Kids can admittedly be pretty annoying on a long flight, but one mum was left stunned when her boyfriend suggested they leave her child alone in economy while they fly business class.
The woman, who is believed to be from the US, sparked furious debate when she asked Reddit if it would inappropriate for her 13-year-old son to sit alone in economy for a nine hour flight.
"WIBTA [would I be the a**hole] if I left my child in economy while we flew in business class?" she asked.
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The 33-year-old mother explained that she and her partner were organising a holiday for their 'blended' family of three.
She said that the pair would split the cost of the holiday for the three of them 50/50, although her boyfriend earns 'significantly' more than her.
She then revealed that her child would not be sitting in business class with his mother and step-father as her partner 'does not want to let my child onto the same class on the plane as us.'
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Her 40-year-old boyfriend thinks booking the 13-year-old a business class ticket wouldn't be worth the extra cost, 'even if he were a millionaire.'
He told her the teenager could enjoy the films and amenities in economy and visit them throughout the flight.
The mum wrote that if she wanted her child to travel in business class with the pair, she would have to pay for the upgrade, but her partner thinks it would be odd and 'morally wrong' for her to do so.
She tried to rationalise her partner's behaviour saying: "He has spent plenty of money and time on my child, for birthdays, events and milestones. They get along well and have had very few upsets."
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But, Reddit users were having none of it, slamming the mum and her partner for the suggestion.
One person commented: "Yes a 13-year-old can travel in a different class fine. Heck, they could travel alone.
"But there's just something unsettling about a parent being on the same flight but in a different class. Does your boyfriend normally disrespect your child?"
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Another said, "Sit in economy with your son. Let your boyfriend sit in business class alone.
"If you start letting him exclude your son he will think it's okay and continue pushing that boundary," they added.
Others urged the mum to question her relationship. "So we already know he doesn't like your kid, what other huge red flags are you ignoring with this guy?" one person wrote.
But not everyone thought the step-father was in the wrong.
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One user commented, "If I was 13 I wouldn't want to sit anywhere near my parents on an airplane."
Another quipped, "I don’t think it’s weird for kids to sit differently from adults. It’s 9 hours in a relatively safe, enclosed space."
Topics: Reddit, Travel, Plane Etiquette, Parenting, Money
Bec Oakes