VS401 DXB-LHR Mar 07 (Upper)

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

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Outgoing and return was a bit like being in Kindergarden - Upperclass full of very small children - an increasing trend in UC. Having spent all that money its a bit dissapointing thats its full of crying children.

[Decker]

Perhaps we should start a campaign for larger children? [;)].

I agree there 4 /5 under 3 years old on outbound and return
The hostess said they pay only 10% adult fare??

[RichardMannion]

Only 10% fare if under 2, and must be on parents lap. They will not occupy their own seat.

Thanks,
Richard

Ah most of these kids had their own seat and a few moved seats when on parents lap and the toddlers were then given their own seat - that explains some of it

I pay for my five year old to fly UC, I have done so since he was months old. I really get annoyed with people who seem to think that children have no right to fly Upper Class. What nonsense! John's seat is certainly more tha 10% of the adult fare, he behaves a lot better than many so called adults who fly UC.
Its dissapointing when UC is full of whingers!!
Enough of this anti children rubbish. Not all children are the same as not all adults behave the same.

I couldn't agree more, I have often been seated in the vicinity of rowdy adults who also can't seem to sit still and must constantly bang my seat.

I too have always travelled with my daughter, now three in club world and club europe, and apart from one occasion she has behaved really well. On the one occasion that she didn't, we had been delayed and our nice daytime flight became a night one. I felt like sobbing too.

Originally posted by AlanA
I pay for my five year old to fly UC, I have done so since he was months old. I really get annoyed with people who seem to think that children have no right to fly Upper Class. What nonsense! John's seat is certainly more tha 10% of the adult fare, he behaves a lot better than many so called adults who fly UC.
Its dissapointing when UC is full of whingers!!
Enough of this anti children rubbish. Not all children are the same as not all adults behave the same.

I don't think flyingdoc was complaining about well behaved children. I do not mind travelling with children UC or J class, however it doesn't enhance your experience when you have children crying, or running up and down the aisle. I am sure your child is very well behaved, but it has happened to me twice when the FA have asked for the parents to take control of their children because that are distrupting the cabin. [V]

Dominic

Absolutely some children (including my own) know how to behave in UC and elsewhere and are used to travelling 2- 3 times a year long hall its the parents not the children I object to - allowing them to run around disturbing the cabin thinking its great fun.
I must say I have seen a lot of children in UC whose behaviour is exemplorary so this is not a moan at them or their parents so dont takle things so personally.
If your children behave then surely you shouldn't see this as a personal slur!! so why have do you have to make it so personal - guilt?

If I can just insert my twopen'orth here.

Unruly children (and adults come to that) are not solely confined to UC. I have seen such 'darlings' in PE and Y too.

As has been pointed out, it is up to the parents [:D]

Originally posted by Treelo

Unruly children (and adults come to that) are not solely confined to UC. I have seen such 'darlings' in PE and Y too.

Speaking as a dedicated Y traveller I suppose, however, there is a difference in that the lack of space at the back of the bus places a constraint on their ability to wreak widespread havoc; instead it's much more concentrated to those in the immediate vicinity.

Originally posted by Treelo


As has been pointed out, it is up to the parents [:D]

And, speaking as one, I wholeheartedly agree. Aside from thoughts about duty of care and social behavioural niceties it always amazes me when you see people - and this can be on an aircraft, in a hotel, in a restaurant - who just seem not to want to spend any time, or interact, with their children. Perhaps I'm lucky in that I like my two and they are fun to be with.

Paul

Last time i travelled in J my little boy would have slept if it wasn't for the rowdy adults around him!!! Luckily 'Car's' was on the IFE & it kept him occupied for hours.

It's amazing the dirty looks & 'tuts' you get when sitting in J with a child, or even just in the CH.

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by flyingdoc
Outgoing and return was a bit like being in Kindergarden - Upperclass full of very small children - an increasing trend in UC. Having spent all that money its a bit dissapointing thats its full of crying children.

ChavClass? UC is just so common.

Originally posted by flyingdoc
Absolutely some children (including my own) know how to behave in UC and elsewhere and are used to travelling 2- 3 times a year long hall its the parents not the children I object to - allowing them to run around disturbing the cabin thinking its great fun.
I must say I have seen a lot of children in UC whose behaviour is exemplorary so this is not a moan at them or their parents so dont takle things so personally.
If your children behave then surely you shouldn't see this as a personal slur!! so why have do you have to make it so personal - guilt?

Because FlyingDoc, your original posting was 'Upperclass full of very small children, an increasing trend in UC Having spent all that money its a bit dissapointing thats its full of crying children' as if all small children should be kept out of UC as it effect you. That its OK for crying children in the other classes, but not near you because YOU have paid so much. Welkl guess what? so have those parents, and yes, children do cry because they are children and all children, when tired or under the weather will cry.
very small children do not understand on T/O and landing why their ears hurt.
At no point did you talkj about children running around, disturbing the cabin.
yes the paerent in that case should be informed as they should be in any class of plane that this is not a playground, but we have all seen actions by adults which make the childrens antics seem quiet in comparison.

[Decker]

Predictably this topic is becoming a little heated. Please let's continue to keep it civil. Perhaps they could remove child discounts then nobody could complain about the presence of children in UC as they would have paid exactly the same as everyone else. I can see Revenue liking this stance tho' pax might find it less attractive.

That would not be a problem Decker. the difference is (well for LGW-MCO in December) a huge £300 on a £1,400 fare.
But that would also mean that my lad could collect his miles as well :-) :-)

[Decker]

and THAT would be great. It's iniquitous that children can't claim miles unless it's for some strange legal reason. I did actually look at the price differences on a Z to NY for adult vs child and it isn't that much. I applaud you for paying got your's to fly up front. If I were to be a parent I'd be SO tempted to leave them in Y as an unaccompanied minor. I mean, shades of Dennis Waterman/Little Britain.

There is nothing worse than a child running around the cabin, not only is it disturbing, it is also disrespectful of your fellow pax's. [n][n]

And then of course there is the H&S issue's? If my child was up and running around they would be made to sit down and play nicely (but a nineteen year old does'nt always take notice of daddy), thats what parents should do in an ideal world.[?][?]

Too often we are seeing parents (onboard and in hotels/restaurants) letting their little darling run riot, without attempting to stop them, whilst still quaffing their free offerings! How can anyone stand up and defend this pompous attitude?[:?][:?]

I like to see my kids and grand children enjoying themselves, come to that kids in general who happily get on with the flight, play and watch the IFE,if they then get up and have a little play or run around it does not bother other pax's too much, but eight hours at thirty five thousand feet with a constantly noisy, spoilt brat (last flight with Monarch) does get to you and it gets to you big time, the parents even slept whilst the little darling tore around the cabin.[:(!][V]

So please, please if a parent of a little darling reads this and can see their child being described, would you please think of the others around you? We know that they are a handful and very hard to keep amused for any length of time.[y][:)]

Thats my input, hope its taken the right way?[?][y][^]

Originally posted by AlanA

Originally posted by flyingdoc
Absolutely some children (including my own) know how to behave in UC and elsewhere and are used to travelling 2- 3 times a year long hall its the parents not the children I object to - allowing them to run around disturbing the cabin thinking its great fun.
I must say I have seen a lot of children in UC whose behaviour is exemplorary so this is not a moan at them or their parents so dont takle things so personally.
If your children behave then surely you shouldn't see this as a personal slur!! so why have do you have to make it so personal - guilt?

Because FlyingDoc, your original posting was 'Upperclass full of very small children, an increasing trend in UC Having spent all that money its a bit dissapointing thats its full of crying children' as if all small children should be kept out of UC as it effect you. That its OK for crying children in the other classes, but not near you because YOU have paid so much. Welkl guess what? so have those parents, and yes, children do cry because they are children and all children, when tired or under the weather will cry.
very small children do not understand on T/O and landing why their ears hurt.
At no point did you talkj about children running around, disturbing the cabin.
yes the paerent in that case should be informed as they should be in any class of plane that this is not a playground, but we have all seen actions by adults which make the childrens antics seem quiet in comparison.

The children 'play up' because they have seen their parents play up, its a s simple as that. If you do not have the ability to control or teach respect for other people, then no amount of money will change that.
Virgin have made a big thing of allowing so called 'celebs' to play up in Upper Class and look at it as some form of free publicity. You then cannot expect the monied Chav, or the old money 'I can do as I please' yahoo to behave and this then filters down to the children.
My point was the the original posting made no mention of any unruly behaviour, just a general snooty looking down on 'Kindergarden' i.e. very young children having the audacity to be in Upper Class.
Of course children should try to behave, but as you have said, its eight hours and anyone who has children knows that this is a long time to behave for adults let alone the little powerhouses which are school age children, but very small children????

Having done a fair selection of UC flights with mdvipond jr. over the past year or so (between the ages of 4 and 13 months for darling daughter) I have to reiterate the old 'adults can behave badly too' line. And they do. Difference is, kids can be told to bloody-well-pack-it-in-and-after-that-point-god-help-you-if-you-don't. Maybe this approach should be tried out on certain grown-ups...

Crying is slightly different; adults don't tend to indulge themselves in heartfelt sobbing at 36K feet (unless perhaps one's plane is swiftly plunging uncontrollably through 35K, 34K, 33K...). Before I was a pa it used to go right through me, and I'm still not a big fan. But it's completely natural and we've all been there, so turn the old QC2's up, sip your gin and smile nicely. They'll settle down soon. And next time it could be you.

[Decker]

Originally posted by mdvipond
And next time it could be you.

Well - hopefully not given the (unless perhaps one's plane is swiftly plunging uncontrollably through 35K, 34K, 33K...) scenario [;)]

Why do members of this forum take things so literally or so personally. they are meant to be fun not a personal slurr against each other. Life is too short - I recussitate patients everyday because they take life so seriously!! lets all chill , have fun and enjoy life - with or wthout children in whatever class we can afford. Sit back and enjoy the trip / life its not a retun trip!!

[Decker]

You ought to try some of the other fora on the web if you think people here take things seriously [;)]. For some strange reason there are a few topics that can all be filed under 'light blue touch paper and retire'. They include

Should children be allowed in premium cabins?
Is it impolite to recline your seat in coach?
Should VH paid entrants be allowed to book treatments in the CH
Correcting people's spelling and grammar.

etc etc. It's just a human nature thingy. [:)]

Thing is, FlyingDoc, words out of context (or without body language) can be read in many ways, so posting can be a complex process.

I do agree about unruly children, however I find great pleasure in the pleasure children gain through playing, and sometimes that is boisterous. It is probably unnatural to expect a five year old to sit still for 8 hrs. That said, short bouts of it are preferred in a confined space. As for babies, well I am positive that they project their cries at the person in the cabin who likes it least. They're such darn intelligent little things.

On the other hand, turn up the sound on the Boses, sip a drink, and chill [8D]

Originally posted by Decker
Should VH paid entrants be allowed to book treatments in the CH

oh, don't get me started on this one....

[:D]

(I'm joking!)