Travel with Children - Kids in Business, parents in First for Mini RTW - question on booking

I booked a Mini RTW with the kids (2, ages 11 & 14) in Business and we're in First. (I would have booked us all in F but there was no availability)

Using Aeroplan for the award, since there were two different classes of service, I had to book as two separate itineraries. So we wouldn't have any unaccompanied minor issues, I booked one adult and one child on each itinerary.

The intention is to have my wife trade with one of my children so she can have first with me, of course. However, I am wondering if this will be an issue, if we should ask the purser, or if we should just beg forgiveness if anyone says anything.

Did I do this right? Any experience with this?

I have been reading through some of the older threads from the sticky post:
Parents in FC; Children in coach (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/304844-parents-fc-children-coach-merged-threads.html)
Business Class and First Class with children (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-children/573211-business-class-first-class-children-merged-threads.html)

just wondering if there's any more recent experience.

You don't give any details regarding airlines or routes, so it's hard to give you concrete advice. In general, though, it may be an issue. Especially on international flights some airlines and FAs will be sticklers for remaining in your ticketed cabin. Similarly, unaccompanied kids in international J cabin will not go unnoticed by the cabin crew either (indeed, on many airlines it is simply not allowed), so it's unlikely you'll just be able to swap without mentioning it.

I'd say you should go into this with an expectation that you are asking a favor, and you might be stuck flying as ticketed on some segments.

I'll think you'll just have to suck it up and have one adult/one child in business and one adult/one child in first. Either that and see if there is availability for all four of you in business.

You don't give any details regarding airlines or routes, so it's hard to give you concrete advice.

LH TATL
TG CDG-BKK
OZ ICN-LAX

Thank you.

LH TATL
TG CDG-BKK
OZ ICN-LAX

Thank you.

I have not traveled with kids on either TG or OZ, but IME LH is exacting in enforcing the rules, so I would not be surprised if you are forced to seat as ticketed on that sector. (OTOH, if you get a not-yet converted 747, you might end up with 4 F seats anyway, as LH reserves 2 F seats per pax these days on their old equipment. I would not attempt to use them as such, however!)

(OTOH, if you get a not-yet converted 747, you might end up with 4 F seats anyway, as LH reserves 2 F seats per pax these days on their old equipment. I would not attempt to use them as such, however!)

Thank you, Erasmus.

I'm flying DTW-FRA in June and July, I am actually concerned about being downgraded due to equipment change (as posted HERE (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles-more-lufthansa-austrian-swiss-other-partners/1195488-lh-downgrades-f-award-ticket-c-due-new-first-class-cabin-a330-5.html#post17789867)). Please feel free to share your thoughts on that if you have knowledge of how that works.

I don't have any experience in switching classes with children. I can tell you that my husband is frequently upgraded due to his status (UA) and sometimes when I'm traveling with him (both domestically and internationally), he takes the seat in first/business and sometimes I do. Never any problems for us. In fact, several times when I have not wanted to take the upgrade and let him take it, the FAs have asked me why I didn't switch seats with him.

I'll just throw in the Flight Attendant's view on this.

This wasn't allowed but I had passengers switch seats and we just didn't say anything. One time I even joked with the wife over the quickie sex change operation :p

The only time we actually applied the rule was when they kept running up and down between the cabins and the mother was actually hovering a great deal of the time over her children. She was blocking the screen for other passengers.

I would recommend just swapping boarding passes as your board. You have older kids, probably experienced flyers, who can well handle themselves by themselves. If you really want, you could mention this to a Flight Attendant in the economy cabin and let them know where you are. Don't bother to mention that this is a switch. Just say, parents are in FC if there's a problem... I don't even think you need to do that.

Remind them that you will visit them but that they can't visit you.

You have older kids, probably experienced flyers, who can well handle themselves by themselves.

Whew. Thank you. ^
They are indeed experienced and they are very well behaved. Also, unless the equipment changes, in most cases they are just a few steps behind the first class cabin, towards the front of business.