Can I share my seat in Business Class?
 

Our family is headed to Europe (final countries not yet chosen) in April 2007 on American Airlines. DH and I are sitting in Business Class, the kids will be in Coach.

Would the FAs allow me to swap with my kids on a temporary basis (they just want to try it out for an hour or so)?

What a tremendous piece of planning !!
;-)
I doubt if they would be too pleased to see you swap.
I think you should leave the kids where they are, enjoy the advantages of BC.
Don't spoil the kids, they have to learn to appreciate the pitfalls of economy before they get the slightest opportunity to travel BC.
Pain to gain..lol :-)

I would say nothing and just pop back occasionally to smuggle some snacks to them..lol
Harsh but fair !!
Muck

How old are your kids?

I would be highly surprised if there was any problem with a swap - have seen it happen on several occasions but not on AA. Would suggest that eithe ryou or DH stay up front while the other swaps with one of the kids and the repeat.

Also avoid doing this during the service (last thing they want is people trotting up an down the aisles when they are trying to serve) and be very discrete about smuggling back snacks.

A few flights ago one couple was doing the same - before landing the in-charge actually brought the kids up to a couple of empty busines sclass seats (one of whichwas next to me) so that all the family could exit the plane together. The in-charge asked me before ahnd if this was okay (ie to take up the empty seat next to me)

You'll just have to ask and find out on the day.

As you are leaving the 'kids' on their own in coach we can assume that they are quite big. So I suspect that the answer will be 'no' - otherwise you'd get loads of people 'sharing' business facilities. Couples taking it in turns to sleep on the much more comfortable bed/seat etc...while only paying for one b.c. place.

The kids are 1-1/2 and 4 years old.

Just kidding!

Kids are 17 and 18, well behaved and experienced travelers.

I just wanted them to see what it was like up front. And send them the message that "this is the reward for working hard in school."

I've only traveled First Class once (and never trans-Atlantic), DH does Business Class most of the time.

"The kids are 1-1/2 and 4 years old."

canterbury, you should have waited to spill the beans on their real ages. I would have LOVED to see the responses.

Hope it all works out for you.

((H))

maitai -

I was going to, but I didn't want to rile everyone up in the Holiday Season!

"The kids are 1-1/2 and 4 years old." LOL!!

This question has come up several times on one of the FlyerTalk forums I haunt. Best advice to give you is to select seats at the back of the business class cabin so that any swapping will be less evident or dispruptive to others in J. Then ask the in-charge after you board. Worst that can happen is they'll ask you not to.

Anselm

I don't know about AA, but when I flew my mom to Rome in Business on CO and my sister was flying with her (in coach), they would not even allow my sister into first to check on her during the 10 hour flight. Being that my mom had wheelchair assistance and was on various medications this really surprised me.

Of course, they had no issues with going back to get my sister when Mom became very ill on the return flight. She was by all means allowed up there to look after her then. Go figure.

Sorry if my post seems sketchy....Continental only has "BusinessFirst." So, that's the class my mom was in.

1 1/2 and 4! Very funny!

"Reward for working hard in school", huh? DH and I worked hard in school, have good jobs, and we can't bring ourselves to pay for anything but coach!

My only concern is whether or not you can lift your children. Because on my flights to Europe, I have been so uncomfortable, I have dreamed of sneaking into business or first class. If someone actually offered me their seat for a little while, they'd probably have to drag me back out of it!

As a flight attendant I would suggest you not swap seats with your kids. Can you imagine if everyone in BC or FC did this? I also suggest you go back to coach when you need to talk to your kids. IMO, you need to respect the other passengers and the atmosphere of the cabin.

Most flight attendants do frown upon people coming up to BC or FC to chat, again out of respect for the other passengers.

I put this question to the "what if everyone did this?" test... so my answer would be no.

Well I have seen it done on Delta and as a Business Class passenger it never really bothered me. Generally it was after the meal service and everyone was at least trying to sleep so I doubt most folks even noticed the temporary change. (And on my last AA flight in Business once the meal was served the FAs DISAPPERED so they would not know. They only came out when you rang the bell, which of course made for a lot of bell ringing LOL!)

This must be about the only post ever about kids on planes that makes most people smile, if not laugh out loud.

Congratulations and have a great flight!

LOL, The kids are 1-1/2 and 4 years old !!
Thank you for the giggles.

You know it's really not that big a deal (first/business class). Leave them in coach. They'll survive.

Ask the lead flight attendant once the plane is boarded and before takeoff.

The only traveling I did at that age was in the back seat of a Volkswagen bus with 5 other people (hey, almost like coach) so I think they are already very privileged to be flying to Europe as is.

Yes, I can only add that I've been seated at the back of the plane and at the front. I prefer the front. But when I was that age and if it was the only way to get to europe, I would've been happy if my parents had duck-taped me to the wing.

I would take the business class seats for my husband and I and enjoy every minute of it and let my kids visit us once to have incentive for future that by working hard they will also experience the same. Kids at this age are probably just checking girls/boys their own age in the plane rather than where their seats are. Have a great trip.

I can just imagine the indignation on <b>both</b> sides of the curtain if you pulled a stunt like this...too cheap to buy BC seats for the kids but wanting them to &quot;experience it&quot; anyway comes to mind.

BUT since you paid for the flight perhaps that makes it OK.

And this will be a night flight - I'm sure all the other passengers will love the disruption

Ah, someone obviously had a similar question. According to the BA website,

&quot;Children must not visit their parents in a higher cabin unless permission has been granted by Cabin Crew.&quot;
There's a whole procedure on what they call Split Families (yikes!)

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...=split+seating

Your kids would be old enough not to require special hand-over with FAs.

Just make sure your kids don't spoil the experience...
&quot;This means that if a child (aged 12 - 15 years) misbehaves or is upset, the same procedure applies as set out above i.e. If children misbehave or become upset a member of the crew will request the parent/guardian to assist, and as a last resort may also request them to downgrade in order to seat together. (this action would be taken for the child's benefit.)&quot;

Though this is the BA policies, so you should check with the airline you'll be flying.

Thank you W9London for some good advice.

Caroline - the &quot;kids&quot; are 17 and 18 - they don't need &quot;care.&quot;

And actually, they are quite happy to sit by themselves in coach. They just wanted a peak at Business Class.

If all they want is a quick peek, I don't think that would be a problem. They might actually get that peek as they pass through business on their way to cattle class when they board.

But if they want to have a chance to try out the seats, play with the video system, etc., I doubt that would go over well. However, if you must, the best time to do so, IMO, would be just after meal service has been cleared away, when people tend to spend a bit of time using the restrooms and re-settling themselves for a nap or movies. For about 10 minutes or so after meals, there's a flurry of activity (at least, that's been my experience in transatlantic biz class) and your kids could probably slip in and out without attracting much notice.

Historytraveler: &quot;But when I was that age and if it was the only way to get to europe, I would've been happy if my parents had duck-taped me to the wing&quot;

Thanks, historytraveler. Now next flight we're all gonna have to take a peek at the wings, just to see what - or whom - we might find out there....

W9London; that's interesting. I didn't know there was a policy for this. They say that a child under 5 has to sit with the parents. If you ask me, children under 12 should sit with their parents too.
When they're 17 and 18 I wouldnt hesitate to let them fly economy while the parents are in business.

Canterbury,

I hope that you have a great trip. Howver, I think your kids will have to take their &quot;peek&quot; as they walk through BC to their seats. When we've flown BC on AA, the attendants have been very strict about not letting anyone from the other cabins up front.

Thanks, weadles, for the first-hand experience.


Did I use the wrong &quot;peek?&quot; Waaaay too early here!

And, actually, the kids wanted more than a peek, to be honest - an hour or so. Guess that won't happen.

They're just glad they're going to Europe again!

American Airlines announces every hour that you must use the bathroom in your ticketed cabin. Trying to use a real seat instead of a toilet seat seems to be pushing the limit even more.

Those American Airlines airmarshalls will accuse your kids of being terrorists if they try to get into business class.

They probably will land the plane in Canada and your children will be taken off the flight.

But in the meantime, enjoy Europe.

Two more things:

American Airlines does not have curtains that seperate the different classes. They removed them after 9-11 and the bean-counters at AA won't let them put them back. (Money savings)

Flights from the U.S. to Europe are usually night flights and that means the &quot;Fasten Seat Belt&quot; sign stays on all night long. If too many people are stretching their legs after the meal, the flight attendants will announce loudly, the pilot has not turned off the fasten seat belt sign.

One more thing, according to comments on www.airlinequality.com, the food in coach on AA in inedible, so bring a few munchies for the kids--but no beverages.

Also, bring earphones from home for the kids so they don't have to pay for them in coach. You won't have to worry about PG or R rated movies on American Airlines. Everything is Disney oriented--even for adults. Yes, American charges for earphones on international flights. Bet you didn't know buses cross the Atlantic Ocean, too.

I want more than a peak at business class too, but so far no one has been willing to trade seats with me
:-) suze

Flew AA from the US to Heathrow in September. Earphones are free on transatlantic AA flights. Of course, these days, many people have their own with them anyway.

CW

There was a long thread about this about Continental on Flyertalk some months ago, and CO's policy is that there's no real policy. Rather, it's up to the discretion of the lead FA.

I don't know what AA's policy is. Maybe they have a specific one, maybe not. You may want to ask that on the AA board at Flyertalk.com.

But based on the discussion on CO, here are the issues:

- Since it's up to the discretion of the lead FA, you don't and can't know in advance what his/her reaction is.

- There's also no way to determine whether its better to ask in advance. Say if the lead FA says &quot;no&quot; when you ask early, then that's basically the end of it. But perhaps if you do it quietly and discretely during the flight, then even this same FA may let you slip.

- If you're allowed to do it, you just have to do it with the least disruption to other passengers. Do it quietly, discretely, and not during meal time. Say in the middle of the night over the Atlantic may be okay.

--

Anyways, having said all that, I don't really see the point of doing this for kids 17 and 18. Except for them to brag about it in school. They can understand the reward for working hard, without having to actually lay on the seat. Trust me.

And no one else on the plane who sees you - the FAs, other passengers in business or coach - will think very highly of the maneuver either. If you want them to know what it is like to be in business, then buy them a couple of tickets there.

--

BTW, I've flown with my parents when they're sitting up front while I'm in the back. I'd never want them to lose any time in the nice seats, anyways.

lol loved the ages!

Have a good trip. I doubt they'll be able to come and have a swap but never mind.

If I were (lucky enough to be) able to afford only 2 bc tickets I'd abandon the teenagers to economy too!

LOL- 1 1/2 and 4.

When my son was 5 I asked him if he wanted to fly by himself from Orange County, CA to Detroit to visit Grandma and Grandpa for a vacation. He told me he would think about it.

THe next morning he said &quot; okay Mom, I want to go, but when do I learn how to fly the plane?&quot;