Please teach your preteens plane etiquette

[NeedaVacation03]

We came home from the world last night. We were on what we thought would be a very pleasant flight from MCO to Columbus, ohio. The flight was not full and most people were laid back and quiet. There were six of us, DD2,DD7,DD11, DD13, DH and me. My DD2, myself and DD13 sat together in a row, Behind us sat two 11 year old girls (i know the age, cause the flight attendant ask them). I am sure in a normal enviroment they were very pleasant young ladies. Sitting behind me, not so much.
They continued to pull the tray tables in and out so they hit the back of the seat over and over. They talked very loud the whole flight. They began to play a video game and it was not done in a quiet voice.
At one point the flight attendant ask them which family they were with and they said their parents were in the front of the plane. The flight attendant just let it go from there.
I didnt really say too much to them, because I had my own kids to talk to and keep occupied. But I think if you are going to let your kids sit away from you then they need to know how to act. As soon as the plane landed, they
got their things and started moving towards the front of the plane. They kept saying "we need to get to our parents" and pushing through the main aisle. I was just glad they were away from me.
Now, I am a junior high-high school youth minister who deals with preteens, teens all the time, but I still expect good manners out of all kids. I am not trying to be hard on them, I just think if we expect toddlers and infants to behave on the planes, what about the older kids???

 

[NotUrsula]

Front of the plane, as in First Class? If so, what happened was that the parents probably got a word from the FA about paying the unaccompanied minor fee next time. (You are supposed to pay it if you sit in F and put your kids in coach, precisely b/c the airlines don't like the situation it seems you encountered. However, they usually don't charge it after the fact, since they don't want to offend F passengers.)

Obviously, it is important to teach kids to behave when seated alone, because it happens all the time even when you don't plan it. However, I've yet to encounter two happy eleven yo girls who are capable of having a conversation with one another that doesn't include some sort of squealing. I think the best you can hope for in that situation is getting them to keep the volume down as much as possible.

 

[seashoreCM]

Want to trade with them so the tray and seat banging is ahead of you rather than behind?

Want to do the teaching?

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm