Family sections on airplanes

[wvjules]

Personally, I would rather have family sections in restaurants instead of on airplanes.

It annoys me to no end when DH and I go out for dinner somewhere like Lonestar, Applebees, Outback, etc. and there's a screaming toddler near us. Ugh. I would love family sections, and adult sections, so we could enjoy a quiet dinner together.

Those aren't what I would consider "quiet" restaurants. I wouldn't want a screaming toddler either but its not like those places are meant to be quiet and romantic.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Anyone else old enough to remember when they had smoking and non-smoking sections on U.S. planes (or been on some international flights that have them)?

A no-kid section might save you from getting your seat back kicked, but the noise will reach the entire plane, just like the smoke did.

Besides, some kids are annoying, some aren't. Some adults are annoying, some aren't. Kid and no-kid sections aren't going to guarantee a pleasant flight.

 

[sbell111]

I would pay cash money to never be by a fussy child on an airplane.

The airline will take your cash money and happily give you a seat in first class next to Barbara.

 

[MM27]

Anyone else old enough to remember when they had smoking and non-smoking sections on U.S. planes (or been on some international flights that have them)?

A no-kid section might save you from getting your seat back kicked, but the noise will reach the entire plane, just like the smoke did.

Besides, some kids are annoying, some aren't. Some adults are annoying, some aren't. Kid and no-kid sections aren't going to guarantee a pleasant flight.

That was part of Barbara Walters point as well. She brought up smoking sections and said when people in the non-smoking section started complaining, they ended up with smokeless flights. She joked, or maybe it wasn't a joke , that perhaps after the family sections, they would make kid free flights.

I agree with the fact that you don't know what you are going to get until you get on the plane from both kids and adults. Sometimes you just need to suck it up and deal with it. I'd rather have a kid scream for a little while on a flight than have to have a person with BO sitting nearby.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

The airline will take your cash money and happily give you a seat in first class next to Barbara.

Actually the only bad experience I had with kids on a plane was in first class. I used to travel for business a good bit and one trip from LAX to ATL I had a child behind me in first that would NOT stay in their seat. They would jump up on their seat and hang over mine, sit down and kick the back of my seat constantly and yell and scream when the parent lamely attempted to get them to behave. All of the other business travelers in first were far from amused.

 

[shellybaxter]

The airline will take your cash money and happily give you a seat in first class next to Barbara.

I think you are wrongly assuming that there will be no children in first class. I just booked first class tickets for myself, my husband and our neice in October - no restrictions. Now my niece is 11 so she will likely be of no concern for the other passengers. She and I will probably be working on her homework during the flight as she will miss a week of school for our trip.

 

[freckles and boo]

I would rather see those who need a "peaceful" flight anesthetized and stowed in the belly of the plane.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What is needed is a time out section. Flight attendents could send anyone who misbehaves (regardless of age) to that section. Then they could bother each other!
Personally I want all the people who have large carryons in the back of the plane so I don't have to wait for them to be yanked out of the overhead bins before I can get off.

A small section of the luggage compartment, pressurized equal to the cabin, accessible via a locked door and a stairway (or rudimentary lift), and with a camera for monitoring - and NO SEATS!

 

[kaytieeldr]

They have a section with wider seats, it's called first class.

Harumph! Surely you don't expect us 'Traditionally Built' passengers to pay MORE for our seats/comfort???

 

[Cat0727]

Evey flight I've been on for the past 3 years we have either had a bratty kid behind me or across the aisle. They scream, they cry, they kick. Coming back from our Italy trip my mother had 2 brats kick her seat the whole time and the second time she asked them nicely to stop their father started screaming at my mother and threw a hissy fit to the stewardess. So I wouldn't mind if they had children fly on a different airplane all together

 

[2girlsmom]

It really does depend on the children, I am agreeing with a timeout area. I have flown with children that were misbehaving, and agree that it is very annoying, so I get that (though I agree that I have seen at least as many adults misbehaving as children). But my kids have been flying since they were babies, my oldest internationally, as she was born while we were stationed in Japan and we flew to the States and back 3 times in the 15 months before we moved back to the States. EVERY flight they have been on we have been complimented on what wonderful travelers they are. They sit quietly and read or play video games now, but even as infants and toddlers, they sat, mostly on our laps, and snuggled a toy, colored in a coloring book,etc. I did always take their pacifiers for the flight when they were babies, so that they could suck on something to reduce ear pain on takeoffs and landings, of course, and now have them chew gum for the same reason. The last flight we were on, my children, then 9 and 7, were SHOCKED by the bad behavior from other children on the flights. They both commented to us and my youngest to one of the children on the flight that they didn't understand why anyone would think it okay to act that way!

 

[shortbun]

Yeah, I've had more adults kick the back of my seat than kids, so I don't think it's necessary.

Yeah, this is a funny thing. I'd rather spend an hour with a dozen children than with Barbara Walters. I find her old and weird. I'd rather be entertained, stimulated and engaged. Guess I belong in the family section.

What I want is a plane ticket that includes everything like they used to. Just tell me what it costs to be comfortable and check my bags like in the old days. See, this is why I havne't flown in a long time; avoiding the huge hassle.

 

[shortbun]

Evey flight I've been on for the past 3 years we have either had a bratty kid behind me or across the aisle. They scream, they cry, they kick. Coming back from our Italy trip my mother had 2 brats kick her seat the whole time and the second time she asked them nicely to stop their father started screaming at my mother and threw a hissy fit to the stewardess. So I wouldn't mind if they had children fly on a different airplane all together

Have you ever had a drunk beside you or across the aisle? You'd trade them for two bratty kids in a heatbeat, I kid you not!

 

[brockash]

I was watching The View today and the ladies were talking about the $45 for carryon luggage. The conversation switched to Barbara Walters mentioning that they should also have a section of the plane for families. What do you think?

Personally, I find some adults just as annoying as I find some kids so it wouldn't really do any good.

Barbara acknowledged that she is already expecting negative feedback from folks.

I agree that I find many adults more annoying than kids, but honestly, I think I'd rather fly in a section designated for families when flying with my kiddos. I just wouldn't worry so much about "those" adults that cringe when they see a kid is sitting in their vicinity. When I fly by myself, I really don't mind sitting by others kids, because even if they're loud, screaming at the top of their lungs ect. I know that I can just shut my eyes and try to tune them out...while their poor parent trys to deal with it. I'd much rather be the "inconvenienced" passenger than the parent of an upset kiddo on a plane.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'd rather they not serve alcohol on the planes. I think that's a more reasonable goal. I've seen too many people getting on the plane half sloshed and then can barely walk down the aisle to leave because they kept drinking on the plane. That bugs me alot. (And yes, I do have a drink once in a while - just not in a plane.)

I've been stuck around screaming kids, kicking kids (come on parents - stop your kids from kicking already!), smelly passengers and a hacking coughing passenger (in First Class on that one. I was ticked that I paid extra money to sit next to that!).

I should add I do have 2 kids and would been annoyed if I had to sit in a family section with peoples kids who don't know how to behave on planes.

I think no alcohol on planes and an annoying person section would be great.
And while I'm wishful thinking - add more legroom in coach and stop seats from reclining so I don't have someones head in my lap the whole flight.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Actually the only bad experience I had with kids on a plane was in first class. I used to travel for business a good bit and one trip from LAX to ATL I had a child behind me in first that would NOT stay in their seat. They would jump up on their seat and hang over mine, sit down and kick the back of my seat constantly and yell and scream when the parent lamely attempted to get them to behave. All of the other business travelers in first were far from amused.

I have friends who used to buy two first class seats with their infant because they had so much room "we can even hold her between us to change her diaper. It's so much easier than taking her into those tiny bathrooms."! I'm not normally bothered by a diaper change in a stroller in a public place, but if it's #2 in that little section of the plane?!

I agree that I find many adults more annoying than kids, but honestly, I think I'd rather fly in a section designated for families when flying with my kiddos. I just wouldn't worry so much about "those" adults that cringe when they see a kid is sitting in their vicinity. When I fly by myself, I really don't mind sitting by others kids, because even if they're loud, screaming at the top of their lungs ect. I know that I can just shut my eyes and try to tune them out...while their poor parent trys to deal with it. I'd much rather be the "inconvenienced" passenger than the parent of an upset kiddo on a plane.

I'm with you. My kids are pretty good on planes and in restaurants, but there are some people who will find fault with just about anything a child does, even if it's at a quarter of the decibel level of an adult conversation.

 

[Cat0727]

Have you ever had a drunk beside you or across the aisle? You'd trade them for two bratty kids in a heatbeat, I kid you not!

That's true. They are awful enough at baseball games (such a shame the ballpark I go to doesn't have a designated non-alcohol section anymore ), I can just imagine what it would be like in a confined space on a plane

 

[dizneemom]

I think there should be an old biddy section on planes.

That is so funny!