Dad Leaves His Kids In Economy While He Enjoys First-Class Because He 'Earned It' & Doesn't Want To 'Spoil' Them
Quality Stock Arts | ShutterstockAnybody who has ever flown with children can tell you that it is not for the weak. It seems like people have been understandably complaining about everything from the price to the logistics of flying with kids since the beginning of air travel.
This is why some travelers have opted not to do it. This doesn't necessarily mean that they board the plane without their kids, though. It just means that they choose not to sit with them. One father shared his controversial parenting technique where he flies separately from his children even though they are all aboard the same plane, and encouraged other “rich” parents to do the same.
The dad leaves his children in economy while he sits in first class because he feels like he ‘earned it.’
Samuel Leeds, a highly successful property investor, recently took some heat on TikTok after documenting how he travels with his family. While Leeds flies in first class with his wife, their three young children fly in economy with their nanny.
Leeds filmed his children sitting in economy on a recent flight as he waved goodbye to them, saying, “See you later!” He then walked through business class, claiming that he walks right past this section of the plane because he’s “earned it,” before entering first class, where he and his wife have their very own seats that convert into beds.
In addition to the bed, Leeds had a table with an exquisite dinner spread waiting for him. In front of his seat was his wife’s. He said that she flies in first class with him since she “helps build his business.” Leeds advised other “rich people” not to spoil their kids by making them sit in coach before asking viewers if they agree or disagree with his own personal flying policy.
Some TikTok users sided with Leeds. “I love this! It’s your hard-earned money, not theirs,” one commented. Others didn't understand the wisdom he was trying to pass on to them. "You should want all you have plus so much more for your children. I don't agree with this one," another person wrote.
Leeds argued that he wants his children to learn about working hard for their money as he did.
In a follow-up video, Leeds sat down with a fellow content creator to defend his decision not to allow his children to fly with him and their mother in first class.
“When they’re 16, 17, 18, and they’re making their own money and doing their own thing, what happens when their friends go, ‘Hey, we should go skiing in Canada!’ and they can’t afford to fly first [class] and they’re used to going first?” Leeds asked. “They’ll be ruined, they’ll be spoiled. They need to understand the value of money.”
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The father said he regularly reminds his children that they will not be able to have the luxuries they desire if they do not work hard and that he does not plan on sharing some of his own wealth with them.
“It’s okay to have the luxury as long as you understand where it came from,” Leeds said. While he will not be giving his children any of his money, the father says that he will be giving them business opportunities and the chance to work alongside him. “They have to start from the bottom,” he added.
There are no rules about flying in first class while your kids are in economy, but it still stirs up plenty of debate.
No airline has banned it, and there's never really been coverage of something truly bad that's happened because of it. Ben Schlappig, an air travel expert and the creator of One Mile at a Time, argued that it really depends on your parenting style.
"If you are going to travel in first or business class and leave your children in economy, the most important thing is that they're old enough to take care of themselves," he wrote. "If your child is going to bug their (stranger) seat mate for the entire flight, then they're probably not old enough to fly alone."
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It was hard to tell how old Leeds' kids were from the quick glance in the video, but they certainly weren't infants. Plus, their nanny was with them, so she could help them with any problems they couldn't solve on their own.
It seems like this really is a matter of personal preference. Some people will surely think it's horrible to leave your kids in economy while you're in first class, but others see no issue with it. Ultimately, if it's not going to disrupt any other travelers, it's really up to the person paying for the tickets.
Megan Quinn is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
