VS030 BGI-LGW 30 Oct 08 Upper Class

This is a Trip Report from the Upper Class cabin

Ground Staff

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Check-in was tediously slow in the U/C line so we were called over to Economy. It still took far too long and we were made to wait while supervisors were fetched for some reason - don't know what. Apart from that everything was just fine until we boarded. The main reason I'm writing this report is that I'd be interested in other peoples opinions regarding todlers in Upper Class! I have nothing against childen (I am a father) but the family behind me had two kids who might have been 2 or 3 years old and they were energetic to say the least. The parents could be heard attempting to calm them down but had obviously no idea how to and the kicking and screaming continued for much of the flight. I might be wrong but the people behind me behaved as though they might have been staff. Having paid full fare for my seat, I felt disappointed that a night's sleep was going to be unlikely. Most of us will have experienced screaming babies in Economy but I didn't expect to suffer in this way up-front. Any comments? Am I being unreasonable?

Difficult one, I have travelled with my 3 girls in all cabins and have never had many problems, they can get bored and restless but i've never had a full blown tantrum. It is difficult to calm children down if they are adament they aren't going to sleep but there are ways to entertain them onboard, planning is the key issue I feel.
Saying that though, as a parent it annoys the hell out of me if someone deliberately lets there children run riot on a plane, we then get 'well they are doing it!!' Some people would do well to remember that there are potentially 400 other people onboard who don't want to listen to children shouting and screaming for 9 hours or running up and down the aisles - but that's just my opinion.
Then there is the other side of the coin, an upset or energetic child whose parents are doing their best to make sure others aren't disturbed - these parents get my sympathy every time.

I think that toddlers have every right to be in UC. However, they shouldn't be left to run riot (I'm a father of a 3 year old). The parents should still take responsibility.

Mrs B is correct that pre-planning the trip with things to entertain them is the best way. If you look at some of the TRs here, there have been many an occasion where the children have been very well behaved, more so than the parents. [;)]

We will have a pre 4 and a 9 month old with us in March travelling in UC for which we will have paid full whack (before VS kindly slashed the prices in a sale) so they are absolutley entitled to be in the cabin. It is how the parents try and contol them and keep them occupied that is the key. I have been on flights where parents have just sat on their ass and expected the CC or other pax to be babysitters[V].

Failing all toys, DVD's etc there is always Nytol[:0]

Iain

I see and understand the points you make. These particular parents clearly hadn't a clue! Their kids knew NO boundaries. I'm not saying I'm a perfect parent at all or that they are bad parents - but when you see children who are totally out of control and their parents are in a state of helplesness you know there's a problem there.
When I was small, just to go on a plane was a huge and almost unimaginable treat. To go out anywhere was a treat and I had to behave! Now, as a parent, even if I could have afforded to take my son Upper Class when he was a todler I wouldn't have done so because it wouldn't have meant anything more to him than flying in economy. I'm really surprised that anyone can justify the cost of an upper class fare for a todler!

Valid points , and I agree about them being spoiled to a certain extent, but if travelling together on holiday it is not an option to put them in a different cabin. If anyone was forced to be in a different cabin I am sure Mrs F would insist it being me[;)]

Iain