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?

I’d do it. It’s not like you’re leaving your sister and a bunch of small children they’re all pretty much adults. It makes no sense for you to pay more when you have alternative option. Regardless of the upgrade I’d never guilt a family member into paying more than needed just to sit with me

This. I couldn't imagine leaving my children behind even if teens. Either all go business or noone. Unless medical reasons ofcourse.

I’ve done this before when travelling with a friend and again with a group of friends.

I paid for the business class seat myself rather than get it super cheap, but I simply didn’t want to sit in economy on long haul flights and really, you don’t spend that much time talking to each other on a long flight.

I just didn’t use the lounge at the airport and boarded in the economy queue rather than earlier on, and then went my separate way on the plane.

Also think it’s crazy you’re paying so much more to sit with them but if you decide to stay with them, can you not book your economy seat via your friend as well, and pay a lower price?

I wouldn't do it and I'd be secretly hurt if my sister did this

I do think generally, when going away with someone and meeting in the airport to travel together , you actually travel together. Not pretty much imply"actually I'm entitled to a much better seat than you lot of see ya suckers"

Now you are saying there is a small chance you would end up on a stand by ticket and arrive later than all of the others. Sorry, I think that is selfish and unreasonable

Are your family the type of people who would have an attitude about it or would they not care?

Do it and share.
Bring everyone snacks from first. Then, let your husband have a snooze. You can swap, you know.
If you are awake , let someone sleep in your spot.

It’s definitely a stand by ticket. So it all depends on how busy the plane is and if upper class is full, would she choose to be bumped down to economy (if that isn’t full) or would she choose to try again on the next flight (and risk the same thing happening again).

@NeedSleepNowww yes you can buy a cheap economy ticket instead (which will be even cheaper than the upper class one). But it will still be standby which still means the risk of not getting on.

When travelling on someone’s staff travel you must behave in a professional way even if you are not staff yourself. There are rules when using staff travel so I can’t see any of this being a good idea. If it gets back to the staff friend who’s name she’ll be under it won’t look good on her.

Depends on the length of the flight. Not really worth the bad feeling it could cause for a short haul. If going on a flight 12+ hours it is probably worth it!

Given Op's comment about potential stand by ticket and not getting that flight ended with a " ha ha" I think its safe to say, she would choose to leave her sister and kids to get the original flight and op wait for her better class seat to be available on another.

Which is a bit crappy when travelling with family, especially if some of those family are your own kids.

Hello Kirsty Allsopp- how are things? Interesting username.

Honestly if it were my family they’d be encouraging me to go first class. I can hear the banter from my brothers now. Do it OP, based on who you’re traveling with there should be no animosity

Upgrade both ways, your sis gets one way you get the other?

It’s a standby staff travel ticket. Not a normal purchased ticket. So it’s that not easy unfortunately.

So you'd leave your sister with all the children? Albeit teen/adult ones? In that situation absolutely not.

Yeah I’d do it and I bet each of them would given the chance.

As there are no little kids it seems fine to me. I wouldn’t mind at all if someone I was travelling with did this.

I’m assuming you’ve got a family WhatsApp group? i’d be writing that I’ve spoken to my friend and if she books it it will be loads cheaper, plus it’s an upgrade.
because it’s a better seat/area happy for someone to have it on way there anyone interested?

Then have it on the way home when you’ve all had enough of each other :)

No wonder it’s so expensive to fly when free tickets are being given out to all and sundry.

This with bells on. The airport stuff and the flight are part of the trip. If you're in some special lounge they are excluded from and then you have a fabulous flight whilst they are in economy then you are absolutely a 'cunt' just as you have self-described.

These tickets are not unlimited and cannot be bought for just anyone and everyone. If they could, the OP would be suggesting they be bought for her entire family. The staff member can only buy a limited amount a year and only for those named on her travel pass. Hence why the OP is the only one who can benefit from this. It is also a standby ticket. Meaning if they plane is full of paying customers, the OP gets bumped from it and has to wait for the next plane to try again.

Was meant to quote @Applecup for this post

Go for it! No issue for anyone else. No caring responsibilities or leaving anyone else on their own.

If I was the family I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the upgrade and pay more to sit in economy

Lmao okay, clearly you’re a lovely person. If a family member of mine had this, I’d be pleased for them.

You would bring everyone snacks from first and would be swapping seats with other people? Like what, you would stuff your pockets with snacks or grab a tray of sandwiches to carry across the plane? Do you realise how this looks??