Children in airport etiquette

[Sideeye47]

What’s your take?

Currently waiting on a flight and children are banging on the back of the metal seats DP and I are sat on. No visible guardian about. Shrieking and running around before circling back to hitting our seats.

I understand children are children and children travelling can make them restless but I don’t think children over 5/6 should be running around an airport screaming and irritating other already tired and bored passengers.

Just ask them not to hit your seat, hopefully their parents will be along soon to sort them out. Hope they’re not on your flight 😳

There is no etiquette in airports where children are concerned, it's a feral hellhole of excitement, Haribo and unbridled joy. The only positive is that they might be on a different flight (but I'd bet my left arm they're on the seats behind you because airport laws dictate anyone irritating is always behind you).

Ask them not to kick your seats. Loudly enough to attract parents attention, smilingly enough to warrant no aggro.

it's a feral hellhole of excitement, Haribo and unbridled joy

True. Part of the theory behind this is that the delightful urchins will use their energy up and sleep on the flight. It sometimes works. Airports should all have baby jails play areas for this purpose.

I second airports need a sodding soft play to tire them out before a flight.

Currently waiting on a flight and children are banging on the back of the metal seats DP and I are sat on

You are sitting on the chairs.

I'd ask them to stop banging your seats asap. The running around would bother me less unless they're really in the way, maybe they'll burn off some energy and excitement pre-flight

Only this is my pipe dream! I would love to open a group of soft plays across the airports in the U.K.

This is definitely a gap in the market!!

I just wonder does no one even try to teach children to sit quietly and politely anymore? Sometimes it might not bloody work but at least look like you’re making the effort to parent imo

You are sitting on the chairs.

Nobber.

Don't sit and seethe. Channel your favourite primary school teacher. Tell them nicely but firmly not to do it.

This is definitely a gap in the market!!

Shanghai has a 4 storey slide.

Tell them you want to speak to their parents and for them to take you to them, then explain politely that their kids are hitting your seat and misbehaving. If they kick off then find security.

I would tell them to stop hitting the chairs. The running wouldn’t be so bad if they were just entertaining themselves and not bothering others. The shrieking maybe annoying though.

YABU Airports have armed guards.
Once through security, barcode the darlings and release the beasts.
Then try to board a different flight.

Probably hoping they will wear themselves out before they are confined to a tiny airport seat for however many hours. Flying with kids can be hard!
I agree that it’s ok to ask them not to kick the chairs.

I often find a glare at them usually works!! Also that's why I always book an airport lounge ahead of my flights (Priority Pass are amazing!).

it's a feral hellhole of excitement, Haribo and unbridled joy

Never mind kids, this is me when I go on holiday

OP of course parents try. They try all kinds of stuff in all kinds of ways. I have two DC and have travelled with them often over the years; they behave well in airports and, for the most part, always have. But about 6 years ago on a flight to Egypt we were delayed by 7 hours and you have no idea how soul destroying an airport can be til you're delayed with two children and being tutted at by people who know so much better than you do how to raise your DC. They were possessed by demons by the time we boarded and, frankly, how the other passengers didn't drop-kick us all off the jetway is anyone's guess.

Give them a break. If it's dreadful move yourself away. Airports can be hard work for everyone, but you don't need to be rude to people on here because children are behaving like children. If you want child-free travel I can heartily recommend booking the lounges; far less stress in there. Plus free bloody marys to get me in the travel mood.

Oh FFS why I am INCAPABLE of formatting correctly?!

Heathrow does have soft play areas. They’re great.

Excitable children don’t bother me in airports. It’s excitable, flapping, stressy adults (after security) who piss me off. You’re waiting. That’s what you’re here for. To wait to board your flight. Doesn’t matter if you’re separated from each other for four seconds. You’re literally going to be boarding exactly the same flight, no doubt sitting next to each other.

Flapping adults in airports are the most unreasonable class of flapping adults anywhere.

If they are on your flight, you can guarantee they will be the ones with Dora the Explorer on an ipad with NO HEADPHONES, kicking the back of your seat, and when you turn round to glare, the parents shrug and say "Kids eh? What are they like?!"

See my thread on kids kicking my legs!

Channel the new me and 'stop it you little brat unless you want to lose the power of your legs!' Then grin and say 'nah only joking!'