After all the postings from all the seasoned frequent travellers, the kid outsmarted us all!! He suggested what made sense to him. He doesnt see the value of paying so much more for a bigger seat and free alcohol (hey! after all he is of not legal age to drink), and would probably prefer to use the money to buy new Nikes.

Maybe this should serve as a reminder to all of us of how absurd and wrong it is to assume that one set of values (ours) is absolute and the right one for everybody else. Well, this would bring me into the topic of the new way of present forms of western colonialism, ...but that would really mean going off topic.



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The trouble with resisting temptation is...that you may not get another chance :-)

 

Hmmm . . . so B747-437B Jr. gets the free trip, earns miles, and has $300 to spend in Milan.

Parents have a quiet trip in business class, save $300, and use miles to upgrade two tickets instead of three.

Nice outcome!



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"If you want to win the game, write the rules."

 

I am a firm believer that all children should be eternally grateful for all FREE trips abroad that their parent give them, no matter what seat they get. I know I would have been, would still be grateful for a FREE trip anywhere.

Actually my oldest is a confirmed "Greener" (please 'splain TravelWeary) who "refuses" to sit in first if there is any available seat in coach, so when we fly with both kids, they both prefer coach, alone, together. Go figure.

When my husband and I fly with our son, we all take our best shot and whoever gets upgraded, gets upgraded. On our last trip back from Europe, I got upgraded early (I have the lucky dice) and hubby and son were still in coach (17 A & B) at check in. At the last second, hubby got upgraded, leaving son with both seats 17 A & B. He loved it. Had lots of room, an aisle and a window both, got lots of sleep and the FA's spoiled him because he was stuck in coach when mommy and daddy were in BIZ. He said he slept better there than in BIZ on the way over.

 

Remember that on intl, the alcohol is free in coach too. And at 15 without his parents near by, is not outside the realm of possibility. Which brings up a question to which I am not aware of the answer: On a US Flag carrier outside the US, what is the drinking age? Is it 18? I believe that the federal drinking ag is 18, which is why members of the military can drink on base and purchase alcohol at the PX. In fact, wouldn't this make potentially make the drinking age on any planing engaged in interstate travel 18?

 

Um, officially speaking, no can do 744. Int'l Q fares are only upgradable with SWUs if you're talking about UA, which I think you are. Of course, you have nothing to lose by trying at the gate. If the Vaunted Double Upgrade can happen, anything can ... <g>

BTW, you definitely do have one kid.


[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 07-16-2001).]

 

First off let me commend you on coming to a mutually agreeable solution with your son. Economics and mileage accural aside, I have always felt that a vacation is only as good as the people you spend it with ; and if they are not happy, chances are you will not be happy.
My own experiances with these issues dates back my entire life. I am only 25 years old and was fortunate enough to grow up in a time and evironment that allowed me to become a freqeunt traveller. Since my parents frequently commuted across the Atlantic I joined them in about 3 roundtrips a year for my first 4 years. Then with the advent of frequent flier programs I was signed on around 5 years of age and have been hooked ever since. During my childhood of 5-12 it was decided that I would travel with my parents who had fullfare C class tickets paid for by their work. I was eligble for discounted tickets because of my age and my parents thought the investment was worthwhile at this stage of my development. After 12 when I had to pay full fares, I became more adept at playing the game of upgrades and so forth.
I became more and more invovled in planning trips with our T/A. To the extent that many of our Christmas Vacations were totally planned by me. This added responsibility came with added rewards as my parents dipped into their FF accounts to always upgrade me. By this point I had been to most of the major cities in Europe, to Hawaii on a yearly basis and to Asia many times so travel was becoming less of a thrill for me. From then on; I had the maturity to decide whether I should go on the trip; what class should be paid and whether an upgrade would be necessary. I wrote countless memos to my Dad giving my point of view on the topic and sometimes and from these transactions it was deemed necessary for me to provide my own upgrades on flights and if I didnt want to go I did not have too. In the end, my parents are really to blame for me being on FT, they got me addicted to playing the status game and more importantly got me addicted to travelling around the globe, experinacing different cultures and histories, and for that I am very grateful to my parents.

P.S. I am also grateful for the 2 systemwides my Dad gave me for X-mas last year.

 

Now this, I respect. . .



Greg

 

As a kid, I'd turn cartwheels, wash the dishes and mow the lawn for any opportunity to tag along with the parents on an international adventure. Usually, Mom and I were tagging along on a last minute biz trip of dad's but it was always clear to me that the opportunity to go was the important thing - not the class of service. Anyone who could get upgraded did so - never me, no status. I knew that my dad spent WAY too many hours up in the air and that my mom made a lot of sacrifices to take good care of the kids - both great reasons why they deserved a first/biz experience. I never begrudged them.

Once, when old PanAm was biting the dust, dad had to burn his miles or lose them. Luckily, I was headed over to Italy for a college study term abroad. He offered to wrap a biz trip around it and fly us over in first! What a treat.

And that's the point - unless you're richer than you know what to do with and can afford to buy all those biz/first seats - upgrades are a treat. I try to keep this in mind every time they read the list of names to stay in the boarding area and BingoSF isn't one of them.

Enough of my soapbox...

BTW, that was one smart kid - if I had been that savvy as a child I'd probably be retired by now!

 

May I congratulate you on something which I respect totally. This matter was discussed, obviously rationally in your family, and the outcome is the one favoured by all parties.

I wish you a wonderful trip


Paul

 

Congrats on working it all out with your son; it's downright amusing how money talks to teenagers, isn't it? I haven't flown without my two daughters (ages 11 and 13) in years, and usually up in F when we can. They are both CO Elites in their own right, with mileage balances over 300,000 each, which they use for their own upgrades. The funniest thing is, my youngest frets and frets until upgrades come through, but my oldest groans when they do.. For some reason, she prefers (always has) the seats and food in coach! LOL Since she is only 5'3" and 70 lbs, I guess the seat seems to fit her better..lol She often asks the F FA if there are leftover Subway sandwiches from coach, instead of her hot meal on a real plate, and I find it endlessly amusing.

And to throw in my own two cents: while I find it horrendous for Dad to be up in F while wife and kids are in coach (not by their choice), I have often booted my own DH up there myself.. He often gets grumpy on flts with the kids, and I would MUCH rather have him happy upon arrival then already frazzled.. Since he flies more than 125,000 miles a year anyway, I guess he deserves the F seat more than us little 50,000 milers anyway...

[This message has been edited by Fishbait (edited 07-18-2001).]

 

Is this travel on UA, 747-400?

 

yep!

Essxjay:

[This message has been edited by 747-400 (edited 07-18-2001).]

 

This is a nice win win result.

Have fun and good luck with the operational uG!

 

Good. Random-act-of-kindness time. Activate the email adrress in your profile and I will contact you.



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UA 1K since 1997, hitting MM < 9-30-01.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Punki:
[B]I am a firm believer that all children should be eternally grateful for all FREE trips abroad that their parent give them, no matter what seat they get. I know I would have been, would still be grateful for a FREE trip anywhere.

I am with you, Punki, here. It is a privelege for children to travel. My boys have been to most of the states(including Alaska and Hawaii) the Caribean, and 3 times to Europe. They would agree that they would rather sit in coach with parents up front than not see this great world.

This topic seems to (now and in the past) inspire strong opinions from both sides. We should all just agree that there is no one right way for all families. What works for your's or mine doesn't for some of the others represented here. In my opinion, that doesn't make any of us wrong on this topic. The ones to rush to judgement should perhaps sit back and consider all options with an open mind.