Anyone read this about kids on planes?

[2Tiggies]

If you are going to need to board first, then I say you have to head to the rear of the plane...those are the seats you are given. If you don't choose one of those seats when you book, you don't get to preboard, unless you have a truly legitimate reason. Flights would take off much more quickly this way. Not trying to be judgemental here, but really...how long does it take to stow your bag in the overhead and sit down??? My dd has been flying since she was 3...even at that age we never preboarded, she took care of her own stuff, and sat down quickly. It's all about expectations I suppose.

Almost every international (longhaul at least) flight I have been on now has an actual boarding system in place. They board the plane from the rear. Higher classes like Business and First have priority boarding anyway, but as they are assigned to a different section of the plane, it has little or no impact on the majority of passengers. They call the passengers in rows starting from the back. So it would start for example with "All passengers assigned to rows 70 to 80, please report to the gate". They then move progressively towards the front of the plane. It appears to work well, the main advantage being that you don't have people stepping over you and trying to squeeze past to get to their seats. The exception to this is priority boarding for those with disabilities and infants who have been allocated a bulkhead seat with a skycot.

 

[a1tinkfans]

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/24765240/detail.html

I honestly try and not sit near families with young kids...not so much for me, I am wearing Earplanes But becasue it really bothers my dh and having him annoyed is not a way to start or end a vacation. As he says, its not when kids cry for a reason, like ear pain, discomfort, ill, some kids are just screamers and unfortunately some parents ignore it regardless of how it effects those around them....On our return flight recently, I chose our seats and then a family with a lap infant and a toddler were originally about 5 rows back and then moved up next to us (I laughed) dh just gave me the "look" The flight was fine until the last 20 minutes when the toddler wanted that video thing on and mom shut it off, she literally screamed non stop, people were trying to bribe the kid with the pkg food the airline gave out, the mom did not make much effort and was just tuning her out (she prob was used to it ) Needless to say, some people got annoyed, but what can you do....its airline travel...it just is...I am just glad I do not have to "live" with that behavior ....the whine thing... But kids are kids and most times I feel Worse for the poor parent that has to deal with it....

 

[magiroux]

When flying on Jetblue, home from MCO this month, I saw a ton of people who needed 'extra time' to get situated board early. Now, I can understand older folk who need to take their time getting down the jetway and then finding their seat and getting situated..as well as any true medical preoboards. But, this business of allowing families to preboard, because they feel they need the addtl time, is driving me nuts. One flight this happened and my dd, then 14, looked at me and asked why so many families, with no young kids, needed to board early. I had no good answer. Especially when overhearing one day, with a group of 5 or 6, telling his dd to shush....they could just board early and no one would stop them.
And then of course, those who have had to board early, are now taking up the aisle, standing around chatting, while those of us who are trying to get past them, to get to our seats, are held up.

If you are going to need to board first, then I say you have to head to the rear of the plane...those are the seats you are given. If you don't choose one of those seats when you book, you don't get to preboard, unless you have a truly legitimate reason. Flights would take off much more quickly this way. Not trying to be judgemental here, but really...how long does it take to stow your bag in the overhead and sit down??? My dd has been flying since she was 3...even at that age we never preboarded, she took care of her own stuff, and sat down quickly. It's all about expectations I suppose.

SW does make it easy. If you have a valid reason to preboard, then you are allowed to do so..but you do have to have a valid reason..not just that you may need more time to get situated.

My question is why the heck do you WANT to board early, especially with kids. With the exception of persons with special circumstances it takes only seconds to store your overhead cases and sit down no matter what age you are.

Why do you want to sit or make young, active kids sit in an uncomfortable hot, claustrophobic space any longer than you need to. I just don't get the rush to board a germ infested tin can .

As far as the article, I agree with many posters that adults can be just as annoying. Like the gentlemen's derriere in my face every time I looked left because he had to converse with his traveling buddies the entire flight seated three rows from his seat (and across the aisle from me).

 

[DebbieB]

I had a very similar thought. They already have a child free section - first class! But I like your idea a lot better. I'll be happy to make sure my children are not bothering anyone by sitting in our own section! Love it!

I've seen children in first class.

I actually preferred it when SW boarded families first. That way they took the seats in the front and I headed to the back for quiet. Now that they are between A and B, they are spread all over.

 

[2Tiggies]

The problem is not the children on the plane. It is children who have not been taught in everyday life that there are times to sit quietly and not to run around and do x,y and z. It is always rather incredible to me when I see children running amock and the parents are yelling at them to behave .... while it is glaringly obvious that the children don't have any idea what is expected of them. You can't give children a code of conduct that only has to be adhered to a few times a year and expect them to know what to do. That said, I do believe that situations like these are the minority, albeit becoming increasingly common.

I have done my fair share of flying both before and after I had my daughter. DD is now 8 and yes, we have flown in higher classes, but she knows to stay in her seat, not to kick the seat in front of her, shout, yell or make a scene. I have never felt that anyone around us has been frowning on the fact that she was in an 'adult' section of the plane.

I have to agree with the previous poster as well: WHY would you want to make your kids sit on a plane any longer than they have to by boarding early? I don't see that being an advantage to me or to anyone else. For example, a flight to Orlando from here is 9 1/2 hours. Do I REALLY want to add an extra 30 minutes onto that?

 

[MScott1851]

I have to agree with the previous poster as well: WHY would you want to make your kids sit on a plane any longer than they have to by boarding early? I don't see that being an advantage to me or to anyone else. For example, a flight to Orlando from here is 9 1/2 hours. Do I REALLY want to add an extra 30 minutes onto that?

The only reason I want to board early on our upcoming flight in December is that we've never flown with DD and a carseat before, and I'm thinking I'll need a little extra time to figure out how to get it installed properly, plus get DD settled in and all the extras I need to occupy her out of my bag.

I'm afraid that if we wait til last to board, I'll delay the whole plane while I'm fumbling with the seatbelt!

 

[goofy4tink]

Almost every international (longhaul at least) flight I have been on now has an actual boarding system in place. They board the plane from the rear. Higher classes like Business and First have priority boarding anyway, but as they are assigned to a different section of the plane, it has little or no impact on the majority of passengers. They call the passengers in rows starting from the back. So it would start for example with "All passengers assigned to rows 70 to 80, please report to the gate". They then move progressively towards the front of the plane. It appears to work well, the main advantage being that you don't have people stepping over you and trying to squeeze past to get to their seats. The exception to this is priority boarding for those with disabilities and infants who have been allocated a bulkhead seat with a skycot.

Now..that's the way it should be done. And if you try to 'jump' ahead, you get called out and sent back.

My question is why the heck do you WANT to board early, especially with kids. With the exception of persons with special circumstances it takes only seconds to store your overhead cases and sit down no matter what age you are.

Why do you want to sit or make young, active kids sit in an uncomfortable hot, claustrophobic space any longer than you need to. I just don't get the rush to board a germ infested tin can .

As far as the article, I agree with many posters that adults can be just as annoying. Like the gentlemen's derriere in my face every time I looked left because he had to converse with his traveling buddies the entire flight seated three rows from his seat (and across the aisle from me).

That's always been my mentality as well. The 'old' train of thought used to be that you kept the kids off the plane until boarding was pretty much done. Then they could run around and not be kept in that one seat any longer than neccesary. Not anymore though.

The only reason I want to board early on our upcoming flight in December is that we've never flown with DD and a carseat before, and I'm thinking I'll need a little extra time to figure out how to get it installed properly, plus get DD settled in and all the extras I need to occupy her out of my bag.

I'm afraid that if we wait til last to board, I'll delay the whole plane while I'm fumbling with the seatbelt!

If you can get it into a car, you can get it into a plane seat. Shouldn't be all that bad. You'll be fine!!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm afraid that if we wait til last to board, I'll delay the whole plane while I'm fumbling with the seatbelt!

If you think you will need more time to get settled, board punctually or, if applicable, ask no more than once quietly if you can board sooner.

After that, unlike right of way at an intersection, extra time to get settled is something taken, not something given.

Not absolutely positively necessary for you but I might point out that seasoned fliers often get obsessed over figuring out the boarding order and even the order of being served meals prior to choosing their seats. The same way we DISers get obsessed with planning our park schedules.

Now you should be able to get your own seatbelt fastened quickly.

I think the child only section is called the hold

Did you hear the one about a passenger who checked through a whole bunch of stuffed Tiggers in a suitcase and among them was a real (sedated) tiger cub? X-rays caught that.

 

[crashbb]

The only reason I want to board early on our upcoming flight in December is that we've never flown with DD and a carseat before, and I'm thinking I'll need a little extra time to figure out how to get it installed properly, plus get DD settled in and all the extras I need to occupy her out of my bag.

I'm afraid that if we wait til last to board, I'll delay the whole plane while I'm fumbling with the seatbelt!

If there are two adults flying, what we found worked well is to send one of the adults (with the car seat and stuff) to board early and get everything set up. Then, the child and the second adult can board near the end of the boarding process.

That way, there is plenty of time for getting the seat and bags in place, but the little one doesn't have to stay on the plane for an extra amount of time.

 

[tinkerbellandeyor]

I feel that if you don't want to fly with kids you should have to pay extra price. However 9 time out of 10 it is the parents I blame for poor planing.

 

[Minniemouse07]

When we flew with a car seat (just took our first flight w/o one in NINE years!! ) one parent waited in the gate area with the child(ren)/stroller and the other preboarded with the car seat and a bag or two.

Then the child(ren) could run around and burn off steam until the last minute while one parent installed the car seat w/o having the rest of us blocking the aisle waiting.

Installing a car seat in a new vehicle (plane or car) is always a bit confusing. MScott...I would suggest practicing a seat belt install in your vehicle (even though the plane will only have a lap belt) to make yourself familiar w/ the seat belt path, etc. That way when you get on the plane there will be less to figure out!

 

[magiroux]

The only reason I want to board early on our upcoming flight in December is that we've never flown with DD and a carseat before, and I'm thinking I'll need a little extra time to figure out how to get it installed properly, plus get DD settled in and all the extras I need to occupy her out of my bag.

I'm afraid that if we wait til last to board, I'll delay the whole plane while I'm fumbling with the seatbelt!

I think all would agree that this is an example of special circumstances where early (pre) boarding is needed. I can't get these new fangled (sp?)car seats in my car. Can't imagine tangling with them in the confined space of a plane seat.

 

[Vivianne]

I feel that if you don't want to fly with kids you should have to pay extra price. However 9 time out of 10 it is the parents I blame for poor planing.

Well, I am formally corrected. I should be paying an extra price...for flying without kids

After all, I should be paying more...why not?

Why in the world should parents teach their children proper behavior if they're around strangers? That is a thing of the past and too stressful for the child's sensitivities.

 

[grafxgirl]

I don't think a special section for families could be set up. For one thing, it would probably stop the kicking of the back of the seats if the families were up front and all other passengers were seated behind the families. If families wer seated in the back, then the last row of passengers without children would still get their seats kicked.

The other thing is when a child screams, cries, or throws a loud temper tantrum everyone on the plane is still going to hear it. I say to those that don't want to hear the kids, bring your ear buds and turn up the music on your MP3 player.

About the pre-boarding thing, we are a family of 4. We never get on early because we are organized. We check all our luggage except 3 backpacks. I carry a backpack with essentials/emergency items for the kids. My son and daughter each carry their own backpacks with snacks and items of entertainment, which they stow under the seats and leave the overhead room open for others who may need it. I hate it when people waste time trying to shove 2 or 3 carry on bags into the compartments because they didn't want to check any luggage. It also takes up space that other people could be using. People should really be considerate in following the one carry on per person rule.

 

[luvndizny]

The only reason I want to board early on our upcoming flight in December is that we've never flown with DD and a carseat before, and I'm thinking I'll need a little extra time to figure out how to get it installed properly, plus get DD settled in and all the extras I need to occupy her out of my bag.

This.

I flew by myself from Germany to 'stateside' with a 13 month old and a 2 1/2 year old. (Hubby was deployed and I wanted to spend time with family during part of it.)

Anyhow, I did ask for pre-boarding. How upset would I make everyone if I boarded 'normally' and I am carrying two of the full-sized car seats, my carry-on, one child (she was walking but not near fast enough for boarding a plane)??? I had it down-pat (practiced), but it still takes a bit longer to stow that stuff and get both of those seats properly fastened and my children safely seated, especially since I didn't have any help....And most likely you are standing in the aisle to get this accomplished, at least I had to- no room to stand in front of the seat to get the carseat situated.

Nowadays though, since mine are now 8 and 9 years old I DEFINITELY wouldn't want to nor need to board first. However, it GREATLY came in handy for everyone involved, including the other passengers. I didn't feel pressured to HURRY, HURRY, HURRY (although I did it as fast as I could) and though I carried everything as 'gracefully' as possible, it still eliminated the chances of me hitting someone with those carseats since I was on the plane first. I certainly don't think I felt privileged at all, but was very thankful I could do so to better accomodate everyone.

Now I know this, again, was a special circumstance and I agree, those families with kids 3 and under only....

And I'm all for a 'kids and families only' section! It would so rock if they catered to families and not just sectioned us off like we have the plague or something. Heck, they have pets-only carriers now, why not families only?

Of course this doesn't mean people shouldn't raise their kids properly and learn how to behave so during a flight...I (and I say "I" because I was the only one flying with them at the time) taught them right-off the proper behaviors expected out of them but also saw to it I kept them entertained and got MANY compliments from crew and other passengers on their behavior. I did however get a couple of rude comments from people who had just boarded and just assumed right off my kids were gonna annoy them. They only cried twice- during ascent and descent- and didn't take bottles nor pacifiers and too young to chew gum, etc. so you might need to remind yourself not all circumstances are the same or as they appear to be. I had no choice but to bear it out during those short fits of crying (they didn't cry the rest of the 10 hour trip!). Trust me, I hated all those eyes on me, but that was all the crying they did. The worst part of the flight was the rude lady in front of me who asked me if I could drug them or SOMETHING to get them to be quiet!!! (Yes, she actually asked me this!) One of her family members quickly quieted her...LOL!

Okay, off my soapbox for now...

 

[seashoreCM]

Anyhow, I did ask for pre-boarding. How upset would I make everyone if I boarded 'normally' and I am carrying two of the full-sized car seats, my carry-on, one child (she was walking but not near fast enough for boarding a plane)??? .... I didn't feel pressured to HURRY, HURRY, HURRY (although I did it as fast as I could) and though I carried everything as 'gracefully' as possible, I certainly don't think I felt privileged at all, but was very thankful I could do so to better accomodate everyone.:

Take a deep breath. Don't sweat it. If you have to mop your brow then you were overzealous.

It's up to the really able and agile ahead of you (notably the experienced business folks and road warriors) to hurry hurry. So they can show that small children don't need to board ahead of them. Yes you can go slow through the aisle so you don't bump people with the car seat.

Yes, thank the gate agent who lets you preboard for the asking but deep down inside he is the thankful one because you came forward to point out your kids and let him arrange the boarding of people in the way he thinks is fastest.

 

[tinkerbellandeyor]

Well, I am formally corrected. I should be paying an extra price...for flying without kids

After all, I should be paying more...why not?

Why in the world should parents teach their children proper behavior if they're around strangers? That is a thing of the past and too stressful for the child's sensitivities.

You are right kids should be taught to behave but it is not our falut or the kids fault if they are stuck with parents that don't know how to parent either and those are the ones that should not have kids.

 

[stacy6552]

Come on. This will NEVER EVER happen. Airlines fight let let babies fly free, despite dangers, because requiring tickets would cause too many families not to fly. If they are willing to let children be seriously hurt or even killed to keep their parents' business, they arent going to banish them from flights or to particular sections of the plane.

 

[Inkmahm]

GREAT Idea! lol

Think about a "child" section for a moment... one of the complaints about kids is their crying/whining. Let's be honest, the planes aren't that small. As long as you are in the same section of the plane, you're going to hear the kid.

As far as seating to avoid kids kicking the seat... pick a seat in the back, or JUST IN FRONT OF AN EXIT ROW! Kids can't sit in the exit row. Problem solved.

Personally, I pay extra to sit IN the Exit row so that people ahead of me can't recline their seats into me! I find that far more annoying than having kids on the plane. I guess I just don't mind kids (and I have none of my own.) We are generally flying to and from MCO so the kids are excited about seeing the Mouse and are generally pretty cute.

 

[Inkmahm]

My question is why the heck do you WANT to board early, especially with kids. With the exception of persons with special circumstances it takes only seconds to store your overhead cases and sit down no matter what age you are.

Why do you want to sit or make young, active kids sit in an uncomfortable hot, claustrophobic space any longer than you need to. I just don't get the rush to board a germ infested tin can .

As far as the article, I agree with many posters that adults can be just as annoying. Like the gentlemen's derriere in my face every time I looked left because he had to converse with his traveling buddies the entire flight seated three rows from his seat (and across the aisle from me).

The only time I worry about getting on the plane quickly is when I have a carryon that needs to go in the overhead. Otherwise, I stay back and I'm one of the last to get on.

We flew on Delta a week ago and had no carryons to stow. Good thing because by the time we boarded in our group 4 (only a few of us it seems were group 4 ) there was NO space left for carryons where we were sitting.