AIBU to think KLM's breastfeeding 'policy' is absurd?

[Celebelly]

'Breastfeeding is permitted at KLM flights. However, to ensure that all our passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable on board, we may request a mother to cover herself while breastfeeding, should other passengers be offended by this.'

This was posted on their official Twitter today.

'Permitted'. Thank god it's 'permitted' to feed your child.

AIBU to think this is ridiculous?

I think it's funny that a few pages back I stated plenty of people would rather we went to the toilets and the response was all where did I get that from... there are hundreds of thousands of posts on forums across the internet where staff and customers have told women to go to the toilets! It's absolutely rife.

It's to get all their passengers to their destinations safely and to hope they pay them to travel with them again.

You haven't addressed my point.

Professionally offended says, I don't want to sit beside gay/disabled person because they offend me. I want them moved.

Should the airline facilitate him in these circs because it's not their job to educate people and make them understand what a good, sensible approach is? Because it's their job to get passengers to their destination safely and hope they travel with them again.

Or do they communicate to him that his view is not acceptable?

Should they have tried to placate him then, because they want him to travel with them and they seek to make money?

To be fair, I was saying that, on reflection.
They want to keep his business as well as hers.
I did say I didn't think it ethically right.

But no, they're not there to tell passengers to grow up because they have a prejudice.

Interestingly despite the vast numbers of contributors on this thread having their say there are only 8 users on another thread thats been up for a few hours by a lady who struggles as she does not enjoy feeding.

What is the point of being so vocal on allowing people to breast feed in public whilst totally ignoring someone who is struggling?

Where is the help and support for this lady

Is she in active convos? Or aibu? As these are standard ways a lot of users find threads.

If I’m already on a lot of threads I access them through the ‘I’m on’ tab and rarely visit the main board

Somersetlady if you have a link for the thread (or even what board she's on) I'm sure some of us will offer support. Advanced search is a bummer.

Because I haven’t been on active threads recently @
Next inane question

@Percypigparade thats a lovely idea.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3641243-To-hate-breastfeeding?msgid=88638887#88638887

What is advance search for? It’s not a feature i use so am not familiar with it.

Well, say you wanted to search my username and find all the threads I've posted on, or you wanted to see if there was a thread on Stranger Things Season 3 - that kind of thing

YANBU but I am not surprised. Years ago a friend of mine worked on long haul with BA she worked in business class and was often asked by orthodox male jews to move a female passenger if they were seated next to them in case they were menstruating. There wasn't really an airline policy on it but the air hostesses were asked to accommodate their wish if it was possible. I guess the airline was very concerned about their repeat business .

Back in the 1970s when I were a lass, and feeding my brood, it was never the practice to cover up, nor was it the practice to ‘hang it all out’.

It was taken for granted that you would breastfeed as modestly as circumstances allowed, and if anyone felt uncomfortable they would avert their eyes and talk about property prices or whatever.
Why, in the so-called enlightened new Millenium, there is now an issue over this perfectly natural necessity is a bit of a conundrum.
Things ain't what they used to be!

I don’t get why the airline feel the need to ask the women to move instead of the male Orthodox Jews! You have the problem. You sort it. Simples!

Thanks @Percypigparade i can’t imagine wanting to search another user or the reason for it although i have referred to people doing this when they suspect a troll as mentioned above.

I assumed it was something special but the word advanced as apposes to just a searxh function! 🙄

Hopefully they moved them to first class @Bodicea

@weaningwoes

I can absolutely assure you that this is the truth. I have seen many many many women breastfeeding over the years but I’ve never quite forgotten the woman on the GNER train

But no, they're not there to tell passengers to grow up because they have a prejudice.

They don't need to put it in those terms. All they need to do is say something like "I'm sorry, we comply with UK law on this matter and therefore we do allow breastfeeding." And repeat as necessary. If the passenger tries to make an issue of it, they could simply suggest that there's a nice view out of the window or offer a lovely in-flight magazine (probably complete with bikini shots) to help them with the apparently major problem of redirecting their gaze.

Years ago a friend of mine worked on long haul with BA she worked in business class and was often asked by orthodox male jews to move a female passenger if they were seated next to them in case they were menstruating.

Good grief. I'd have offered to move the man to the most uncomfortable seat back in cattle class, preferably next to a smelly but non-menstruating man or a very noisy toddler.

i had severe tearing and struggled to sit down, had very little control over bodily functions. Who knew I was also supposed to ask the person sat next to me if it was ok if I fed my baby?

"Do you mind if I fed my baby or would you prefer it if I saturated my top with milk and smelt slightly cheesy for the rest of this 9hour flight while my baby howls?"

Haha yeah this ^

The people saying the baby can wait, you do understand that in response to the baby wailing the mother will begin to leak milk.

@crispysausagerolls @LaurieMarlow

You guys are heroes

Anothertempusername

Why, thank you 😬

Somersetlady

As per your advice I went to this thread but I don’t understand what advice you want me to offer! I love breastfeeding and have never used a bottle or a dummy. How am I suppose to advise someone who hates feeding and their baby doesn’t take a bottle? “Just suck it up then?” “I like it so you must too”?! I have no idea how you think that thread is relevant to this one, just because breastfeeding is mentioned within it.