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?

Yep that would annoyed me. Lesson learned i guess op. Foam earplugs, and white noise headphones

...and only £150 extra than economy class.

How many parents were travelling in business class with their screaming children? This sound extremely unusual

unless it’s the New York run (shorter distance) but most business class I’ve seen or perhaps Chicago there’s not usually that large business class so you can hear babies wherever

As I read the OP, the £150 was just the cost of selecting a seat within Business Class, not the upgrade cost

Turn on the news and let it go

Since my DC got old enough not to cry I'm just really grateful that those days are over for me. The white noise of the flight and headphones helps. Not that I've ever flown business.
I actually usually sit at the back (because I hate people kicking my seat) and have never been bothered by people congregating with crying babies. They usually want to keep moving.

Oh I see. It's a different world to me!

It isn’t considerate of them at all. I always get the cheapest seat available and have zero expectations of sleep. It takes some of the stress out of it and if I get any sleep, I see it as a bonus.

Babies don’t bother me that much because there isn’t a huge amount that parents can do and they generally do fall asleep. It is the loud, seat kicking children that bother me because some parents are so unbelievably incapable of dealing with them and it is so tempting to intervene, although I never do.

Next time book the seats near the bassinets as the babies are more likely to be sleeping if they're in the bassinets - they're not very robust (or maybe they are in business class).

Considering a screaming child can be heard from downstairs through a closed bedroom door, I find it hard to imagine them being a few rows further away would suddenly render it that much quieter.

I'm guessing they moved to the back thinking they'd at least disturb fewer people? People do tend to congregate where there's a bit of space at the back or by the loos if they need a wander. It does sound very annoying though. I'd have a quiet word with the air steward and invest in very very good headphones next time. Also maybe choose a seat in the middle where people won't congregate.

You should have tried have a screaming feverish coughing child being walked around and held above you during Covid times! That was interesting!

First holiday not long after we could travel again, everyone had to wear masks but obviously small children are exempt. Parents across the aisle had a baby around 9-12 months old. Was clearly unwell from the start. Was red, sweating, coughing etc. They were shovelling calpol in before take off. Didn’t do much. So they decided to walk it round the entire cabin while it kept coughing over everyone.

Before anyone starts YES it obviously might not have been Covid. YES I understand that maybe the parents didn’t have any choice but to travel (to Majorca) as maybe they were visiting a dying relative. YES I understand walking around with a crying child can help soothe them. But the fact everyone needed to wear masks and be tested all seemed a bit pointless when a highly likely contagious child was actively spreading something all over the cabin for hours.

I think best to get the crew onboard if it happens again.
I’ve found them very responsive in similar situations.

• child playing “war games” with full sound, crew see we are trying to sleep behind them - crew without prompting tell mother “earphones need to be worn or the sound is to be off”
• Dreamliner (9 pax wide) problems with people continuously trying to walk over our legs to cross the aircraft - crew make an announcement, those in LH side of cabin use LH toilets only, those in RH of cabin use RH toilets only
• Do not cross the cabin from one side to another unless at point XYZ, do not cross where people are seated at points ABC.

I think the crew would help you if you ask.

Lots! The cost is relatively reasonable as it’s a very busy route with multiple flights per day. Business class is 100 + seats on these flights. Although the flight time is actually slightly less than 9 hours

I would have a lot of sympathy with a rule that kids under say 4 are not allowed in business class overnight, as people in there may well have work the next day

It may astound you to be told that many people have to work the next day flying in economy. I travelled all over for work (60 hour weeks) and never got above premium economy! Training people for non-profits so important in terms of scope, if not in terms of making cash.

I'd be like "Excuse me, you just woke me up. Please don't stand there," even if it was an adult peering at me and making no sound.

I am not suggesting those with children shouldn’t fly business.

I am.

and yes I am a parent

Academia.....lots of great conference locations, but not a chance of any sort of fancy travel!

Yes this was the cost of selecting the seat within the cabin after paying the business class fare….

The flight out arrived to the destination in the early hours, the flight back arrived back into London at 0600 - so a night flight

You poor darling. There might have been a quieter seat in economy you could have moved to if you were that bothered.

I usually find removing the sick bag and making noises as though I am about to throw up works. I had to resort to this on an Upper Class Virgin flight last year where the person behind me and the person in front of me used next to my area to have a loud conversation. I had already made exaggerated yawning, and other "sleeping" noises. Then went down the sick bag route. Works a treat. Try it. I would go nuts if I had spent all that money to get a quiet overnight flight and was surrounded by crying babies. It was bad enough having two adults talking over the top of me.

I think the issue is you’ve booked a public flight thinking you can guarantee a certain outcome on which your ability to function the next day is dependent.

YABU as you are on a public flight and cannot guarantee the outcome so should have built that in to your itinerary.

however if they remained standing in one place and only you were affected then YANBU asking them to be mindful and move on.

Time to start saving for that private jet @Tiredannoyedflyer 😉