Children in business class......what the heck is wrong with it?

[Indaba]

Forgive the rant but I am so, so, so, so annoyed........I have been following a thread elsewhere asking about long haul holiday recommendations.

The poster was intending to fly business class and I have been astounded at the number of mumsnetters who have argued

1. children shouldn't be in business class at all just in case they annoy someone who needs to work.

2. business people have paid so much for their tickets they deserve to be completely undisturbed.

Please can you tell me when it was decided
business people rights are more important than anyone else in the universe and they should be able to dictate who can buy a transport ticket on a public airline?

I thought we were all created equally. Or have things changed and some people out rank others according to earning power or their jobs?

I fly business a lot, but only on return legs of US flights, where it is night time, so the children on teh flight have normally slept anyway.

One memorable flight with a young baby in business who shrieked a lot. I felt very sorry for the mother who looked knackered and also probably upset by the business blokes giving her filthy looks.

I am so delighted that my company paid for me to go business class asnd I didn't have to sit in economy that I didn't care about babies being on the flight. I just did my normal thing, put in ear plugs, drank oodles of free champagne and slept through it all.

Sod it. It's not as if most of those businessmen are paying for the flight - the company is. You have as much right to be there with your kids as they have.

Rude bugegrs.

On long haul flights, ds can be hell in economy (which is where we normally fly), as he can kick the seat in front. Until recently, he didn't fully understand why he couldn't (he's just over 2 now).

In business, he could sleep properly, or sit and watch dvd's, read a book etc, without disturbing others.

When he cries in a plane, I always go and stand in the kitchen / toilet area, irrespective of fare class. I do agree that it's a bit unfair to have screaming children in business class, as often companies expect staff to get off the other side straight into meetings, so not sleeping the night before not ideal. However, more companies now expect their personnel to fly premium economy, so I guess the same thing really applies everywhere.

I think as long as parents are considerate to others, you can surely fly wherever you paid for. If I had unlimited funds, I'd fly first class all the time.

I want to be a rude bugegrs. It sounds dead exotic

Why is it any more acceptable to travel economy with children than business/1st class? You pay for your ticket whichever class you travel so should not make a difference.

so YANBU

We flew to and from New York in business with baby DS a few times.

As a small baby he slept all the way and was fine, but once he got to 6 months or so it was a nightmare and we did actually manage to clear out 2/3rds of business as everyone migrated to the other end! It was a night flight which made it even worse.

Was a nightmare and I'm not flying with him ever again till he's about 6.

I have never been disturbed by children on a plane regardless of class, this is because I wear earplugs if I need to zone out. Fantastic things.

It may be selfish but I am going to continue flying business/first with my kids. We are on them all the time but they are not silent.

I've taken my children on business class several times and they have always behaved really well.

Most business class passengers do not pay their own fares, so do not have a moral, or any other, right to be with similar passengers.

It's public transport.
Last time I checked children were members of the public.

If you don't like other people, hire a Learjet.

The implication from some on here is that retired people/singletons and other types of grown ups who can only afford cattle deserve to have screaming babies in their midst, but wealthier people/ those with rich bosses don't?

We do travel Club/Business and DS is always praised for his behavior.
The thing for me isn't where the child sits but how they behave. I don't mean a screaming baby who can't help it, but older children.
It is easier to keep a young child calm in business the entertainment system tends to be better, the seats and tables give them more space, they can lie down to nap or sleep, so arguably people who pay more, get more comfortable children and therefore probably happier children in their section

Am a bit at the assumption that it is not OK for crying children to disturb people who can afford to fly business/first but it's OK for said screaming kids to disturb the plebs at the back of the plane.

I was working abroad when I had DS1 and work used to pay for me to travel back and forth business class. It was great. He didn't disturb anyone. If I could afford to travel first class privately with my DC now I would everytime because the DC can sleep and play nicely in first/business due to the space whereas the cramped conditions in economy only leads to stress all round (kids inadvertedly kicking back of seats that sort of thing).

As a separate point - I think all airlines should have proper noise counselling earphones for everyone flying in business or first. Fab fab things. Fair enough, too expensive for economy, but I think reasonable for the more expensive tickets.

And I have never worked in business class.

Have got the laptop out, gave it a cursory tap or two, then dived into the champagne and food, and dozily watch very bad films.

I don't think it is comparable to a evening at a theatre or smart restauramt at all.

It's a great big bus in the sky to get your from a to b.

I could tell you Riven but then I would have to kill you.

I can't remember much about it, I always got pissed.

Actually HOW tragic must I have seemed, all suited and booted like Alexis Colby getting sloshed on mini bottles of bubbly.

It is lovely that you get to lie down - it is so horrific doing a night flight back from west coats usa in coach, so to lie down with a nice blanket and get some shut eye on a flight is bliss.

Probably snored in a drunken manner, though. Ah well.

So to sum up; If you are going to sit quitetly and disturb no one it's fine to fly buisness/first class.

If you intend to laugh/snore/talk loudly (or even talk to someone you don't know )/kick other peoples seats/throw felt pens/sing along to what ever is on your head phones you must go economy.

The lying down and being able to stretch out is the main thing. And the booze is good quality.

Oh, I did come across as a grumpy pants, and tbf, I am one (and have never flown business class), but I'd be grumpy in Economy if kids were allowed to shriek and run around.

I have no issue with kids anywhere if the parents try to be considerate, it's when they don't that I have a problem, and the more I've paid, the bigger problem it is, because I'm less likely to be able to repeat it.

eg squealing kids in Maccas-annoying but no biggy, squealing kids in nice restaurant I've saved up for-bigger problem.

I'm in 2 minds. I've had a better experience flying business class with children (work) than economy with children (work). This could be because in business the parents were there as well and that the children were used to travelling.

But when we fly business it's a special treat cos I'm too tight usually I can sleep anywhere so I can understand the other people in the same (treat) situation might feel.

As long as they arent sitting behind me and kicking my seat they can sit anywhere they like.

Parents who allow that should be chucked off the plane mid flight.

it isn't called 'business' because it is only for people on business, it is part of the whole 'oh we can't call it second class' image thing. To the airline, the classes are F/J/Y, (no I don't think they stand for anything, if they do I have no idea what), they are different products at different price points (or, usually, several different price points each).

If you decide not to fly J/F just because you have children with you, you will (all) have a less comfortable (though cheaper) flight, less cabin crew attention, lower quality food, etc - and nobody will thank you for making this sacrifice on their behalf, what is more it may well turn out that the J class cabin is full of families anyway; some routes are like that.

FWIW, I don't think it's actually worth paying the extra for business or first. I'd rather slum it for a bit and keep the cash in the bank.

Agree that economy passengers shouldn't have to accept all the badly behaved kids!

We always fly business as my dh has more airmiles than we know what to do with (we don't travel a lot). It makes my life a hell of a lot easier

I also travel first class on trains if I get the tickets in advance as often not much more than standard.

Point is, it is called Business because there isnt really a name between economy and first that would sound ok! It's not just for business people.

And honestly, other than to New York and the other main business centres, how many people are flying business class for work (Mauritius, Seychelles etc)