Some airlines no longer let babies and small children board first

[royalcassel]

What's that all about ? Has anyone else had this experience recently ? I found it quite challenging. Surely it's better for the little people to be seated first to enable everyone else to board quicker ?

Most I have been on board special assistance first then by rows numbers much to the dismay of one pushy passenger who was determined to board first but wasn't allowed to because of her row number. One I was on did board families with infants first. There was an upsurge in families not booking seats and sorting wherever they fancied including on other passengers paid per booked seats. The families then refused to move when. It maybe this causing the change.

That's always been my thought on the matter - I can't see how it helps having them fidgeting in their seats or on your lap whilst everyone else boards.

I've only ever had bad experiences boarding last with children. We each have a cabin bag to travel with and there isn't usually space for 4 cabin bags anywhere near each other to where we are sitting. When boarding last the cabin crew also have to shuffle bags around because people haven't stacked them properly and put things other than cabin bags up there. So the way I see it board the plane last = exit the plane last too. No less time spent on the plane by boarding last.

The poster is absolutely right, whether you consider it "disgusting" or not.

Yes, last flight we took (last month, to Crete) involved bus transfer to the plane - so the posse of people with children, sunflower lanyards, etc who went through the gate first just stood for longer (and it was AGES) waiting for the bus to turn up and then got crushed on the bus. I really thought it was daft.

BA and KLM are still doing it. We always liked to be on first.

Why do you care when I change my baby? I do it right after boarding so that she is dry and comfortable for a long haul night flight…

You cannot keep a large wheeled
bag underneath your seat in most of the cabins I have travelled in recently 🤷‍♀️ only Emirates first class has a place for it. We usually go long haul so I like to set up before takeoff to avoid inconveniencing other passengers mid flight. I am bemused as to why anyone else cares if parents with small children board first though?!

I have always though it makes more sense to board last with small children. I do it even without any children. The less on the plane seated the better.

BA long haul still do this and I find it much easier to board first with children and all their stuff. When you are on long haul an extra 40 or so minutes to wait for everyone else to board makes little difference especially if overnight. Being seated first means you can settle in comfortably and arrange your stuff without the pressure of holding up other people.

I can see it might save time not having children and parents with all their stuff taking ages to settle into seats whilst everyone waits for them in the aisle.

As a single traveller I always board dead last but I don’t find that easier with children. I don’t find it annoying when I’m travelling alone that families have the “privilege” of boarding first since I don’t want to anyway and appreciate that travelling with children is much more challenging either way.

It would make sense if overhead space was allocated as well as seats. Then the rush for licker space wouldn't happen.

LOL at this.

The UK is known to be much better with queuing, letting people off the tube before you get on etc.

On the continent it tends to be a free-for-all with pushing and shoving.

The poster you were replying to is quite correct.

We just got back from holiday this week, flew with Easyjet. I said to DP, I couldn't understand why you'd want to be first to board with small children! The only reason I can think is so the buggies can be put in the hold. Surely that doesn't take that long though? Speedy boarding too, you just end up on the plane for longer.
What would be good is for those passengers who don't have anything in the overhead lockers to be allowed off first! Not sure how that could be managed though.

Never had a flight where those with kids go on first. We just get in the queue with everyone else. Mind you, we only have one and she’s not much trouble.

My now 3 year old has been on 40 flights and we tend to always get on last cus I want less time of her being restrained to the seat!!

only time we were on first was when we flew back from Tokyo and we were escorted on the plane first before anyone else

but I think that was a Japanese thing as they were very family friendly/helpful everywhere we were I didn’t find being on first particularly useful

Wow some of these replies are so nasty.

I always take my cabin approved buggy with me and put it above our heads. I tend to get off the plane last with my kids, as I also find that easier. Yes, it means they're on the plane longest- but it makes the whole process easier for me, especially when I travel alone with them. Which I do a lot.

I don't take any other overhead luggage with me when I fly with my kids. So the only thing that goes in the overhead compartment is the buggy. I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to do that ? It's my luggage allowance.

Some of you are so mean spirited. It's nothing to do with being ' entitled ' it's about having different needs to adult passengers.

Anyway I think the theory stands that perhaps this was not offered recently as the flight was full of kids, so there was no point in making that distinction anyway.

We always waited till last as well. In fact I remember one flight at midnight where my child (5) was asleep so we waited as he was lying down and peaceful. All of the crew were aghast at the fact we hadn't boarded already and said we could have gone on first. Like others have said, much easier to be last. The pilot then let us into the cabin to have a look around. It was very exciting for my boy, but I'm a nervous flyer and held his arms by his sides so he couldn't touch any buttons! Oh, he wriggled to grab those flashing lights/switches!😂

Ummm for those who are in favour of child free flights, sure the airlines can do it, but they won’t as they know there will be an out cry. Virgin has recently added adults only cruises, and I see it as
no big deAl. I am sure some flights can be advertised as adults only in less beak times. But I don’t travel much so it wouldn’t affect me.

Several businesses in the UK do discounts too.

https://www.defencediscountservice.co.uk/

But I don't think veterans and service personal would want to be identified on a flight, it could be a risk to them.

People with mobility problems should board first, otherwise it should be by rows. Especially at this time of year - letting people with babies and small children board first will usually cause more congestion.

Nope. Never held a plane up, never boarded late. Just prefer being at the back of the queue rather than standing around.

Budget airl8nes have never done this and the last time I saw it happen was circa 2005.

Honestly boarding children first isn't an advantage IMO for anyone as the children have to be stuck longer. If anything, families should be boarded last. (And yes I am a frequent flyer with a toddler)

@Fingerscrossedfor2021HK I didn't say keep a large wheeled case under your seat. That goes up but keep your flight essentials in a backpack or similar under seat where it is to hand. And surely caring about boarding first or last is the entire point of the thread 😅

We had this in a recent (very) long haul journey (multiple flights of 10+ hours).

Both airlines we flew with boarded families with young children first. It made things a lot easier for us! Getting on, blankets unwrapped, getting the things out of the carry on that we needed in prep. Kids watched screens (including the 3 year old) while everyone else got on. It was lovely.

You've spent a lot of time replying to as many people as you can on this thread, maybe get a life?