together.

Yes, it's extremely unlikely but parents who sit their children in economy without them are saying they are happy to rely on a complete stranger to put their child's oxygen mask on and reassure if there is a problem.
How does that work though if your on a 737 & have more than 2 children?

How does that work though if your on a 737 & have more than 2 children?

Well you book your seats so you are as close as possible to them. When we have flown we've had seats all in a row with the aisle in between. 2 children, 1 adult, then 1 child, 1 adult.

I assume the adults like Kirsty Allsopp!

Well you book your seats so you are as close as possible to them. When we have flown we've had seats all in a row with the aisle in between. 2 children, 1 adult, then 1 child, 1 adult. What happens if your travelling alone though or are a single parent? Or your teenagers simply want to sit together as a three?

My friend is an air steward, she said Kirsty always does this and I think her DC are still quite young.

If it works it works I guess but I wouldn't do it.

Yes, it's extremely unlikely but parents who sit their children in economy without them are saying they are happy to rely on a complete stranger to put their child's oxygen mask on and reassure if there is a problem.

Most adults would do this instinctively. Where you’d have a problem is if the child is next to another child.

I'm in agreement with both sides. I took DS (aged 6 and again aged 9) into business class with me, for the exact reason that if anything happened to the plane, my last thoughts would be of him surrounded by strangers crying out for his mum. Makes me tear up just thinking that.

For balance, it's an absolute waste of money for him. Complete. He appreciates none of the benefits...or certainly in a way that reflects the cost of the upgrade.

Can't do much about that though, if I'm going to fly business, I won't consider anything other than he has to be next to me. But that's because personally I can't cope with the thought above. If other people are comfortable doing so, then go ahead, it's much more sensible money wise. And it does not mean your children are disregarded as luggage, or receiving wine gum scraps

happens if your travelling alone though or are a single parent? Or your teenagers simply want to sit together as a three?

Then you tell your teenagers that they can't. Who is the adult?
Single parent - 1 child on one side, then you, then the next two. Oldest one furthest away.

My dd went economy to New Zealand at 13. Exh went business. Everyone survived.

Then you tell your teenagers that they can't. Who is the adult?
Single parent - 1 child on one side, then you, then the next two. Oldest one furthest away.
So who does the oldest’s mask if there is a child & then an aisle in the way?

And you would prevent a 14 yo, 15 yo & 16 yo for example from sitting together in case of an emergency? Do they have to travel in separate cars too & what about school trips? I went on a fair few flights with my secondary school.

So who does the oldest’s mask if there is a child & then an aisle in the way?

They do.
As for school trips, don't be so ridiculous. This thread is about families travelling together on aeroplanes not in cars and not on school trips.

The 14 year old can fly alone.

The father could have paid BA $150 to board the 12 year old and take them through arrival- they would then have been alone on the plane.

No family required.

Money seems to be the deciding factor here. Everyone in support of it seems to agree that it’s a reasonable cost saving measure. Yet they won’t make any cuts to their own seats...

Ha, people have likened it to giving your kid some gum for dessert or that it means you don’t love your children but I’m ridiculous!

I agree wanker move for younger kids, not that stops many people, but I think 12 and 14 would be absolutely fine surely? They'll just watch 4 movies and eat the food, I cant see how kids that age would be disruptive, presumably granny and aunt will check on them now and again.

I flew alone at 12. Yes you got met at the airport and put on the plane but you were left to amuse yourself for the flight. That was almost 30 years ago!

Money was not a deciding factor for us. My dcs were.