To be the only one to upgrade on a group trip?

[Checkenberger]

I have a group trip abroad in the plan stages with close family.
My best friend works for the same airline we are planning on booking with and has me on her staff travel plan.
I can therefore get a first class ticket for about £200 return
Would I be a horrible person to leave the rest of my family behind in steerage to enjoy a 3 course meal plus 2 lighter ones, full bar, lay down bed etc? Would i be any less a cunt to do it just one way 🤔 or should the trip just begin at the airport and stay together the whole time?

As long as you're not travelling as a pair and leaving that person without company, or travelling with dependants who you should be helping with then YANBU.

Depends who the family members are. My DH and kids? Fine, do it. My mum and sister? No way, you’ll look a right knob and gets the holiday off to a shit start. Huge family group, parents, siblings? Probably not but maybe if they are jovial types 🤣

Who is the close family? Siblings/Parents - go for it. Your children, maybe not, especially if young.

You'd be a twat to do this on a family trip IMO. Either everyone flies in first class or nobody does.

Do it on the return flight. People will be glad of the space by then!

Unless anyone you’re directly responsible for will be there (e.g young kids) then no! YWBU to leave little Johnny back with his grandparents and swan off if you had a DC 😂 otherwise go for it!

We’ve travelled with family in a different class, they didn’t want to pay to upgrade and we don’t travel in economy - we all got to the same place at the same time. We wouldn’t have been speaking to them on the flight anyway by the time we’d eaten, napped and watched a film!

Depends who you are with and makeover sure they are aware of your plans

Just do it. You cannot upgrade them for the same deal but why should miss it. They shouldnt want you to!

Depends on who I was travelling with, my DD’s I’d upgrade because they would be fine with it, my parents i would but let mum have my seat friends, no way

are there any medical reason for you to do this?
If not I wouldn’t, unless it’s a very specific group situation like your two cousins with partners and you on your own.

It is my sister who regularly travels first class for work and usually upgrades to premium when with her husband for the alcohol but it's not that kind of holiday.
The others are our children in their late teens early twenties 🤣
I'd love to upgrade with sister only but cannot. I also would have to book my ticket separately, I'm loath to pay 3x the price to book with them to sit with them. If I book with my friend, it's taxes only and automatic top tier ticket

I've never heard of a "lay down bed"

Think they were being ironic

That’s quite rude. The poster only asked a question.

@TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne business class and first class have seats that lie flat to sleep. Edited to add not sure if you’re joking or not but there’s no need for rudeness from the OP.

Oof!

@TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne

just in case you ever want to lie-flat 😉

I’d do it! When I’ve been away with family before (6-10 of us) we never end up sat together anyway, all dotted all over the plane, or maybe in twos and threes. I think this is perfectly fine, you go for it!

Get it and offer it to the oldest/least mobile/most health challenged family member…?

I would book it and tell everyone you have done so as at taxes only it’s cheaper than paying for an economy ticket. I would try and gloss over the fact it’s also in first class. Out of interest who would you be flying with?

My sister is the oldest but would never dream of leaving anybody behind that's the problem 😕 I am probably the least mobile
I have quoted this comment in error, sorry
It's with Virgin

That wasn’t the question lol

Me, my sister, all of our children aged from 17-27, 6 together so 8 people in all

I'd just tell a white lie (if it's even a lie) about how your friend got you a good discount on this travel plan and gloss over the first class element!

I wouldn't begrudge you at all!

As it’s actually far cheaper for you to so this then clearly you should. It’s really a no brainer and your travelling companions are clearly old enough to understand this.

Check what plane you will get. Initially I said you should take it but seeing that it is virgin makes me question my answer. Virgin is known for having some very poor offerings in their upper class and if you will end up with one of their terrible ‘coffin’ seats, I would save the agro and join everyone else in economy.