[randloar]

I wasn't meaning to come off disrespectful to other people on the plane, that wasn't my intent. Sorry if I did. I agree with all of you that courtesy is a must, and if the kids are having a problem (terrified/screaming), in my humble opinion no one deserves to hear it more (b-class or coach) than the other, and we will do everything we can to ensure that we arent' torturing people as much as possible. I guess my hope was that the extra space and ability to get comfy during the long trek would help to prevent our kids from being upset for hours on end, no matter where they are sitting on the plane.

I am not sure that all that many of the people in b-class paid for their tickets and didn't upgrade or pay exactly what I would be paying (at least with my company, most fly enough to upgrade on most long trips and don't actually pay a cent extra). I am not looking to anger other fliers, and will think about this some more (thanks again for everyones thoughts on this!!), but also think that we all paid for our tickets (including for the kiddos seats), so we have a right there as well, thats all.

[Annabell]

All of you are correct. We also take the comfort of our fellow passengers very, very seriously.

Oh, what a difference nearly a decade makes. DD is now perfectly polite and well-mannered when we fly. She amuses herself with her I-Pod or her DVD with earplugs or a good book.

But you cannot fault a frightened, sickly 2-year-old who has not slept in, ooooo, I think it was close to 36 hours (in coach, with the drunks rolling Vodka bottles to each other between our feet), for finally losing it. Were I not "the mommy", I would have sat down in the floor and joined her.

[DCD]

We flew coach both times with our kids. They did give us the bulkhead, which has more room. They attach a bassinet and the baby can sleep. You have no one in front of you and really it wasn't bad. My DD was easier. My DS wanted one of us to walk with him the entire time. So we really didn't need to pay for those seats we barely sat in them.

[MominPA]

We were fortunate when we adopted Josh to get bumped up to first class on Delta on the way home. We had the bulk head seats. We weren't smart enough back then to get a seat for Josh so we had only two seats. We just got settled in and the flight attendent told us they were moving our seats since a family with twins needed our seats so they could use the bassinets. Josh was too big to use one.

Yes it was nice up in first class, but we couldn't enjoy it. As soon as we sat down this business guy next to us was complaining to the flight attendent of a baby being in business class. She told him that we had every right being there. So any time Josh made a sound he was glaring at us. I spent lot of time upfront with the flight attendents and was able to look inside the cockpit (pre 9/11). When Josh got really restless I went back of the plane with all the other crying children. Josh only slept for 15 mintues for the whole flight home . It was a stressful flight and the pressure to keep him quite in first class didn't help.

If we were seated in the back of business class it would have been better, but we were in seats 2A and 2B. I knew how much people paid for those tickets and we only paid around $600 for ours so I felt a little guilty too.

When we brought home Adam this June, we got three seats since Adam couldn't be classified as a lap child, but even if he could have I would have gotten three seats anyway. We flew Delta and we were the only ones coming home with a child. The lady at JFK was surprised that he was the only one.

As a side note, Josh is our good luck charm in getting bumped up to first class. Our trip to Orlando in the summer of 2005 we got bumped up again to business class on Delta.

[Jim_in_PA]

We flew business class in both directions (Lufthansa, BTW, out of PHL through Frankfurt) and I'm quite happy that we did. It was not inexpensive, but the extra space and the nearly flat sleeper seat made for much more comfortable flights. Our girls (age 6 and 10 at the time) also got value out of the in-seat entertainment movie system and the extra attention from the crew. We also flew business class to/from our region. Same skanky toilet in the back of the plane (!), but much more room and decent food. (Your luggage limits are higher in B-Class, too, both internationally and in Russia)

Honestly, this is a personal preference, but flying as much as I do, any time I can be in business class or first, I take the opportunity. If you can upgrade your tickets (you need to buy the right kind of tickets!!!--not all of them are upgradable... ) that makes for a nicer price.

Lufthansa's adoption rate is 50% off the full, changable, refundable fare if you can't do the miles thing. You have to call them to book direct and there is a special unit in their New Jersey office that handles the approval of the fare after you book it. It takes about a week. You'll need to prove you are on your second trip and picking up your child(ren), et al, to get the rate. I also had a similar rate available through my AMEX Platinum benefits for myself and DW but they couldn't do the lower cost on the one-way tickets for the girls coming home.

[Amysue1112]

Hi! Right before trip 1 I had minor back surgery...so there was NO way to go but business class! It was FANNTASSTICCCC! Hannah was great too-the few times she had a little outburst we just took her in the bathroom (she was 11 months old). They have footrests so she just sat down there and played with her toys. I can't even IMAGINE going coach...it was not an easy flight even in BC, so I can't even imagine coach! We flew Delta both trips.

Now for the free or upgrading...we had more than enough points for either one of these options, but we were told there are only of a few of those tickets available..it isn't whether there are seats either..they only offer a few free/upgraded seats per flight. We have also tried to help another family with our miles but there were no seats for them either.

Good luck!