Is it rude to upgrade to first class when traveling with a lap infant?
I'm constantly flying from Anchorage to Seattle which is anywhere from a 3 to 4 hour flight, depending on which direction we are headed. Stupid jet stream. Anyway, I usually qualify to get upgraded to first class, but now I will be traveling with my 15 month old. He is usually a wonderful flyer, but I was just curious what other people thought about having a lap infant in first class.
Air Travel - 5 Answers
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1 :
You might find yourself not upgraded as often now that you are travelling with an infant since getting those seats can be at the discretion of the gate attendant, but when you are, be grateful for the extra room and do your best to keep your son on your lap and as quiet as you can. You only have 9 months before you'll be required to buy a seat for the little guy anyway, so this period won't last long.
2 :
It's only a problem if he is crying, and that is also true in Economy.
3 :
Just if he is quiet and not bothering others as a courtesy.
4 :
I flew to Florida last year and paid to upgrade to first class to get away from the normal screaming children in coach. I was set behind a small child who screamed the whole flight. As you can imagine I was not happy and gave the mother the look most of the flight.
5 :
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I have to be honest. Yes, we did get complaints faster about crying babies in Business and First. But then again, if you qualify, why shouldn't you sit where you want? Actually, it's safer and more comfortable IF you qualify for TWO seats in economy rather than one in First. Bring his car seat and use it on board. If you have a seat for him and if the car seat if FAA certified, you CANNOT be refused, although there are some placement requirements. You can't sit in an exit row (with or without the seat, no one under 15) and you can't place the seat on the aisle. It can go in the center as long as there is an aisle on the other side. If the aircraft has 3 and 3 across seating with one aisle, it'll have to go by a window. Most car seats sold in the U.S. are FAA certified but check their site, with photos to be sure; http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/ This is a bad age for air travel. I know that both from working and flying with my own three toddlers. They like to move and you can't explain to them why they need to be seated. I was *so glad* I had the seat with me when they were each that age. I could strap them in their familiar throne and then use my energy to comfort them, rather than cling on to them or hold them down. Can you tell I have very *active* children? But even the calmest, most placid "good" baby can turn into a terror in the air at this critical age. So many times people said to me "...but she was so GOOD the last time we flew..." In First, you will have a bigger seat but still, you'll have to jiggle him in your lap and it's the same problem when he sleeps. You also wont be able to really take advantage of what is on offer in First. In Economy, if he sleeps in his seat, you can at least get up to use the restroom and be able to sit comfortably without his weight on you. Babies under 2 years old are allowed in laps because air travel is so safe that it's unlikely that anything will go wrong. But if it does, the lap held child is not protected. The economy section is definitely more kid-friendly and you'll feel less uncomfortable if he cries. Passengers in Business and First sometimes pay for upgrades to *avoid* children and many are under pressure. Some have to work or get sleep to walk straight into meetings or presentations. We made every effort to keep those areas as quiet as possible and they will get prickly with a toddler. If he were a bit older and you knew he could occupy himself well in his seat, I would say to go for it. I can't say that I saw *any* 15 month olds sitting quietly in their seats in my whole career, even my "good" middle child at that age. This is also a "business" route. Flying in First or Business with a child to a vacation destination like Hawaii or the Caribbean might be easier. It's a short flight, much quicker than the 11 1/2 hours I fly with mine about every six months so in the worst case, they wont have to put up for long. You'll probably never see those people again and you had the milage for the upgrade. The airlines usually don't allow their own employees to fly with their children in First or Business until school age on benefits so only the children of paying passengers usually get to sit up there. There are a number of products sold to help get car seats through airports and it isn't as much fuss as some think it is. I fly alone with three and we always have a seat with us. Also, using the seat on board virtually guarentees that it makes it to your destination, where I assume you'll need it sometime. Checking car seats risks damage and loss. I arrived last winter to find only one of my four bags but my car seat thankfully was with us so my daughter was safe on the 2 hour drive home. For more information on the whole subject of flying with children, including details on using and transporting car seats on board, I wrote a totally non-commercial article about 8 years ago which I later put on a blog to easily share with other parents. Most of what was on the web was written by people who had flown a few times with their children but had no experience working for the airlines themselves. My information is based on both my practical and professional experience. If you have further questions, my contact info is at the end. http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com Good luck either way!
