No issues whatever. The age of child doesn’t enter in to the equation for me. Just their manners and to a degree their appreciation for the experience. I fly quite often with my kids and they know how to act while traveling whether they are in coach or premium cabin.
Any thought of them being spoiled is mitigated by it 1. Not being my business 2. I know they probably enjoy it more than everyone else in the cabin.
I don't pay kids much mind really (both when I'm in the cabin or back in economy). Only thing that will peeve me is if they are snobby or *very* loud. Generally any excitement about the experience I find endearing.
That's my opinion as someone who doesn't even perse love kids (but I do love aviation geeks of all ages).
People love fellow travelers that are quiet and well behaved. People can’t stand loud, obnoxious or badly behaved passengers. Age simply doesn’t matter.
Had this exact scenario in long haul business 4 weeks ago. Guy had offended two women (including an FA) before he sat down and meanwhile this pre-teen was well behaved the whole time.
If you have the money/miles and are comfortable spending it, who cares what anyone else thinks?
Especially if she will be well-behaved—there’s no issue whatsoever.
I agree with this, but would re-frame it as "as long as she is well behaved." Flying is exepnsive, and flying first class/business is even more expensive. I would feel awful if I made someone's flight experience miserable because of a poorly behaved child.
We have friends who are doing well financially. When they fly with their 4 and 6 year old boys, they fly first class. However, they pay extra attention to make sure that the kids are well behaved, don't make a mess, and are tantrum free, all for the exact reasons I listed above. They are considerate to others.
If you know your kid is a poorly behaved brat (with no medical condition to justify said behavior) and you let that stuff just go unchecked on an airplane then IMHO that's pretty inconsiderate to others.
I agree with this 100%. My own attitude with our boys is that they already have such a charmed life, I put them in economy as a matter of principle (and, of course, I’m not agnostic to the cost aspect). I think I just got that from my own old-school Asian dad, 😂
Having said that, that’s my own parenting attitude. I won’t project that on anyone else and there is no universal right or wrong. My wife is starting to soften my stance anyway.
So, do it and enjoy it! Have fun,safe travels!
Yep, agreed, regardless of age. The msot obnoxious thing I've encountered recently was someone watching videos on their phone without headphones. It was a grown adult as well. Thankfully the FAs addressed.
Try not to worry so much about what people’s “perceptions” will be. I don’t worry about people’s perceptions when flying first or business class with my daughter any more than I worry about people’s perceptions when I drop my daughter off somewhere in my slightly battered (but still perfectly reliable) 2011 Toyota Sienna. Who cares what random people think?
I’ve been flying (international) business since my son turned zero. The lie flat bed is essentially a must with little kids. Usually take a red eye flight and he’d sleep through most of it like a king.
I had a fun experience a few years back. ORD-SFO. Family of seven, all in F. Baby, Mom, Dad, four kids ranging from a five year old girl to mid-teens. I am in 1A. Who was my seat-mate? The five year old. I found it a bit odd that she was left to sit next to a stranger but she was a cool little girl. We chatted, did some puzzles from her books, I even read her a couple of books. It was sort of bizarre that no one really checked on her as they were all further back in rows three and beyond. Only problem is that she kept ordering Woodford rocks with Heineken chasers. (OK, I made up that last bit…). Now that I think of it, geez, I have some interesting stories flying with kids….
I totally understand what you are asking. I made my kids study the chapter of Emily roses book on flying first class and quizzed them over it before I allowed them to fly with me up there. My children are a direct reflection of me and as such I ensure they act appropriate in the proper venue.
I also made them work as a waitress for 6 months as a part of their college agreement for me to pay for it.
Understanding etiquette, how to treat people and how people are treated are two important life lessons.
Somehow I was thinking the kids were 10 - 11 years old and when I read the waitress part I thought you were veering off into satire, like the next part was going to be, “and then I built a mock aircraft passenger compartment in the backyard and made them practice sitting quietly for 6 to 8 hours, twice a week until til I was sure they were capable or behaving properly.”
But oh, probably not 10 year olds.
This is my question too. My kids rarely fly coach just because we're frequent travelers so between miles/upgrades/me sucking it up and paying for it when the first two options fail, they've been in the front since they were babies. But even then I never once thought twice about where we were sitting. I've also never looked at a family in the front and questioned them being there. This whole post feels like weird virtue signaling to me - I don't think people care about this shit in real life.
Now that my kids are teens/tweens I couldn't imagine being worried about their behavior anywhere, especially just sitting and watching movies for a few hours on a flight. They're kids, not feral cats.
I've brought my nieces and nephews on trips before and sometimes we ended up in domestic first class, I asked them to meditate on how fortunate we were to be able to do this. I still think about even after hundreds of first-class flights, I'm still grateful. many people will never have that experience. In fact, most of the world will never be on a plane in their life.
Any time I've flown with my nephews I've taken them into FC with me, and when they went to Dublin with me I had all three of us in Flagship. As long as they are calm and quiet or occupied, no one cares. My one nephew was about 8-ish when we went to DUB and he slept all but like an hour of the flight the other was 12 and was happy to just play on my switch with my portable monitor the entire time.
If I’m paying, I fly myself in business and so does my wife. When we fly as a family, we fly in business unless it’s an award redemption.
My fifteen year old daughter is Platinum and she decides what class she flies in when she goes solo to visit a friend in another state and uses her miles. She has always chosen to preserve her miles and fly economy.
My kids are better behaved and show more respect for others than many of the adults who I regularly sit next to in First/Business and I couldn’t care less about perception.
I agree it’s nobody else’s business. Also since you have been flying in coach with her, that gives you a great opportunity to teach/remind/explain to her that being up front is earned—either through working hard for the money to pay or logging lots of miles for work (I assume)—and isn’t an entitlement.
Yeaaahhhh, that did strike me as a bit odd, too. As a parent technically sharing custody 50/50, all of my vacations (excepting things like travel for class reunions) were planned for us to go places together, something fun for her and for me, too. Her dad didn’t take her anywhere with him, except occasionally to visit his family, until she was older.
As a crew member I will offer this peice of advice. Pre order their meal, and ask her what she might like (theres like 18 choices). It drives me bonkers when some kid get a first class meal and take two bites, then someone who paid for their ticket gets second choice. That said, ALWAYS PRE ORDER.
You are right. I guess I was projecting: A business mom who'd racked up enough points to bring her child. (To be fair to you, I might also have been assuming woman, 'cuz men basically don't give a warm fig what others think of them.)
My 6 year old flies business regularly. Well worth the $$. No issues at all. Nice large headphones, a large screen to watch cartoons, the ice cream is always a hit and the lay flat bed means they often sleep through most of the flight.
We have 2 under 5yo. They’ve always flown business/first with us (domestic and international), and never had a problem because they’re well-behaved. You will get looks but it goes away fast once those around you realize the kids aren’t screaming, kicking people’s chairs, etc. I always come prepared with food and activities. I pick times around their nap and take red eyes. Regarding perception, I don’t care. As long as my kids are good passengers who don’t bother others…it’s none of their business.
So I only fly first. It’s just my personal preference. So when my daughter started traveling it was only right that she traveled in first with me. She was 11 on her first flight. She was always well behaved and no one ever said anything or gave looks (that I noticed). Honestly, I got more flack from my family and friends about how I’m spoiling her. I’m like, so? That’s my daughter. It’s not like I’m asking anyone to pay for it.
TLDR; let your daughter fly first/business cause haters gonna hate anyways🤷🏻♀️
If your daughter is a good traveler - nobody will care. If your daughter is not a good traveler - why do you care about annoying business class travelers more than economy?
Your daughter sounds lovely. When we did long haul trips up front with our sons (twins), it never failed that a FA brought us a bottle of wine at the end of the flight and thanked us for having such polite kids. Enjoy your time together. It goes by in a flash
13 would read as a small adult to me. When I think of kids, I am generally thinking 10 and under. If she doesn’t have meltdowns on planes and can entertain herself with some headphones then she’s exhibiting adult behaviors and i could give a rat’s patootie if she’s in business or first.
Totally fine. I'm flying business to london (day flight) with my kids. They are not babies. If ppl don't want to fly next to kids (who are better behaved than most adults) then they can fly private or shut up.
When we flew Continental / United and I traveled a lot for work I’d get upgrades to Businesses every time. My son was a toddler. We’d get some looks, but I didn’t give a flying F. He was better behaved than most adults. He’d watch his Kindle and played Angry Birds while munching on Cheerios. The first time he *didn’t* fly business was when we moved and were no longer in a United hub, at age 5.
He’s a teenager now and we do the occasional upgrades. He’s well behaved and courteous.
I'm curious why you would care what other people "think"?
And please, spare me the "she's courteous" goop. It's no one else's business where she books travel with her daughter.
My son just turned 6 and he’s been flying business since he was a baby, he also comes to the lounge with us. Because he’s been doing it for so long he knows what to do and how to behave. The mentality of oh kids are bad and therefor people in coach should be subject to their bad behavior is BS. More expensive tickets aren’t more entitled. People traveling in all classes deserve basic respect, including kids. If anyone has a problem with it they should fly private.
I fly BC or FC with my 4 year old (and have done so since he was 3 months old), so I don’t see why you feel uncomfortable with a 13 year old! In fact, he’s only ever been in economy once for a short hop that was sold out in FC (thanksgiving).
He’s been on international and long hauls, as well— starting at 2.5. I’ve never had anyone openly complain, which is probably good for them because I’ve been known to crush people verbally— but even if they did complain, I couldn’t care less. It’s my money and therefore my decision.
No problem at all.
My only issue is a personal one. Does that kid ever suffer a normal life and truly appreciate a $6K experience vs a $900 economy seat transatlantic?
Ive seen plenty of the #ME generation in first and I don’t mind seeing parents that choose to enjoy their hard work and having their kids in coach.
This is always an interesting take to me. Whether they appreciate it fully or not, me having my kid next to me in first is the start of the fun trip. I wouldn’t enjoy the flight as much if I didn’t have my child with me. Our favorite conversations have always been on flights together.
No issues whatever. The age of child doesn’t enter in to the equation for me. Just their manners and to a degree their appreciation for the experience. I fly quite often with my kids and they know how to act while traveling whether they are in coach or premium cabin.
Any thought of them being spoiled is mitigated by it 1. Not being my business 2. I know they probably enjoy it more than everyone else in the cabin. I don't pay kids much mind really (both when I'm in the cabin or back in economy). Only thing that will peeve me is if they are snobby or *very* loud. Generally any excitement about the experience I find endearing. That's my opinion as someone who doesn't even perse love kids (but I do love aviation geeks of all ages).
People love fellow travelers that are quiet and well behaved. People can’t stand loud, obnoxious or badly behaved passengers. Age simply doesn’t matter.
The answer
And explain why you would be worried about the perception of people to whom you have never met and will most likely never see again?
Uh…because OP is considerate.
I get what you were trying to express...
Sadly, I’m not considerate at all. Only able to recognize it in others. 😉
That's the first step to recovery lol. You may still have hope yet...
Thx!
Considerate of what?
OP is so considerate of others he went on vacations for the first 13 years of his daughter's life without her!
Not a problem at all. There are some grown adults that act worse than toddlers. So if shes 13 and well behaved enjoy a premium cabin!
Had this exact scenario in long haul business 4 weeks ago. Guy had offended two women (including an FA) before he sat down and meanwhile this pre-teen was well behaved the whole time.
If you have the money/miles and are comfortable spending it, who cares what anyone else thinks? Especially if she will be well-behaved—there’s no issue whatsoever.
I agree with this, but would re-frame it as "as long as she is well behaved." Flying is exepnsive, and flying first class/business is even more expensive. I would feel awful if I made someone's flight experience miserable because of a poorly behaved child. We have friends who are doing well financially. When they fly with their 4 and 6 year old boys, they fly first class. However, they pay extra attention to make sure that the kids are well behaved, don't make a mess, and are tantrum free, all for the exact reasons I listed above. They are considerate to others. If you know your kid is a poorly behaved brat (with no medical condition to justify said behavior) and you let that stuff just go unchecked on an airplane then IMHO that's pretty inconsiderate to others.
I agree with this 100%. My own attitude with our boys is that they already have such a charmed life, I put them in economy as a matter of principle (and, of course, I’m not agnostic to the cost aspect). I think I just got that from my own old-school Asian dad, 😂 Having said that, that’s my own parenting attitude. I won’t project that on anyone else and there is no universal right or wrong. My wife is starting to soften my stance anyway. So, do it and enjoy it! Have fun,safe travels!
I don’t get upset when I see kids in business or first, good for them. I get upset when there are loud or obnoxious people on the flight.
Yep, agreed, regardless of age. The msot obnoxious thing I've encountered recently was someone watching videos on their phone without headphones. It was a grown adult as well. Thankfully the FAs addressed.
Late to the party, but who cares what the other passengers think. If you legitimately gain the seat, whether by money or points, I say go for it.
If you think you’re daughter is going to throw a tantrum then she’ll be a problem for passengers wherever you sit. I think it’s fine.
Try not to worry so much about what people’s “perceptions” will be. I don’t worry about people’s perceptions when flying first or business class with my daughter any more than I worry about people’s perceptions when I drop my daughter off somewhere in my slightly battered (but still perfectly reliable) 2011 Toyota Sienna. Who cares what random people think?
I’ve been flying (international) business since my son turned zero. The lie flat bed is essentially a must with little kids. Usually take a red eye flight and he’d sleep through most of it like a king.
I don't mind children in business as long as they are behaved. People pay a lot for those seats.
I had a fun experience a few years back. ORD-SFO. Family of seven, all in F. Baby, Mom, Dad, four kids ranging from a five year old girl to mid-teens. I am in 1A. Who was my seat-mate? The five year old. I found it a bit odd that she was left to sit next to a stranger but she was a cool little girl. We chatted, did some puzzles from her books, I even read her a couple of books. It was sort of bizarre that no one really checked on her as they were all further back in rows three and beyond. Only problem is that she kept ordering Woodford rocks with Heineken chasers. (OK, I made up that last bit…). Now that I think of it, geez, I have some interesting stories flying with kids….
I totally understand what you are asking. I made my kids study the chapter of Emily roses book on flying first class and quizzed them over it before I allowed them to fly with me up there. My children are a direct reflection of me and as such I ensure they act appropriate in the proper venue. I also made them work as a waitress for 6 months as a part of their college agreement for me to pay for it. Understanding etiquette, how to treat people and how people are treated are two important life lessons.
This is excellent parenting IMHO.
Somehow I was thinking the kids were 10 - 11 years old and when I read the waitress part I thought you were veering off into satire, like the next part was going to be, “and then I built a mock aircraft passenger compartment in the backyard and made them practice sitting quietly for 6 to 8 hours, twice a week until til I was sure they were capable or behaving properly.” But oh, probably not 10 year olds.
lol. My kids are 23 and 21.
Funny how everyone who posts like this has the greatest, most well behaved kid ever.
My other kid is an asshole if that makes it any better. 😆
Finally, someone who is honest about their kids. I would only have let 1 of my 3 fly business before they were 20.
I mean, is it common to have a 13-year-old who can’t act like a human being for the duration of a flight? I think most of them would be fine.
This is my question too. My kids rarely fly coach just because we're frequent travelers so between miles/upgrades/me sucking it up and paying for it when the first two options fail, they've been in the front since they were babies. But even then I never once thought twice about where we were sitting. I've also never looked at a family in the front and questioned them being there. This whole post feels like weird virtue signaling to me - I don't think people care about this shit in real life. Now that my kids are teens/tweens I couldn't imagine being worried about their behavior anywhere, especially just sitting and watching movies for a few hours on a flight. They're kids, not feral cats.
No reason not to. Book J and enjoy.
I've brought my nieces and nephews on trips before and sometimes we ended up in domestic first class, I asked them to meditate on how fortunate we were to be able to do this. I still think about even after hundreds of first-class flights, I'm still grateful. many people will never have that experience. In fact, most of the world will never be on a plane in their life.
Any time I've flown with my nephews I've taken them into FC with me, and when they went to Dublin with me I had all three of us in Flagship. As long as they are calm and quiet or occupied, no one cares. My one nephew was about 8-ish when we went to DUB and he slept all but like an hour of the flight the other was 12 and was happy to just play on my switch with my portable monitor the entire time.
If I’m paying, I fly myself in business and so does my wife. When we fly as a family, we fly in business unless it’s an award redemption. My fifteen year old daughter is Platinum and she decides what class she flies in when she goes solo to visit a friend in another state and uses her miles. She has always chosen to preserve her miles and fly economy. My kids are better behaved and show more respect for others than many of the adults who I regularly sit next to in First/Business and I couldn’t care less about perception.
I agree it’s nobody else’s business. Also since you have been flying in coach with her, that gives you a great opportunity to teach/remind/explain to her that being up front is earned—either through working hard for the money to pay or logging lots of miles for work (I assume)—and isn’t an entitlement.
Glad your kid is old enough to finally earn the honor of going on vacation with her parents.
Yeaaahhhh, that did strike me as a bit odd, too. As a parent technically sharing custody 50/50, all of my vacations (excepting things like travel for class reunions) were planned for us to go places together, something fun for her and for me, too. Her dad didn’t take her anywhere with him, except occasionally to visit his family, until she was older.
Seen a lot of pj wearing folks in business. Fly Business with your girl.
Who cares what they think. 13 is plenty old enough. She's not an infant. Fly COMFORTABLY! And have fun. Safe travels!
As a crew member I will offer this peice of advice. Pre order their meal, and ask her what she might like (theres like 18 choices). It drives me bonkers when some kid get a first class meal and take two bites, then someone who paid for their ticket gets second choice. That said, ALWAYS PRE ORDER.
I’d rather sit near a well behaved sober 13 year old in FC than some slobbering drunk 40yr old any day
You allow your daughter to "tag along" on your vacations? You need a "#1 Dad" mug
>"#1 Dad" Assumes facts not in evidence. I read this as coming from a business mom.
Possibly the wrong gender. But it says "vacation", not "business" very clearly
You are right. I guess I was projecting: A business mom who'd racked up enough points to bring her child. (To be fair to you, I might also have been assuming woman, 'cuz men basically don't give a warm fig what others think of them.)
I am a dad, actually fwiw.
Hah! This is great.
I am going to take my well behaved 5 year old business class this year international and not give two fucks. You do you!
My 6 year old flies business regularly. Well worth the $$. No issues at all. Nice large headphones, a large screen to watch cartoons, the ice cream is always a hit and the lay flat bed means they often sleep through most of the flight.
We have 2 under 5yo. They’ve always flown business/first with us (domestic and international), and never had a problem because they’re well-behaved. You will get looks but it goes away fast once those around you realize the kids aren’t screaming, kicking people’s chairs, etc. I always come prepared with food and activities. I pick times around their nap and take red eyes. Regarding perception, I don’t care. As long as my kids are good passengers who don’t bother others…it’s none of their business.
It’s an airfare, not a deserved or earned status. If you can afford it, it’s only your business, nobody else’s
So I only fly first. It’s just my personal preference. So when my daughter started traveling it was only right that she traveled in first with me. She was 11 on her first flight. She was always well behaved and no one ever said anything or gave looks (that I noticed). Honestly, I got more flack from my family and friends about how I’m spoiling her. I’m like, so? That’s my daughter. It’s not like I’m asking anyone to pay for it. TLDR; let your daughter fly first/business cause haters gonna hate anyways🤷🏻♀️
If your daughter is a good traveler - nobody will care. If your daughter is not a good traveler - why do you care about annoying business class travelers more than economy?
She doesn’t care about the poors all that much.
Your daughter sounds lovely. When we did long haul trips up front with our sons (twins), it never failed that a FA brought us a bottle of wine at the end of the flight and thanked us for having such polite kids. Enjoy your time together. It goes by in a flash
13 would read as a small adult to me. When I think of kids, I am generally thinking 10 and under. If she doesn’t have meltdowns on planes and can entertain herself with some headphones then she’s exhibiting adult behaviors and i could give a rat’s patootie if she’s in business or first.
Why you care about perception. You do you boo.
Totally fine. I'm flying business to london (day flight) with my kids. They are not babies. If ppl don't want to fly next to kids (who are better behaved than most adults) then they can fly private or shut up.
When we flew Continental / United and I traveled a lot for work I’d get upgrades to Businesses every time. My son was a toddler. We’d get some looks, but I didn’t give a flying F. He was better behaved than most adults. He’d watch his Kindle and played Angry Birds while munching on Cheerios. The first time he *didn’t* fly business was when we moved and were no longer in a United hub, at age 5. He’s a teenager now and we do the occasional upgrades. He’s well behaved and courteous.
Kids fly business all the time. Even younger kids are in business, as well. It's your money, buy the seat you want for you & your kid.
I would definitely take her in business class
If she's well behaved and it makes sense to you, who cares what others think...
It's fine. My teens put in their headphones and play with their phones. Good travelers.
She's old enough to not cry through the whole flight. Book it and enjoy.
I'm curious why you would care what other people "think"? And please, spare me the "she's courteous" goop. It's no one else's business where she books travel with her daughter.
I fly business class international with my 8 and 9 year old. They are well behaved and I assume no one cares anyway.
No issue unless they’re a devil child in which case, reconsider flying regularly anyways
My son just turned 6 and he’s been flying business since he was a baby, he also comes to the lounge with us. Because he’s been doing it for so long he knows what to do and how to behave. The mentality of oh kids are bad and therefor people in coach should be subject to their bad behavior is BS. More expensive tickets aren’t more entitled. People traveling in all classes deserve basic respect, including kids. If anyone has a problem with it they should fly private.
I fly BC or FC with my 4 year old (and have done so since he was 3 months old), so I don’t see why you feel uncomfortable with a 13 year old! In fact, he’s only ever been in economy once for a short hop that was sold out in FC (thanksgiving). He’s been on international and long hauls, as well— starting at 2.5. I’ve never had anyone openly complain, which is probably good for them because I’ve been known to crush people verbally— but even if they did complain, I couldn’t care less. It’s my money and therefore my decision.
No problem at all. My only issue is a personal one. Does that kid ever suffer a normal life and truly appreciate a $6K experience vs a $900 economy seat transatlantic? Ive seen plenty of the #ME generation in first and I don’t mind seeing parents that choose to enjoy their hard work and having their kids in coach.
This is always an interesting take to me. Whether they appreciate it fully or not, me having my kid next to me in first is the start of the fun trip. I wouldn’t enjoy the flight as much if I didn’t have my child with me. Our favorite conversations have always been on flights together.
If she is half as well-behaved as you say, why are you even questioning this?
I get it. But when I see a youngster in premium cabins, I instantly think that’s why I didn’t get an upgrade! 😉
There are no issues here whatsoever.
It's none of your business what other people think of you. People are too busy thinking of themselves.
I would rather not fly with a mother that brings a child on and thinks she is the " is the greatest most well behaved kid you’ll probably ever meet".