Grandparents insist on taking my kids’ first class seats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn’t your global services husband offer to upgrade them? I was global services for many years and always used upgrades or miles for my aging parents.

Yeah, I was wondering this, too. Also, when OP said the GPS paid for the economy class tix in cash, does she mean they went to an actual airline office (so those still exist?) to book? That’s what my Silent parents would do b/c they “can never get anyone on the phone who speaks good English”

No, OP stated many pages back that DH didn't have enough Plus Points for an economy to business upgrade. It takes less if upgrading from premium economy.

Saying "paid cash" is as opposed to paying using miles. Quite sure the transaction was still electronic. I often see people use the term "cash ticket" in the miles/points world to delineate difference from award tickets paid for with miles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - can you parents reasonably afford to upgrade?

OP here. I really don’t know. Money is super secretive with my parents. On the one hand, we were squarely middle class growing up. Dad was military, very controlling. Then, my grandfather (lawyer who owned his own law firm) passed away 15 years ago and left millions to each of his 3 kids, including my mom. There was a lot of extravagant spending for years, but not so much now. Don’t know if my parents are struggling financially and want DH and I to help pay for things or if they’re just milking us for all we’re worth.

I’m sorry, OP, but you really sound like an awful person. And why did you invite your parents in the first place if you hold them in such obvious contempt?

+1

[Anonymous]

This is why you when you invite someone, anyone, on a trip, you tell them the plan to avoid drama.

“Folks, we’re going to Athens. We would love to have you join us. We’ll be flying business, but won’t be able to upgrade you this time. However, we’ll pay for all post-cruise hotels. Lmk.”

[Anonymous]

I can't imaginemy parents or inlaws taking something from my children.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine not offering my parents the first-class seats from the get go. I would give them mine without a second thought, let alone my kids'.

[Anonymous]

That flight doesn’t have a first class cabin. It has Polaris, which is business class. I would have downgraded the kids to premium economy and used the miles to upgrade your parents to premium economy. Though the fact that your dad is demanding better seats wouldn’t sit well with me.

[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.

+1

Your parents are being jerks but they should get the seats. They will be dead one day. This is not a hill I would personally choose to die on...

Everyone will be dead one day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable how the family dynamic is so selfish all around. I would definitely make my teenagers sit in coach and give my parents the upgraded seats. In fact it would give me so much joy to give up my seat to have my parents sit in comfort. Wait till you are your parents age. Your kids won’t be giving you any business class seats. SMH

I won't expect my kids to pay for my plane tickets. And I won't try to take seats from my grandkids. I'm an adult, and adults pay for their own plane tickets.

This is White people thinking. Just unbelievably self-focused.

It's self-focused to not expect my kids to pay for my airline tickets someday? Sure, if they wanted to and can afford to do so, I wouldn't object. But, it's incredibly self-focused to expect your kids to spend money on you.

Resources should flow downwards.

No. Resources should flow from well-off to less well-off.

Absolutely not. You are referring to charity. I don't subsidize anyone but my own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable how the family dynamic is so selfish all around. I would definitely make my teenagers sit in coach and give my parents the upgraded seats. In fact it would give me so much joy to give up my seat to have my parents sit in comfort. Wait till you are your parents age. Your kids won’t be giving you any business class seats. SMH

I won't expect my kids to pay for my plane tickets. And I won't try to take seats from my grandkids. I'm an adult, and adults pay for their own plane tickets.

This is White people thinking. Just unbelievably self-focused.

It's self-focused to not expect my kids to pay for my airline tickets someday? Sure, if they wanted to and can afford to do so, I wouldn't object. But, it's incredibly self-focused to expect your kids to spend money on you.

Resources should flow downwards.

No. Resources should flow from well-off to less well-off.

Absolutely not. You are referring to charity. I don't subsidize anyone but my own kids.

See, I think that's the things. Other people don't think charity is bad. You do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine not offering my parents the first-class seats from the get go. I would give them mine without a second thought, let alone my kids'.

This. My parents would be in first class. Teens would be in economy.

[Anonymous]

My parents get first. Kids get economy. It's about respect. Not sure why this is so controversial.

[Anonymous]

This is hilarious to see this thread with 39 pages get re-animated, and the same posts start to get posted again.

[Anonymous]

OP,

How are you going to manage your father's ego and grasping nature going forward?

Because I sure wouldn't want to deal with this situation more than once, and I would flat out tell my father that this is the last time I upgrade him, given the logistical difficulties.

[Anonymous]

If kids love grandparents, they would volunteer but if they aren't volunteering, they don't need to be forced. You on the other hand can switch with the parent who can benefit more from a reclining seat.

This is a leisure trip, your parents don't need to go if they don't feel comfortable flying in seats they can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone here would make me mad. The parents demanding the first class seats. The kid who won’t give up her first class seat. The husband who is mad. In the end, my responsibility is to raise my kids properly, so I would make the kids give up the seats. Or I would just cancel the whole thing since everyone sounds like a jerk.

Yeah.I get the feeling this will be one miserable trip regardless of Ops decision. In the end I would compromise. Grandparents first class there,kids first class back home. Or you and your son each give up a seat since their your parents and your son doesn’t care.