Debate? Should 22 month olds be "lap babies in First Class?

[DawnCt1]

Inspired by a thread I saw on Fodors. A young family is flying to Maui with their 22 month old twins. They are using award seats in first class and plan on having the children in their laps for this very long flight. My first reaction was; "I hope that they aren't flying with me! I frankly wouldn't be very happy to be on a 13 hour flight, in first class, using miles that I had saved FOREVER, and seated near two toddlers. There is no way that young children can be expected to sit quietly for that long of a time. That is not even addressing the issue of "no restraints". With the number of miles it requires for two first class seats, she could have aquired 4 coach seats. Do you think that very young children belong in first class? We have flown with children as young as 5 (got bumped up to first class) but they were well behaved and thrilled to be sitting there.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

IMHO..nope. They need their own seats, for their safety as well as everybody else's sanity.

TOV

 

[Beth76]

Of course they should be allowed. I'd be ticked if they were bothering me. But, I would be no matter where I was sitting. Believe me those parents are not going to enjoy that flight either. 22 months is almost 2. Those are going to be some pretty big, wiggly "infants" sitting on their laps. Not to mention how difficult it would be to eat.

 

[Blondy876]

"Lap babies" no, first class, yes. If the parents are willing to pay for first class tickets then those children have every right to fly first class.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

We flew with our 4 month daughter on our lap in First Class from NYC to Detroit Metro without incident. Everyone sitting around us was very friendly and said how impressed they were with her behavior. I've flown at least once a month for work for years now, always sitting Business or First Class, and have sat with parents with their kids on their laps many times. IMO, it's not a big deal.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I've seen people carrying their poodles up there, so why not toddlers?

 

[DawnCt1]

Of course they should be allowed. I'd be ticked if they were bothering me. But, I would be no matter where I was sitting. Believe me those parents are not going to enjoy that flight either. 22 months is almost 2. Those are going to be some pretty big, wiggly "infants" sitting on their laps. Not to mention how difficult it would be to eat.

I purposely avoided the word "allowed", substituting "belong" or "should be". Of course the airline will allow them because how could they not, but no matter how much I wanted to sit in first class, I would have used those miles for seats in coach and brought the car seats. Most people who fly in first class pay for those seats. I can't imagine paying $2500 for a seat in first class and having active toddlers to contend with across the aisle.

 

[Annette_VA]

... 22 months is almost 2. Those are going to be some pretty big, wiggly "infants" sitting on their laps. Not to mention how difficult it would be to eat.

That's what I was thinking, too. I had my 13 month old on my lap for a 2.5 hour flight to MCO and was SO ready to land and get him off my lap. I love the child to death, but dang, sharing an airlplane seat w/ him wasn't a whole lotta fun.

I can not imagine holding a 22 month old on my lap for a flight to Hawaii!

 

[DawnCt1]

We flew with our 4 month daughter on our lap in First Class from NYC to Detroit Metro without incident. Everyone sitting around us was very friendly and said how impressed they were with her behavior. I've flown at least once a month for work for years now, always sitting Business or First Class, and have sat with parents with their kids on their laps many times. IMO, it's not a big deal.

NYC to Detroit Metro? No big deal. That's a short flight and most children, no matter how old can be entertained and distracted quietly. CVG to HNL? Thats a long flight. No thank you.

 

[DawnCt1]

I've seen people carrying their poodles up there, so why not toddlers?

I have poodles and I have kids. Poodles can sleep 20 hours a day.

 

[sleepyone]

NYC to Detroit Metro? No big deal. That's a short flight and most children, no matter how old can be entertained and distracted quietly. CVG to HNL? Thats a long flight. No thank you.

OMG! There is no way I'd take my little ones on that long flight. I could barely stand it myself....LOL. When I have flown with a little one, she was in a "car" seat.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Children under 24 months can fly on laps without tickets. That is the way it is. 1st class or coach. Until the law changes then yes they should be able too if this is what the parents choose. Is it a good idea. That is a different question.

Actually I know a number of 22 month olds that would do fine. Just to asume they won't is wrong. Every child is different.

You have no guarnete who you are going to sit next to. There are a lot of other situations that might be worse.

That being said, I am haven't been to Hawaii yet because I don't know if I could handel the flight, let alone kids.

Good luck to the parents and kids (and eveyone else on the plane.) Better them then me.

 

[lil mermaid]

After flying last week with my 18 month old, in coach, and in her own seat, I can safely say that we won't be flying anywhere for a long time. It was her 8th flight, but all I can say is that flying with a toddler is a whole n ew ball game!

 

[justhat]

We just got back from a trip to Hawaii and my husband, self, and then 20 month old daughter all flew in first class. And we actually paid for the tickets for all 3 of us (the baby was 1/2 price since she is under 2). We brought her carseat and strapped her in like we do on all flights. Normally we take coach, but on a flight that long we didn't think we'd last in those tiny seats so we paid the extra money. When we landed in Honolulu the passengers seated behind us said to me "You have a very wonderful little girl. We didn't even know she was on the flight. She's perfect and very well-behaved." I was pleased. When we landed in DC on our return flight the man sitting next to me said "Is this your final destination?" I said "Yes" and he said "Well that's a relief." Yes, she cried for about 40 minutes cause she wanted out of the carseat an on mommy's lap.

So my answer is that yes, I think people of any age should be able to sit wherever they want. Whether my kid annoys the first class passengers or the coach passengers, what difference does it make?

 

[AnaheimGirl]

We flew with our 4 month daughter on our lap in First Class from NYC to Detroit Metro without incident. Everyone sitting around us was very friendly and said how impressed they were with her behavior. I've flown at least once a month for work for years now, always sitting Business or First Class, and have sat with parents with their kids on their laps many times. IMO, it's not a big deal.

Impressed with a 4-month-old's behavior? I'm sorry, but this just struck me as funny! At that age, they're quiet when they're happy and cry to communicate, not because they're behaving or misbehaving.

I think there's a big difference between a 4mo and a 22mo, in terms of size as well as activity level. There is also a big difference between 2 parents with one child, (they can trade off), vs 2 parents with 2 lap children. Neither parent will ever be in their seat without a child on their lap.

I wouldn't do it. Not just for the safety factor, but for comfort. I'd prefer having a coach seat to myself, than sharing my first class seat with my toddler.

But as to whether kids belong in first class, they have as much right to be there as any adult, if their parents are willing to fork over the dough. But then, unruly kids on planes don't bother me. I just put on my headphones and tune them out. 'Course, that really upsets the other passengers, they seem to think I should attempt to quiet my kids down.

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(That last part is joke, folks!)

 

[DawnCt1]

So my answer is that yes, I think people of any age should be able to sit wherever they want. Whether my kid annoys the first class passengers or the coach passengers, what difference does it make?

First of all, the fact that she was seated in a car seat that she was used to probably contributed to the comfort of your trip. And of course, people of any age can sit where ever they want. I think its unfortunate that she annoyed any body, whether first class or coach but frankly, I don't fly first class that often and I don't get to Hawaii that often, and I wouldn't be happy seated next to a crying baby for an hour, whether it was in first or coach, although I think I would be a bit more annoyed in first class, since I rarely get to sit there.

 

[DawnCt1]

Impressed with a 4-month-old's behavior? I'm sorry, but this just struck me as funny! At that age, they're quiet when they're happy and cry to communicate, not because they're behaving or misbehaving.

I But then, unruly kids on planes don't bother me. I just put on my headphones and tune them out. 'Course, that really upsets the other passengers, they seem to think I should attempt to quiet my kids down.

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(That last part is joke, folks!)

I thought the same thing. Maybe "relieved" would have been a better choice of words than "impressed". Also, I loved the last comment. Too funny!

 

[Skywalker]

If you would be annoyed since you rarely get to sit there, that is kind of your problem not the parents or the toddlers. And don't forget you could also be annoyed at someone sitting near you who has B.O. or talks loudly or snores or whatever. It really is just something you always have to deal with since we share the world with so many others.

If you have the money (or the points) you belong there.

 

[DawnCt1]

If you would be annoyed since you rarely get to sit there, that is kind of your problem not the parents or the toddlers. And don't forget you could also be annoyed at someone sitting near you who has B.O. or talks loudly or snores or whatever. It really is just something you always have to deal with since we share the world with so many others.

If you have the money (or the points) you belong there.

I agree that if you have the money or the points you are entitled to the seat. That doesn't mean I have to like it. And yes, I would be annoyed by a snoring as well. Just because I "have to deal with it" doesn't mean I have to like it.
The reality is, no one enjoys toddlers as much as their parents, and so no, I wouldn't care to be seated next to one on a 13 hour flight, nor two for that matter. I wouldn't have considered a trip to Hawaii with our DSs at the age of two. Disney was perfect. A two and a half hour flight was long enough.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I thought the same thing. Maybe "relieved" would have been a better choice of words than "impressed". Also, I loved the last comment. Too funny!

Thanks for the correction, Dawn. I was kinda hoping to read one, just one thread that you started that didn't end with you laughing at, correcting or belittling someone else's comments. I guess the search will have to continue...