Oil-man

I've just reedemed a shed load of BMI Diamond Club points for a flight from CDG-USM for myself and my lovely wife. I realise that we are incredibly fortunate as we are of relative modest means.

The kids (8 & 11) are also very much with us on our once in a life-time summer holiday, but the only remaining availability was in Y, so that's were they are.

Bumping the parents to Y, and the kids to F is never going to happen.

Whereas the odd hour or two would be nice without the kids, we want to enjoy the journey to USM as a family.

Our kids are well behaved (at least we think so). What's the chance they are allowed in the suite for extended periods, for a cuddle and to watch a movie?

I can understand thats some folk pay the equivalent of the national wage to be in a suite, so may expect this to be a difficult sell.

Anyway, let me know what you seasoned Thai travellers think.

Ta in advance.

behuman

TG and Thais in general are very kid friendly.

However your two children being already 8 & 11 (toddlers/lap children would be another story) I can not see how they could be accomodated in a (full?) cabin with only 8 seats. Even sitting on the ottoman during meals is not an option as the FA would have to provide food for 10 people.

Even if the FA would not object, I think they could run into trouble wih other guests and it is probably also against the procedures.

I think the only option is that during take off and landing one parent is with one child in Y, the parents have then the main meal together in F and for the rest of the flight it is again one parent with one child in Y.

Thai-Kiwi

The kids will also be treated as Unaccompanied Minors due to their ages and you may have to sign a number of forms. See here: http://www.thaiairways.co.uk/flying-...ants-children/

There are also limitations on visiting respective cabins as behuman notes, and it is against most airline policy to 'visit forward'.

I have done this, but the circumstances were slightly different with my two lads:

• They were older than 11 (13 and 15)
• They were in the first row of C, I was in the rearward-most F (Mrs not travelling)
• I can speak Thai and explained to the Pursor what was happening
• I visited the C cabin and never vv

As a variation of behuman's advice, you might consider 1 adult and 1 child in F, the other pairing in Y; and reverse for the return. Just a thought. Or try for all of you in C.

imverge

If you want to travel as a family then you should have booked everyone in the same cabin, even if that cabin is Y.

As someone who travels in F on a regular basis I value the privacy, I don't want people coming and going in and out of the cabin. Especially people who shouldn't be there in the first place.

Don't want to sound mean but that's the truth.

pdsuk

I agree with previous posters, it wouldn't be fair on other pax and on the staff -- Thai culture generally is one where people don't want to say "no" (even if it is the right thing to do).

To be fair to the staff and your fellow pax, I would advise following Thai-Kiwi's policy --> inform the cabin crew that your children are in Y and that you'll visit them and not vice versa. It isn't fair to put the decision on them or your fellow pax.

Enjoy your trip in F with your wife, focus on the whole holiday for the kids (I am sure the are very excited about visiting Thailand !!!)

aviationp

Contrary to other peoples opinions, I'd say just ask, there is no loss in asking. I have had a flight actually on CX (slightly more open in saying no) where it seemed one passenger was in business class, and his wife/kid was in economy class, but his kid came up to business class and sat with him for the entire journey down (on his lap, it was the 1-1-1 old flat bed seats). I found it nice of the crew to allow the child to do that, and wouldn't mind if that is in first even

imverge

The crew might feel obligated to say yes, but the right thing here is for the parents to visit their children in Y not the other way around.

I would not hesitate to bring the matter up with the flight crew if I felt impacted by people coming and going in and out of the cabin especially if they shouldn't be there in the first place. If I'm paying over $10K for my flight you best believe I don't want any non-sense of this sort.

Magnus

Don't forget to ask other pax in F to...

A_Lee

While I feel for the OP, being it's a trip of a lifetime, I also can't help but feel that someone who would attempt to bring someone into the F cabin, who isn't entitled to be there, is being very selfish and ill-mannered. And certainly you will run the risk of crossing paths with a fellow passenger who will take exception to your actions, and the result may make your trip much more unpleasant than if you'd just kept your children where they belong, or use one of the other options presented.

I had a recent trip from LAX to BKK in paid C. Economy was full, and some passengers were upgraded to C, included a young Thai lady who was seated next to me. Her male friend (I'm guessing boyfriend) came up from Y and spent well over an hour crouched next/in front of her, talking with her and disrupting me while I was trying to sleep. Finally I got up to use the restroom, and on exiting approached an FA there, informing him of the situation. He told me that he already told the passenger to return to his seat while I was in the restroom, and agreed they were being extremely rude/inconsiderate by their action. I was happy to see that the FA took the initiative without me asking, though would have preferred if they'd done so much earlier. Regardless whether it's a child or adult, I have the same opinion - never ever attempt to bring someone up from a lower cabin. If you're upgraded before boarding, that's a different story, but after boarding, stick with your same cabin, or go down to a lower cabin.

Fan2502

Another point that hasn't come up yet is the fact that there is a C cabin between F and Y.

C cabin (!) not a hall way.

pogonation

I would echo the posts of the other pax. There are still another 12 days until BD leaves *A so keep checking every day to see if any extra C/F availability becomes available. Assuming you can change existing bookings after 20APR then there is a good chance that you can change to CDG-LHR-BKK on BA F and it is very common for multiple (sometimes up to 10) F seats to become available for award.

londonbus

J for redemption on BA, LHR -BKK is either available:

Within 7 days before departure

OR ~300 days before.

Tends to be the two extremes. Securing 4x J at short notice is doable.

I've just checked randomly for Friday this week and 4xJ are showing for BA009 LHR - BKK.

Oil-man

Thanks for your feedback.

I rang Thai and I've managed to secure front row 26 for the kids, and row 2 for us. That's as close as we can be. No luck on additional F seats, but I've burned all of my miles anyway, so could only change from 2F+2Y to 4J seats (or 4Y - not sure I could give up the 2F seats for this) by buying a few miles, if the availability did come up.

I do sense a slight paranoia about kids in an F cabin, with the automatic assumption that they're going to upset the ambience. I can understand the concern, but the even if they did manage a visit, I'd be ruthless to ensure they are as quiet as a church mouse.

Don't worry too much, they don't drink Dom (yet), so the supplies are safe.

TBH, with AVOD available in Y, I think they're going to be happy for 12 hours anyway.

I can't believe that when BA takeover BMI I'll get a call to swap my flights to BA metal. Also, I don't think there's a OW alliance partner flying to USM or HKT.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

a First class cabin is for first class passengers... that's just the way it goes unfortunately. doesn't really matter how quiet the children are... if they request a single drink, or want to use the bathroom, that is using services to which they are not entitled, and affects the service for the rest of the cabin. I don't mind waiting for a WC is it's another F passenger or crew member, but why should I wait for an economy passenger? or are the passengers going to walk through the business class cabin (and disturb their privacy) to use the WCs?

eponymous_coward

It's not paranoia. It's the fact that having kids on board the plane in another ticketed cabin doesn't entitle one to extra privileges in the F cabin (such as guests). People who pay for F are paying for an exclusive cabin. It doesn't have to do with how your kids behave, it has to do that the only people who get to be in an F cabin are the people who pay for the privilege, and the airline staff.

I sympathize because I have a child as well- but there's ever a case where I'm in F and she's in C/Y, she's going to stay in her ticketed cabin, because that's the way it works.