The Weekend Journal has a story on the increasing number of children flying in first class, and the opportunities and conflicts this causes for airlines and their most loyal, most profitable customers: business travelers and elite frequent flyers. Of course, these are also exactly the folks who are traveling with their families. In first:
New York attorney Ilan Nissan, a seasoned business traveler, says he would support a ban on children younger than age 16 in premium cabins. But on a recent family ski trip, he didn't hesitate to upgrade to first-class for his wife and children. "When I'm on duty, I find it annoying," he says. "When I'm off duty, I embrace it. Of course there's a hypocrisy to it."Ah, even if air travel changes, some things remain blessedly the same: like the rank, self-serving hypocrisy of a good lawyer. It's kind of comforting.
Frequent Criers [wsj, via azcentral.com]
related, what airlines aren't doing for travelers with kids: providing plane seats
At least he's honest.
I feel conflicted as well. I usually save all my miles for family trips, which means that I'm stuck in coach for all my business flying. That said, the way I decide is that if it's a general family destination type place (i.e. Hawaii), or I'm flying on the weekends, then it's fine to bring kids in first class.
The reality is that business and first class aren't that special anymore anyways....I've had plenty of adult slobs and irritating people sit next to me in the upper classes so what difference is a child going to make.
No kidding. I'd be more annoyed sitting next to that tool from The Apprentice than a kid. Of course, when I fly for work, I can still feel my inner child-free jerk getting pissed at someone else's brat, even as I mutter a silent, sympathetic prayer for the parent.
I figure it's not hypocrisy so much as schizophrenia.
Piff, you pay for the seat for the kid, you sit where ever you can afford. Period.
I've sat beside some profoundly odious adults.