'No one puts baby in economy': Parents fly toddler only on first class, say they aren't spoiling him
While many of us would not even begin considering forking out thousands of dollars to travel via first class, 15-month-old Kaelus has already done so four times.
His parents have posted a collection of videos on TikTok documenting their travels, along with clips of their toddler enjoying the first-class experience in the sky.
And while they have come under inevitable criticism from netizens for their choices, the couple said they have their reasons for doing so.
Speaking to AsiaOne on Monday (Jan 9), the boy's mother, who declined to be named, says her child has flown on only business and first class since his very first flight when he was nine months old.
“Coincidentally, he will be taking his first Suites class flight tomorrow (Jan 10) to London," said the 28-year-old.
In a TikTok video uploaded on Jan 3, Kaelus' mum briefly shares their reasons for travelling the way they do, citing first and foremost: “extra space, comfort and exclusive attention”.
"We don't believe we are spoiling him as he is actually too young to understand the difference between the various cabins," she told AsiaOne. "To him, it is just another mode of transport."
@krysflyer last 9 months to enjoy paying just 10% for his flights #singaporeairlines #traveltiktok #15monthsold ♬ original sound - Dize Akira
Perhaps a more compelling reason is the fact that as Kaelus is under two years old, his fare costs just 10 per cent of adult fare.
To his parents, this is "a great steal", especially for first class and Suites cabins that have limited seats.
Their own tickets are usually paid for using a combination of cash and air miles, says Kaelus' mother.
She adds that she and her husband's "main concern has always been to make it easier for [them] to look after [Kaelus] while travelling".
"The extra baggage allowance always comes in handy, so it’s one less item off our minds when packing as we don't need to worry about weighing the luggages," she explained.
The extra attention from the flight crew also helps.
"Many of them will ask if we need help washing the milk bottles or cutting his food into bite-sized portions.”
And of course, being in first class gives them more "peace of mind" during the pandemic.
"As there are fewer people travelling in business or first class, there's less of a chance that our baby will fall ill."
Though some netizens have pointed out how having kids in premium classes might be a nuisance to other passengers, Kaelus’s mum said: "Those who have witnessed him on the flights know that he is extremely well-behaved," adding it’s not just the flight crew who compliment his behaviour, but fellow passengers too.
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