Whether you're a mom on a business trip or a mom trying exercise self-care, there are times you may choose to travel without your kids. But when it comes to flying together, it can be seriously difficult but would you consider seating your children in coach while you fly business-class? That's exactly what one mom does and she's now under fire to owning up to this bold travel hack.
British TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp admitted that she regularly books her kids seats in coach, while she flies in the pricier section of the plane.
Allsopp and Ben Andersen have two boys, ages 12 and 10, and just because they are traveling together doesn't mean they sit together.
"When we fly as a family, the boys do fly separately from [partner] Ben and me if we're not in economy together," she told The Sun.
Instead, she'd prefer to put her hard-earned dollars toward the vacation itself, as opposed to splurging on air travel for her kiddos. She went on to say that flying in business or first class "should be a huge treat you've worked hard for" and that "it seems like an absurd waste of money."
That said, of course this isn't how Allsopp's family always traveled. "Obviously this wasn’t the case when they were little but now they are big enough to sit separately, they do," she added.
Many Twitter users responded to the story with disdain for Allsopp's admission.
Even those who could understand it felt like she might be missing out on creating a warm, fuzzy family memory.
This former airline employee weighed in, as well, sharing that crew members aren't fans of Allsopp's game plan.
Still, others came to the TV star-turned-cookbook author's defense, noting that her boys are old enough to travel alone.
Allsopp chimed in on Twitter, expressing her feeling that social media is even more dangerous than kids sitting alone in coach.
She also set the record straight on a few points Twitter users had been commenting on.
This controversy only serves to remind us that, as with just about every parenting decision — outside of standardized safety recommendations — there's rarely a one-size-fits-all strategy. Only Allsopp and her partner know what works best for their family, for their travel experience, for their budget, and for their sons. Props to this confident mama for owning and expressing that!
