Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want the dc in economy while we are in business?

316 replies

Flymeinbusiness · 27/06/2023 19:30

Would be great to get others opinions...
We had some flyer miles and managed to book a much looked forward to, long haul, trip in business class for us and our 2 DC - 10 &11 in the summer holidays. Fast forward a few months and the PIL have decided to join us for the beginning part of the trip and booked economy tickets to join us. (They don't have any miles and the price a few months later for business for them both was unaffordable.)I feel terrible that my in-laws who are in their 70s will be in the back of the plane while my DH, DC and I will have big seats to ourselves. My DH thinks that both DC should take the economy seats and that they will be okay alone for 8 hours given we aren't too far away if they need us but I think one of us parents should be with 1 DC in economy instead as I don't want them alone on the flight. He thinks IBU to not let them and that I should enjoy my seat and not sit in economy. (I don't mind either although business will be a nice start to the holidays) Am I being overprotective? (Kids are good flyers generally and have done quite a few long hauls in the past)

OP posts:
ChocChipHandbag · 29/06/2023 16:12

YeahIsaidit · 29/06/2023 15:46

Please don't dump em out of their seats and sit them on their own. There's a difference between being sensible and polite in class and being left alone surrounded by strangers and not being able to get to your parents/someone you know and trust. If ILs wanted business class, they should have booked it and I'd be horrified if people would willingly take something, including a nice seat away from DGCs

Show quote history

She’s already said she won’t put them both together alone in economy without a parent.

Probationnotontarget · 29/06/2023 17:11

angierae

Not true - they did a head count on the bus and then one friend - not going on the holiday - got off the bus.

That’s why they didn’t realize he was missing.

Snowpixi · 29/06/2023 18:00

Absolutely this.

born2runaway · 29/06/2023 18:02

No, the kids sit with you. They're only young. They need their parents

Gosh, i do hope in laws aren't toooooo awfully uncomfortable in economy. Poor dears

angela99999 · 29/06/2023 18:29

Takoneko · 27/06/2023 19:50

I don’t think the airline would allow this. I’d be surprised if they are willing to sit minors that far from their parents because in an emergency it compromises the safe and swift evacuation of the plane. A frantic parent desperately trying to go against the flow of people evacuating to try to get to their 10 year old in a totally different part of the plane would be a huge problem.

Yes, this. I don't like flying anyway and would be very uncomfortable not to be with them.

whittingtonmum · 29/06/2023 18:35

No way in hell would I leave an 10 and 11 year old alone in Economy for eights hours. No way.

If you are so concerned about your in laws you and DH need to sit in economy and the kids can sit with their grandparents in business class so they are being looked after by their grandparents. That's the only way this would work in my world.

Talia99 · 29/06/2023 19:02

Something that occurs to me - if these are upgrades with airmiles, are you even allowed to transfer them to parents? I’m pretty sure my air miles say immediate family only and there is a list. Children are on it but not parents.

FictionalCharacter · 29/06/2023 19:09

Phos · 27/06/2023 19:32

Your in laws have invited themselves along. If they wanted to sit in business class with you, they should have booked that.

This!
“Respecting your elders” doesn’t mean giving them something they haven’t paid for. They chose not to pay the extra for business class seats.
Plenty of people in their 70s fly economy all the time. It isn’t luxurious but it’s perfectly adequate.

GingerNutMe · 29/06/2023 19:25

I very much doubt that the airline would entertain the idea of 'unaccompanied minors' when the parents are sat elsewhere on the plane. It is what is!

2bazookas · 29/06/2023 19:25

Blindingly obvious to me.

DH should travel in economy with DC so that HIS parents and wife can travel in more comfort

thegreylady · 29/06/2023 19:51

I am nearly 80 and fly economy if I fly. I like an aisle seat and am fine.

Devastateddaughter · 29/06/2023 19:51

RogersOrganismicProcess · 27/06/2023 19:51

Do the PILs have any mobility issues that would make sitting in a cramped position painful? If so I would do one adult and child in BC on the way there, and the other parent and child in BC the way back.

If the pils have mobility issues then they shouldn't have booked seats in economy

margesimpson40 · 29/06/2023 19:57

Phos · 27/06/2023 19:32

Your in laws have invited themselves along. If they wanted to sit in business class with you, they should have booked that.

This ... I did business class when i was just older than them 10 and i loved it, let the wrinklies sit at the back.

pollymere · 29/06/2023 20:07

It's a huge treat for the kids. Why spoil their treat because your PIL invited themselves along? You will also have to travel with the kids which means one adult and one child will get separated quite early on in both directions and have access to lounges etc. Keep things the way they are.

Donsyb · 29/06/2023 21:21

viques · 27/06/2023 19:56

I don’t think the cabin staff will let people randomly swap seats half way through a flight unless there is a very pressing reason.

Show quote history

People swap seats on planes all the time. I have swapped with my other half when he got upgraded and donated it to me (he then got upgraded anyway), and people are always asking other people to swap so they can sit next to people.

Leaving kids in economy on their own us a different issue. No one else should have to monitor your kids on a plane.

Donsyb · 29/06/2023 21:23

Talia99 · 29/06/2023 19:02

Something that occurs to me - if these are upgrades with airmiles, are you even allowed to transfer them to parents? I’m pretty sure my air miles say immediate family only and there is a list. Children are on it but not parents.

You can buy other people tickets with your airmiles. We buy partners tickets with mikes often and they’re not on any list.

angierae · 29/06/2023 22:26

@Probationnotontarget yes, that's how the left him in the first place. But then they preceded to board the plane in the different cabins, hence the mom didn't notice until halfway there. If they were all occupying a few rows in either cabin they probably would have noticed the empty seat! Obviously it's fictional and only just plausible pre 9/11 airport regs!

Waitymatey · 29/06/2023 22:59

No, I would not want someone else’s child near me in those circumstances. If anything happened you would be in your seat, relying on the kindness of strangers for your kids, and tbf, I wouldn’t be concerned about yours as I would be focusing on my own. Good luck OP

Fluffmum · 29/06/2023 23:11

Don’t leave the kids in economy just in case

paranoidmum123 · 29/06/2023 23:24

Parents are blessings in our lives. Atleast mine are. As you'll get the chance to come back in business, would it not make sense for you and hubby to take the economy seats and let the parents in law have the business class seats. I would definitely offer. Chances are that they would refuse them anyway.
And no, I would never let a 10 and 11 year old sit alone without adult supervision.

Newjobformoremoney · 30/06/2023 02:25

@Flymeinbusiness have you contacted to ask

  1. if the tickets are transferable
  2. what their policy is of children sitting in a different class to and adult
  3. and if they will consider the unaccompanied?
lots of the moral discussion going on around this, which isn’t all that helpful as the airline dictated most of this stuff. 12 pages in, and we don’t know if anything the OP mentioned in her first post is even remotely possible.
Mothership4two · 30/06/2023 03:04

I'm glad you have made up your mind OP. They would probably be completely OK but I (like you) wouldn't be comfortable letting 10 and 11 year olds sit on their own on a flight.

Gingernan · 30/06/2023 04:42

I'd want my kids ( now grandkids)with me, either class.I'm not better than them and would worry. How strange.

MagicFarawayTea · 30/06/2023 10:34

They are still too young to be left alone for 8 hours!! There’s no way I’d leave my 11 year old alone on a plane while I’m in business class. It’s normal to feel protective.

VikingsandDragons · 30/06/2023 10:47

Have you checked the airline will let you swap who is in which seat without a charge? I know for certain Emirates didn't let us change the named person from business to economy on the day and we weren't allowed to swap halfway either. You may find you need to pay a fee to change who is in the seat but don't rely on it being okay on the day for an adult to be sat in a seat booked by a child.

Swipe left for the next trending thread