[randloar]

Okay, I like the thread for travel tips, but the last tip got me thinking. We haven't traveled yet, so take this for what it is, but..........

Coming home from China last year for work, there was a family with two girls, one about 3 and an infant traveling back to the states. They were in the back of business class (not first but business) and I was at the front of coach, so could see them pretty well. They had 3 seats and looked so much more relaxed than the family with the one infant sitting in coach.......they could spread out, the older girl played on the floor for awhile, very peaceful for them (could just be luck, I have no idea!).

Finally to my questions..........
Is it worth trying to fly business class coming home with your child (for us 2 kids + my mom ) for the extra space we could have? Is it even possible given the short notice and change of flight frequency? We have almost 160000 miles, and could possibly get 2 free tickets or could get upgrades for all of us (this is all assuming of course we fly Luftansa, and the upgrades were available).......is that better (of course saving money is always better, BUT I would spend a little for a potential for peace on the long flight home)..

I am pretty naive with respect to using air miles (just been saving them up for the past 2 years in hopes of using them for this process!!), so please share your experiences with this so I can guage what we are in for!!

Thanks!

[KimOH]

I've never flown business class -- we were in coach for both of our adoptions. The flights are always stressful and crowded, and if you're adopting infants/toddlers there's a lot of "stuff" you need on the plane.

If you have the miles, I definitely think it would be a great way to treat yourself. You can survive in coach, of course (we did and it wasn't *that* bad) but it sure would be nice to be in business class.

[Kasey]

We flew business and will this time too, if you can do it, so much nicer, definitely more room, easier to walk around, easier to get out of your seats, for British airways the seats in business class recline fully so you can really sleep.
I would highly recommend it!!

[brian7972]

I think it depends on the type of plane, too. For us, we lucked out in coach with the middle seat open (in the middle section). I'm not sure having two larger seats in business/first class would have been better for the three of us. That middle seat was a lifesaver and "play area" for the 10 hours.

[hopeful_in_Wi]

When you all flew home with your kids, did you fly from Moscow straight to the US or did you take a lay-over somewhere in Europe? I was thinking about this and wondered if a few hour lay-over in London, Frankfurt, etc would be better or worse for the children than being on the plane non-stop.

I think I'd want a layover ...

[kizibits]

I much preferred the business class seats when I flew home with my infant daughter. The extra space was a life saver!

[Kasey]

For our first adoption and the first trip for this adoption, we overnighted in London on the way home, it was nice to break it up, have an extra night of quiet with the little guy, take a shower, but it is a hassle checking back in at Heathrow the next day.
This time we are doing one day flying, mainly because we come home T-day weekend and we don't want to arrive at Philly airport on the sunday after thanksgiving. We have a 2 hour layover at Heathrow. personally I would rather have a layover and break with the flights, especially with a child.

[Annabell]

I would have preferred more space, myself. Flights were extremely packed.

As to the layover idea, I'd be concerned about my child's ears. (With their teensy eustacian tubes, they sometimes have a very tough, painful time with lift-off and descent -- can't get the pressure equalized. If you go the layover route, they'd have to deal with that 4 times rather than twice). Just a thought. And they might go ballistic on you if you get them off the plane, only to later have to herd them back onto one. (We had to board a second flight at Kennedy, and that's when poor little DD finally just completely lost it, falling in floor and wailing uncontrollably the entire flight. Everybody was desperate to help us help her, but nothing worked).

[angelkisses0102]

We've done both in our 8 flights between the 2 adoptions. We have never done b-class with a baby...just in case they decided to scream. (Which they didn't. Thankfully!) We bought the kids a seat even though they were infants...dd was 11 months old, ds 8 months old. It was great having the extra room for us to spread out and I made a *nest* out of blankets for them to sleep in. I don't know what age you are adopting but that worked great for us with a baby.

We never had any luck with miles for tickets or upgrades. We did luck out on Luftansa in the Miami airport...we were able to upgrade for $500 a ticket...and I was sick with a sinus infection so I jumped at the chance...it was an airport special.

B-class is 100% better than coach...once you fly b-class you will dread coach for the transatlantic portion.

[Ktates]

We used our miles for both trips and got bumped to business class with the baby on our way home - yeah! because they had a bulkhead seat in business class.

Coming back we did go Moscow to London - stayed over and to Boston next day - totally would do the same thing again. It broke up the flights, helped with the time change adjustment and our first flight was delayed 5 hours (winter time) so we would have been in trouble if we didn't stay over!

[calikismet]

Originally Posted by angelkisses0102

We've done both in our 8 flights between the 2 adoptions. We have never done b-class with a baby...just in case they decided to scream. (Which they didn't. Thankfully!)

I had to chuckle at this, b/c of our experience in business class.

We flew b-class on the 2nd trips of both of our adoptions. We used miles on both of them (well, technically, my dad "donated" their points to us). I am not sure how he arranged it, but I do know that we had to buy a certain fare of ticket in coach, and ensure that we were buying tixs on a flight that had open b-class seats. We then did the upgrade at the same time. Again, not sure exactly how it worked, as my awesome dad did it for both adoptions, but it did work!

I chuckle about Karen's "crying baby" comment b/c we got some pretty nasty looks when we showed up in b-class with a baby. Interestingly, we did not get them for our son's adoption. But for our daughters, we had a seatmate who requested a seat change the MOMENT she saw that we had a baby (and before our daughter made even a peep), and 2 men who were travelling on business who openly grimmaced that they had to fly in b-class with a baby. Our daughter was okay.. not perfect, but okay. I was very aware of the "quiet" that envelopes b-class (closed curtains, etc), so I was always quick to walk with her when she would get testy. But in the end, I'm not sure I cared a whole lot what the other b-class flyers felt, and if they were put off by a baby in b-class. I never ever allow my kids to just scream randomly, even in coach, so I am always overanxious to ensure a pleasant flying experience for others. But I admit freely that I was not *more* concerned with the b-class flyers than I would have been in coach.. We paid for those tixs just like everyone else, and I personally felt that we had as much right to be in b-class as everyone else. But that was also the tired, jet-lagged me talking

To the OP -- I felt that b-class was DEFINATELY worth it. No questions about it. Quite simply, more room -- to move, feed, etc. It also gets much darker in b-class (they close the curtains and everyone closes their shades) so it makes it easier to get the kiddos to sleep. On our return flight home with our son, some good friends of ours flew coach on the same flight as us. The timing of the sun meant that it was daylight 100% of the trip from Moscow to NY. B-class was dark, and our son slept quite a lot. However, coach was bright as day, and none of the kids slept.

[randloar]

Thanks everyone for you insight into this!! We have been very hopeful that we will get to use our miles and even have a friend willing to donate enough miles for whatever we are missing so that we could all be sitting together (well, in the same section!). I guess I have some hope still that we will be able to use them on the way home!!

calikismet.... I smiled when I read your comment about having just as much of a right to be there as others.....because there is a big part of me that has that running through my head and wouldn't not get the tickets if we had the opportunity because of that concern (I too feel I would be very conscientous about it, but......). Although the fact that I am asking means that I need everyones confirmation that it can be done though!! It does help to hear that others have jumped at this chance despite the potential to upset the others in b-class!!

Oh, and we will be coming home with a toddler and baby (~2.5 and 1 years old), if that makes a difference. There will be five of us total (2 kiddos and my mom extra ), so I think sitting together or across an aisle from each other is a factor as well (extra help must be nearby at all times!!).

[angelkisses0102]

Just to clarify...I am not comfortable with being *the disruption* anywhere. I would personally feel a great deal of discomfort if my child was screaming in b-class...and trust me some kids do simply scream the whole way home...regardless. If you are comfortable...go for it. Plus, where do most people from b-class take the screamimg kiddo...back to coach. LOL!

My kids are extremely well behaved on planes...every single flight we have ever taken (bar that one 45 minute flight that I was red-faced the entire time thanks to DS) we get complimented on their behavior. Even had an 'grandfatherly' type come clean on our most recent flight...he said he dreaded seeing my kids get on the plane...but went out of his way to compliment them after the flight. Honestly if you didn't know they were there...you wouldn't know they were there?! Still, 'I' am not comfy under the nasty gaze of fellow cabinmates.

Anyone remember Bill Cosby's 1983 skit about 'Jeffrey'... I am always afraid that would be me. Only it would be 'Alex.'

Little Jeffrey. I remember his name, not because he said, "I'm four years old," but because Jeffrey's mother said his name all 2500 miles of the trip.

Good luck and hopefully you will get the upgrades...

[calikismet]

Originally Posted by angelkisses0102

Just to clarify...I am not comfortable with being *the disruption* anywhere. I would personally feel a great deal of discomfort if my child was screaming in b-class...and trust me some kids do simply scream the whole way home...regardless. If you are comfortable...go for it. Plus, where do most people from b-class take the screamimg kiddo...back to coach. LOL!

My kids are extremely well behaved on planes...every single flight we have ever taken (bar that one 45 minute flight that I was red-faced the entire time thanks to DS) we get complimented on their behavior. Even had an 'grandfatherly' type come clean on our most recent flight...he said he dreaded seeing my kids get on the plane...but went out of his way to compliment them after the flight. Honestly if you didn't know they were there...you wouldn't know they were there?! Still, 'I' am not comfy under the nasty gaze of fellow cabinmates. [/font]

I'm not comfortable being a disruption anywhere either. We expect our kids to behave in public, and my DH and I go out of our way to ensure that our children are respectful in public. My comment was simply that I would not AVOID business class simply b/c I am travelling with my child. When our daughter began getting fussy in b-class, I simply carried her into the galley area and walked her for a while. I wasn't going to subject coach to her crying anymore than I would subject business class to it. I guess I am just of the opinion - b/c I fly business class quite often, and also fly with my kids -- that the rules are not somehow different in business class than they are in coach. In either place, I expect my kids to behave, but I also expect patience and understanding from my fellow travellers in the event of a few cries, etc. And I give the same courtesy back.

[Katie63011]

Good luck using miles for business class. My biggest piece of advise is use them on trip 1 and all of them if you need to. For our first adoption, we saved ours for trip 2 thinking it would be nicer to fly business class home with our child than on trip 1. Well, the dates didn't work and we didn't use them at all.

Our second adoption, we used ff tickets for three out of our six flights. That used up 200,000 points with coach tickets as we had to use a 100,000 ponts for one coach tickets in order to get the dates we needed.

Personally, I don't know if I would have gone business class with the kids. You are going to be stressed being new parents and your child is stressed with situation. I would hate to add on the stress of glaring seat mates in business class. I would fly business with my kids now, but more so because of know what kind of behavior to expect. I didnt' know what to expect after three days with our new children. Like it or not, when the person next to you is paying around $4000 per ticket, they expect a quieter ride than what they get in coach.