To think Kirsty Allsopp is taking advantage?

When we were frequently flying between the UK and West Africa this was common practise with W African families. Mum & dad flew Club or First, kids flew economy.

Jalima, we knew some expats with baby triplets. They had to employ a nanny whenever they flew, as the rules are that each under-2yo needs an adult, in case of an emergency onboard.

Exactly Jal my daughter often was an unaccompanied minor but when we flew together we flew together

Jolly nice to have the staff what ho - it’s not like they’ve anything else to do is it? Why are you making up excuses for her lemon she’s old enough and over entitled, priveleged and brass necked enough to make up her own excuses - now if she were a JC supporter .........

I know of several children who have travelled by themselves on airlines to get to and from school - but I think if she was on the flight herself she should either sit with them in economy or book them into business.

They may be perfectly behaved angels - but someone has to sit next to them in economy and I'm glad it wasn't me.

It’s possibly so that she (KA) isn’t waylaid by passengers talking to her ( as she is a well known tv face).
At ten and twelve the children would be perfectly ok, sitting together, and airline staff keep an eye on children.
In her place I would book the children into business class with me, but still think this isn’t terrible, child neglegt or anything else.The children may have enjoyed feeling grown up.

I do find it odd though; I realise that Kirsty's children are not that young, but one mum I know was told by an airline that she couldn't travel with her three young ones on her own, there had to be two adults with them.

And then there was this case:
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/mom-infant-twins-refused-air-canada-flight-1.4222088

I thought that Paul McCartney used to do this too.

On our last long-haul flight a Dad was sitting with the children in the row in front of us and the mother sat a few rows away, snoozing throughout.
That sounds like the best idea to me.

If anything happened even a bit of turbulence, I would want to be sitting with my grandchildren (unless parents are on-board) to talk through or comfort.
We always sat with our children when on an aircrafts.
On ship ferry and train we stay together.

My worst nightmare would be trying to get our children through crowds of panic stricken people in an emergency.

I would hope they were travelling with a nanny. If not what happens in the event of an emergency, would she expect other passengers to look out for her children? What if they are sat by someone who doesn't like children or even worse someone with an unhealthy interest in little boys?

I always think Isn't it class divide within the family? Not nice pay less for your children and let some random people have extra work looking out for them, crew plus of course any nice passenger who sits with/near them.

Unfortunately it's not just the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet that charge you extra for the privilege of sitting with your family/children. Most tour operators charge nowadays, just another way of keeping prices low, and add ons are the last thing they tell you about, both on-line and in Travel Agents.

SDThat very same thought crossed my mind.

How odd that the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet quite happily separate parents and children unless you pay! Maybe the different airlines need to have a chat about this.

What is KA saying is the truth?

KA is not the only minor celebrity to do this Gordon Ramsey does the same with his children he can't see the point in his children having a business class menu when travelling anyway they have their ipads to entertain them !!
Well that's ok then.

Have been separated from children on flights ( 15,10 and 3) at the time. They thought it was brilliant and felt very grown up (in the same class, but rows away). Again when youngest was 12 in premium economy the 'screens' in our row would not work, she opted to go back to economy for the films and games (12 hour flight) no problem, just checked on her every so often, and the hostess give us a thumbs up as she went pass. Could not have imagined the flight for her with no entertainment as she had packed her books etc.in the knowledge of there being in-flight entertainment.

Have been following this story, and what has been reported is not totally accurate according to Kirsty Allsopp, but as the old saying goes "never let the truth get in the way of a good (tabloid) story"

Just popped over to Twitter for their take on this - some crew have said they hate it when parents do this and that they and other passengers end up doing the ‘babysitting’ - one little girl spilled orange juice all down her and the mother told the stewardess to clean her up. I don’t think airlines should allow this below a certain age. One tweeter said it was probably a relief for the children to have a break from her

she says SHE has worked hard to be able to afford Business class and she dooesn't want them to think they are entitles to it.Now wher I come from we work so ALL the family prospers and gains for our work .We dont allocate things according to how much they've earned..especially our children.

No,no nannies - that’s why I’m interested in the legal issues. I can just see her overwhelming the staff at check in and telling them exactly what is going to happen and them just doing as they are told.

There must be some interesting issues as far as the airlines are concerned - are they unaccompanied minors? Who is actually responsible for them? But apart from that, just could never do that, I wouldn’t want to - when my dd was that age I loved being with her on all the flights we did.

No doubt there will be a nanny travelling with the children. Surely they don't go as unaccompanied minors?

I'm not a fan but the news about her flight arrangements confirms she just isn't my kind of woman.

she's from a "class" that expects the lower orders to look after her children....I think its disgusting that a parent wouldn't sit with their children on a flight.