Flying business class

[Harrypitty]

My girlfriend of 12 months wants us to fly to Australia to see her family. She has a little boy and has a reasonable income.

I but am lucky to be able to afford to fly business class. It’s a long way and I’m getting old and grumpy and don’t want to sit for 30 hours in a cramped seat.

Thing is economy seats cost around £1400 business is around £5000.

She’s happy to pay her way down the back but can’t stretch to a business class fare, especially for two.

I really afford to pay £15000 for all three of us and but now feel bad that I can’t really sit up front with them down the back.

Should me and my bad back suck it up and travel down the back or AIBU to sit up front while they are down the back?

You are joking!

I'd dump the kids with 'DH' in business class.

So pay for your business class seat then rather than expecting a partner of 12 months to subsidise your fantasy! Why should the partner be uncomfortable because you won't pay for a better seat?

Good plan. I wouldn't be paying her full fare but would pay to upgrade. Premium economy on some flights are very comfortable, look at Emirates or Singapore. The front row has more legroom. On my own I'd fly business. Is there no stopover, you won't be flying nonstop for 30 hours.

Why does he need to pay for her child?

If you end up travelling at different times, fly one way together and pay for the upgrade part and let them do whatever they choose the other way.

Oh that's so hard. I feel for you. And I have to say I have been with my husband for almost 20 years since my son was 9 and he's never really seen us as a package deal. But we've muddled through, I'm very happy and my son is a marvellous well balanced adult with no hang ups despite the fact that it wasn't really ideal... I don't think you need to pay for all the tickets but it would be amazing if you offered to pay the difference. Or just make up some work excuse that means you travel separately..... My husband (and actually me - because I'm quit tight) would never in a million years take a child business class. In fact a very well off friend went long haul with her family and husband, who was a nervous flyer and was going to be doing the driving at the other end... and she paid for him to go business but she stayed at the back with her children because she didn't want them growing up thinking that business class was the norm...

Is a stopover an option? I've not done Australia but when we had to fly back from Vietnam in economy we had a few hours layover Dohar to shower, use the pool and have a massage. Cheaper than direct flights and far easier on the body!

It depends how serious you are about this relationship.

No it's not about proving anything, its not even about who pays for what at the moment, what im trying to highlight is the mindset, it highlights the thought processes that provide the inkling to where this relationship "sits" in OPs priorities.

If you're not looking at the 3 individuals as "us" after a year (after all, its a potential blended family in the making?) - then why are you dating anyone with children? When does that switch occur? If its not there, it's not there is my point.

Forget the costings of it, that's the next step (she pays some he pays more, division z whatever),

That's a different situation, they are obviously in a long term relationship if they have children so clearly he shouldn't sit elsewhere. I've also often seen the poor Nanny stuck at the back with the whiny children while the parents sipped the champagne up front!

Won't be more than £1500 to add baggage to a short haul flight lol

If you are all paying your own way there then she needs to suck it up I’m afraid.

You have only been dating a year so don’t start paying for her and her child just yet.

Not sure if you’re flying from the UK but biz class is way more expensive from here than other places in Europe. The last 2 long haul flights I’ve done have been biz class via Paris or Norway as it works out way cheaper to fly biz class from there due to the airport taxes I think.

PP are giving you waaaay to much credit regarding the “bad back” comment.

You started off saying you didn’t want to fly economy because you are “old and grumpy”. Is the “bad back” an actual bad back or are you just saying that in the way that anyone over 30 talks about their back and knees being done in?

Is your partner significantly younger than you that her back will fair better in economy while wrangling a little boy? Is she young and pleasant instead of old and grumpy?

He says she's happy to pay her way "down the back" but can't afford business.

She's not asking OP to pay anything. OP's saying they would rather fly business for their back but can't afford three tickets and is this a dick move?

Learn to read.

I think you should post on Aussie mumsnetters - because it’s really the people who have done the very exhausting flight from the uk to Austrialia whose opinion matters and there will be more on them there.

Having done the uk Australia flight regularly for over 20 years - there is no way I would resent someone with back problems choosing business class.

My hubby and me do a few things:

• we get one adult business class seat and one adult premium economy plus two kids premium economy and my hubby and I share the business class and swap over during flight (stewardesses never mind we just have to be in right place for take off / landing)
• Business class for whole family on longest leg with economy short leg
• business class whole family if we can afford it
• royal Brunei business class not as comfy but cheaper as no alcohol on plane etc
• combine with holiday stop over so can do economy some of the way

my hubby feels bad if he goes on business class and we don’t - but there are times I would rather save the money for the trip and he’s 6ft 2 inches so the lower fares uncomfortable for him

Don't blame you, the tax on those using premium cabins to get to the Band C destinations (e.g. Singapore is eyewatering...

That is the best plan. Travel on different days and avoid the issue.

It's not his kid though.

Did you mention this to her yet? Such as, "I think I'll have to go Biz Class as my back won't take economy, do you want to upgrade also?"

Try that first. Or go and return on a different day due to work commitments etc.

I would do what's best for myself TBH in your situation. Why suffer when you can afford to upgrade, and perhaps she can too, or maybe she's not bothered either way.

Go business but swap every few hours?

I really wouldn’t mind if my husband did this, I’d happily sit in economy with the DCs. He’s a large man and I’m a small woman so I sleep absolutely fine in economy, whereas he can’t sleep one wink. So for him it’s worth the money, whereas for the kids and me it’s not. Interesting that some posters seem to think it would make you a terrible person!

I'd just go on a different date. I'd go a couple of days after her and her child and let them have a bit of time with her family on their own, first.

I'm with you but i would at least try to suggest some help to make your partners journey a little easier if you are considering qantas they have a neighbour free seat you can book if available,so for far less than upgrade could get her some extra room , are you breaking the flight en-route? could you offer to pay to stay overnight

Fly out the following day (say it's a work thing) book your own ticket in first business