Banning babies from flights?

[Tushka 0]

Headline says it all, and I know it's a heated debate between air travellers. The screaming infant is a nuisance ruining the peace for most passengers who need to sleep on intecontinental flights and have also ruined many of my flights trough sleepness nights hence I couldn't attend important meetings at my destination costing me both money and experience. Many other passengers with a schedule, government agents and businessmen have similar feelings about screaming/running kids aboard and would thus pay more for a childfree flight.

 

What are your opinions? Yes, No? Childfree airlines, childfree flights? Childfree areas?

 

I do realise there is a lot of parents out there who have kids, and need to fly hence I will understand you are against this. I will probably have kids too someday but would prefer to wait until they're older.

 

The reason I asked this very debated question right now is because my half sister who is a really good girl, with decent morals suddenly flipped out and punched a baby in a stroller during her flight today. It was a turkish airline so nobody really cared.

[sascha 314]

It was a turkish airline so nobody really cared.

The turkish people I know are very protective of their babies, so I don't understand this statement. Punching people is also illegal and even more so for babies who can die from even a minor blow.

 

An adult who punches babies does not have decent morals, I believe. Your half sister must be very immature, is she like 8 years old? That might explain her behaviour.

[Mithras 87]

Childfree please, then again, my 5 and 6 year olds were very well behaved on flights abroad....

[Tushka 0]

The turkish people I know are very protective of their babies, so I don't understand this statement. Punching people is also illegal and even more so for babies who can die from even a minor blow.

 

An adult who punches babies does not have decent morals, I believe. Your half sister must be very immature, is she like 8 years old? That might explain her behaviour.

She recently turned 18 and is damaged from a bad childhood with basically nobody that cared about her, hence she was angry with spoiled toddlers.

 

I wouldn't punch a baby, but certain actions of my countrymen/women are questionable.

 

The Turkish people are very caring of their families but the baby was of american descent (maybe I didnt hear the full story?) and most of the passengers were Bulgarian.

 

Childfree please, then again, my 5 and 6 year olds were very well behaved on flights abroad....

Kudos to you for being a good parent. Many parents let their children become extremely spoiled and still screaming on flights well after their 8 year old birthday! The problem with banning children is that in many cases innocent quiet children would be banned as well.

[tonywob 4,768]

I fly quite often and I always end up with screaming kids either behind me or in front. Babies don't bother me too much, and earplugs help here, but when kids starting kicking the seat and running around I start to get angry, not at the kids, but at the parents who are completely oblivious to what their children are doing. On one flight a kid started pulling my girlfriends hair and then when she complained, she was basically sworn at.

 

Would I pay more for a childless flight, long haul, absolutely :-)

[Tushka 0]

I fly quite often and I always end up with screaming kids either behind me or in front. Babies don't bother me too much, and earplugs help here, but when kids starting kicking the seat and running around I start to get angry, not at the kids, but at the parents who are completely oblivious to what their children are doing. On one flight a kid started pulling my girlfriends hair and then when she complained, she was basically sworn at.

 

Would I pay more for a childless flight, long haul, absolutely :-)

Well...

 

A: what's worse than a screaming baby in front of you?

B: the mother suddenly fully reclines her seat! :Black Eye: :Big Grin:

[Mickel 42]

Ask me again when adults stop getting drunk and abusing fellow fliers and cabin crew, stop hauling baggage that should be in the hold down isles (seriously, if you need to wheel the thing down the isle because you can't carry it, it should be in the damn hold!) because they think they're above mere mortals who should wait at the carousel, and stop shoving their seat right back because their comfort is more important than the person behind them...

[Tushka 0]

Ask me again when adults stop getting drunk and abusing fellow fliers and cabin crew, stop hauling baggage that should be in the hold down isles (seriously, if you need to wheel the thing down the isle because you can't carry it, it should be in the damn hold!) because they think they're above mere mortals who should wait at the carousel, and shove their seat right back because their comfort is more important than the person behind them...

Drunk people back and forth the aisles screaming and either blaming or praising our system used to happen a lot and nothing was done about it, as the drunk adults fall asleep at some point just like the babies.

 

I do see your point though.

[WotanUK 289]

half sister who is a really good girl, with decent morals suddenly flipped out and punched a baby in a stroller during her flight today

 

Wow - Just wow.  I would never hurt anybody, least of all a child, that's seriously wrong; i can't speak for Turkey or Bulgaria but in the UK that would get you serious prison time and rightly so.

 

On the wider question, give me my iPad and large amounts of OH molecules and i can sleep through the second coming.  It would perhaps be best if babies / very young children were banned from Business class, but i have no problem with them in Economy or First class.

[jetsflier 87]

I think airline such as Air Asia and Scoot (correct me if wrong) have got it right. They have sections of their economy cabins set aside for adults (12+ IIRC) separate from the areas for the babies and their parents. It obviously costs more to book a seat there, so it is good for the airlines. Obviously this only works on long-haul aircraft where the economy cabin is split into separate sections by lavatories and/or galleys. On short haul crying babies aren't problems unless it's a redeye. I myself have had no major issues with crying babies, except on a flight to and from Los Angeles I ended up in front of the same kicking, crying, screaming baby. A short flight doesn't bother me though.

[avgaskoolaid 292]

NO babies should not be 'banned' from any flight. That would constitute discrimination based on age. I'm not that familiar with laws in other countries, but here in the United States at least I'm pretty sure that it would be illegal (and if it's not a massive legal battle would surround such a ban). Even if it were not illegal, it would be a massive inconvenience for travelers with small children. Usually they quiet down eventually anyway. They annoy me too, but that's why I bring earplugs when I fly.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Every time my wife and I think we might take a holiday in the sun somewhere all the stress and hassle and aggravation that flying entails comes flooding back. We say 'Sod it, we'll stay home and get p*ssed!'

[sascha 314]

She recently turned 18 and is damaged from a bad childhood with basically nobody that cared about her, hence she was angry with spoiled toddlers.

I am sorry for her, I hope she can make peace with her past and have a good life.

[User72 28]

I think people who call for child free flights need to get over themselves. I have some very choice names for people who are that self absorbed.

[Kuragiman 227]

I fly quite often and I always end up with screaming kids either behind me or in front. Babies don't bother me too much, and earplugs help here, but when kids starting kicking the seat and running around I start to get angry, not at the kids, but at the parents who are completely oblivious to what their children are doing. On one flight a kid started pulling my girlfriends hair and then when she complained, she was basically sworn at.

 

Would I pay more for a childless flight, long haul, absolutely :-)

 

This.   Kids will be kids.  Babies will be babies but it is the PARENTS DUTY, especially on a crowded flight, to discipline and keep their children in check.  The plane is not a daycare and the passengers around you certainly don't think your little angel is just that when they are roaming free or ninja kick boxing seats.   Keep your child in their seat and behaved.   Crying babies will just have to be.   Babies don't know what's going on and when their ears start to pressurize I am sure it freaks them out thus the crying.   you can't BAN them.  Families need to travel but good Lord please keep you kids in check.