> I did get shamed by an old woman in the seat next to me who told me that I made a child sit on their own for 13 hours.
Lmao, so not his parents who accepted an upgrade and ditched their kid in economy, it’s the random stranger who’s at fault for making the kid fly alone. Give me a break. NTA
I would have been so rude to that old lady if she said that to me I would have told her to get her old wrinkly decrepit ass back in economy to help the kid out.
Exactly. Who's the AH parent that wouldn't sit in economy so their child could be with one of the other parents?!
I'm glad the flight attendant was nice, but the fact that they put it on a stranger rather than asking one of the parents (bc the parents clearly weren't going to do it of their own volition) is kinda bs.
Also, as someone else said, if that old lady was so put off by the whole thing, why not give up her seat?! She's in the winter of her years and she still couldn't be bothered to put a smile on a child's face? Shame on her!!
>Who's the AH parent that wouldn't sit in economy so their child could be with one of the other parents?!
This is the obvious solution. If neither of the parents is willing to switch why should OP? In fact, on a 13 hour flight, the parents could easily switch again halfway.
Knowing people these days, I would guess the parents knew this full well ahead of time. They were probably given the option to upgrade the last ticket for a nominal amount and declined, hoping to guilt someone into this exact situation.
Also, why didn't one of the parents take the economy seat and leave the child in first class with the other parent? The fact that they were willing to enjoy it by themselves says everything.
NTA at all. Kudos to you for sticking up for yourself and not letting yourself get bullied by a pair of Karents.
LOL. You are so right. Funny that they would rather have a child sit alone than have one of them give up their first class seat. That makes the parents the biggest assholes of all!
Yep, and the parents could have taken turns sitting with the kid. It sounds like the parents were totally unconcerned about the whole situation and it was the flight attendant who was worried about the kid being alone.
I was coming to say this as well. If it had been an overbooking on the flight in economy, as the parent, I would have a) made sure my child was upgraded along with us b) myself or my spouse would have swapped with our child c) given up our first class seats to sit with our child in economy. My kid is my responsibility, not someone else’s. No, he wasn’t entirely alone, but if something were to happen, I’m not counting on a total stranger to make sure my kid is taken care of in the event of an emergency.
And the old lady shaming OP? She could have offered to trade if she actually thought it was so important. Just because the old lady paid for first class doesn’t mean she can’t volunteer.
I mean, she definitely should have considering she had so much to say about OP and their declining to switch... But considering the parents weren't anywhere near OP in First Class the only difference is that the kid would be alone in first class, or then one of the parents wouldn't be upset with sitting with their kid because the one not sitting with them wouldn't end up being in coach. These parents are fucking entitled. Of they were truly worried, they'd have had one of them go sit on coach and had the kid sit in FC with the other parent. Damn that's what I would do if I accidentally found myself in this situation... But in truth, I wouldn't leave my 9 to daughter in coach on her own while I sat in FC , especially since my spouse was sitting next to me. But with my 15 yo, or 22 yo, that could be a different situation. But even with my teen and adult child, it would honestly depend on the situation. I'd prefer to sit with them regardless, as they are both very imposing/grown men that I know would help to keep their 9 yo sister (and me - as well as then too lol) safe in a dangerous situation.
Unpopular opinion incoming but as someone who spent years working with kids and specifically being the contact point between parents and camp staff? Because there's a specific kind of parent that is HORRIBLY entitled and they are a LOT more common than they should be.
People get real prickly when I say shit like that. “Uwu why do you hate children?” And like. I don’t. I’m not a fan but fuck, kids can’t help being kids. I hate BAD PARENTS- and I have enough cool cousins who are ROCKING this whole being a good parent thing to be able to literally see the difference.
A lot of shitty parents are super entitled and expect you to bend over backwards for their kids. And like. Im never having kids. I don’t want them. I’ll be the cool cousin who spoils my little relatives rotten and loves them to bits. But like HELL am I doing shit for kids that their parents should be doing. They signed up for that. Not me. I wouldn’t have given up my seat either. One of the parents can swap so the kid can be in first class. Hypothetically? If I had a kid? They can sit in first with my wife and I’l take economy. Let them have some fun.
I feel yhe parents were highly entitled. Same, I would have given one of our seats for our child, not expecting a stranger yo give up their seat. NTA OP
Exactly! Parents are 100% in the wrong. They had options.
1) I don’t believe for a second that the parents didn’t realize their kid’s seat wasn’t with them. I think they banked on guilting someone into swapping.
2) They could swap into economy with their kid.
3) They could split up: One adult and kid in 1st class, parents swap halfway through.
As a parent who has flown quite a bit, I absolutely cannot even *imagine* making my child be the odd one out in a 2/1 split. That key factor is why I judge the parents as the entitled kind vs. inexperienced travelers. Disgusting behavior on their part.
OP, NTA.
Yep #3. I recently got an upgrade because a family needed to sit together. My kid did not. She got the upgraded seat because she was in the aisle and didn’t feel comfy in the middle seat between two strangers. I missed the upgrade but she loved it.
I would totally have a joke about my kid not being able to have the full experience of free alcohol, but it would only be a joke and I would sit in economy. I believe these parents had the same discussion but were not joking.
NTA
Exactly! What if something had happened on that plane? How would those parents get to that child? This whole thing is so elitist and I-am-the-main-character. The number of people who book the cheapest fares on a plane & then expect complete strangers to rearrange their trip to accommodate them is unbelievable to me.
Yep! I always pay for an aisle seat and I can´t tell you how many times middle seat people have asked to trade so they have more leg room, or so they can get out to the bathroom quickly, or to be closer to family in the row across from us. I always offer to trade for $50 cash. No one has ever taken me up on it.
“My kid is my responsibility”
Agreed. I’d feel the same way about mine, if I had one.
If I were the parents in this situation, I would’ve either gone back there to check on my kid during the flight AND slipped a flight attendant a $100 minimum to help me out, or switched with my kid for part of the flight.
OP doesn’t mention any kind of contact with the parents, so I’m not sure if they intended to guilt someone into giving up their seat. If the parents did try to intimidate me into giving up my first-class seat, especially if I paid for it in full, it would be a definite NO.
Will shut her right up, I'm sure
People tend to voice their thoughts if it makes them look like the better people... until they get the chance to feel discomfert by actually doing something for the situation.
Honestly I think I might have said to the older lady if she wants to switch with him, let me sit there and you can sit in economy if you think it’s not fair.
I love it when old women use their lack of concern for being polite anymore to voice their opinions in an outwardly aggressive way.
They are always shocked when my exact lack of concern for being polite to them is delivered in kind.
This is how some people operate. They have little or no empathy for anyone outside of their small circle and look for the angle that is best for them under any situation, whether it's reasonable or not. This exploitative mindset is a way of life for them and it appears that they are role modeling this behavior for their young son.
This should all have been handled preboarding. To wait for passengers to be seated and then start negotiating it absurd. OP should’ve been called to the concourse desk, informed and offered copious gratuity there. No one on the plane should’ve been privy to the situation or her complimentary upgrade. Shame on the airline.
Oh that’s how they do things now.
I paid for my kid to be seated next to me, extra for the leg space as a hedge; the airline moved my 5 year old at check in!
Told me the gate would deal with it. Nope
Gate said the stewardess would. Nope
Ended up that teens don’t want to sit next to a kid, nor a lady that looks like their mom. 🤣
I’m so very grateful for those boys, because AA was a skidmark to deal with.
While I agree with what you are saying the airline really doesn’t give a crap. I flew with my kids (age 4&5) a couple months ago. Our flight was cancelled for no reason and the new tickets they issued us, the airline put them 10 rows behind me and they wouldn’t fix it. Gave me an attitude for even asking and snatched my tickets out of my hands when I brought it up. My MIL stepped in because I was about to go off on them. I had to talk to the flight attendant as soon as I got on the plane about having someone swap with me so I could be back there with my kids. It was ridiculous
Well it is reasonably easy to say “hey could you move from the first class seat here to the first class seat there” (the one OP was in) to someone sitting nearer them. It reaches the level of “protect and aid kids and vulnerable seniors” that doesn’t change much for the person being asked.
My mom booked tickets for me, her and my kids. She realized a typo and they didn't give my son back the same seat assignment. She talked to the desk before the flight and they fixed it so we all sat together as originally booked. These parents were 100% selfish and hoping they could guilt someone into a move to avoid paying. We were going to ask someone to swap if they didn't fix it for us, explaining that if they didn't, they'd be subject to never ending Minecraft and Halo talk from him 😂 you don't ask someone in first class to swap to economy for you
And to be fair, 10 years old isn't young at all. I took a flight by myself to see my pop-pop in Florida. Nobody else I knew was even on the plane, but I took it pretty well. Given it wasn't a 13 hour flight, but as everyone else is saying, it's not on OP to accommodate others in this situation. And if that old woman wants to think OP is the asshole, then she could have given up her own seat.
Exactly, so wild. My parents would never think for a minute about leaving me alone. I’ve always grown up with the “We’re your parents, we’ll do anything for you” type thing, so this entire story is just so wild to me.
This would not even be a question for most parents. “Leaving the kid alone in economy” is the option you’d joke to each other about, not the option you’d actually take.
Kid goes up and one parent goes back or both parents go back and give the seats to two other people if they want to all sit together.
Leaving your kid alone in another section of the plane for a 13-hour flight is insane.
If the lady beside you had some comments to make, she could’ve given up her seat just as easily. Otherwise, headphones go in.
This! They could even have switched off places so each could have first class for 6 hours. If I were ever upgraded on such a flight, I hope I'd share with my wife.
THIS. My husband or I would take the economy seat or trade with two people sitting near our son. Granted, we would have also asked if our child was being upgraded before accepting but we are also not selfish a-holes.
"The parents accepted the upgrade without realizing their kid wasn't included"
BULLSHIT, anyone that flies enough to get upgrade status know WTF they were doing
Literally this, there’s no way I’d ‘assume’ my kid also got upgraded. I would personally never change my seat without 100% certainty my kids seat would also be changed and be right next to me! These parents should’ve moved their asses back next to their kid and sent the two next passengers to their kid (who were basically soft-babysitting their 10 year old for them while the parents got to enjoy all that extra leg room up front(like imagine if an emergency happens, I’d 100% feel obligated to help the 10 year old next to me sitting without their parents)) up to first class.
At least- that’s what I’D do if I royally fucked up this hard. Lmao
This is the problem in a nutshell! If it had been a single parent and a child this would be a very different post with nuance, but two parents in first-class?! This is a no-brainer: they take turns in economy, end of story.
This was my thought. Dad could've switched seats with the kid, so the kid could sit up front with Mom. Or, alternatively, Mom could have switched seats.
And even by having the attendant ask, they disturb the mindset of the person they’re asking. Not just during the flight, but haunting them thereafter. I’d never pay for first class, so as for me, I would be excited and pleased with the free upgrade for a more peaceful 13 hr flight — until I was positioned to feel guilty for it.
For real, thats 13 hours you -get- to spend with your kid, not 13 hours you -have to-. Id trade sitting next to my kid over 1st class seats in a heartbeat.
Why did the flight attendant chose OP, especially when OP said the parents sat far away from her? Shouldn't the flight attendant ask someone who sat close to the parents and offered them the same deals that was offered to OP?
It’s in the post. OP was the only other upgraded seat (as were the two parents); everyone else had actually paid for their first class seats. I would assume that there’s some policy stating that paying first class passengers are never asked to switch to economy.
This is the obvious answer if they worried about the kid being alone, but the parents were being selfish with their free upgrades and wanted someone else to sacrifice.
I have a nine-year-old and this is what we would have done without even considering getting the flight attendants involved, good lord. This kind of shit is why people think parents are entitled jerks. The parents aren’t willing to sacrifice for their kid, but they think a stranger should? And that old lady can kick rocks, if she cares so much she can switch.
I always fly alone with my kids. Very very occasionally we fly with my husband, and he almost always gets offered an upgrade. I love the chance to sit in a better class and have him deal with the kids back in cattle class. It's awesome.
This is exactly it. You are not responsible for their child or their child’s comfort during a 13 hour flight. If the parents wanted the kid to be supervised they should have asked the other two people in the kid’s row if they wanted first class seats so they could sit as a family.
The fact that the parents were unwilling to do that; and the fact that the flight attendant even asked you publicly to trade makes this whole situation unacceptable. Your seat wasn’t even near the parents so the kid would just have been on their own closer to their parents…..
No. The parents never should have accepted seats away from their kid to begin with, especially not both of them. If they were so concerned, they would have gone back to coach and given up their seats to two other people.
Indeed. Or either one of the parents could swap with the kid so they won't have to be alone. This is not on you OP.
Also as a parent, I find it pretty suspicious they "didn't know" they would be separate. Granted, we come in many flavors but I would be pretty sure to check the seats during check-in. Of course it is possible they tried to game the system and get him to 1st class also. I might have tried as well. But if it wouldn't work out, I would swap seats with my kid.
Especially when those upgrades are for people who….fly a lot! You can’t act clueless when it’s the very fact you are a frequent traveler…one parent didn’t want to go back and you can probably guess it was one parent because you either get first with kid or sit alone. They wanted both legroom and sit alone….let me guess the resolution was only one parent got first and they gave the other away so the other parent would sit with kid in economy!
Also, since the parents were not near you their kid would not have been sitting with them anyway! You would have just been supporting more entitlement. You are nta, but the parents totally are.
Bingo. When my husband and I flew with the kids for the first time, we booked a more expensive flight where we could choose our seats to guarantee we’d each sit next to a kid (seats in sets of three so we couldn’t all sit together). We didn’t chance it with the whole ‘first come first served’ crap. I don’t know if any decent parent who wouldn’t verify all the seats before accepting any change in itinerary.
Exactly... Why ask some random person to give up their first class seat? if I was the parents I would've just moved so my wife and kid could sit first class..
And the lady next you could have switched. Can't believe the FA didn't tell the parents to flip back. I personally wouldn't have accepted the upgrade AND I'm sure the person sitting next to the kid would swap for first. Problem solved.
>Can't believe the FA didn't tell the parents to flip back.
Wtf didn't one parent sit in first class with the kid, the other in economy and then the parents swap mid-flight?
I agree, if I was traveling with my minor child, I wouldn't have accepted the upgrade either.
This is the only logical choice. Kid sits in upgraded seat with one parent and the other parent goes in economy, parents can switch half way through the flight. OP didn't "make" the kid spend the flight alone, his parents did!
Exactly! The parents chose to let their 10 year old fly alone. They could have rotated or switched back to economy if they wanted to stay together.
Edit: fixed the age
Exactly. Easy solution. Btw, how do the parents “not realize” that their child was not upgraded with them? If they fly enough to be upgraded they know how it works. They may have planned the attempt to guilt (help the scared lonely waif!) someone into giving up their seat….
Yep, 100% agree. I would have told the flight attendant the parents should offer to swap seats with the people in economy next to their son.
And I would have told the old lady that i'll call over the flight attendant and tell her she was so upset about the boy flying alone she volunteered to swap seats with him otherwise she can shut her pie hole.
edit because I shouldn't try to type before coffee
Totally this! Or one could have stayed in first class with the 10 year old and the other parent could sit in coach. They chose to leave the kid in coach not OP.
So it’s okay for someone not upgraded to sit in first class? The answer is simple. One parent switches with the 10 year old. Instead they make a random stranger sit in the back? Entitled AF
1 parent could have taken the boys seat and the boy could have sat with one of his parents in 1st class. The parents didn't need to sit together they were being selfish.
Or one of the parents could have switched with the boy. They could have switched back and forth. They wanted their cake and to eat it too by making someone else uncomfortable while they were comfortable.
NTA - they could have moved out of first class to be with their son. You stayed and did the right thing. The old lady who shamed you, SHE could have moved if she cared so much. Where did you fly from that it took 13 hours to get there?
Probably Australia, China or Japan. Any further into south east Asia or west toward India would be longer than 13 hours from west coast USA. I think New Zealand is further too.
THIS is the correct response. 1 parent and the child in first class while the other parent in economy. Why is that not the FIRST thing they thought to do. No lets ask a stranger to give up THEIR first class seat. Entitled as fuck
One of the parents should have just traded with the kid so the kid could sit in first class with the other parent. It’s the obvious solution but then one of them wouldn’t get to ride first class so better kick OP out instead.
My first time ever in first class was exactly this way.
I was in my college pep band, and we were flying to an NCAA tourney game in the same plane as the team.
I ended up with a lady and her child sitting next to me, and we were chatting, and I was making the boy laugh.
Before we took off, the coach of the team came up to me and offered me his 1st class seat so he could sit with his family.
NTA.
That old woman could have given up her seat if she was so worried.
I am not switching seats unless I get an even better upgrade.
Odds are good that the parents took the upgrade & were counting on someone else giving up their seat.
This is exactly it. Hence why they both took the upgrades because they would prey on peoples good hearts. It’s easier to convince people to give up a seat for a child, then for some random adult.
I flew first class once (it was an hour flight so it was cheap) and I wasn’t giving that seat up.
NTA
If I had been the duma$$ parent who did that I wouldn't have even tried to get someone to move, I would have switched spots with my kid and sat in economy and let my kid sit with my husband in first class.
Seriously, how rude to even ask you.
NTA. The boy did not rack up *your* points to be able to get an upgrade. Also, if they were so concerned about him, one of the parents could have switched with the boy while the other stayed with him in first class. I'm guessing they're not that concerned enough to be willing to switch seats with *their* son.
This right here. Everyone is blasting the parents (rightfully so) but the hypocritical old woman shouldn't get a free pass either.
I would have called the flight attendant over and told her the woman was more willing to help with the situation.
OP, no need to feel bad, if BOTH parents chose to remain in first class rather than take turns swapping seats with their own child, why should you have given up your first class seat for him, if even his own parents wouldn't?
Old Lady could have gave him the seat she paid for if she was that concerned.
I would have taken the money though 😅
The only way to make me downgrade to an economy seat on a 13hrs fight would be to at least offer me a seat w more leg room
Red flags for me:
Upgrades are last minute, not way in advance
Airlines don’t call people, you get notification in email or apps
Kids must be on the same booking as the adult and it’s doubtful they’d upgrade part of a reservation
Also, considering it was a 14 hour flight, it must be international. It is exceedingly rare to get a free upgrade on an international flight.
Source: someone with elite status who travels internationally often.
>Red flags for me:
>
>Upgrades are last minute, not way in advance
>
>Airlines don’t call people, you get notification in email or apps
>
>Kids must be on the same booking as the adult and it’s doubtful they’d upgrade part of a reservation
Correct. Another obvious bullsht post that people are falling for.
It’s not real. My wife used to travel a ton for work and had status that provided free upgrades. Whenever she wanted to use them, she would have to call and request.
The airline would never go out of there way to give a free upgrade, let alone 3. Especially months in advance when they still had time to sell those first class seats.
Fuck no, I would have scolded the flight attendant for even asking me. How dare they, those tickets are expensive as fuck. Then I would have scolded the parents for being bad parents just to piss them off for having the audacity to ask me. Selfish pricks, why didn't they swap out, why were you even asked.
Also I would have hammered that old lady. "No you are the one making that child sit alone, why didn't you speak up, why don't you give your seat away, oh? It's because you are a big fat hypocrite."
Fuck people who ruin your nice thing because they want someone else to solve the problem they created.
Ask one or both of the parents to swap with someone in economy and tell them to kick rocks if they don’t like that accommodation for *their* fuck up. Definitely shouldn’t put it on another paying customer to downgrade and come out looking like an ass if they refuse.
Call me old fashioned, call me part of the "patriarchy" but as the father of three and the proud husband of a hard working wife/mom, my AUTOMATIC response upon finding that 2 of our 3 tickets had been upgraded would have been to say "Honey, looks like you and the boy get to ride in style, cya when we get there!"
You were totally fine, those parents...they're fucking monsters. Oh, and by their actions, they're clearly working on raising the next generation of entitled monster.
Not your child so not your problem. If you were being offered compensation then why couldn’t the flight attendant do that for the parents? Why couldn’t one of the parents switched seats with their child? Why not the entire family sit in economy and get upgraded on a different flight?
That flight attendant should never have taken your conversation past “would you be okay switching to economy? We have a situation in which a family has been split up and we can offer a refund for the flight or an upgrade on another flight” then listened to your yes or no answer. From then on it should’ve been 100% on the parents to deal with their own predicament.
I’m a mother and I would never leave my child for a 13 hour flight with strangers. Mum or dad could have taken the short straw and sat in economy. Not you. NTA.
Echoing all the above comments.
NTA
His parents could easily have swapped one of their seats for his economy seat. This is the most logical conclusion.
I almost can't believe this happened!
NTA
One of the scamming parents should move to economy and the kid to 1st class to stay with the other parent. But yeah, it's better for them if you give them your seat so all of them have been upgraded at your cost or at he company's cost, right? A scam.
>Never saw the parents they were sitting far away from me.
So had you swapped seats, the kid wouldn't have been with their parents either, though they could see one another.
>I saw him walk up and down the isles like every hour to meet his parents so it wasn’t like he was alone.
End of story.
NTA.
My teachers used to have a poster in their rooms that said something like “you lacking of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part.”
The parents should have done more to make sure theory stay with their kid. They could have given up one of their seats. Or both and both moved back to economy. They were unwilling to do that, they wanted a free upgrade for their child but were unwilling to give up their own comfort. They were assholes, and if the old woman cared that much she could have given up her seat. Ignore them, you did nothing wrong.
I would get upgraded all the time but my wife didn’t always get upgraded when traveling with me so I would decline the first class seat and sit in coach with her. The parents should have stayed in coach with their child. They were the selfish ones.
Simple solution. Kid sits with one parent in first class. After 6 hours, the parents switch seats and the other parent sits with the kid in first class. Kid gets first class the entire flight. Each parent gets 6ish hours of first class and 6ish hours of child-free time so they can actually sleep. You get left alone.
Your seat, your choice. NTA.
> I did get shamed by an old woman in the seat next to me who told me that I made a child sit on their own for 13 hours. Lmao, so not his parents who accepted an upgrade and ditched their kid in economy, it’s the random stranger who’s at fault for making the kid fly alone. Give me a break. NTA
That lady could have offered her seat if she had such a beef.
Yup. You care so much about that kid? You switch with him.
A kid that even if he got that first class seat STILL wouldn't be near his parents. Fuck that shit im enjoying my 13 hours in high class.
I absolutely would have said this to her!
Exactly - the brass balls on Grandma who had a go at OP while tucked up in her own seat 😁
Ohhhh but you doooon’t understaaand, deear. I belonnng heere, but youuuu, you are just a peasant. /s just in case
I thought the old lady was gonna offer her seat. But then she couldn’t virtue signal to the rest of first class! NTA.
Seriously, the moment she said a single fucking word: then get your ancient, wrinkly ass out of that seat and back to coach, bitch.
She paid for her seat unlike the peasant next to her. She was just disgusted once she realized human excrement was sitting in her section. /s
I would have been so rude to that old lady if she said that to me I would have told her to get her old wrinkly decrepit ass back in economy to help the kid out.
"Yes you're right, isn't it awful that those parents don't care enough about their kid for one of them to switch?" Ideally in earshot of the parents
Winner, winner chicken dinner right here! One of his parents should have switched!
I would have called back the stewardess and told her the old lady volunteered.
Exactly. Who's the AH parent that wouldn't sit in economy so their child could be with one of the other parents?! I'm glad the flight attendant was nice, but the fact that they put it on a stranger rather than asking one of the parents (bc the parents clearly weren't going to do it of their own volition) is kinda bs. Also, as someone else said, if that old lady was so put off by the whole thing, why not give up her seat?! She's in the winter of her years and she still couldn't be bothered to put a smile on a child's face? Shame on her!!
>Who's the AH parent that wouldn't sit in economy so their child could be with one of the other parents?! This is the obvious solution. If neither of the parents is willing to switch why should OP? In fact, on a 13 hour flight, the parents could easily switch again halfway.
I would have just replied, "I didn't see you volunteering to give up your seat."
I’m sure two people in economy would’ve been glad to swap with the parents!
This. Parents should prioritize their kids, not expect someone else to prioritize their kids 🤷🏾♂️
Succinct and we'll put. Just maddening behavior to ask a total stranger to spoil your child.
Knowing people these days, I would guess the parents knew this full well ahead of time. They were probably given the option to upgrade the last ticket for a nominal amount and declined, hoping to guilt someone into this exact situation. Also, why didn't one of the parents take the economy seat and leave the child in first class with the other parent? The fact that they were willing to enjoy it by themselves says everything. NTA at all. Kudos to you for sticking up for yourself and not letting yourself get bullied by a pair of Karents.
LOL. You are so right. Funny that they would rather have a child sit alone than have one of them give up their first class seat. That makes the parents the biggest assholes of all!
Right? How could anyone think OP is TA… smh
Yeah that is the wild part - if it’s a little kid so you feel like you must sit together … one of the parents needs to switch.
Yep, and the parents could have taken turns sitting with the kid. It sounds like the parents were totally unconcerned about the whole situation and it was the flight attendant who was worried about the kid being alone.
Should’ve charged them an unaccompanied minor fee. Bet a parent switches with him then.
If the parents manipulated it past the airline to that point somebody in the airline (probably at least 1 person and a computer) screwed up.
I was coming to say this as well. If it had been an overbooking on the flight in economy, as the parent, I would have a) made sure my child was upgraded along with us b) myself or my spouse would have swapped with our child c) given up our first class seats to sit with our child in economy. My kid is my responsibility, not someone else’s. No, he wasn’t entirely alone, but if something were to happen, I’m not counting on a total stranger to make sure my kid is taken care of in the event of an emergency.
Exactly. Why are the parents selfish and then expected a stranger to make up for it?
And the old lady shaming OP? She could have offered to trade if she actually thought it was so important. Just because the old lady paid for first class doesn’t mean she can’t volunteer.
I mean, she definitely should have considering she had so much to say about OP and their declining to switch... But considering the parents weren't anywhere near OP in First Class the only difference is that the kid would be alone in first class, or then one of the parents wouldn't be upset with sitting with their kid because the one not sitting with them wouldn't end up being in coach. These parents are fucking entitled. Of they were truly worried, they'd have had one of them go sit on coach and had the kid sit in FC with the other parent. Damn that's what I would do if I accidentally found myself in this situation... But in truth, I wouldn't leave my 9 to daughter in coach on her own while I sat in FC , especially since my spouse was sitting next to me. But with my 15 yo, or 22 yo, that could be a different situation. But even with my teen and adult child, it would honestly depend on the situation. I'd prefer to sit with them regardless, as they are both very imposing/grown men that I know would help to keep their 9 yo sister (and me - as well as then too lol) safe in a dangerous situation.
Unpopular opinion incoming but as someone who spent years working with kids and specifically being the contact point between parents and camp staff? Because there's a specific kind of parent that is HORRIBLY entitled and they are a LOT more common than they should be.
I missed your unpopular opinion. All I read was facts.
People get real prickly when I say shit like that. “Uwu why do you hate children?” And like. I don’t. I’m not a fan but fuck, kids can’t help being kids. I hate BAD PARENTS- and I have enough cool cousins who are ROCKING this whole being a good parent thing to be able to literally see the difference. A lot of shitty parents are super entitled and expect you to bend over backwards for their kids. And like. Im never having kids. I don’t want them. I’ll be the cool cousin who spoils my little relatives rotten and loves them to bits. But like HELL am I doing shit for kids that their parents should be doing. They signed up for that. Not me. I wouldn’t have given up my seat either. One of the parents can swap so the kid can be in first class. Hypothetically? If I had a kid? They can sit in first with my wife and I’l take economy. Let them have some fun.
I feel yhe parents were highly entitled. Same, I would have given one of our seats for our child, not expecting a stranger yo give up their seat. NTA OP
Exactly! Parents are 100% in the wrong. They had options. 1) I don’t believe for a second that the parents didn’t realize their kid’s seat wasn’t with them. I think they banked on guilting someone into swapping. 2) They could swap into economy with their kid. 3) They could split up: One adult and kid in 1st class, parents swap halfway through. As a parent who has flown quite a bit, I absolutely cannot even *imagine* making my child be the odd one out in a 2/1 split. That key factor is why I judge the parents as the entitled kind vs. inexperienced travelers. Disgusting behavior on their part. OP, NTA.
Yep #3. I recently got an upgrade because a family needed to sit together. My kid did not. She got the upgraded seat because she was in the aisle and didn’t feel comfy in the middle seat between two strangers. I missed the upgrade but she loved it.
I was wondering why they didn't do the split-kid and 1 parent sit in 1st class. Half way through the parents switch.
I would totally have a joke about my kid not being able to have the full experience of free alcohol, but it would only be a joke and I would sit in economy. I believe these parents had the same discussion but were not joking. NTA
Exactly! What if something had happened on that plane? How would those parents get to that child? This whole thing is so elitist and I-am-the-main-character. The number of people who book the cheapest fares on a plane & then expect complete strangers to rearrange their trip to accommodate them is unbelievable to me.
Yep! I always pay for an aisle seat and I can´t tell you how many times middle seat people have asked to trade so they have more leg room, or so they can get out to the bathroom quickly, or to be closer to family in the row across from us. I always offer to trade for $50 cash. No one has ever taken me up on it.
If the child was like 16 or so, I think it would be okay. But I would never ever expect someone else to swap from first to economy.
“My kid is my responsibility” Agreed. I’d feel the same way about mine, if I had one. If I were the parents in this situation, I would’ve either gone back there to check on my kid during the flight AND slipped a flight attendant a $100 minimum to help me out, or switched with my kid for part of the flight. OP doesn’t mention any kind of contact with the parents, so I’m not sure if they intended to guilt someone into giving up their seat. If the parents did try to intimidate me into giving up my first-class seat, especially if I paid for it in full, it would be a definite NO.
Also, if the old lady who shamed OP had a problem with it, why didn't she offer to give up her seat instead?
Why should I sacrifice for a random kid when one of his own parents won't do it?
And if I was her the old woman next to her would have heard exactly this. One of the parents could have sat in economy so he wasn't alone.
"I didn't hear you volunteering, should we call the flight attendant back over here and tell her you're willing to swap?"
Will shut her right up, I'm sure People tend to voice their thoughts if it makes them look like the better people... until they get the chance to feel discomfert by actually doing something for the situation.
Exactly this!!
Honestly I think I might have said to the older lady if she wants to switch with him, let me sit there and you can sit in economy if you think it’s not fair.
I love it when old women use their lack of concern for being polite anymore to voice their opinions in an outwardly aggressive way. They are always shocked when my exact lack of concern for being polite to them is delivered in kind.
This is how some people operate. They have little or no empathy for anyone outside of their small circle and look for the angle that is best for them under any situation, whether it's reasonable or not. This exploitative mindset is a way of life for them and it appears that they are role modeling this behavior for their young son.
Especially given that the parents weren't anywhere near OP, so kid would still be solo, just closer to them.
This should all have been handled preboarding. To wait for passengers to be seated and then start negotiating it absurd. OP should’ve been called to the concourse desk, informed and offered copious gratuity there. No one on the plane should’ve been privy to the situation or her complimentary upgrade. Shame on the airline.
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Oh that’s how they do things now. I paid for my kid to be seated next to me, extra for the leg space as a hedge; the airline moved my 5 year old at check in! Told me the gate would deal with it. Nope Gate said the stewardess would. Nope Ended up that teens don’t want to sit next to a kid, nor a lady that looks like their mom. 🤣 I’m so very grateful for those boys, because AA was a skidmark to deal with.
While I agree with what you are saying the airline really doesn’t give a crap. I flew with my kids (age 4&5) a couple months ago. Our flight was cancelled for no reason and the new tickets they issued us, the airline put them 10 rows behind me and they wouldn’t fix it. Gave me an attitude for even asking and snatched my tickets out of my hands when I brought it up. My MIL stepped in because I was about to go off on them. I had to talk to the flight attendant as soon as I got on the plane about having someone swap with me so I could be back there with my kids. It was ridiculous
Well it is reasonably easy to say “hey could you move from the first class seat here to the first class seat there” (the one OP was in) to someone sitting nearer them. It reaches the level of “protect and aid kids and vulnerable seniors” that doesn’t change much for the person being asked.
My mom booked tickets for me, her and my kids. She realized a typo and they didn't give my son back the same seat assignment. She talked to the desk before the flight and they fixed it so we all sat together as originally booked. These parents were 100% selfish and hoping they could guilt someone into a move to avoid paying. We were going to ask someone to swap if they didn't fix it for us, explaining that if they didn't, they'd be subject to never ending Minecraft and Halo talk from him 😂 you don't ask someone in first class to swap to economy for you
This was my thought. The kid isn’t being forced to sit by himself. The parents are choosing to make him. One of them could take his seat.
And to be fair, 10 years old isn't young at all. I took a flight by myself to see my pop-pop in Florida. Nobody else I knew was even on the plane, but I took it pretty well. Given it wasn't a 13 hour flight, but as everyone else is saying, it's not on OP to accommodate others in this situation. And if that old woman wants to think OP is the asshole, then she could have given up her own seat.
Exactly, so wild. My parents would never think for a minute about leaving me alone. I’ve always grown up with the “We’re your parents, we’ll do anything for you” type thing, so this entire story is just so wild to me.
This would not even be a question for most parents. “Leaving the kid alone in economy” is the option you’d joke to each other about, not the option you’d actually take. Kid goes up and one parent goes back or both parents go back and give the seats to two other people if they want to all sit together. Leaving your kid alone in another section of the plane for a 13-hour flight is insane. If the lady beside you had some comments to make, she could’ve given up her seat just as easily. Otherwise, headphones go in.
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Damn I wish this was the way it went down.
OP even said they weren't anywhere near her so the kid wouldn't have been near them either.
This! They could even have switched off places so each could have first class for 6 hours. If I were ever upgraded on such a flight, I hope I'd share with my wife.
They 100% planned on finding a solo traveler and asking them to switch.
THIS. My husband or I would take the economy seat or trade with two people sitting near our son. Granted, we would have also asked if our child was being upgraded before accepting but we are also not selfish a-holes.
"The parents accepted the upgrade without realizing their kid wasn't included" BULLSHIT, anyone that flies enough to get upgrade status know WTF they were doing
Also, couldn’t one of the parents have swapped with the kid?
OP said the flight attendant told them first class was fully booked. We also notice the old lady who shamed her wasn’t volunteering to switch…
Karents is an amazing word and I will use it a lot in my teaching life!
Literally this, there’s no way I’d ‘assume’ my kid also got upgraded. I would personally never change my seat without 100% certainty my kids seat would also be changed and be right next to me! These parents should’ve moved their asses back next to their kid and sent the two next passengers to their kid (who were basically soft-babysitting their 10 year old for them while the parents got to enjoy all that extra leg room up front(like imagine if an emergency happens, I’d 100% feel obligated to help the 10 year old next to me sitting without their parents)) up to first class. At least- that’s what I’D do if I royally fucked up this hard. Lmao
This is the problem in a nutshell! If it had been a single parent and a child this would be a very different post with nuance, but two parents in first-class?! This is a no-brainer: they take turns in economy, end of story.
This right here! This happened to me and I sat in economy while my wife and kiddo enjoyed the first class treatment. Those parents were major AH’s
I asked this! Its there kid! They could take turns even
>Karents Why have I never heard this before? Amazing lol Definitely NTA. One or both of them should have gone back to sit with the kid.
This was my immediate thought.
Karents!! 😹😹😹
This was my thought. Dad could've switched seats with the kid, so the kid could sit up front with Mom. Or, alternatively, Mom could have switched seats.
And even by having the attendant ask, they disturb the mindset of the person they’re asking. Not just during the flight, but haunting them thereafter. I’d never pay for first class, so as for me, I would be excited and pleased with the free upgrade for a more peaceful 13 hr flight — until I was positioned to feel guilty for it.
It's not spoiling to put a ten year old in 1st class, it's completely pointless. They are not tall enough to be cramped.
Agreed. I'm obliged not to infringe on your rights and your lifestyle, not to endorse or support it. They had that kid, not OP.
For real, thats 13 hours you -get- to spend with your kid, not 13 hours you -have to-. Id trade sitting next to my kid over 1st class seats in a heartbeat.
Exactly! Or the old lady who shamed OP could have offered her seat up.
I would have signaled the hostess and tell them the old lady beside me was generously offering their seat for the kid and watch her crumble lol
Why did the flight attendant chose OP, especially when OP said the parents sat far away from her? Shouldn't the flight attendant ask someone who sat close to the parents and offered them the same deals that was offered to OP?
It’s in the post. OP was the only other upgraded seat (as were the two parents); everyone else had actually paid for their first class seats. I would assume that there’s some policy stating that paying first class passengers are never asked to switch to economy.
Good question. They probably just got tired of the kid walking in and out.
Seriously. The moment that old lady piped up, I would’ve asked her if she was going to give up her seat.
That's exactly how the conversation would have gone in my head in the shower the next day.
Or, wild idea, one parent sits with kid in first class. One parent sits in the quality of seat that they paid for.
This is the obvious answer if they worried about the kid being alone, but the parents were being selfish with their free upgrades and wanted someone else to sacrifice.
I have a nine-year-old and this is what we would have done without even considering getting the flight attendants involved, good lord. This kind of shit is why people think parents are entitled jerks. The parents aren’t willing to sacrifice for their kid, but they think a stranger should? And that old lady can kick rocks, if she cares so much she can switch.
The parents can even take turns swapping in and out of first class.
This should have been the very first solution. What parent gets two upgraded seats and says, "Fuck them kids, I'm ditching them"?
I always fly alone with my kids. Very very occasionally we fly with my husband, and he almost always gets offered an upgrade. I love the chance to sit in a better class and have him deal with the kids back in cattle class. It's awesome.
This is exactly it. You are not responsible for their child or their child’s comfort during a 13 hour flight. If the parents wanted the kid to be supervised they should have asked the other two people in the kid’s row if they wanted first class seats so they could sit as a family. The fact that the parents were unwilling to do that; and the fact that the flight attendant even asked you publicly to trade makes this whole situation unacceptable. Your seat wasn’t even near the parents so the kid would just have been on their own closer to their parents…..
Also one of the parents could have given there seat up and the boy sat with one while parent sat in economy!
Absolutely! And the parents should have asked
As a parent, my first thought would have been to ask if my child was also getting upgraded.
No. The parents never should have accepted seats away from their kid to begin with, especially not both of them. If they were so concerned, they would have gone back to coach and given up their seats to two other people.
Indeed. Or either one of the parents could swap with the kid so they won't have to be alone. This is not on you OP. Also as a parent, I find it pretty suspicious they "didn't know" they would be separate. Granted, we come in many flavors but I would be pretty sure to check the seats during check-in. Of course it is possible they tried to game the system and get him to 1st class also. I might have tried as well. But if it wouldn't work out, I would swap seats with my kid.
This one ☝🏼 The parents could have taken turns sharing the two first class seats, having their child sit with one of them. Their decision.
Plus, taking turns would have disrupted only their party. But no, they had to involve other passengers and the flight attendants.
They assumed they’d guilt someone into giving up first class because “my child”
These two assholes left their child by himself, but think OP is the asshole for not giving him your seat just like they didn't.
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Especially when those upgrades are for people who….fly a lot! You can’t act clueless when it’s the very fact you are a frequent traveler…one parent didn’t want to go back and you can probably guess it was one parent because you either get first with kid or sit alone. They wanted both legroom and sit alone….let me guess the resolution was only one parent got first and they gave the other away so the other parent would sit with kid in economy!
Also, since the parents were not near you their kid would not have been sitting with them anyway! You would have just been supporting more entitlement. You are nta, but the parents totally are.
And boarding passes were issued, so parents and son would have boarded separately No doubt that the knew what they were doing before boarding.
Kevin!
This. If the parents cared they would have swapped with the kid and an ADULT sat on their own
Bingo. When my husband and I flew with the kids for the first time, we booked a more expensive flight where we could choose our seats to guarantee we’d each sit next to a kid (seats in sets of three so we couldn’t all sit together). We didn’t chance it with the whole ‘first come first served’ crap. I don’t know if any decent parent who wouldn’t verify all the seats before accepting any change in itinerary.
Yeah, he didn't make the kid sit alone, the kid's parents did.
Yep. As a parent, for a flight that long, our kid would have gotten one of the first class seats while my spouse and I took turns in economy.
I’m not even a parent, but isn’t this the obvious answer?
To people who aren't selfish pricks, this is 100% the obvious answer.
Exactly... Why ask some random person to give up their first class seat? if I was the parents I would've just moved so my wife and kid could sit first class..
This is the answer. You are NTA
And the lady next you could have switched. Can't believe the FA didn't tell the parents to flip back. I personally wouldn't have accepted the upgrade AND I'm sure the person sitting next to the kid would swap for first. Problem solved.
>Can't believe the FA didn't tell the parents to flip back. Wtf didn't one parent sit in first class with the kid, the other in economy and then the parents swap mid-flight? I agree, if I was traveling with my minor child, I wouldn't have accepted the upgrade either.
This is the only logical choice. Kid sits in upgraded seat with one parent and the other parent goes in economy, parents can switch half way through the flight. OP didn't "make" the kid spend the flight alone, his parents did!
Exactly! The parents chose to let their 10 year old fly alone. They could have rotated or switched back to economy if they wanted to stay together. Edit: fixed the age
Exactly. Easy solution. Btw, how do the parents “not realize” that their child was not upgraded with them? If they fly enough to be upgraded they know how it works. They may have planned the attempt to guilt (help the scared lonely waif!) someone into giving up their seat….
Because if anyone was going to be uncomfortable on a 13 hour flight, it wasn't going to be either of them 😂
☝️ this!
Or kid and 1 parent in first, other parent in economy
Yeah why didn't they just do this ? Mum or dad can sit in economy. Or switch midway. Weird af to tell parents how to parent
Because the family didn’t want to pay for 3 upgrades. And it’s easier to guilt/shame/get sympathy to switch with a kid than an adult.
Yep, 100% agree. I would have told the flight attendant the parents should offer to swap seats with the people in economy next to their son. And I would have told the old lady that i'll call over the flight attendant and tell her she was so upset about the boy flying alone she volunteered to swap seats with him otherwise she can shut her pie hole. edit because I shouldn't try to type before coffee
At least one of them could have given up their seat and swapped with the kid
Or the judgy old lady next to OP could have, if she felt so bad for the kid/family!
Totally this! Or one could have stayed in first class with the 10 year old and the other parent could sit in coach. They chose to leave the kid in coach not OP.
Exactly. They even could have swapped half way through if they wanted.
Yes. Or if it was my son I would have switched so he could sit with his mom. I can't believe that neither parent did this.
So it’s okay for someone not upgraded to sit in first class? The answer is simple. One parent switches with the 10 year old. Instead they make a random stranger sit in the back? Entitled AF
The parents knew exactly what they were doing when they took their upgrades. I’m glad the parents didn’t try to guilt or pressure you.
1 parent could have taken the boys seat and the boy could have sat with one of his parents in 1st class. The parents didn't need to sit together they were being selfish.
All of this NTA OP, the parents are.
My wife and I got bumped up to Business so that a family could sit together in Premium Economy. They should have gone down a class, not OP.
The parents are definitely the assholes in this situation
Or Why one of the parent wouldn’t give up their own seat for their own child?
Or one of the parents could have switched with the boy. They could have switched back and forth. They wanted their cake and to eat it too by making someone else uncomfortable while they were comfortable.
NTA - they could have moved out of first class to be with their son. You stayed and did the right thing. The old lady who shamed you, SHE could have moved if she cared so much. Where did you fly from that it took 13 hours to get there?
Probably Australia, China or Japan. Any further into south east Asia or west toward India would be longer than 13 hours from west coast USA. I think New Zealand is further too.
Going to southern Brazil from northern US takes a hell of a long time too
And going to northern Brazil takes even longer because you have to fly through São Paulo 😩
It’s 11 hours form London, so anywhere on mainland Europe, like Germany or Italy for instance could easily be 13 hours.
Or Europe all the way to San Francisco is about that time as well
One of the parents could have gone into economy to join the kid. Why did one of them even leave the kid in economy alone to begin with!
Or put the kid in first and time shared the economy seat.
This is the solution lol. Parent + kid in first and the other parent in economy. Ignore whoever told you otherwise, NTA.
THIS is the correct response. 1 parent and the child in first class while the other parent in economy. Why is that not the FIRST thing they thought to do. No lets ask a stranger to give up THEIR first class seat. Entitled as fuck
One of the parents should have just traded with the kid so the kid could sit in first class with the other parent. It’s the obvious solution but then one of them wouldn’t get to ride first class so better kick OP out instead.
My first time ever in first class was exactly this way. I was in my college pep band, and we were flying to an NCAA tourney game in the same plane as the team. I ended up with a lady and her child sitting next to me, and we were chatting, and I was making the boy laugh. Before we took off, the coach of the team came up to me and offered me his 1st class seat so he could sit with his family.
NTA. That old woman could have given up her seat if she was so worried. I am not switching seats unless I get an even better upgrade. Odds are good that the parents took the upgrade & were counting on someone else giving up their seat.
This is EXACTLY what they thought.
“Oh, but we didn’t know our kid wasn’t getting upgraded with us”
“Where’s your heart? Poor Aidan is alone in coach without a single glass of champagne! OUR POOR BOY IS DRINKING AHA AND EATING PRETZELS”
"I'll take $2000 cash"
$2,000 cash in exchange for a First Class upgrade on a 13-hour flight? Dude, you’re *seriously* low-balling it here
Depending on the flight might not be enough
This is exactly it. Hence why they both took the upgrades because they would prey on peoples good hearts. It’s easier to convince people to give up a seat for a child, then for some random adult. I flew first class once (it was an hour flight so it was cheap) and I wasn’t giving that seat up.
NTA If I had been the duma$$ parent who did that I wouldn't have even tried to get someone to move, I would have switched spots with my kid and sat in economy and let my kid sit with my husband in first class. Seriously, how rude to even ask you.
Seriously! That’s the first thing that occurred to me. Why did one parent not swap with the kid?
NTA - there was nothing stopping the parents from giving up their first class seats.
NTA. The boy did not rack up *your* points to be able to get an upgrade. Also, if they were so concerned about him, one of the parents could have switched with the boy while the other stayed with him in first class. I'm guessing they're not that concerned enough to be willing to switch seats with *their* son.
Did the family thank the old woman in the seat next to you for her kind offer of swapping with the young kid instead of you?
This right here. Everyone is blasting the parents (rightfully so) but the hypocritical old woman shouldn't get a free pass either. I would have called the flight attendant over and told her the woman was more willing to help with the situation.
This old woman upset me the most in the entire story. Mind your own business lady or put your money where your mouth is. Unbelievable.
OP, no need to feel bad, if BOTH parents chose to remain in first class rather than take turns swapping seats with their own child, why should you have given up your first class seat for him, if even his own parents wouldn't?
Old Lady could have gave him the seat she paid for if she was that concerned. I would have taken the money though 😅 The only way to make me downgrade to an economy seat on a 13hrs fight would be to at least offer me a seat w more leg room
This can't be real. Why didn't the kid swap with one of the parents? One parent and child sit in first, other parent sits in economy, problem solved.
Red flags for me: Upgrades are last minute, not way in advance Airlines don’t call people, you get notification in email or apps Kids must be on the same booking as the adult and it’s doubtful they’d upgrade part of a reservation
Also, considering it was a 14 hour flight, it must be international. It is exceedingly rare to get a free upgrade on an international flight. Source: someone with elite status who travels internationally often.
It would be from economy to business too, never economy to first class on an international flight.
23 year old books a year in advance and has "status" Yeah ok.
>Red flags for me: > >Upgrades are last minute, not way in advance > >Airlines don’t call people, you get notification in email or apps > >Kids must be on the same booking as the adult and it’s doubtful they’d upgrade part of a reservation Correct. Another obvious bullsht post that people are falling for.
Also, what airline offers another free upgrade or refund for switching your seat? This is sus.
The thing that stuck with me is that the airline called her. Yeah, BS on that. Rage bait made up situation.
It’s not real. My wife used to travel a ton for work and had status that provided free upgrades. Whenever she wanted to use them, she would have to call and request. The airline would never go out of there way to give a free upgrade, let alone 3. Especially months in advance when they still had time to sell those first class seats.
Fuck no, I would have scolded the flight attendant for even asking me. How dare they, those tickets are expensive as fuck. Then I would have scolded the parents for being bad parents just to piss them off for having the audacity to ask me. Selfish pricks, why didn't they swap out, why were you even asked. Also I would have hammered that old lady. "No you are the one making that child sit alone, why didn't you speak up, why don't you give your seat away, oh? It's because you are a big fat hypocrite." Fuck people who ruin your nice thing because they want someone else to solve the problem they created.
This. And a lot of people would have felt too pressured or put on the spot and just just given in.
🏅
Tf the flight attendant do other than try all options in a peaceful manner? Otherwise yeah, light the passengers up. Fuck them.
Ask one or both of the parents to swap with someone in economy and tell them to kick rocks if they don’t like that accommodation for *their* fuck up. Definitely shouldn’t put it on another paying customer to downgrade and come out looking like an ass if they refuse.
Call me old fashioned, call me part of the "patriarchy" but as the father of three and the proud husband of a hard working wife/mom, my AUTOMATIC response upon finding that 2 of our 3 tickets had been upgraded would have been to say "Honey, looks like you and the boy get to ride in style, cya when we get there!" You were totally fine, those parents...they're fucking monsters. Oh, and by their actions, they're clearly working on raising the next generation of entitled monster.
Not your child so not your problem. If you were being offered compensation then why couldn’t the flight attendant do that for the parents? Why couldn’t one of the parents switched seats with their child? Why not the entire family sit in economy and get upgraded on a different flight? That flight attendant should never have taken your conversation past “would you be okay switching to economy? We have a situation in which a family has been split up and we can offer a refund for the flight or an upgrade on another flight” then listened to your yes or no answer. From then on it should’ve been 100% on the parents to deal with their own predicament. I’m a mother and I would never leave my child for a 13 hour flight with strangers. Mum or dad could have taken the short straw and sat in economy. Not you. NTA.
One of the parents could have switched with the kid. Why should you? Nta. Parents are total walkers for even suggesting it be someone else
Echoing all the above comments. NTA His parents could easily have swapped one of their seats for his economy seat. This is the most logical conclusion. I almost can't believe this happened!
The flight attendant should not have even asked. They should have switched one of the parents to economy, not you. NTA.
NTA One of the scamming parents should move to economy and the kid to 1st class to stay with the other parent. But yeah, it's better for them if you give them your seat so all of them have been upgraded at your cost or at he company's cost, right? A scam. >Never saw the parents they were sitting far away from me. So had you swapped seats, the kid wouldn't have been with their parents either, though they could see one another. >I saw him walk up and down the isles like every hour to meet his parents so it wasn’t like he was alone. End of story.
NTA. My teachers used to have a poster in their rooms that said something like “you lacking of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part.” The parents should have done more to make sure theory stay with their kid. They could have given up one of their seats. Or both and both moved back to economy. They were unwilling to do that, they wanted a free upgrade for their child but were unwilling to give up their own comfort. They were assholes, and if the old woman cared that much she could have given up her seat. Ignore them, you did nothing wrong.
I would get upgraded all the time but my wife didn’t always get upgraded when traveling with me so I would decline the first class seat and sit in coach with her. The parents should have stayed in coach with their child. They were the selfish ones.
NTA. The parents are the AHs for leaving their child to sit by himself. One of the parents should've switched with the boy.
Simple solution. Kid sits with one parent in first class. After 6 hours, the parents switch seats and the other parent sits with the kid in first class. Kid gets first class the entire flight. Each parent gets 6ish hours of first class and 6ish hours of child-free time so they can actually sleep. You get left alone. Your seat, your choice. NTA.
If the older lady next to you was so concerned, she could have just as easily given her seat up. Definitely not the AH