Grandparents insist on taking my kids’ first class seats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Do what you want but I can’t believe you would put your parents in coach and have your children sit in first class. I’m not sure that sounds great message to your kids.

I've thought about some more, and the obvious solution is that the OP and the OP's spouse should sit in coach.

The kids should sit in first class to have an adventure, and the OP's parents should sit in first class for health reasons.

The OP and the OP's spouse should scrounge up another chance to take a first class flight in the future but let the kids and grandparents bond in first class luxury this time.

There is literally no world where I would give up my first class seat for my in-laws. Not a chance.

[Anonymous]

I’d just tell your parents that you called the airline and asked whether the grandparents and kids would be able to switch seats and the airline said no - the flight attendants will be able to see from the flight manifest that the ages don’t match. Then tell them you don’t feel good about them being in coach with the kids in business so you’re downgrading your kids tix to coach so they can sit with the grandparents and spend time together. With all your refunded miles, you and DH can enjoy a solo vacation after this nightmare. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d just tell your parents that you called the airline and asked whether the grandparents and kids would be able to switch seats and the airline said no - the flight attendants will be able to see from the flight manifest that the ages don’t match. Then tell them you don’t feel good about them being in coach with the kids in business so you’re downgrading your kids tix to coach so they can sit with the grandparents and spend time together. With all your refunded miles, you and DH can enjoy a solo vacation after this nightmare. Good luck.

the perfect solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d just tell your parents that you called the airline and asked whether the grandparents and kids would be able to switch seats and the airline said no - the flight attendants will be able to see from the flight manifest that the ages don’t match. Then tell them you don’t feel good about them being in coach with the kids in business so you’re downgrading your kids tix to coach so they can sit with the grandparents and spend time together. With all your refunded miles, you and DH can enjoy a solo vacation after this nightmare. Good luck.

the perfect solution.

Great except the OP's dad will probably see this only as "2 seats opening up in first class."

[Anonymous]

I can't believe there are 35 pages for this thread. Can someone give a summary? It looked like things were wrapped up on page 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regardless of the GPs sense of entitlement in no world would I give my kids the sense that they should not prioritize their GPs. The seats belong to the DH who is allowing the kids to sit in them at his discretion - if a higher ranking family member comes along the kids would cede to the GPs. That is the way kids learn not to be a brat. I would view the priority here as not teaching the kids to be self centered over pushing back on teh GPs for bad behavior. Really eye opening how many feel otherwise in this thread.

Oh, PLEASE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in coach

Parents in first class

Why do kids need coach?

Why do the grandparents?

They don’t. And if they did, they should have booked it. Done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weird but fascinating thread. The only people “entitled” to the business class seats are the ones who paid for them - ie OP’s husband and maybe OP herself. The kids didn’t earn the seats anymore than the grandparents did. This is a good lesson in kids respecting their elders (who yes, seem to be behaving badly).

Nope. Respect is earned. Spoiled brat entitled Boomers don’t deserve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t get a lot of the responses on here that the OP should give first class tickets to her oarents.

OP and her husband are “paying” for the 1st class tickets and if they made the decision that it was for the kids, it’s their decision. Parents blackmailing them is a non-starter. The expectation is what’s bothersome.

Lots of entitled boomers got triggered by this thread.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe there are 35 pages for this thread. Can someone give a summary? It looked like things were wrapped up on page 1.

My summary of this thread is that on this website, people fight just to fight and don't read things very carefully.

[Anonymous]

I only have one kid, but would make him give his grandparent the seat. He can stare at his ipad for hours just as easily in coach. If I thought there were any chance he would actually sleep, I'd give up my own first class ticket to my parent, and leave my son in first. But that's not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

I’d sit in the baggage cargo hold before I’d sit on a long flight next to my in laws!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe there are 35 pages for this thread. Can someone give a summary? It looked like things were wrapped up on page 1.

Summary: Boomer entitlement is real.

[Anonymous]

I fascinated by the idea that anyone thinks OP *must* accommodate her parents in this scenario or she is acting badly.

I’d tell my kids everything and leave the choice to them. Do they like grandparents? Do they want them to come? My kids like their grandparents on both sides more than I like any of them and would happily give up their seats for $50. But it would also give them a helpful window into what their grandparents can be like. No bad thing.

[Anonymous]

I hope the grandparents decide not to go. Their daughter and her husband have shown them who they are- they should believe them.