About flying business class

[KittiKati]

DH has fibromyalgia & MS. It’s extremely difficult for him to sit in a plane seat for any length of time whether short or long haul.

We were talking about holidays and he suggested he flies business class and me and DS fly economy. I said I didn’t feel that this was appropriate and would rather save up the extra money and we all fly business class.

He seemed genuinely put out by this and is acting like I am being unreasonable? Interested in other peoples opinions please

I suspect Turkish only have traffic rights for UK to Turkish destinations, could be wrong.

I think the Bogota/Heathrow is actually a codeshare (so operated by) Avianca, using Aviana's route licence.

As a general point codeshares can be a trap for the unwary - if you don't look hard there is a danger of you booking with an airline thinking you're going to get their BC, only to find out you get another airlines version of the same....

Would an emergency exit seat or extra leg room seat be a cheaper alternative? Or premium economy?
They'd be cheaper and you could all be together still.
Failing that an aisle seat even so he can stretch out more.

I have joint issues and that's one thing we try to do where possible. I couldn't put myself in business and leave dh and dd back in economy. It just wouldn't feel right to me.

You need to be fit and healthy to sit in an emergency exit seat.

In our case one year it was actually cheaper than the remaining economy seats, for 7 of us: 4 adults, one child and 2 younger teens, That was a short haul flight to Spain, booked with BA iirr.

There was minimal extra leg room but the seats felt wider and the middle seat space wasn't being used. You could use it if you chose to, or you could simply use it as storage or you could put a table top type thing over it for more table space. You also got food included and drinks. Which you didn't in economy. The lounges were really nice to be fair.

It was nice and felt more spacious simply due to the width without 3 people in the row, but overall it wouldn't have been worth the extra cost if we'd have paid the normal business seat cost.

You need to be fit and healthy to sit in an emergency exit seat.

He may very well be classed as mobile enough to qualify for the emergency row, as a PP already states. I know I am.
It's may just be that the smaller cramped economy seat makes him have pain and discomfort for any length of time.

There is a difference and many people would still qualify to sit in an emergency exit in the]is situation.

Very different to most people’s opinions but there is not a cat in hells chance I would let my husband use business class while the rest of us sat in economy. Ailment or not I’d rather even wait a year to save and all sit together. Saying that we are all very tall and economy can be uncomfortable. If it was the other way around and I had disabilities I would still be the same.

My parents had a similar situation a decade or so ago. With the benefit of time to reflect I would say this:

1. ‘Unreasonable’ is too strong a word. You are not unreasonable to say you want to all fly together as a family, even if that means saving up or going somewhere nearer or less expensive (or not flying at all).
2. On the other hand I think you are wrong to say his idea is ‘inappropriate’. If it so happened that you thought it a good idea to save thousands of pounds and spend it on something else, who cares what other people think?
3. The key then is that you, as it happens, would rather all sit together, which is perfectly reasonable, just as it would be to hold the opposite view. In those circumstances your husband should respect your perfectly reasonable feelings, and you should decide together whether to go somewhere else, perhaps go somewhere without flying, or as you say save up so you can all fly together.

I have fibromyalgia. I wouldn't dream of flying business class, even long haul I go for the cheapest seats.

Good Lord no, you ain't getting no business class seat without me!

I rarely fly economy. Tell him it’s all or nothing.

We have flown when my husband is sitting in business and I am in economy. He has no medical requirements but travels a lot through work so I feel it is fair.I feel a little envious but it doesn’t bother me too much. If it was for true medical reasons I would be happy that it meant we could still all go on holiday together. I wouldn’t personally spend the extra on business tickets just to have the same perks. I would rather spend that money on the actual holiday itself.
Each to their own though

What an awful answer. (unless you have a lot of money, that is) How could anyone be envious or jealous of someone with MS and all the discomfort and pain that can go with it?
He is probably more uncomfortable in business class than the majority of us in the cheap seats. Also would be able to have a longer or more frequent holidays than spending it all on posh seats for the tribe. My sister has MS and it is beyond miserable, all the time. I do hope you are joking, otherwise its on par with Tories being jealous of people who eat from foodbanks or on disabled benefits.

Economy is so horrible these days, true cattle class. What if he flew Business Class and you and DS fly Premium Economy so everyone is comfortable?

My husband has CIDP and the only way tolerable for him to fly is Business Class / First Class - I don’t begrudge him that. Obviously, it would be nice to join him, but I’d rather get a massage / have a spa day instead of the extra it would cost. As already suggested premium economy is a good upgrade and compromise.

If it means you go on holiday and he’s comfortable I’d be ok with it. Business class is nice but at the end of the day, you all get to the same destination in the same time

Leave him at home.

I agree. I suppose some people have never lived with disabled people or people in constant or severe pain. I was brought up with these things around me, so unlike your average self interested person, am acutely attuned to their issues. This is the very same reason our current government cannot understand the misery disabled or chronically ill people have to live if forced into 'benefit street' by no fault of their own, nor at the moment, those that dont have private medical insurance paid for them.

Fibromyalgia... definitely would not get a business class seat IMO.

Hark you, fibromyalgia can be incredibly painful and having more space could prevent a lot of discomfort not only on the plane but with less increased pain for the first few days of the holiday.

I have APS & RA. I often fly business & dh & dcs in economy or premium. One it means I’m less likely to get a a clot or seize up from RA which can take me days to recover from.

I think time to save is a factor…if you’re able to save up for three bc seats in say, a year then fair enough. If it’ll be another 5 years to save up for you and your son’s seats then I’d be a bit put out too if I was your husband.

ditto how much would it affect your holiday finances at the other end!

This wouldn’t bother me at all.

Apart from the food, economy for me is like business for someone else - I’m a small woman and I find it perfectly spacious. I’m aware it’s not one size fits all. I’ve known people who haven’t flown economy for decades simply because it is too uncomfortable and too cramped and I can see this.. what would be a waste of money for me would not be for them simply because I’m not in any discomfort and they are. I just don’t think fairness always has to mean we are treated exactly the same.

I guess I wouldn’t love it if it were a very long haul flight and I was alone trying to preoccupy a very young child, but that would be my concern only really and I’m sure there could be an arrangement we could reach - eg they try to give me a bit more alone time on holiday etc, if that’s what I wanted.

As someone who has MS & travels quite a bit, I think you are being unreasonable. Symptoms of MS are often invisible & as much as others say they understand, I have found, they really don’t

If you can afford it, I can't see why he has an issue with it. Unless he wants time out for some reason?

Wow.

Your DH Isn't unreasonable to fly in Business class and neither are you if you can afford it.

I don't get it why he is put off with the idea of you and kids flying business?