Child Free Flights ?

[NYDisneyKid]

http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/15/f...-free-flights/?icid=maing|main5|6|link5|25606

 

[Tara]

Must have been a slow news week...

ETA - I saw the NYT piece when it came out and the link above actually treats the subject a lot more reasonably. But the idea is ridiculous. Give me "jerk free" zones or zones where the guy next to me is guaranteed to not remove his shoes and air his smelly feet the whole flight.

 

[bumbershoot]

...or zones where the guy next to me is guaranteed to not remove his shoes and air his smelly feet the whole flight.

DH actually had that problem on his last flight! He was sitting in the back, and there was an awful smell, he just thought it was the bathrooms. Then he noticed the FA sprinkling something on the ground on the other row of seats across the aisle, where a man was sleeping. Turned out she was putting coffee (???) grounds on the floor. She whispered that the sleeping man's feet were terrible smelling, and she was trying to neutralize the smell... It did get better, hubby reported.


And the worst disruption I ever dealt with on a flight was a grown woman singing and talking about the upcoming reunion with her boyfriend all night on our way to Ireland.


People say they'll pay more for a kid-free flight, but I highly doubt it!

Not to mention, it's going to be nearly impossible to do, if not flat out impossible. Airlines stretch tight to begin with, they don't have room to just have extra flights to everywhere...

 

[disneychic2]

Kid-free flights? What's next, kid-free days at Disney? I love the sense of entitlement people feel just because they fly frequently. I've been on flights where kids were crying and believe me, it was no picnic for the parents either. Sometimes it just happens. I like the article that suggested the complainers "pony up for first class". Problem solved!

 

[crashbb]

Kid-free flights? What's next, kid-free days at Disney? I love the sense of entitlement people feel just because they fly frequently. I've been on flights where kids were crying and believe me, it was no picnic for the parents either. Sometimes it just happens. I like the article that suggested the complainers "pony up for first class". Problem solved!

How? Kids are allowed in First Class. First Class is not a "no crying" zone.

 

[sam_gordon]

How? Kids are allowed in First Class. First Class is not a "no crying" zone.

I'm guessing the point is while kids are allowed in First Class, you stand more of a chance sitting near kids in coach.

BUT...
a) Many flights don't have "first class" (ie: commuter planes, SW)
b) Planes are generally small enough a screaming child will be heard no matter WHERE you are on the plane.

On the other hand...
a) Until people start refusing to fly because of this issue, things won't change.
b) You want to talk about expensive airfare... try dedicating a flight to adults only!
c) If you're worried about crying babies, bring a set of cheap earplugs (can be purchased almost anywhere).
d) If you are being inconvenienced by a minor (ie: kicking your seat back, bugging you with questions, etc), politely ask the parents to control their child. If that doesn't work, bring the FA into the mix.

 

[ccgirl]

What is up with the entitlement issues from Bostonians. No wonder we get such a bad rep!

 

[goofy4tink]

What is up with the entitlement issues from Bostonians. No wonder we get such a bad rep!

Yep, have to agree.
But....I have been seated close to adults who were a much bigger issue than kids.
The vast majority of children behave very well on planes. Parents need to inform themselves and plan for all eventualities....they need to have what their child may possibly require at any given moment.
I am one of those people that doesn't want some kid behind them kicking the seat back, or sticking their fingers through the seat spaces. I have had both...and it wasn't fun.
But, child free flights?? Never going to happen.

 

[peachygreen]

Personally I'd much rather have my 6 month old sitting next to me (who on our flight yesterday cried for a total of about 5 minutes in a 2-1/2 hour flight) instead of the guy next to me on the plane who played movie was so loud I could hear every word (although it wasn't in English so I don't know what they were saying) over his headphones, or the guys 3 rows in front of me who I heard loudly complaining the entire flight about the size of the seats.

I will say that the culprits who are normally kicking my seat are not of the child vareity its the business man who is behind me with his knees and laptop that he keeps banging into the seat trying to move.

Definately give me the child crying over someone puking next to me. Actually I'll take a crying child over someone drinking coffee or alcohol or eating smelly food next to me too.

I do a lot of flying for business and it is very rare that there is a baby that cries for more than a couple of minutes at a time. And then I just feel sorry for both the baby and that parent because I don't know many parents that sit and do nothing when their child cries. I know that especially on a plane I get all stressed when she starts to fuss to figure out how to quiet her down immediately.

 

[TDC Nala]

I am holding out for people-free flights.

 

[ccgirl]

I feel the same way. I would have much more room if a child were next to me. On my last flight; I had some guy with BO that sat spread eagled totally invading my space. In addition, he had his arm on my armrest the whole time so I couldn't listen to the radio. So annoying. Told my DH we are now going to sit in aisle seats across from each other. Sick of the middle seat.

 

[bumbershoot]

c) If you're worried about crying babies, bring a set of cheap earplugs (can be purchased almost anywhere).

I think it was on the Dis that a pilot's wife mentioned that she brings a bunch of earplugs to hand out if one of her children got loud and she was having a hard time getting baby to understand that it needed to be quiet. I loved that idea, just seems like such a goodwill gesture.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Told my DH we are now going to sit in aisle seats across from each other. Sick of the middle seat.

This is exactly what my husband and I do on planes with seat rows of more than 2 seats across.

 

[deegack]

The people who want kid free flights would LOVE me. My DD not only flew with me, but flew first class. She was seat 1A and waved to everyone as they walked on to the plane. We got quite a few looks and even some not quite under the breath comments but she was a great traveler. She maybe cried 5 minutes on each flight and the flight attendant said she was the best little traveler she has seen in a long time. Then they complained to each other about the guy in the back row who had to be told repeatedly to fasten his seat belt.

 

[cm8]

Kid-free flights? What's next, kid-free days at Disney?:lmao: I love the sense of entitlement people feel just because they fly frequently. I've been on flights where kids were crying and believe me, it was no picnic for the parents either. Sometimes it just happens. I like the article that suggested the complainers "pony up for first class". Problem solved!

,

 

[LdnCpl]

IMO it's a bit naive to expect to travel to tourist destinations like Orlando and not find lots of children on the plane. Orlando has got to be close to if not the biggest destination that offers things for the kids. If you really want to go on an all adult plane then book a vacation for Club Hedonism

 

[kaytieeldr]

Personally I'd much rather have my 6 month old sitting next to me (who on our flight yesterday cried for a total of about 5 minutes in a 2-1/2 hour flight) instead of the guy next to me on the plane who played movie was so loud I could hear every word (although it wasn't in English so I don't know what they were saying) over his headphones, or the guys 3 rows in front of me who I heard loudly complaining the entire flight about the size of the seats.

I will say that the culprits who are normally kicking my seat are not of the child vareity its the business man who is behind me with his knees and laptop that he keeps banging into the seat trying to move.

I'd rather have your six month old sitting behind me, too even crying.

 

[stacy6552]

Airlines lobby hard not to require securing children into seats, so that they don't loose the business of families. There's no way they will ban families from flights altogether.

 

[goofy4tink]

Personally I'd much rather have my 6 month old sitting next to me (who on our flight yesterday cried for a total of about 5 minutes in a 2-1/2 hour flight) instead of the guy next to me on the plane who played movie was so loud I could hear every word (although it wasn't in English so I don't know what they were saying) over his headphones, or the guys 3 rows in front of me who I heard loudly complaining the entire flight about the size of the seats.

I will say that the culprits who are normally kicking my seat are not of the child vareity its the business man who is behind me with his knees and laptop that he keeps banging into the seat trying to move. Definately give me the child crying over someone puking next to me. Actually I'll take a crying child over someone drinking coffee or alcohol or eating smelly food next to me too.

I do a lot of flying for business and it is very rare that there is a baby that cries for more than a couple of minutes at a time. And then I just feel sorry for both the baby and that parent because I don't know many parents that sit and do nothing when their child cries. I know that especially on a plane I get all stressed when she starts to fuss to figure out how to quiet her down immediately.

Sounds like my dh. He is 6'4''. There is no way for him to sit normally and not have his knees resting against the back of the seat in front of him. While I understand how annoying it could be for the person in front of him, how about the woman who was seated in front of him and as soon as the plane reached cruising altitude, starting slamming her seat back on his knees?? She wanted to lie back and read the paper. Well, that seat wasn't going all the way back, but she kept trying. Now, this was just before my dh had a partial knee replacement so it didn't feel very nice on his knees. Did this woman ever turn around to see what the issue was? Nope. Well, after about 3 mins of this slamming, dh leaned around the seat, tapped her on the shoulder and told her that his knees weren't going anywhere and if she continued to slam the seat back on his knees he was going to feed the newspaper to her! Okay, so not a very nice response by him. I get it, and I was horrified when he did it. But, the woman did stop.

Sometimes there is nothing we can do to prevent banging against that seat. I do apologize though when I do it. Sometimes my long legs get nudgy. But parents that sit there and allow their children to kick the seatback are just rude. I guess that it's a case of 'as long as they aren't bothering me' for these parents. I turn around and the mom's face is in a book and dad is on his computer. No one particularly cares that junior is banging away at my lower back.

 

[maxiesmom]

Kid-free flights? What's next, kid-free days at Disney? I love the sense of entitlement people feel just because they fly frequently. I've been on flights where kids were crying and believe me, it was no picnic for the parents either. Sometimes it just happens. I like the article that suggested the complainers "pony up for first class". Problem solved!

I think most people understand that a child may cry or squirm around. It is when the parent does nothing about it that people get a bit irate. Parents should do their best to make sure their child isn't a bother to anyone else, and not just sit there, ignoring them.