DH and Business Class Flights

[Setthemup]

We live in Oz, we fly home pretty often as a family - every 12-18 months and my parents visit every 12-18 too. So it's never too long between visits, DH's family don't travel any more, due to health and cost. DH wants to go home to the UK for a family milestone, from a completely selfish pov - I want him to go alone. I saw everyone last year, will be seeing my parents in a couple of months for Christmas, so don't feel the urgency to go home atm. (especially in Feb when it's bleak). I have very little leave as I've just started a new job. Business Class flights are roughly $8k each, and I would prefer to spend the money elsewhere, we have loads to do around the house and a trip home is not a holiday. I have absolutely no problem DH going alone and flying BC - it's a long trek and gets harder as you get older, he could go for a month and spend time with his family and not feel pulled between 2 places. Now that I'm not keen to go DH has suggested using the money saved by me not coming to take DSS 18, which IMO defeats the object of saving the money to do some bits around the house, I have 0 problem helping DSS with his flight or paying for him to fly economy. But I don't think it's right for him to take him back business class, when we really can't afford it! AIBU?

They should both fly economy for sure. Problem solved.

When it's just you and your DH flying, do you do economy or business class?

I understand the flights are madly long... But I think it's daft sinking 8k, potentially x2.

To me business class is for when companies are paying and they're expecting you to work /arrive fresh for work (my partner does this,) or it's a choice if you can genuinely afford 😉

Either both bc or both economy. Dss is dh's child surely? He can't throw him in economy and fly bc himself.

YABVU

I've put YABU as you sound basically loaded so why the heck not?

If you guys could afford the bc ticket if it was you flying then you guys can afford the bc ticket for stepson. How does he usually fly when you go back as a family? How do any of your own kids fly?

8K AUS is about 4K GBP

Is DSS working?

Can he pay the difference?

I'm voting YABU because you gave four other reasons why you didn't want to go before you mentioned money. So money didn't factor in to why you're not travelling, so it shouldn't factor in when your stepson is.

Have you got children? Has DSS travelled with you all before? If so how did you / they travel then?

We done economy, but last few years we’ve done BC as for us it’s worth it. We plan and budget for it, and we’ve all done it as a family economy and BC. We can afford it, but I want to spend the money on other things this time. Like home improvements or a holiday for DH and I later in the year.

Is premium economy an option for both as a compromise?

PE not an option on our route and same as business nearly.

No DC of our own, DSS wasn’t planning on coming initially he is in uni term.

If you can’t really afford business class flights, no one should be flying business class…!

It’s a massive extravagance IMO.

I think in years to come you won’t miss the extra money but this is the kind of thing that will continue to cause stress in a blended family. Your stepson is going to feel like a 2nd class family member. It’s not worth it. Pay for the ticket.

I agree with you if money is a concern.

An 18 year old can go economy no problems. If his dad feels guilty, he can swap for a couple of hours with his son.

Either you’re prioritising house stuff so no one goes on the trip, or the milestone matters, so both DH and DSS go.

If the milestone matters, you’d BU to insist they travel in diff classes. So whichever class of travel the budget can afford is the class both use.

Its a lot to pay, and I wouldn’t want to pay it for a young adult, he can fly BC when he can afford to buy the ticket. I’d say he should either fly economy and your DH BC or both economy

Do you usually get to see his family when you’re over visiting your family?

Given that if you were going you’d both be BC, and you often fly BC as a family, then I think they should both be.

They both need to travel in the same class of seats whether that be business or economy. You can’t make DSS go economy if his dad goes business! You have chosen to live far away from your family so you need to factor in cost of travel home. Your post smacks of what you want with little consideration or empathy for your DSS. Of course he wants to join his family for a milestone event!

That seems quite cheap for return flight Business Class.

I never pay business for kids. They are kids. They go at the back of the plane until they can buy their own business class ticket. If dad wants to sit with son (why? He’s 18, they are just going to be watching movies and sleeping) then dad goes economy too. Otherwise dad gets business because he’s earned it.

If you need 16k to do jobs around the house and are not wealthy then they should both fly economy. If you won’t miss the money then BC as it is a long flight or is there an upgrade between the two. When we do long haul we upgrade from economy but it is not BC. I wouldn’t shell out 16k on flights if you are strapped for cash.

Spends of loads to do is stopping a roof leak in which case he is unreasonable or updating a kitchen which seems it’s just different priorities

i would feel mean going business class and leaving son in standard

mind you wouldn’t be doing business class myself if I ever get to go long haul