A mother has sparked a furious debate after revealing her partner wanted her 13-year-old to sit in economy as the pair enjoyed business class.
A woman, who is believed to be from US, asked Reddit if it would be inappropriate for her son to sit alone in economy on a flight that would likely be nine hours long.
Her child wouldn’t be permitted to sit with the mother and step-father, as according to her, her partner doesn’t want him there.
The mother’s boyfriend of five years believes the child should just be grateful for the international trip.
Reddit users were left furious with the mother for the suggestion, with one writing: ‘So we already know he doesn’t like your kid, what other huge red flags are you ignoring with this guy?’
The mother, who is believed to be from the US, sparked a wave of fury among Redditors as she queried if it would be inappropriate to leave her child in economy while she and her partner fly in business class (stock image)
She told the platform that her partner did not want her 13-year-old in business class with them and believes the child should be grateful for the trip
She tried to rationalize her partner’s behavior by saying he spent money on her child’s various milestones over the course of their five year relationship
The 33-year-old mother took to the Reddit forum to explain that they reached this predicament while she and her partner were organizing a destination holiday for the ‘blended’ family of three.
She elaborated that the pair split the cost of the holiday for the three, although her boyfriend earns ‘significantly’ more than her.
Her 40-year-old boyfriend thinks booking her 13-year-old a business class ticket is ‘not worth the extra cost, even if he were a millionaire.’
He expects the teenager to enjoy the films and amenities in economy, explaining the child can visit the pair throughout the flight.
The mother said if the child were to travel in the same class as the pair, she would be have to pay for the upgrade.
She wrote that the boyfriend thinks it is odd and ‘morally wrong’ for her to even do so.
According to her, her partner would be happy to sit in business class alone, while she accompanies her child
The woman tried to rationalize her partners behavior towards her child 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.’
She added: ‘Every now and then I’ve had to stick up for one or the other but I feel like that’s to be expected with blended families.
But Reddit users have been left absolutely baffled that the mother is okay with her partner’s conduct towards her child.
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?’
Another person chimed in: ‘It’s unsettling because it’s planned. If it happened unintentionally I think everyone could roll with it.
‘But deliberately putting your 13-year-old far away from you because it’s a waste of money is very unsettling.’
One user added: ‘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.’
Others urged the mother to be aware of how her boyfriend’s actions could impact her child, stating: ‘If this is how your boyfriend is going to treat your kid, you’d better reconsider your relationship.
‘It’s not going to be just a business class flight ticket that’s going to be the problem.’
However, not everyone was in agreement about the step-father being in the wrong, with one user writing: ‘If I was 13 I wouldn’t want to sit anywhere near my parents on an airplane.
‘It also wouldn’t occur to me that I was in any way entitled to sit in first class. I’d just assume it was an adult thing.
‘And if the kid does have an issue, just say something like – you can have first class when you’re 21.’
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.’