Nutella

Several years ago on a transatlantic flight I accepted someone's offer to swap seats with her so she could sit in my seat in steerage to be next to her boyfriend. I felt guilty when the meal was served, and asked the FA if I could switch meals so the girl could have the good food. I was told it wasn't allowed. Oh well, I tried, I enjoyed my meal and had a guiltless rest of the flight

Nutella

Oops I didn't make it clear, I was moved to Business Class

OReilly

I guess it depends on the airlines, but I have seen it happen several times on Air Canada and no-one was disturbed. Your kids are old enough to behave appropriately, which in BC just means quietly

I suggest you ask permission from the head FA when you get on and introduce your very well-dressed and well mannered offspring. Also, I think you should only consider it on a day flight as sleep is the main reason we pay all that money for BC.

Good luck.

canterbury

LynnieD - So cute!

Nutella - I keep hoping something like this will happen to me, but alas, I'm still waiting.....

CarolA

How many of you who are so sure that the other business class passengers won't like this fly business???

I have and it wouldn't bother me in the least. Perhaps I realize that just becasue I have a bigger seat and I am really not any better then the folks in coach. I don't feel the need to "lock them out." I have seen this occur and no one even seems to look twice.

OReilly

I fly BC and it certainly doesn't bother me.

AnselmAdorne

I may as well chime in, too: 24 flights in business class this year; seat swapping doesn't even register on the list of annoyances.

Anselm

Weadles

I've been lucky enough to fly business class quite a few times. I don't think it's a matter of "feeling better than the people in coach", but rather getting what you paid for.

canterbury

Thanks for the support Carol, OReilly and Anselm!

I really don't think it would be all that disruptive.

I'd rather have someone's kids come in for an hour than sit 10 hours next to someone who hasn't bathed in days (as happens every so often on these flights...)

OReilly

canterbury, as CarolA said, its all about the SEAT when you travel BC. We who travel in BC are just ordinary business people, road warriors, mostly consultants, certainly not high maintenance celebrities – they travel First Class. We just want a big seat that we can recline and SLEEP, because we are all sleep deprived.

Don’t be put off by some of the responses. Your kids are old enough to be responsible and I think it is a nice gesture for Mom & Dad to share the BC experience with the offspring.

It might have long reaching effects: the first time I was upgraded to BC I swore I would find a way to never fly economy again, and I did!

AnselmAdorne

"We who travel in BC are just ordinary business people, road warriors, mostly consultants ..."

Sigh. Ger, you forgot the old retired guys again.

LOL.

Anselm

OReilly

"Sigh. Ger, you forgot the old retired guys again."

But Anselm, you EARNED it from your warrior years

canterbury

Thanks for the kind remarks, OReilly.

Like you and Anselm, my husband travels BC and First quite often domestically for work. Seeing another one of the perks of hard work is good for the kids. Keeps 'em on the right track.

Merry Christmas and safe travels to you!

PurpleNeon

I've had the pleasure of flying business class once on points and once on luck.

On our last flight from Canada to Frankfurt my husband and I were eligible for an upgrade but there were no seats available. After we had gotten settled in Economy the FA came to tell us that ONE seat had become available and one of us could go but that we couldn't switch. I sent my husband (figuring that the brownie points could come in handy over the next 3 weeks of the trip "but honey I LET you sit in business class&quot. Halfway through the flight the other FA's who were serving dinner in economy told me that they for sure thought I should go trade places with him 1/2 way through the flight - so I did! He got the good meal, I got the good sleep - it was awesome.

I think as long as you do it quietly and as discreetly as possible; the kids come up, slip into the seats, behave themselves and you go back to their seats and then repeat after awhile - I can't see why it would be a big deal. I think it would be different if you wanted your kids to come and hang out with you while all 4 of you enjoy the amenities at once. Or if you wanted 4 BC meals or extra drinks or something. Or if you choose to make a loud big deal about it in either class (ie: by informing people that you are now returning to your business class seats etc - which it sounds like you are not those kind of people anyway!)

In my opinion you have "rented" the 2 BC seats and the associated comforts for the duration of the flight and it is your perogative what you do with them while the plane is cruising.

PurpleNeon

Oops, I forgot to mention that I laughed out loud at the 1 1/2 and 4 years old post. I honestly stared at it for a moment and thought "are these people crazy?". Too funny!

Tiff

canterbury ~ Brilliant! If you could have seen my little eyes pop out of my little skull when I read the 1.5 and 4, LOL. I don't know that it is safe to be so jolted at this hour of the night.

Thanks for the laughter. (I too, kinda wished you had let the young ages play out at least for 20 minutes or so...)

Enjoy your journey, hope your trip report is as good as this post. You set the bar pretty high!

canterbury

Thanks, Tiff and Purple! I, too, love a good laugh.

PS: Purple - I kinda see it that we are "renting" the seats also.

kimknight

It depends on the flight attendant. When I was 7 years old my parents were in first class going to hawaii. My dad would switch places every once in a while with me.

wayfarer

We travelled to Europe a couple of years ago with our two sons, ages 4 & 7. We had two coach tickets that we bought and two business class from miles. Fligth was on Northwest.

For our system my wife and oldest son flew over in BC and me and our young son flew back. I went up front more than a few times on the way over and our 4 year old also went up a time or two on his own. We had zero problems, in fact one of the flight attendants brought me a couple of glasses of the good red wine and my son's cheese plate (along with some port!) Looking back on it maybe she was trying to keep me out of BC

(Before anyone dogs me for leaving my 4 yr old alone in coach, we had the grandparents with us in coach)

We took BC seats at the back of BC and coach seats at the front of coach so we weren't too far away. The key is to be well behaved (adults and kids) and I don't think you'll have problems with the Flight Attendants or the other passengers.

highledge

Looks like I will be faced with this situation as well. Our family of six is fling from London to the states next week. We have 4 seats in premium economy and then used an upgrade certificate for two seats in business (my husband's and it was use them or lose them!).
Now my husband can't fly with us- he's coming a few days later. The original plan was me in business with one kid and he'd fly with the other three. But now I have the business class seat and the (very well behaved frequent fliers) kids have seats in premium economy. Three of the kids don't mind (more soda please!!) but the 7 year old is making faces at me. The dilemma- who sits where.
I have a lot of friends who sit in front and have the kids in back. Not "little kids" but old enough. My excuse? We're expats and my kids fly a lot. Carry their own ticket and passport in the airport. Have had to navigate the entire airport from taxi to gate.
But now I have to make the choice. Me in the front or my 13 year old???
BTW- we've done the cabin swap before. The best way to do it is to have the person in front come to the back of the plane. This way there aren't too many people in the front cabin.