Grandparents insist on taking my kids’ first class seats

[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 I agree with this.

[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.

They are paying for all the hotel nights - what are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yes - I'd cancel the trip for the kids and grandparents and go with my husband.

What did the son do wrong? This is a trip OP booked for her nuclear family, they were thoughtful in including her parents and are k ow being taken advantage of. If my parents did this, I would grudgingly force my kids to switch seats, and be honest about the fact that their grandparents are acting like brats, but this would be the last time we would ever travel with my parents.

[Anonymous]

The idea of being on the same flight with my parents and kids and having my parents sit uncomfortably while we all lounge in business makes me really uncomfortable and I would never do it. I think it’s rude if your parents to demand it, but you should teach your kids that it’s appropriate for them to give up their seats for their grandparents. The kids didn’t earn or pay for the seats either so I don’t really see why they need payment for them, but it would be a nice gesture from the grandparents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

OP here. Round-trip business class tix IAD-ATH in August are about $7K, but coach was more like $1500. So my parents went with the cheaper and more affordable option even though they probably wanted business class. Now they want to switch. They assume our business class tix are basically free due to DH’s business travel and status. They could have bought business class tix, but chose not to do so.

So tell them they aren't.

[Anonymous]

Wow, your entire family sounds super entitled. As a Gen x but not yet a grandparent, DH and I would have definitely offer my parents my business class seats and put our kids in coach. It’s the kind thing to do. However, everyone involved sounds petty and selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Logistically, can you even do that? Switch tickets? These are international tickets with the names on them.

Yes, we do it all the time. My husband gets free upgrade to business or first with almost every trip he's on. He will switch with me if I'm in coach because I do not have the same level of status.

[Anonymous]

You all seem terrible, but you and your DH are the worst for not putting old people in the most comfortable seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your parents are selfish entitled jerks. Normally I'd offer to trade the seats, but the way they're going about it makes me never want to vacation with them again.

Honestly I'd call their bluff and say so be it.

No way I'd give up the kids seats. Entitield grandparents can stay home.

[Anonymous]

I think everyone is thinking the poor grandparents can't afford to upgrade. Perhaps they can and were just assuming OP would pay for it.

I'm really trying to think what I'd do in this situation - but I'd be pretty pissed at my parents either way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all seem terrible, but you and your DH are the worst for not putting old people in the most comfortable seats.

Sure. When they pay for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, your entire family sounds super entitled. As a Gen x but not yet a grandparent, DH and I would have definitely offer my parents my business class seats and put our kids in coach. It’s the kind thing to do. However, everyone involved sounds petty and selfish.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yes - I'd cancel the trip for the kids and grandparents and go with my husband.

What did the son do wrong? This is a trip OP booked for her nuclear family, they were thoughtful in including her parents and are k ow being taken advantage of. If my parents did this, I would grudgingly force my kids to switch seats, and be honest about the fact that their grandparents are acting like brats, but this would be the last time we would ever travel with my parents.

I would go with the son. Everyone can stay home.

[Anonymous]

You invited your parents but didn’t offer to buy them first class seats? Why did you invite them then???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your parents are selfish entitled jerks. Normally I'd offer to trade the seats, but the way they're going about it makes me never want to vacation with them again.

Honestly I'd call their bluff and say so be it.

No way I'd give up the kids seats. Entitield grandparents can stay home.

+1