to pretend dc are not mine on longhaul flights?

[Jammybodger]

My friend has recommended that if we pretend dc are not ours, dc are then able to run up and down the aisles unhindered thereby enabling us to get a good rest.

What do Mners think of this plan?

There's actually an FAQ on the BA website on booking your sprogs into cattle and going a higher class yourself. They seem overtly approving of the practice - presumably because they're quids in with your ticket, and would rather your kids graced the economy passengers with their presence.

I can imagine my ds who listens to any authority apart from me telling the stewardess I want to sit down but mummy is in my way. Which one is your mummy .. that one with her eyes closed....

I like the suggestion of booking him in as unaccompanied minor and travelling first class.. he would be an angel for the staff.

What do you reckon the airline would do if you were rumbled???

Head line of the daily mail???

flaky flaky flaky

my parents did it to us as children

we sat in economy, they sat elsewhere

I tell you, the younger sibs were far better behaved without them being sat with us!

I once disowned my own mother when she turned up to a horse show dressed in crimpolene with an elasticated waistband(70's style) when it was the 80's.

I highly doubt that if they were in the care of the stewards they would be allowed to run up and down the aisle.

Hmmm, the BA site says that if you book your children into economy whilst you slip upstairs that

"whilst we retain overall Duty of Care after your child is checked in, you are requested to remain responsible for their health, well-being and behaviour both on the ground and on board."

I guess that if you opted for benign neglect that eventually the flight crew would fetch you to enforce discipline. Or they might just do it so that you can be judged by the rest of the flight!

Easier to take the nanny I think.

Booking a child into a different cabin from yourself

You may book your child to travel in a different cabin when you travel on the same flight.

No special booking procedure is required for children who are 12 years of age or over.

For children under 12 years of age, please note the following:

the child must be at least 5 years old
*
the child can be booked into any cabin once you are booked to travel on the same flight
*
the child must be checked in with you at a check-in desk and remain with you until they are taken into the care of British Airways? staff at the boarding gate.
*
Silver or Gold Executive Club members may take their child as a guest into the lounge. However Club World, Club Europe and First class customers may only use the lounge for themselves
*
whilst we retain overall Duty of Care after your child is checked in, you are requested to remain responsible for their health, well-being and behaviour both on the ground and on board.

Now all I need is the spare £10,000 for a return business class flight to Australia for DH and I....

Blanket sounds like the cheaper option

I think YABVU if you can afford to go on long haul flights then you have to deal with your bored children

BTW Am only cos I didn't think of it when we flew

It has always shocked me that Ryanair won't allow me to put my children in the hold - in those big dog boxes. If I put in drinks and snacks, I reckon they'd be fine......

(Disclaimer - tongue in cheek).

"I guess though that I wouldn't be able to avoid peeking at some point in the flight "

I would!

I suspect the key is to ensure they are booked as unaccompanied minors and hide the fact that you are on the same flight. Sadly, BabyDragon won't be 5 on our next trip to Antigua. (they don't have 1st either, I think it's business but they do have sleeper seats. And alcohol.)

If you can't manage it though, alcohol works. Either given to your children so they fall asleep or yourself. I was a far better parent after a large vodka and one of those bottles of wine.

I know someone who always travels with their nanny. They put the kids in cattle with the nanny and her and her husband fly business.

At first I was like . And then I realised I was just jealous, and wished I had a nanny and enough money to do it.

If I am being fair the boy is a much better flyer than I am so we don't really have that many issues. Mostly it is me who whines and wants to scream when we are traveling, he just goes with the flow.

Dogsbiscuits The first time we flew long-haul as a family my mother was wheeled through passport control sat on top of the luggage trolley - too pissed to walk.

I hate being a scaremonger, particularly on this issue - but there have been some disturbing reports about pedlos attacking lone children on planes - although if your kids are running up and down the aisles the bastards will never catch them!

www.sfweekly.com/2009-07-15/news/predators-are-free-to-move-about-the-cabin/1

After reading this I got the heebie-jeebies about the man I sat next to on the way back from Bangkok who was REALLY pissed off that I swapped seats with the unaccompanied child who had previously been sat next to him...

"I was a far better parent after a large vodka and one of those bottles of wine. "

I find that at home, too.

lol at soupdragon.. give the kids the alcohol to make them sleep....

Oh yes, a bottle of wine is a far better aid to parenting than "How to speak so your children will listen". I am writing a sister book called "How to drink so you don't care"