To think children should be banned from long-haul flights in economy?

[OneGreenLeader]

Before I get jumped on - I don’t hate children. But I do think it’s unfair that someone paying hundreds or even thousands for a flight has to endure hours of screaming, kicking seats, or being disturbed constantly. Some parents try, but let’s be honest, others just don’t care. Shouldn’t there be designated “family zones” or restrictions on certain routes/times? AIBU to say it’s inconsiderate to bring babies or toddlers on 10+ hour flights?

no. The seat costs the same as an adult so they are as entitled to get on and fly as anyone else.

put headphones or earplugs in so you don’t hear any noise.

or maybe get yourself first class tickets

I have flown a lot and never been disturbed by children. Been disturbed more by adults doing weird and random things.

Of course they shouldn’t be banned! I’d have no problem with family zones. There are ranges of annoying with kids, just as there are with adults - it’s part and parcel of gritting your teeth and bearing it on a plane (within reason).

There’ll be the person who is knowingly travelling with the virus that will fuck your holiday, the talker, the snorer, the ‘want everyone to hear my conversationer’, the take their shoes off with ultra-cheesy feet-er, the person who gets up and down to toilet/luggage/walk frequently etc etc. It’s life. It’s a plane journey of limited time.

Hmmm, I do really long hul (10 hours +) quite frequently and children kicking seats or grabbing my hair happens far too often. A recent flight where I had to travel Economy (no Business available) was wrecked on the 12 hour leg by a small boy persistently kicking my seat and jolting it (it actually hurt after a while) as I was trying to sleep. I told his mother this was happening and asked her to stop him, and got the "He's only 6, he can't help it).

So yes, a family zone or basically decent considerate parenting would be lovely.

I fly Business Class now whenever I can.

It's just people that can be a pain on flights. Sometimes those people are adults, sometimes children. Now a plane free of other people I could get on board with!

Oh OP some thoughts are best kept a thought and this is one of them.

If you can not afford first or private then I am afraid you are stuck with the rest who are flying economy. And there’s nothing that can or will be done about it.

I've never had a problem with child/baby passengers and my children are always immaculately behaved* - bag of haribo & an ipad - job done. A bit of crying isn't an issue. And as a PP said, once they are over 2 they pay the same as adults give or take a few quid.

Worst passengers on flights have always been adults IME. The obese woman who sat ON me on a 4hr flight and wouldn't put her arm rest down until the steward forced her. The woman who kept shouting on a flight from Marrakesh that a poor Moroccan guy having an asthma attack must be a terrorist. (They moved him to first class to keep away from her). Posh British older man having a toddler tantrum in security because he had to comply with the rules. Pissed 40 year old dickhead on a delayed package flight to Alicante who kept saying how much he was going to complain to the steward and every time the steward passed sunk down in his seat. Children are a delight in comparison and are good company.

*not a boast, they are shitbags in other scenarios

yes this. My family live in Australia. My parents have long been too ill to travel here. If my children are ever going to see their GPs then we have to fly. The next flight we are doing in August is going to be hell- London to Singapore. Singapore to Brisbane and Brisbane to Cairns.

Wr are not putting ourselves through that for fun I can tell you.

I did it in January as my mother was in hospital and desperately ill (she recovered thankfully) and believe me the man who decided that the spare seat in the middle of 3 between us meant he could take a sleeping pill and spread out with his stinking feet basically next to my headrest and who snored for 10 hours was several times worse IMO.

It's a hard one - last time I flew longhaul, I was sat next to the quietest and most polite 4 year old I've ever met. However 4 rows up there was a child having an actual screaming meltdown for 2 straight hours and I could have killed her fucking parents. They just let her scream and scream with arms crossed ignoring her. I think they thought if they didn't give her attention she would eventually shut up. It was a night flight too so everyone was trying desperately to sleep. I think the air hostess eventually had to step in and offer to take her for a walk or something or offer her a warm milk. T

But your thread title explicitly calls for children to be banned from Economy on long haul flights, @OneGreenLeader.

Parents also pay. Sod off.

YABU to want them 'banned.' Its public transport, you need to be prepared to encounter all sorts of members of the public.

Agree that obvious bad behaviour (kicking seats etc.) and ignorant parents is not ok. Zero tolerance there. But crying? They can't help it. Babies and children crying is part of life isn't it? I've encountered annoying behaviour from adults on long haul flights too, but unfortunately can't have them banned.

Family zones are a good idea that may work well. Would also take the pressure off of parents who are worried about getting negative reactions from other passengers. Wonder has that ever been considered as a viable option with any airlines.

Just been on a 4hr flight and there were 61 kids on board. You wouldn't have known.

“It was about finding realistic ways to make the experience better for everyone, including parents who might appreciate a space where kids can be kids without glares from everyone around them.”

FWIW, I find mandatory family areas awful as a parent. I call them the family ghetto.

Inconsiderate parents are annoying. Inconsiderate non-parents are also annoying. Unfortunately, economy flights just tend not to be pleasant experiences a lot of the time for one reason or another (including no space, etc.).

Bad behaviour from children or adults cannot be excused by the fact that they have paid for their tickets and therefore think they are entitled to do what they like.

Agree.The piss heads are the worst passenger to deal with!!

Before I get jumped on - I don’t hate children. But I do think it’s unfair that someone paying hundreds or even thousands for a flight has to endure hours of screaming, kicking seats, or being disturbed constantly.

So you want to ban them from Economy, so people in Business who have paid way MORE than you can suffer instead?
You know children crying is still legal in Business right?
Goady trolly shite. My kids are better behaved on flights than many adults. You don't like sharing space with them? Don't fly. Have to for work and family reasons? Yeah, me too, and my kids. You are not more important than children. Most children are probably significantly nicer and less selfish than you. Your money buys you a seat, not an optimised experience and unalloyed delight. You're not even springing for Business 😂

@OneGreenLeader You do realize flying is transportation? To allow people to travel from one place to another? Children are people. They visit family. Immigrate. Go on holiday. So yes, yabu.

Oh and, saying "it's not about discrimination" has never succeeded in making in making anything less discriminatory.

No one would start a thread about any other group of people being banned from flying, never mind making comments that they should be in the hold, in crates.

Why are children seen as fair game?

It’s a completely unacceptable way to view or speak about any other human.

No, I've done quite a few long haul flights with my dd over the years, and apart from crying for a period due to ear pain on the very first one when she was 5 months old (going to visit DH's mum for the first time), she has behaved angelically on each of them.

I've also sat near quite a lot of other people's kids on long haul flights in my time, and I haven't ever found them to be a problem. I have been seated next to some far more annoying and inconsiderate adults if I'm honest. Can we ban irritating adults from planes instead?

Only because enough people have said that the OP is being totally unreasonable and that there are problems with other types of passengers.

Despite flying long haul economy a fair amount over many years I’ve never experienced a screaming or tantrummibg baby/child.

I have experienced;
obnoxious drunk men standing in the aisle. (Short haul Spain and Las Vegas)
A couple having a heated argument
Very loud snorers
adults who refuse to put their seat up during meal service
and one bad experience of a passenger in front with incredibly poor hygiene standards

I would imagine a loud child would be quite annoying at times but I also accept when I fly economy I have to put up with a fair amount of inconvenience.

id fly business or first but the cost differential is so much - I’d rather go away on more holidays than fork out the extra.

on what airline/route did you apparently experience these remarkably unfortunate incidents? 😳

Oh and Dd has traveled long haul economy since being very tiny and never caused an issue.