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[Saya]

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It’s enough to make feminists’ blood boil. Or anyone’s for that matter.

But for some married couples, it’s perfectly normal for husbands to travel in first or business class, while their wives are relegated to economy.

“John finds economy unbearable,” explained economy-class wife Michelle Sedgemore to the Daily Mail. “He doesn't like the chatter, hates that too many people are in close proximity and can't bear being crammed into his seat.” When they both flew in economy to the Maldives in 2001, it was a “disaster”: “John didn't stop moaning and grumbling. I had to have a few glasses of wine to try to drown out his whingeing.”

Wimbledon-based businessman Arrun Kumar doesn’t seem to feel ashamed for travelling up-front either. “In my opinion, everyone should travel this way. I think first-class is really rather wonderful — the only way to fly,” he told the newspaper. His wife Tina, however, doesn’t get a look-in. Whenever Arrun travels overseas for work, the couple tag a holiday on to the end of his meetings, but Tina always sits in economy.

'While I've loved the rare times I've flown with him, it's difficult to justify it financially. After all, it's his company, his profits. That's why we end up buying me an economy ticket. Sometimes I get upgraded. Usually I don't.”

And when they separate at check-in, they don’t even attempt to see each other. “We won't go to each other's respective sections on the flight. In the early days I did, but it got too awkward. I'd get stopped by cabin crew demanding to know where I was going.

“Even when we get off the plane we're like strangers to each another. Arrun will have a chauffeur waiting for him. The car whisks him straight to meetings. I have to find myself a taxi. At least he does text me to check I'm en route to our hotel.”

Philip, who works in shipping, was used to flying all over the world for work – always in comfort. So why couldn’t she travel up-front too? Her husband “can be the tightest man on earth,” says Sarah-Jane. “Once, he tried to cheer me up when we were flying to his home in Switzerland. He was in business, courtesy of a ticket from his employers, and sent an air hostess to economy with a gift for me. It was a bit alarming at first – she handed me a sick bag! But inside was a small bottle of fizz and chocolates. It was a nice thought. But a business class ticket would have been better.”

It wasn’t until she gave birth to Philip’s son that Sarah-Jane finally got her first taste of luxury travel. “Despite Philip's instinctive frugality, he eventually caved in. He would allow me to buy an upgrade because I was travelling with his baby. But, to make up for the cost, he wouldn't buy one for himself.

“Thankfully, Bertie was as good as gold on the plane — despite the sniffy looks of the passengers. After all those years of cramped misery, it was lovely to be the one sitting in luxury for once. Perhaps I should have had a baby sooner!”

Now, however, Sarah-Jane and Bertie fly in economy class while Philip sits in business.

Does Philip feel awkward about travelling separately from his wife and child? “[It] is not a major problem,” he said. “My main aim on an intercontinental flight is to get as much sleep as possible, so maybe I am not the best company anyway.”

 

[Gleethor]

I'd rather not

 

[totipotent.cell]

W T F

For those trying to make a family vacation out of business trips, it would be less of an insult to the wives if they traveled on separate days.

 

[NoRéN]

I'd rather not

Hmm...yeah. That about sums it all up.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

It wasn’t until she gave birth to Philip’s son that Sarah-Jane finally got her first taste of luxury travel. “Despite Philip's instinctive frugality, he eventually caved in. He would allow me to buy an upgrade because I was travelling with his baby. But, to make up for the cost, he wouldn't buy one for himself.

This guy legit just seems cheap/frugal. But then was it really worth being the only one sitting in first class/business???

 

[Enter the Dragon Punch]

sounds like the tagline to a really shitty movie

 

[Dennis]

economy-class wife Michelle Sedgemore

....

It wasn’t until she gave birth to Philip’s son that Sarah-Jane finally got her first taste of luxury travel.

"I have an heir!" said Roose Bolton.

 

[BronsonLee]

They're not really buying it for first class

They're buying it for separation from their spouse!

 

[Volimar]

I mean, if I were married to that kind of asshole, I'd probably relish the time apart.

 

[Gallbaro]

I have given this thought but never done it.

Spoiler

6'8" and my knees are in your back in economy.

 

[kunonabi]

If there is money to fly first class my wife gets the seat, we both do or we keep the money and spend it on the hotel. I can't imagine letting my wife toil away in economy if she doesn't have to.

 

[ThisGuy]

....

I felt like such an ass for laughing at that.

Messed up all around.

 

[Karsticles]

Despite Philip's instinctive frugality, he eventually caved in. He would allow me to buy an upgrade because I was travelling with his baby. But, to make up for the cost, he wouldn't buy one for himself.

It sounds to me like this guy just doesn't want to sit with his wife.

 

[Goldrush]

Don't know if it's better or worse, but I sat next to kids a couple of times in economy while their parents sat in first.

 

[Syriel]

This guy legit just seems cheap/frugal. But then was it really worth being the only one sitting in first class/business???

Everyone knows that if only one upgrade clears IT GOES TO THE PERSON WHO DOESN'T FLY AS MUCH.

If you're the business traveler in the family, you give the upgraded seat to your SO. You don't just keep it for yourself and say "sorry, yo!"

Don't know if it's better or worse, but I sat next to kids a couple of times in economy while their parents sat in first.

Those kids (assuming they were old enough) were probably all "Fuck yeah! Mom and Dad left us alone for once!"

 

[Dennis]

Don't know if it's better or worse, but I sat next to kids a couple of times in economy while their parents sat in first.

lol these rich parents literally stuck their kids with the economy plebs.

 

[kingwingin]

When me and my girl eventually take a trip together i will fly first class and she can fly whatever she chooses.

Its not fair yo expect me to sit in a cramped seat and its not fair to force her to spend extra on a better seat.

 

[Huevos de Oro]

Meet the asshole husbands.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Each example was about as shitty as I expected it to be.

I could understand parents doing this with their kids though. A kid isn't going to get much out of first class. They can't drink and don't need the extra leg room.

 

[Archer]

Whatever keeps the couple happy.

 

[Yaboosh]

Don't know if it's better or worse, but I sat next to kids a couple of times in economy while their parents sat in first.

I wonder if their last name was Macalister.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

I remember I was on a flight from Malaysia to Taiwan once and there was a couple who travelled in business class while their baby + nanny travelled in Economy. I guess it made sense financially but it seemed odd all the same.

 

[LyleLanley]

I can relate, I make my wife take a train to meet me whenever I fly.

 

[entremet]

Some couples just get sick of each other but never care for divorcing due to ennui and comfort.

These sound like that those types of couples lol.

 

[StriKeVillain]

That is just bizarre. Travelling with my girlfriend is so much fun. I would hate to be separated.

They're not really buying it for first class

They're buying it for separation from their spouse!

This makes the most sense.

 

[Media]

I've never even flown on a plane that had a different class.

 

[HarryKS]

How do you get upgraded? If they fancy you (your face)?

 

[AntoneM]

When me and my girl eventually take a trip together i will fly first class and she can fly whatever she chooses.

Its not fair yo expect me to sit in a cramped seat and its not fair to force her to spend extra on a better seat.

I presume her response will be to stay in separate hotels too since it's not fair if she can't afford a nice room, and have separate dinners out of fairness, then maybe you can stay separated when you get home.

 

[LyleLanley]

How do you get upgraded? If they fancy you (your face)?

Frequent flyers get upgraded all the time.

 

[Kuroyume]

Why would it make a feminist's blood boil?

 

[Piecake]

If the family is not well off and the dude is super tall then I can sort of rationalize it, but that is about the only scenario that I can see myself not being judgemental

 

[CHC]

To be fair, I have flown numerous times with my girlfriend and sat in seats several rows apart from each other (booked at different times for a trip I wasn't sure if I could go on, that kinda thing). It's not really a big deal if you've been together for a long time. I mean a fucking plane ride isn't exactly the most romantic thing these days, I usually just put my headphones on and go to sleep. It's nice to be next to each other obviously, though.

But I mean these dudes kind of sound like dicks in general, you should really just either a) get a first class ticket for her or b) move your ass to coach. It's not that hard to make some cursory effort to do something generous. Sometimes just being "fair" isn't good enough in a loving relationship.

 

[NeonBlack]

Don't know if it's better or worse, but I sat next to kids a couple of times in economy while their parents sat in first.

Gotta get those bootstraps somewhere.

 

[Nipo]

So a husband whose company flies him business class should a) refuse it and sit in coach b) take out a loan for the upwards of $25k business class ticket. C) tell his wife it is better for her not to go. I don't think there is a good answer.

 

[freenudemacusers]

The dream 🙌🏼

 

[old manatee]

I dated a girl who travelled for work, and a couple of times I went with her. Our entire goal was to spend as little as possible outside of the travel stipend her employer would give her.

I never felt like I was being treated poorly because she had more money to spend on the trip. I was thrilled that I could spend a few days in a different city for very little money. When she was working I would just walk around and read books in cafes.

There is definitely a way to do this without making someone feel like a second-class citizen.

I liked to think of myself as a remora clinging to a shark.

 

[family_guy]

If you've never flown first class you wouldn't understand.

 

[Necromanti]

Aside from the fact that they all sound like sociopaths, I like how some of them seem to think that people fly economy class because they want to or because they find it enjoyable.

 

[Syriel]

So a husband whose company flies him business class should a) refuse it and sit in coach b) take out a loan for the upwards of $25k business class ticket. C) tell his wife it is better for her not to go. I don't think there is a good answer.

1) Business Class doesn't cost $25k.
2) In your case he could just swap seats with her during boarding.

Problem solved.

 

[The Adder]

I have given this thought but never done it.

Spoiler

6'8" and my knees are in your back in economy.

You should be legally required to purchase a first class ticket or travel by bus, you monster!

 

[TyphoonStruggle]

Well that doesn't sound that bad I guess if it's bought by your company, if it's for a business trip, etc.

The part where the husband and wife travel to the same place but don't interact isn't all that bad. Sounds like they're perfectly independent people who are married. You don't have to spend every excruciating moment with the same person.

 

[Sarcastico]

What does all this have to do with feminism?

 

[Transhuman]

Wimbledon-based businessman Arrun Kumar doesn’t seem to feel ashamed for travelling up-front either. “In my opinion, everyone should travel this way. I think first-class is really rather wonderful — the only way to fly,”

"Everyone should be rich"

 

[Laekon]

If your job pays for business class you can at least afford economy deluxe for your family. It's less then 50% more and makes a big difference. Now the difference between first/business and the others can be huge. 1st class seats on Swiss air from LAX to Zurich were over $10K and up to $16k some times. I use to have to fly over 150k miles a year in economy cause I worked for a cheap ass Asian company.

 

[Dalek]

The look on the guy's face in the article says it all.

 

[Pau]

I've already met one: my aunt's abusive (soon to be ex) husband.

 

[KevinCow]

Wow. These guys sound like pretty huge assholes.

If you travel a lot for business or whatever and decide to take someone along, then you give them the first class upgrade.

If you're going on a one time trip or it's a regular thing to travel with someone and you only ever have one first class ticket, then take turns. He flies there in first class, she flies back in first class.

It's not complicated.

 

[Shadow Broker]

I'm not going to lie. If I traveled for work all the time I would do something similar.

Not for the above reasons but to get that break from my family. Hell , I don't even need to be the one in first class some of the times.

 

[Valkerionseven]

Fuck no, I mean are these ladies so desperate to keep their "well to do... but not enough for you" man that they put up with this and even worse full blown justify it as "he works harder than me so its ok, he got me a present (which was probably free) and sent it in a sick bag"

I mean I can understand if the company bought the husband a ticket for a business trip and the wife wants to tag along to where ever, its not the company who should pay for an unaffiliated person, but damn just doing it cause your husband is a whiny baby boy... nah. Then again Im one of those, families should sit together on the plane people soo. If the lady is fine sitting in the cheap seats sure, but the spouse refusing to pay for it flatly... nah.

 

[therealist]

I don't see what the issue or how this has anything to do with feminism. If the wife wants to sit first class she should say so, and the husband doesn't want to pay it well tough luck, your husband is potentially an asshole, live with it or divorce.