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Do children on planes bother you?
I have to admit, every time I used to fly overseas I was afraid of sitting in the proximity of children. Usually I'm one of the first people to board, so after getting my electronics and reading material in order, I used to nervously watch passengers boarding, terrified that a couple with a newborn child was going to sit next to me and that the child would wail across the entire ocean.This has happened to me more than once, and it really really sucks. But over the past few years I've come to terms with the frustration a bit. I try to think that couples traveling with children need to be on the road, perhaps for a family function or emergency and that they're doing everything in their power to see to their children. Hopefully, they're sensitive to the passengers around them and we in turn can be flexible for that.
As it turns out, I'm not the only person sensitive to screaming kids in my cabin. Our friends over at Airfarewatchdog recently posted a survey asking whether families with children should be put in a different section of the aircraft, concentrating the ruckus into one portion of the plane. Perhaps this would result in more peace for the other passengers.
Surprisingly, well over 90% of the polled readers said that they would support another cabin for families with children. That's a pretty definitive result.
Not that something like that will ever happen. Airlines wont discriminate against families traveling with children and even if they could, it would be a political and bureaucratic nightmare to implement. But it's in interesting idea.
Be sure to check out and vote in AFWD's and check out the data yourself.
Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, Internet Tools
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Caroline Bean Mar 20th 2008 4:25PM
if families with kids were all grouped together, madness would ensue. Screaming kids would wake up sleeping kids, parents would get irritated and be short-tempered...
Before I traveled with my 9-month-old nephew, I got really irritated with kids too, but now I just realize it's a necessity, it's not easy, and I just have to get over it.
David Troyer Mar 20th 2008 5:37PM
I have only had one bad child/flight experience. Sydney-LAX there was a child (6 yo?) in the middle seat whom insisted on laying basically across his seat and into mine. I was flattered that he wanted to put his head on my arm and shoulder but it made it hard to sleep on a flight where sleep is crucial.
Leaf Mar 20th 2008 6:27PM
Yes, but moreso, PARENTS on planes bother me. Because they are the ones who often LET their kids get away with murder.
eugene Mar 20th 2008 8:57PM
I agree, kids are fine as long as the parents are being parents... and not what passes for parenting these days.
Mike Barish Mar 20th 2008 9:22PM
I've had the incredibly good fortune of flying with well-behaved kids. I also make it a habit to have paper and pens with me and these articles come in handy. Once, when sitting next to a bored six-year-old girl whose mother was busy tending to her infant brother, I offered her my pad and paper and encouraged her to draw. She drew a portrait of me, one of my sister (who was not with us but who I described to her) and one of her family. She was so enthralled by the activity that she never once cried, kicked the seats or got up.
Peter Mar 20th 2008 10:21PM
Children under ten should be required to travel in the cargo hold. Most long range aircraft have heated and pressurized cargo holds
Blu-Sam Mar 21st 2008 9:13AM
while watch movies from my laptop, kid in back stand up and watch behind my shoulder.
Pam Mar 21st 2008 9:37AM
I have been on both sides. Once traveling cross country with my 2 year old and 3 mo old. The baby wouldn't stop crying and I tried everything! I got a lot of dirty looks but I suffering more than they were. Also, I hate it when kids keep kicking the back of my seat!!
david Mar 21st 2008 11:18AM
I don't have kids, and have been on flights where a crying baby has kept me awake, so I know the pain. I would make a quick plug for a little human compassion. You never know with someone what's going on in their life. Assuming the seemingly indifferent parent is just too lazy to do anything about their child may be ill-informed. I'm sure it does happen that incompetent parents do travel. I'd second what has been suggested previously: offer some kind of help, and also that you begin flying with earplugs. I wore a pair on my last trip home to Alaska, and I can honestly say the round trips were the best flights I've ever had. Get the round-tipped orange ones in the shooting section of the sporting-goods store.
laradunston Mar 21st 2008 11:24AM
I'm a professional travel writer so I travel a LOT and to be honest, noisy kids rarely bother me - maybe once in a blue moon. Like others have said, the parents can often be more annoying, especially if they're trying too hard to keep the kids quiet and are constantly at them. Crying babies on my flight? Headphones on. Music/movies up loud. An extra glass of wine or two. Switch to soft jazz when I want to sleep. I love airlines like Emirates that hand out heaps of toys and bags of puzzles and games to keep kids busy.
Ladyexpat (Nancie) Mar 21st 2008 10:49PM
Like others have said, it not the kids its the PARENTS. A little thought needs to be given before flying with kids of any age. Take their favorite toys along (the coloring book provided by the airline will only entertain them for so long). If they have a favorite blanket, take it. If I was traveling with an infant I would ask my doctor about what I could safely give the child to help lessen the effect of air pressure changes, etc. A small dose of children's gravol or something could go a long way in keeping the child comfortable and quiet.
Nick Mar 24th 2008 1:56PM
I find much of the tone of this post to be common of those who don't have kids - "I try to think that couples traveling with children need to be on the road, perhaps for a family function or emergency..." WTF! It's like once we pass from twentysomething hipsters to thirtysomething parents of infants and toddlers, we're what, supposed to sit at home or just tool around in our minivans?
I'm in the midst of a family trip to Orlando. Our flight from EWR on Continental was a 757 chock full of kids heading to Disney and Sea World and what-have you. I expect it to be the same on the way home. Last year, I flew this route on business, and a business traveller sitting next to me bitched about the unending stream of kids boarding with their dolls and balloons on the ride home. It took every ounce of my willpower not to remind her that while she was only looking after her briefcase and carry-on, those parents had far, far more on their minds - toys, bags, snacks, books, movies, games, and the kids themselves - as they boarded. But I've come to expect a high degree of selfishness from American travellers.
I bet this is boring to you. No, it's not Incan ruins. No, it's not awesome-sounding diving on the Great Barrier Reef. But for the vast majority of American families, the 2.5 hour hop to Florida is exactly what travel is. As a parent, you'll realize that there's a world beyond your self-involvement. I've met plenty of great people travelling with my family, because as a parent you almost always interact with the people around you in transit, whether it's to apologize for your kid's noisiness, or to ask them to keep a quick eye on something while you chase your toddler down the center aisle.
In her 3 1/2 years, my daughter has flown four times - three times to Florida, once to Ireland. On each leg of each trip, she's had exactly one "kid" moment - raising her voice, kicking, or both. And each time, my wife and I apologized to our nearby travelers, settled my daughter down, and continued with the flight.
And...on each of these trips, the person in front of me in coach class has put their seat into the reclining position, making it more difficult to get to those books, crayons, etc. that we packed. It makes it almost impossible to put our MacBook on the tray table to watch a video or play a game. But do these people ask before putting the seat back? Nope. Do they look back and then apologize before claiming their 4 degrees of reclining birthright? Nope. But do they give the stink-eye when we board with our daughter? Hell yes.
Sorry for the ramble, but that's the way it is. You and some commenters may complain about bad parents, etc. - and I do too, because they're out there - but the last thing a well-rounded travel blog needs is a post villifying the reality of travelling with a family - especially from the perspective you've taken.
ZenbabyZen Mar 26th 2008 5:20PM
"In her 3 1/2 years, my daughter has flown four times - three times to Florida, once to Ireland. On each leg of each trip, she's had exactly one "kid" moment - raising her voice, kicking, or both...
And...on each of these trips, the person in front of me in coach class has put their seat into the reclining position, making it more difficult to get to those books, crayons, etc. that we packed. It makes it almost impossible to put our MacBook on the tray table to watch a video or play a game. But do these people ask before putting the seat back? Nope. Do they look back and then apologize before claiming their 4 degrees of reclining birthright? Nope. But do they give the stink-eye when we board with our daughter? Hell yes."
Well, isn't your daughter the well-heeled traveler at the ripe age of 3.5! How fortunate for her. I can't tell you how many times I've flown--lost count long ago--but I know I wasn't yet flying in my single digit years. However, I'm savvy enough to realize that our "now, now, now" culture translates to more and earlier air traveling opportunities for many children, necessary or not. I must say, though, that my "stink-eye" is reserved for those children (or parents) who truly deserve it. Into double digit years as a professional elementary educator, I have a decent sense of who those fairly few are.
However, my selfish "birthright" will absolutely be exercised, as I've paid my fare for that seat and all the bells and whistles attached. This would particularly hold for an overseas flight to Ireland!! And no, I'm not going to apologize for what I've rightfully paid. Put your books, crayons, MacBooks (good God, how about reading them a REAL book instead of plugging them in to yet another movie?), etc. somewhere accessible to you without the expectation that the rest of us on the plane exist solely to accommodate you.
You know, "kid moments" I can handle. "Parent moments" (like your rant) are something else...
Happy flying!
onnie Mar 26th 2008 5:13PM
kids are cool. it's the adults i'd like to put in cargo.
jim p Mar 26th 2008 10:51PM
I love kids,i have two of my own,But when your in a Restaurant,plane,train,car etc,There is a thing called courtesy,There your kids ,its your job to teach them to act like Humans and respect the rights of others in a confined area,Part of that is being a Parent and not allowing them to act like wild animals .Maybe you don't mind all the yelling ,screaming,fighting,cause your used to it ,But you would not like it if every grown Man and Woman screamed the whole flight ,cussed,fought etc,whats the Difference ita all loud noise,And maybe they would put us in a special section for doing it,like first Class.
Nick Mar 27th 2008 5:46PM
Zenbabyzen said:
However, my selfish "birthright" will absolutely be exercised, as I've paid my fare for that seat and all the bells and whistles attached. This would particularly hold for an overseas flight to Ireland!! And no, I'm not going to apologize for what I've rightfully paid. Put your books, crayons, MacBooks (good God, how about reading them a REAL book instead of plugging them in to yet another movie?), etc. somewhere accessible to you without the expectation that the rest of us on the plane exist solely to accommodate you.
===
Your reply was pretty good right up until that point...I think I was pretty clear that I wasn't asking anyone - you, in particular, clearly - to accomodate me. It has more to do with what another poster said about "courtesy".
I rarely recline my seatback, for example - those few degrees of recline are pretty negligible, and oftentimes when I glance back, the person behind me may be using their tray table to support their laptop computer or some other paperwork. When i do want to recline, I turn around and - HORRORS! - actually speak to my fellow passenger. I ask them if they'd mind if I recline my seat. Sure, I paid for the "bells and whistles" of a reclining seat. But reclining my seat takes away the bells and whistles the guy behind me paid for - like the ability to use his tray table.
I've been on plenty of flights where the person in front of me has reclined their seatback while I've been working on my laptop. At least on Continental, the reclined seatback makes a laptop pretty much useless for anything beyond watching a video. To have the screen open, the keyboard is much too close to your body to actually type on it.
So, regardless of how you feel about where I stow my stuff, I think it's insane that you consider my rant a "parent moment" when all I'm looking for from you and your ilk is the same courtesy that you seem to be looking for from me -- which is, if you choose to believe, already being extended: I keep my kid quiet. I apologize for the "kid moments."
But you want all that and what, the moon? Tell me, oh hallowed educator: if you've got your seat back, and I'm sitting in the middle seat with my table down with real honest-to-goodness books and stuff on it, and I need to get something for myself or my daughter, where the hell else am I supposed to keep my stuff? My only option is under your seat. So I put some stuff on my lap, some stuff on her tray, lift up my table, try to reach down between my legs in the compressed space that I have...and I'll most certainly bump your seat a few times. And here comes the stink eye from you or your brethren, trust me. I get it all the time. Sorry I knocked your seat, but I don't hear a "Oh, it looks like you're having some trouble, let me give you a hand by sitting up" coming from your direction.
You should get over yourself. And consider this: on Cathay Pacific, the new seats in economy don't recline. They slouch. If you want to sit back in your seat, the seat cushion slides forward and the seatback droops. The leg and table room of the passenger behind you isn't impacted one bit. I would consider that validation of my perspective: the reclining seat screws the guy behind you.
"Parent moment." Hah.
KARiE Nov 6th 2008 9:57PM
I think we should consider the parents who are trying their hardest to do the right thing...I know there are some who don't give a toss but many of us are stressed to the eyeballs about flying with our kids....not because we are scared they will misbehave but because we are worried that others get the huffs if the kids play up.
Also think of how scary aand boring flights can be for kids especially toddlers who have the attention span of about 2mins...temper tantrums don't always mean bad kids but playing out some other issue like"why I am being dragged onto a noisy plane full of strangers for 5hours?"
"MacBooks (good God, how about reading them a REAL book instead of plugging them in to yet another movie?'- this comment was a little harsh too, we fly for the first time with our kids tomorrow and I will be taking our portable dvd player with us to entertain our 2 year old NOT because I can't be bothered entertaining him but because I know he won't distract other passengers with attitude problems about kids flying.
I say kudos to parents for showing their kids the world and not keeping them couped up in front of the tv at home!!
Im with David show some compassion its not an easy task and MOST parents are trying their hardest to keep EVERYONE happy....trust me!!