Grandparents insist on taking my kids’ first class seats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that you should be giving the first class seats to your parents, but it also rude for them to demand it.

+ 1000

This would be the last trip I invite them on.

Would NEVER travel with them again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sixteen and fourteen year olds are fine in coach.

I'd definitely put my parents in first class so they are more comfortable.

This.

How is this even a question?

Grandparents take priority. Although I think they should have offered your kids more money. Like $250 each for spending money on the trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sixteen and fourteen year olds are fine in coach.

I'd definitely put my parents in first class so they are more comfortable.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The lesson here is an easy one - do not go on trips with extended family. Ever.

No, the lesson is don’t raise your kids to be ingrates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this is a tough one. I'm usually one who is a "give my parents what the want" camp, but the emotional blackmail of not going if they don't have first class is BS. Also, would they have paid for first if you weren't in it? They just want your miles (which, people know miles aren't free right? They are earned with money).

I'd say, leave your kids to make the choice, but I would say let your kids have them.

Yeah. My mom assumes that because DH travels for business all the time and has enough FF miles to travel to the moon and back that first class are a snap for us to acquire at minimal cost. At the same time, my older son is really ok giving up his first class seat to a grandparent. Having this be an extended family trip is really worthwhile. My younger daughter…well…clearly she has been spoiled by DH as Daddy’s little girl and is not so wanting to fly anything but first class. I kinda want her to fly to Athens in coach just to remind her of what normal is for most people.

I changed my mind; you should let your parents have the first-class tickets. I can't believe your daughter won't fly anything but coach. This spoiled attitude trumps your parents' bad behavior. I say this as someone who routinely flies first with my family.

I was mostly on team husband, but this is really gross. Grandparents are behaving badly and kid is behaving badly and I wouldn’t want to go on vacation with any of them.

[Anonymous]

Isn't it all business class now and not first class? Why are you calling it first class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this is a tough one. I'm usually one who is a "give my parents what the want" camp, but the emotional blackmail of not going if they don't have first class is BS. Also, would they have paid for first if you weren't in it? They just want your miles (which, people know miles aren't free right? They are earned with money).

I'd say, leave your kids to make the choice, but I would say let your kids have them.

Yeah. My mom assumes that because DH travels for business all the time and has enough FF miles to travel to the moon and back that first class are a snap for us to acquire at minimal cost. At the same time, my older son is really ok giving up his first class seat to a grandparent. Having this be an extended family trip is really worthwhile. My younger daughter…well…clearly she has been spoiled by DH as Daddy’s little girl and is not so wanting to fly anything but first class. I kinda want her to fly to Athens in coach just to remind her of what normal is for most people.

This is so ridiculous I almost don’t believe it. Especially putting that part in about your DD. Who does that? You know no one would think that’s cute.
Honest question- you may love your parents but do you like them? This wouldn’t be a question to me. Kids in coach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
op, are you paying for their hotel or anything else?

Yes. We are paying for all pre- and post-cruise hotel nights for everyone in Athens. DH is covering everything with free night certificates and hotel points. Airfare is trickier b/c United seems super stingy with upgrades and FF mile options to IAD-ATH, especially since we had already “purchased” 4 seats round trip.

You are barely paying anything. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are in their 70s and 80s, I would let them have first class seats. Maybe I wouldn’t be happy about it or their behavior but...they do have worse joints and they probably have to get up to go to the bathroom more.
But discuss amongst the 4 of you. Is anyone willing to give up their seat? Could be OP, DH, teen 1, teen 2, combinations of these.

Whoever has the greatest need for first class, let them have it.

Nobody needs first class. It’s not handicapped parking where you have to prove a need. Airlines sell first class tickets for beaucoup $$$, they don’t hand them out based on age, health conditions, etc.

Let’s call a spade a spade. You have something, they want it, and they’re willing to play dirty to get it. Let them offer the other people in first class $50 to switch to coach. See if there are any takers.

[Anonymous]

Grandparents should sit in the seats they purchased, but if kids want to switch out at any point, they should. I'm appalled the grandparents demanded the switch; this wasn't their vacation in the first place, why do they get to dictate where people sit and essentially interfere with what was the immediate family vacation/flight together?

In real life, I guess I would grudgingly go along with their requests, but this would really tick me off. They owe the kids more than 50 bucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't it all business class now and not first class? Why are you calling it first class?

Sorry. Yes. Polaris Business Class on United Airlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
op, are you paying for their hotel or anything else?

Yes. We are paying for all pre- and post-cruise hotel nights for everyone in Athens. DH is covering everything with free night certificates and hotel points. Airfare is trickier b/c United seems super stingy with upgrades and FF mile options to IAD-ATH, especially since we had already “purchased” 4 seats round trip.

You are barely paying anything. Nice try.

This part, plus the fact that OP has said that her daughter is an entitled brat, and the entitled attitudes from the grandparents has me convinced that OP, her parents, and her daughter are all massive brats. The son might be the only one in the bunch with good character.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe you didn't OFFER to do this in the first place. Wow, what a shitty kid you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going on a family vacation + cruise later this summer to Greek Isles. Originally booked for myself, DH, and our two kids (16 and 14). We invited my parents a few months ago and they decided to join us. Our family booked 4 first class seats IAD-ATH using FF miles on United (DH is Global Services on United and got a good deal) and my parents ended up booking 2 coach seats in cash many months later (no status). Well, yesterday my parents decided they wouldn’t go on the trip unless they flew first class and that our kids don’t need to fly first class and we should allow them to switch. My dad even offered to give each of my kids $50 to move from first to coach so that they could have lie flat seating transatlantic.

DH is super annoyed. My parents are being real jerks about this and how kids don’t need first class and my dad’s back aches so he totally needs first class. What do I do?

Would you be comfortable sitting in first class with your kids if parents were in main cabin?

This is the question you should be asking yourself. If the answer is yes, you have bigger problems than who sits where.

Looks like a teachable moment for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
op, are you paying for their hotel or anything else?

Yes. We are paying for all pre- and post-cruise hotel nights for everyone in Athens. DH is covering everything with free night certificates and hotel points. Airfare is trickier b/c United seems super stingy with upgrades and FF mile options to IAD-ATH, especially since we had already “purchased” 4 seats round trip.

I’m curious if you’re paying for the cruise? Not that it matters but if you’re paying all and they are demanding to switch, that wouldn’t sit well with me.