To feel parents should not move their crying child round the cabin to disturb everyone?

[Tiredannoyedflyer]

I have just flown business on a 9 hour flight, with the intention of getting sleep before arriving.

I purposely chose seats away from the bassinets and towards the back of the cabin as I thought this would be quieter. As it was near the emergency exit; all this actually meant was that every parent with a crying baby or child took them to this area, so I actually got precisely zero sleep! Each seat has its own doors but those standing can look directly down into it so I had a stream of parents with children not only standing by my bed whilst I’m trying to sleep, but also looking down into my sleeping area which I find extremely intrusive.

I am not suggesting those with children shouldn’t fly business, just that they should be more considerate to those seated away from the bassinet seats.

AIBU to feel that parents should just stay in their seat with their child who is crying, sometimes a baby, sometimes a toddler, rather than spread the misery to absolutely everyone in the cabin, rather than those unlucky enough to be sitting near them on takeoff.

When the crying child is taken to stand next to my seat, would I be unreasonable to ask them to move as it’s disturbing me?

💯 There’s a high chance they’ve moved so that their partner can sleep in peace and quiet, with no thought that someone else would also like peace and quiet.

But they’re not moving around, they’re stood over OP’s seat, looking in on her, probably to entertain the baby.

It’s fine to walk around the cabin, not fine to park yourself for extended periods over someone’s seat. That’s annoying in economy too.

They shouldn’t be standing over her looking into her seat. If OP had asked the FA, they would have asked the parent to move.

I'm honestly not buying that so many parents were apparently stood right over OP. Perhaps that's how it felt but it isn't likely to be what actually happened.

I suppose people do naturally veer to the back of the area. Maybe the parents thought they were being considerate to the wider cabin and OP at the back was collateral damage!

I’m not sure what I’d gain out of making this up?

I am not saying there was a group of 20 at the same time, I’m saying it was almost constant throughout the flight, sometimes a couple of (mainly men) with their baby or toddler, sometimes just one.

My seat was situated between two cabins (both business) and it appeared to be an area for congregating. The toilets were at the other end of the cabin.

Since I have paid for a seat that extends to a flat bed, I think it’s fair to assume I did that because I wanted to sleep, not be woken constantly by someone’s baby or toddler or feel uncomfortable as there was a parent with a small child directly looking down into my sleeping area.

The intention was no doubt not to make me feel uncomfortable, but I did - because it’s an invasion of my privacy that I have paid a lot of money to enjoy. If carriers decide in the future to make screens you can pull across the top of these sleeping areas then that wouldn’t be so bad.

Yes, it’s public transport. Yes, you have to expect other people to be using the space. But be considerate of others, the world does not revolve around someone’s child and their comfort does not come above mine.

I'm not saying you made it up. I'm saying your frustrations with your expectations not being met has clouded your perception of reality. You're taking it all very personally, when it's just the reality of commercial travel. Lots of people, not a lot of space. People tried to soothe their children where there is space to stand. It's unfortunate for you that you didn't get what you hoped from your flight, but you did get what you paid for.

You made an error in booking the seat position you did.

Everyone knows the congregating areas on planes - toilets and gaps between cabins.

You’ll know for next time, and hopefully you won’t feel like you've pissed a load of money up the wall.

But sleep on planes is never guaranteed - and it’s not always parents and children causing bother.

Christ, what a miserable person you are! You don’t have a clue and seem determined to believe that small children should stay at home with no childcare as would’ve been the case when I lived overseas and that families should not try to maintain family relationships until they’re older. Unbelievable!

I’ve already stated that I get the point Op is making and I agree that parents with crying babies shouldn’t hover over others, who are trying to sleep on a overnight flight and I would ask cabin crew to intervene. I also said that I understand how hard it is for parents who have to manage a crying child. It’s those parents who couldn’t give a rats arse about trying to control their kids I have no time for.

Where did I say it was discriminatory to expect decent behaviour from children? (so, sorry that's laughable). I said it's discriminatory to deny parents and children airline travel.

Why are you any more entitled to air travel than anyone else on the planet? Just because you want to be? OK.

I've had so much fun reading your extended tantrum on here. It's brightened my day. I shall raise a glass to you next time I'm wrangling my toddler on a flight (that we will be taking just for a fun holiday, completely unnecessarily ☺️).

I think @TheHerboriste is visiting us from the 1950s.

Do you have DCs?

Did you ever take them in a plane with the ‘lowclass’ plebs?

Fargo79

I hope that’s a BC flight you’ll be taking? 🥂🥂

It doesn’t surprise me one bit. Enjoy.

OP YANBU!

Sounds like an awful flight for everyone!

I’m a frequent ultra long haul flier in business class. I’m often dismayed at the proximity of preschoolers nearby when boarding. Some have been exceptionally annoying (the one that flicked their reading light on and off in a darkened cabin for several hours was a joy) but to be fair the times ive been truly annoyed in business have been adults. Especially Emirates believing that a velvet curtain separating the seats and the bar(stand up or relax on comfy sofas) is going to stop the sound of 10 colleagues meeting each other and getting very drunk for 14 hours.
Nonetheless I’d pay quite a bit more for a guaranteed ‘no child’ flight. Just one flight in a schedule where there’s no chance of hours of babies screaming. I’d appreciate the choice.

No one has mentioned the risk that driving home with no sleep brings. Plenty of passengers park at airports to use their car when they return and if a screaming baby keeps them awake all night then they’re at a far greater risk of being in or causing a driving accident.

I didn’t fly with mine as babies because it’s not fair on me, the passengers and most certainly isn’t fair on the baby themselves. Why do you think they’re screaming, because they like flying?

And if you really MUST take a baby or toddler on a flight, why would you put yourself and others at risk by booking an overnight flight when there are daytime flights available? I can’t imagine prioritising a few extra hours at my destination over the safety of others who will be kept awake all night by my poor decision and then have to get in their car and drive.

No one mentions those driving home after availing themselves of the “free” business alcohol either.

Bang on as much as you like about not flying with children, you’re not going to stop people doing it.

Id also add the mess I view when leaving the plan through BC, is disgusting! Many BC clearly think they’re above clearing up after themselves and it’s not just the ones with children.

I presume clearing up your own mess is only for the lowly economy fliers?

But many airports also have hotels.

It's not uncommon to book a night a hotel before you fly or when you return so you can get some rest before driving.

There are also shuttles, trains, taxis etc that can be booked.

I mean if it wasn't a screaming baby you still can't guarantee that you'll not have any interruptions or disturbances from other passengers or staff so you should plan accordingly for these eventualities.

There’s a difference in noise intensity between in your ear and at a distance.

@Jimmyneutronsforeheadand @TooGoodToGoto of course people can make contingencies for other people’s poor choices, but wouldn’t it be amazing if people actually considered others, including what’s best for their own babies and toddlers rather than think only about what they want?

I agree, not likely to happen but if it does become socially unacceptable to take a baby or toddler on an overnight flight then this change would be better for all, and most importantly better for the poor kid’s themselves.

Where do you suggest they go? I assume everyone on the flight (without children) is trying to sleep?

A lot of people have indicated here that they don’t mind a crying baby so I suppose they’ll be people on the flight who don’t care about kid noise.

I think it’s better for my children to travel with me, be that to see family, holiday whatever.

Why do think it’s not better?

Children have never caused me a problem on a flight, overnight or otherwise. It’s always the adults that cause the problem! Banning children from any flights, including business, is ridiculous. The aeroplane itself is often noisier than any child - that’s why I use noise cancelling headphones. They are usually provided in business but I take my own anyway.

The people complaining on this thread just hate children. It’s a weird British trait. That’s why DH and I never holidayed in the UK when our DC were small…we went abroad to avoid the people with faces like thunder in restaurants, hotels etc just because you dared to bring small children out of the house!