Is business class worth it with two toddlers ?

[muaa]

Would it make the journey better ? My DH absolutely refuses do go long haul with our 1 and 3 year olds.

Would flying business actually make it any easier ? The one year old would still be on one of our laps. The three year old would their own seat etc.

Has anyone done this ? It's so much more expensive and I don't want to do it, unless it will make a considerable difference.

Honestly you really don't care about the other people? I wish I was more surprised at that.

Eh I asked if it's worth it. I didn't ask whether it would annoy anyone else..

I mean yes it would. Shitty thing to do to other passengers though. Imagine saving up to finally fly business and then it's full of screaming kids. Or having to work to a deadline.

If I had the money I'd start a child free airline. Would be sold out years in advance

I Care as much as i would about sitting in economy. Having kids wouldn't stop me sitting in economy. So it won't stop me being in business class either.

Sad that people would avoid flights and holidays with their kids because they care that much about their kids possibly annoying other travellers.

What about the economy passenger who may also have saved a life time to take that trip- no empathy for them ?

@muaa

mhmmm The state of this thread!

Have had to re-read why OP is asking. She says she is willing to do it if it will make a significant difference.

I don't know your DH, but if you cannot expect to rely much on his support, go BC with the two kids. It will most definitely make a significant difference.

I fly first class and occasionally business class.

I have flown business class while on a business trip paid for by the client and therefore had zero sleep as I had urgent work to do all night on the plane as was due to make a presentation as soon as I landed. Had there been a family with crying kids- I would have just sucked it up- earphones, maybe ask to be moved if there was another quieter seat in BC. It just did not occur to me.

Another more interesting flight must have been business as I sat next to DH, two mid 40s couple struggled to settle the baby. My DH and I were more amused by the fussing over the baby by the two and the air hostess being asked to try all different baby seats on the plane. What was immediately clear to us, was that neither of the parent looked after the baby full-time so they had no idea what to do. After hours and hours of futile attempts, in came the nanny from her economy seat and within minutes, the baby was settled. We did feel sorry for the couple as we worked out they don't look after the baby usually and therefore had no clue how to settle it. Must have been 18 months or less. Did the crying make us upset or anything-not at all. We just sympathetically watched on from our adjacent seats. Yes, and we paid for those seats.

I always pay (not client) for 1st class even when flying without DH.

However, if I had 2 small children under 4/5 years, I have always pictured my sister and I flying with them and would probably fly economy with leg room- oh I recall that's an emergency seat so won't be allowed or (premium economy although never flow in before) simply because I see parents are just busy with the children until they hopefully sleep. So, I personally would feel it a waste of money to pay for BC/ 1st class and not get much sleep myself. Who knows, I might change my mind after one long haul flight in economy, as it is all speculation right now.

I know OP don't care (good on her), however as someone who flies BC both paid for by work or by myself, I really also don't feel anything when I see kids. So to those going on about money saved, honeymoons, business paying etc, it really doesn't matter. Anyone who complains about kids in BC/1st likely complains about everything in their life anyway. Yup, there are plenty of those.

Are you very old @EarthSight ? Business class hasn’t been about people flying for business in a very long time. It’s a more premium flight experience hence booked by honeymooners, special birthdays, families who want more space / are wealthy and don’t fly economy. Many airlines don’t have first class now just economy and business.

in fact when I last flew for ‘business’ my work had amended the policy and we are no longer allowed to fly business class.

how touching you care so much about the wealthy workers though. Who gives a damn about those travelling for work in economy. They can put up with all the children. The rich people need their rest and to work in peace 🙄 and people wonder why we keep voting in the conservatives!

Please don't inflict your children on the other passengers that have paid for those flights, I'd be so gutted if I had saved up for this and you were on my flight

The BA flight we had last September would not have suited travelling with a 3 yr old. The pods were very separate - I couldn't hold DP's hand during take off as the little access window was so small and at an odd angle. It was very anti-social and not good for keeping an eye on a small one.

Check you airline and their cabin configurations

Children are always in business or first. I’m amazed this is such a surprise to posters here. Clearly they’ve never flown anything other than economy so I find this weird outrage at some random poster inconveniencing their ‘betters’ quite bizarre.

Wow I'm so surprised about the number of people saying not to take kids on a long haul flight. I'm from Australia and everyone does it here (we kind of have to if we want to go anywhere outside of Australia). In answer to your question I think business class would make a big difference with the 3 year old, however if you've still got a 1 year old on your lap I think it's not worth it.

I agree, I've been on BA business before and it's very separate.

You genuinely don't care about other people? Aren't you nice! 🙄
People have paid extra for those seats to have some quiet time to do their work or relax.
I think in economy you can't really expect that but in business class I'd say it's not really fair unless your child is older and/or you know that they won't be disruptive.

@Everywhereaquackquack I find it pretty weird too. Also this idea that people are 'inflicting' their children on other people.

I've flown quite a bit and have never felt like anyone's kids have been inflicted on me 🙃

And the idea that frequent fliers, particularly business flyers don't come prepared for noise. The idea that you might expect quiet/silence on a flight really boggles my mind. If you need silence/quiet on public transport then you need to plan for it.

”Wealthy people must not be inconvenienced. Poor people deserve to suffer.” 😂🖕 what absolute nonsense. Some people save for ages for a flight in economy. Some people fly business every week with their shedloads of inherited wealth. First class does not equal people who have worked harder than everyone else and deserve a rest.

And for what it’s worth the worst people I’ve ever encountered on flights have all been adults. By far.

The bitter (insert insults here) are hilarious on here tonight. Crikey, I can literally picture their faces screwing up as they type and it's gross. Do it OP and have an amazing time. Don't forget the tambourine

Was this meant for the Covid board?

Haha. The reason I don't go on holiday abroad is because my own children would annoy me on the plane. I can't imagine anyone else's coming close! One did keep kicking my seat once but I told him not to and he stopped. Can't recall any other occasions when other people's children have been an issue.

Drunk people are the worst. Although I was once on a flight with someone who died. That was the most disturbing. Maybe old people shouldn't be allowed to fly ...

Probably the fantasy. I'd love to travel Business or First, but I'd never pay for it so being sat next to a child would be gutting. In saying that, I feel that way in economy too, who doesn't (unless it's a well behaved, quiet child which is rare)

It will be awful however you do it. And going business would probably stress me out more should one of them have a meltdown. Save the money, brace yourself and pack lots of snacks if you do it.....

The KLM & AF planes all seem to have herringbone seats now and the ones in the middle angle in towards one another. They work pretty well for families and they lie properly flat plus the AF lounges in Paris are quite nice. BA have been really poor last couple of times I flew with them, Emirates are very variable and Delta have these amazing basically mini cabins on some flights but unsure they’d be great for kids. Singapore airlines & EVA are meant to be fantastic but I’ve never found good connections with them for work trips. One of my colleagues from Manila raves about EVA and says you get PJs and amazing food and the staff are really lovely

Cuckyplunt
"It’ll be worth it to piss off all the other people in business class"

Why would you want to piss off all the people in Business Class?

There is some truth in this. Even if ordinary airlines just designated certain parts of the cabin to be for kids and certain parts child-free, it would be really helpful.

What exactly does your husband think is so very difficult about flying long haul with a 1 and 3 year old? 🤔
I managed with 2 18 month olds on my own, so I'm sure your husband would be able to cope with there being 2 of you? 😅