AIBU to think you shouldn’t take a newborn baby on a holiday abroad

[chardie87]

Ive recently just came back from a holiday to barcelona and it was the worst plane ride of my life! A poor newborn baby was screaming at the top of its lungs the whole flight. I have kids myself a Daughter who is 20 and a son who is 16 so i know how stressful i can be in a public place when your baby starts crying but i would never take a tiny baby on a 4 hour flight. It’s not fair for the baby and it affects all the other passengers on the plane. I think it’s quite irresponsible to bring a freshly born baby on a plane, i’m sure this will be an unpopular opinion but a lot of the people on the plane were being affected by it. From what i seen on the baby it was only about a month old, atleast wait a few more months until your baby is old enough to play with toys and be occupied!

AIBU to think it’s selfish to bring a tiny baby on a 4 hour flight abroad?

[vegang]

Do you know that they were definitely on holiday?

[mbosnz]

I don't think you know the circumstances or the reasoning as to why they took their baby on a four hour flight (and if you think you suffered, how do you think they were suffering?!), so you're being a little unreasonable assuming it was just a holiday jolly.

[YellowTreeHouse]

YABU.

[cavia]

Well you don't know they were taking a baby on holiday? My mum flew with my 6 week old sis for a family funeral. I now people who've flown with small babies for a dying relative etc. Or what if their family hol got cancelled cos of covid and then mum got pregnant and this is past time they could use their credit? I'm sorry you had a shit flight though

[CrossStichQueen]

I would much prefer a newborn on my flight than the 2 year old that was tearing up and down the aisle pulling peoples food/drink off their tables and kicking and screaming when his dad tried to keep him in the seat that was on my last flight.

[Alpineyog]

YABU

Firstly you have no idea why they were travelling, could be a repatriation flight, traveling home, to see family, or just for a holiday which is also fine

[thanksamillion]

I flew with my youngest when she was about 4 weeks old. It was the easiest flight I've ever done - she either slept or fed. I don't think you can suggest a blanket ban because of one bad flight!

[Anapana]

My daughter and her partner are on a flight now with their tiny baby. They’ve got 6 cases, a pram, a next to me, a car seat and all the gubbins in the hold as they’re en route to a posting overseas. They have to manage all that at each end themselves, no tour operator bus for them either. Hope the people on their flight aren’t as judgy as you.

[YumYummy]

Not quite tiny babies but I flew with two of my DC when they 10 weeks old to short haul not too hot destinations and we all had a lovely holiday.

[theculture]

We flew with our 8 week old as it was the only chance she would meet her dying grandfather

But also I can imagine that pre any kids it would be easy to not realise how they would impact life

[WaddleAway]

YABU.

[FTMFML]

Wouldn't have been me... to be fair I wouldn't have the bottle to do it but wouldn't have a problem with others doing it

[FlounderingFruitcake]

Lived abroad with my first so of course we flew (long haul) back to see family, why wouldn’t we? DD was always fine and never really cried! In this case, I totally get that the crying was annoying but sometimes adults are annoying on flights too and unless you’ve got private jet money it’s just one of those things you have to suck up.

[AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair]

@Alpineyog

YABU

Firstly you have no idea why they were travelling, could be a repatriation flight, traveling home, to see family, or just for a holiday which is also fine

Why do posters on here jump to the most unlikely reasons for things?

Despite Barcelona being a top holiday destination for Brits the couple with a baby might be repatriaing a body, wtaf?

[TabithaTittlemouse]

Being stuck on a flight with someone who annoys you is all part of flying.

It’s not irresponsible however much you felt put out by it.

[Quveas]

I flew to Mexico next to a lovely couple with a young baby. They booked the holiday before being pregnant, and "young baby" isn't a cancellation clause in their insurance. There was also the 4 year old. The 4 year old was more difficult. But we managed. Never met them before, won't meet them again, but I just helped because, well, it's what decent humans do. Don't judge. Pitch in and help. Not everything is about "you".

[Alpineyog]

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

Repatriation isn't just for bodies fyi

[Topseyt123]

I see no issue. You also don't know why they were travelling. It may have been a holiday (babies often travel free) or it might be to meet family etc.

Also, if you live in the UK then with the possible exception of Scotland then Barcelona is under a two hour flight. Not four hours.

[User0610134057]

Don’t be ridiculous
most likely thing is visiting family probably or some other circumstance you have no idea about. Plus (as a veteran of flying with babies due to other half being from another country), younger babies are actually easier as they can often be fed to sleep/sleep more than an older wriggly baby.
you remind me of a lady on a flight I was on with 13mos old dd who made me cry, it had been horrendous with dd very upset because she didn’t understand why she had to have her seatbelt on and couldn’t move about. The lady ‘helpfully’ berated me that dd must have had sore ears and I should’ve done something/given her something to help. I was nearly in tears myself already as it had been such a tough landing with dd and that just pushed me over the edge.

[user1583920194858592910103848559201]

I think you should mind your own business op.

[figmaofmyimagination]

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

Why do posters on here jump to the most unlikely reasons for things?

Despite Barcelona being a top holiday destination for Brits the couple with a baby might be repatriaing a body, wtaf?

😂

[Lndnmummy]

I had to fly to my home country for a family funeral with my 6week old reflux baby. It was awful and made much worse by the tutting of a lady behind me. It was a deeply traumatic time.

[Thesearmsofmine]

Tbh a baby or toddler of any age could cry for a whole flight so I’m not sure your idea of waiting a few months would help. A plane is essentially public transport.

[Lcb123]

well what about rowdy drunk 20 somethings on a flight? I find that far more annoying than a baby or child. When you fly you just have to accept that others will be there.

[Chloefairydust]

Probably wouldn’t be a popular opinion here however I somewhat agree. If people are just going on holiday and it’s not special circumstances (like visiting a dying relatives) then I don’t think it’s right to take a tiny baby or even a toddler on a long flight. Young children often suffer with ear issues and I know how uncomfortable it can be when the air pressure affects your ears. It’s also uncomfortable just being trapped in that one place for a long time, and that’s as an adult with understanding and perception of time. The journey must feel forever for a child. It’s also not fair on other passengers listening to a screaming baby for hours. I recently was on a 10 hour flight and there was a tiny baby and an older toddler both crying the entire flight. The toddler, God bless him didn’t look well, he started crying during take off and sounded like he was in pain. Mum spent the entire flight walking up and down trying to soothe him and she looked exhausted. He was totally red in the face and cried so much it made him sick. Again I don’t know her circumstances. But if it was just for a holiday I don’t think it’s a wise choice.

I think wait till your child is out of toddler years and is happy to sit entertained with a tablet or watching films/ playing with toys.