Grandparents insist on taking my kids’ first class seats

[Anonymous]

OP - can you parents reasonably afford to upgrade?

[Anonymous]

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

They didn't buy themselves first class seats either. They are paying for the hotel - and possibly the cruise.

What kind of selfish person expects to be paid for first class all the way?

[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.

This. They all sound like selfish jerks.

I do think its more important for old people to have the better seats tho. Kids and teens generally dont get achy like old people do. kids bounce back faster from long haul flights.

[Anonymous]

I can’t even imagine a scenario where I wouldn’t give my parents the most comfortable seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I mean yes, her dd is acting entitled and that warrants a discussion in which OP sets her straight, but I don’t think it’s fair to just dismiss her as a spoiled brat. Remember, she’s had a business class seat for months and months and now someone wants to take it from her. That’s completely different than if her parents had informed her from the beginning that it was too much of a stretch to put everyone in business class, so the kids were going to fly coach so that their elderly grandparents could be comfortable. Offering her $50 to switch seats makes it seem like this is a negotiation and she can choose which seating she prefers.

[Anonymous]

My kids would have offered to give up their seats on their own.

[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.

Please explain. The grandparents could have purchased business class seats, but chose not to do so. Full stop. Kindness has nothing to do with it. It’s not like business class was sold out. It sounds like you’re talking more about a welfare system than anything else.

[Anonymous]

Everyone stays in the seats they purchased. If y'all can't afford to upgrade your parents, they stay where they are seated and you stay where you are seated. If your father needs a business class seat, he really should have bought one. I get that they are really expensive, which is why most people don't do it that way, but it does not also follow that your kids should lose their seats because your parents are joining the trip. If it comes to that, how about if you and DH, as the alleged grownups here, give your parents your seats, move to coach, and let the kids stay where they are? Seems like an equally valid choice as the kids moving.

[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.

Yeah, we've had trouble purchasing more than 4 seats with miles before. Airlines are jerky that way. We got around it with buying coach and upgrading. That might work here if he still has miles.

That being said, you are paying for a lot of things, I wouldn't feel guilty at all.

Won't work in this case because the grandparents on are a separate reservation from the husband with Global Services status. Only those with GS and maybe 1K status (or with a LOT of Plus points) would be able to upgrade using miles from regular economy. Even then finding upgradeable space on a summer flight to Greece is probably very hard.

[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.

What prevents old people from simply purchasing the most comfortable seats? This is where I am getting confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

They will not care if you swap once you have boarded.

Perfect. OP’s dh gets to stay in business class because he’s the one who earned these perks. The other 5 family members can take turns sitting in coach. Why should anyone have to be uncomfortable for the entire international flight?

[Anonymous]

If I were the grandparents I would decline to come. On no circumstances would I be paying me grandkids to move their seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Yeah, we've had trouble purchasing more than 4 seats with miles before. Airlines are jerky that way. We got around it with buying coach and upgrading. That might work here if he still has miles.

That being said, you are paying for a lot of things, I wouldn't feel guilty at all.

Won't work in this case because the grandparents on are a separate reservation from the husband with Global Services status. Only those with GS and maybe 1K status (or with a LOT of Plus points) would be able to upgrade using miles from regular economy. Even then finding upgradeable space on a summer flight to Greece is probably very hard.

Valid point,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

What prevents old people from simply purchasing the most comfortable seats? This is where I am getting confused.

The comfortable seats were $7000 while the less comfortable ones were $1500. That is the only reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

They will not care if you swap once you have boarded.

Perfect. OP’s dh gets to stay in business class because he’s the one who earned these perks. The other 5 family members can take turns sitting in coach. Why should anyone have to be uncomfortable for the entire international flight?

They wouldn't allow a round robin like that. Maybe one or two switches, but just keep moving around wouldn't work.