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TV’s Kirstie Allsopp defends flying in different class to kids
Location, Location, Location star Kirstie Allsopp has caused a Twitter storm after revealing she often flies in a superior class than her children.
The mum of two boys, aged 10 and 12, defended her decision to book the kids in economy while she and her husband fly in premium economy or business class.
She told the Sun that paying for her children to sit in anything other than economy would be an ‘absurd waste of money’ and that sitting in ‘Club’ level should be something that people work for.
She added: "Obviously this wasn’t the case when they were little but now they are big enough to sit separately, they do.
"Club Class should be a huge treat you’ve worked hard for. If kids get used to it, what do they have to work towards? It seems like an absurd waste of money and very spoiling."
She added she always introduces herself to the cabin crew and tells them to alert her in the event of any problems during the flight.
Her stance has divided Twitter followers.
One tweeted: "As an ex crew member I hated it when parents did this.
"One child spilt drink all over herself and the parents left us crew to sort it out…unfair on the crew or other pax who ended up as babysitters…while parents quaffed champagne in Club."
Another wrote: "Until they are adult, it’s the parents job to PARENT not the Cabin Crew! Those children need looking after on a flight. I’d never have left mine."
Following the uproar, Kirstie pinned a tweet to the top of her page saying: "I received an email from The Sun, to which I sent a polite reply, as I always try to do. Now every idiotic rag has gone with ‘she’s in Club kids in the back’. Totally pathetic, the next journalist who calls/emails me is going to get a piece of my mind."
A few fans have supported her, with Sunshine76 tweeting: "As ex cabin crew for many years and I’ve seen so many families not just celebs, normal Joe Blogs sitting in different sections (the divided 1/2 curtains) but the kids do like being away from their parents, feeling grown up & loved visiting them from the divided curtain. End of."
However, in response, another Twitter user said: "The kids might like it, but do the other passengers appreciate being left with unsupervised children? I doubt it."
She responded, telling her Twitter followers: "People parent differently."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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