To wish that child free flights existed

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

I'm just sick of people complaining about children making noise on flights so I'd love it if those people could have a flight of their very own and leave us to it! I'm not talking about allowing kids to run amok but so fed up with people tutting and sighing when a baby starts crying, this always seems to result in the mother getting more stressed and more tears all round

Where're you going, 1veryhungrycaterpillar?
I'll come if you're paying!!!

Cyprus so a mere 4 hour flight

Sorry, don't do that hot in August.
Another time, perhaps

Good luck!

Thanks, luckily for me I'm not on my own; people who manage flying with their kids singlehandedly deserve a bloody medal IMO

A Canadian airline with a sense of humour

Some adults behave like children on flights. I witnessed woman having a tantrum (stamping feet and shouting) because she wanted her "usual seat" and it had already been assidned to someone else. She was really ruse to the flight attendants for the whole transatlantic flight, wouldn't put her seatbelt on when asked, wouldn't return to her seat when asked etc.

DS1(18) is off to Malia with 14 of his mates in 2 weeks time. They have all pre booked their seats in groups of 3 and 4, instead of one big group, out of consideration to the other passengers.

"My then 1yo daughter turned round in her seat to look at the people behind, and managed to get her head stuck between our chairs. I couldn't stop laughing. Neither could she! Everyone was horrified and mumbling. She was quickly wriggled out by a very kind attendant though."

Great story!

I would love a child-free flight. I really don't want to hear continuous crying, whinging, complaining. I don't want to be kicked in the kidneys for seven or eight hours. I want to read or watch a film in peace. If I had a choice I would definitely book on a child-free flight.

I don't blame the parents at all though as when you're in such a small space for hours on end it is incredibly difficult to stop your children doing any of the above at least for some of the time, particularly very young children. I wouldn't dream of giving parents any grief over this. I'm more likely to give a sympathetic smile, while inwardly counting the minutes until the damned flight was over.

In fact, when my children were smaller I would have been quite happy to fly on a flight where I knew that all the other passengers had children or weren't bothered by children being on the flight. I would likely have booked a "family flight".

I do think there's a market out there for adult only flights you know...

I don't have much of a problem if parents are actively trying to deal with/calm a crying child. But I was on a transatlantic flight last week where the mum was running herself ragged trying to sort out a toddler and a 4 year old, but her husband reclined his seat and pretended to go went to sleep. The toddler then ran up and down 'his' aisle that the woman couldn't get to.
And the return overnight flight had a clearly exhausted fractious baby on board whose mother was actively trying to keep him awake for the duration "so he sleeps in the car at the other end." Yeah, right, thanks for that!

What a nightmare Clam. I might patent it Apostropheuse, seems win win

Aargh, I have a 24 hour flight with a 12 month old coming up. A very wriggly 12 month old who believes that sitting still/sleeping/keeping quiet are extreme forms of torture and should be resisted at all costs. Am already collecting small toys to wrap in stupid numbers of layers of paper. Also praying to any god that will listen for lots of sleep.

The overhead locker is sounding good at the moment though!

You could always hide it there!

The only time I have ever (so far!) had a negative comment about my 3 kids on a flight was when my DS was 2. It was a 7am flight from London to Marseille and he was very excited and - talking. That's it. I was just breathing a sigh of relief on how good he was being - no crying, no shouting, kicking of seats or trying to wriggle down to the floor and off up the aisle - when the young woman in front turned round and asked me, in an outraged tone, if I would stop him from talking. Gobsmacked, I said no, he was 2 and he was only talking. I still feel enraged when I think about this now!

I'm not surprised!

I would like child free flights too, so that I could travel in peace when I travel alone but primarily so that I don't have to put with idiots like jeez describes when I'm travelling with my children.

The man in front of us complained about my 3 year old getting up to use the toilet (apparently, he knocked the back of one of his children's seats).

I said that I was most contrite and would do my absolute utmost to stop ds moving a muscle during the hour remaining of the flight.

'Tis hell on those Easyjet flights, as there's just nowhere to hide.

What do people want you to do about a crying baby? Stick the oxygen mask on and sit it on the wing. Parents of older kids should take the opportunity to teach their kids how to behave in situations with lots of people. I'd much rather sit next to a crying baby than a person with headphones on when all I can hear is a tinny drumbeat

Please have mercy on me!!!

About to ensure a 4 hour flight at 6:35am to Madeira in August with a 19 month old. I have been buying lots of little books and activities to keep him amused but with 3 other adults travelling with us, an early wake up at 4:15am and the excitement and hustle and bustle of departures, I am hoping it will be a breeze.

Now what's the betting, that someone will tell me otherwise????

Such a different story last year. On the outbound flight, he slept for 40 minutes, away for 40 minutes etc, etc at 7 months old. The return journey was a little different with him being very 'active' and awake.

I apologised in advance to the lady in the next seat on immediate embarkation. She smiled and was quite sympathetic. In fact, I think she liked the little distractions on what would have been a boring flight.

On a serious note, those who vilify children need to remember that us parents are not going to put our lives on hold, lock our children away from public view just to suit their spoilt, selfish little wants.

Children are important and valued little people in society and need to see that adults welcome them, respect them and are there to teach them how to behave in a way that society expects. How else do you expect children to learn? They learn by seeing and doing - and that includes good behaviour.

Must admit am always relieved if DD isn't the noisiest/naughtiest child on the flight. Flew last year and a couple were with their ~ 2 year old daughter. She started pressing the cabin crew call button as a game. First couple of times it was vaguely amusing. Parents made no attempt to stop her. After about 15 goes, a polite request from the stewardess and then finally a message over the intercom, she eventually stopped.

I think the sort of people who complain about babies crying on flights are a bit infantile themselves. That's the thing about children: they can't control their emotions, they are too immature. Surely putting a filter on what you are feeling and what you say is one of the defining attributes of being a grown up?

I think you'll be fine Junk food, on our outbound four hour flight we had seats in economy that had been moved from business class so my 3 year old sat and played with FIL and cousin happily and quietly the whole time. On the way back we had no room, a one year old who had just learnt to walk and wanted to get down and a 3 year old with anxiety issues and all the other people we were flying with had gone to sleep (as was their right) so it wasn't as fun but at least it wasn't longhaul. Did kiss the Tarmac when we got off though

I once flew on my own with my 2,4,6&8 year olds. They were brilliant (due to electronic gadgets) and an American businessman actually congratulated me on them.
I had been dreading it so much that after that I felt invincible for about a month after.

1veryhungrycaterpillar I am flying to cyprus tomorrow with a 3 yr old and a 7 month old.

campion Can you do cyprus in June? Supposed to be 30degrees, is that too hot?

I am really nervous about the flight. DD1 has flown a couple of times before but the longest flight she has been on previously was 2 hrs. She's a right fidget arse. Have got endless peppa and disney films downloaded and the usual colouring/sticker books etc. DD2 is still bf so I'm hoping that any crying can be solved by shoving a boob in her mouth.

Am taking solice in this thread that actually most of the time the kids were ok. Hopefully there will be some noisy drunk adults on my flight and people can moan and tut at them instead of it my kids

Where are all these screaming babies? I don't think I've ever been on a flight with one and I have traveled a lot.