AIAAH

[Rhea]

There’s a whole subreddit on this, “Am I the Asshole?”

The IIDB version is being started as, “Am I An Asshole” because sometimes the story does not imply that if I’m not, someone else is. There could be 0 assholes in the story.

Anyway, thought I’d make a generic thread in case someone else has stories of their own.

 

[Rhea]

Meanwhile: Am I an asshole….

if I am traveling for business, and I invite my husband to come along, and the business pays for first class, but we have not interest or intent to pay for an extra first class ticket?

I mean, it feels kinda mean to have him back in steerage while I’m drinking champage. On the other hand, I’m the one who’s working for the paid ticket. On the third hand, he’s less uncomfortable in the rear seats with his longer legs (they touch the ground) than I am with my fake knee (Which dangles and hurts like hell after a couple of hours).

I’m just thinking about this. Not that we have any current concrete plans, but it crossed my mind to wonder. He would be unlikely to complain.

 

[bilby]

Meanwhile: Am I an asshole….

if I am traveling for business, and I invite my husband to come along, and the business pays for first class, but we have not interest or intent to pay for an extra first class ticket?

I mean, it feels kinda mean to have him back in steerage while I’m drinking champage. On the other hand, I’m the one who’s working for the paid ticket. On the third hand, he’s less uncomfortable in the rear seats with his longer legs (they touch the ground) than I am with my fake knee (Which dangles and hurts like hell after a couple of hours).

I’m just thinking about this. Not that we have any current concrete plans, but it crossed my mind to wonder. He would be unlikely to complain.

I just finished a 20 hour ultra long haul flight (two legs - 13 and 7 hours, with a few hours on the ground) on Singapore Airlines economy class.

I happened across a review online from a guy in California, who said "Singapore Airlines international economy class is a luxurious experience, comparable to first class flying with any US domestic carrier"

Frankly, if this claim is true, then making someone fly coach in the US would probably qualify as a crime against humanity; Asshole would be a significant understatement for anyone who inflicts this on their worst enemy.

I am only 180cm tall, but I only just fit in the seat, and was hugely fortunate that my neighbours were all considerably smaller than me.

 

[Rhea]

The hypothetical is a 14-hour non-stop international flight. But not the comparison the review guy made; unless Singapore is now offering full lie-down beds in economy! For domestic flights this scenario will not arise.

Hubby said it wouldn’t be “mean,” necessarily, but would be anti-social, since presumably he’s coming along so we can be together. But when considering, “do I just decline the lie-down bed on the 14 hour flight, though?” he thinks we’d try to find a way to upgrade. But at the same time neither of us thinks those seats are worth the actual cash price to upgrade (north of $5K). So it would still be a tough decision if we didn’t get some perk to do it.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Not togetherness for that 14 hours, but is the cabin staff likely to let you swap half way so you both get some sleep and comfort?

BTW, not an arsehole, that's why he would be unlikely to complain.

 

[gmbteach]

The hypothetical is a 14-hour non-stop international flight. But not the comparison the review guy made; unless Singapore is now offering full lie-down beds in economy! For domestic flights this scenario will not arise.

Hubby said it wouldn’t be “mean,” necessarily, but would be anti-social, since presumably he’s coming along so we can be together. But when considering, “do I just decline the lie-down bed on the 14 hour flight, though?” he thinks we’d try to find a way to upgrade. But at the same time neither of us thinks those seats are worth the actual cash price to upgrade (north of $5K). So it would still be a tough decision if we didn’t get some perk to do it.

Are you able to collect frequent flyer miles with your job? When I worked for the mines it was mandatory to collect them so that you were rewarded for travelling. If so, use those to upgrade him to at least premium economy or business. That way your job is ‘paying’ for both of you.

FWIW, NAAH if he refuses it.


AND… are you hiring for someone like me.. I guess I could cope with first class flights to and from the USA.

 

[Rhea]

Not togetherness for that 14 hours, but is the cabin staff likely to let you swap half way so you both get some sleep and comfort?

I’ve often wondered about that. But my sense from overheard questions and the general way they do things is no. Possibly if I really butter up the flight staff (which is not that hard to do - humans in service jobs have such a draining time dealing with many of their customers that one nice one really stands out and gives them all sorts of patience for one), but mu guess is they’re instucted to say something like “for safety we need to have people in the assigned seats so we know where they are”. They’re fine with me walking back to economy, but they’re not fine with economy people coming forward.

I also wondered about whether we could successfully switch for the whole way home.

Are you able to collect frequent flyer miles with your job? When I worked for the mines it was mandatory to collect them so that you were rewarded for travelling. If so, use those to upgrade him to at least premium economy or business. That way your job is ‘paying’ for both of you.

Yes, we’d definitely be able to use miles to get to premium or business. Wouldn’t be together, still, but better seat anyway.

AND… are you hiring for someone like me.. I guess I could cope with first class flights to and from the USA.

I’d be happy if we just opened a site in Australia so I could make that one of my destinations! HOnestly, even if they made me buy economy (that’s what we use for Europe, Africa and Latin America) I’d still sign up for Australia and New Zealand!

 

[Toni]

Yeah, I have a hard time imagining expecting my husband to fly in steerage while I was in first class paid for by my employer. I'd pay to have him bumped up unless he insisted he was fine in steerage or fine with staying home.

I haven't ever been in precisely that circumstance but I have traveled with my husband when he traveled for business and stayed in the accommodations his work paid for. Mostly travel by car but at least once was a flight. Definitely not first class for either of us. My flight, meals were paid for by us, not by work. Accommodations were same cost single or double occupancy so...

The circumstance where I would find it different is if I was expected to conduct business while on the flight and required the extra room/upgrades. But still, I'd at least have the discussion of whether or not he wanted to come if we could not afford an upgrade for him --or whether we could dig deeper to pay for his upgrade.