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?

Anyone looking down into your closed off area is out of order - parent, child, passing passenger. Tell them to move on, and if they don't, ask the flight steward to do so.

I would also be happy to pay even more than business to guarantee that

Don't blame you !

Tried sleeping in headphones? Or with ear plugs. Not a good idea on a plane anyway as you don't hear the announcements.

Yabu I never have an issue with kids when parents are actually trying. I was in a waiting room the other week and a kid screamed for over an hour the mother never moved once or tried anything to calm them down .

You also wouldnt hear announcements if your asleep but what announcements do you need to hear. I'm sure if the plane was crashing someone will wake you to tell you.

You could've said something to them rather than getting yourself all flustered, no? If you say nothing, then they're given the green light in effect aren't they? The yawning is a tad passive aggressive.. and when you have a screaming child, you wont notice that someone is aiming the PA Yawn at them. Just say, I'm so sorry I'm trying to rest, would you mind moving away please...? And see what happens? Or as others have suggested, speak to cabin crew.

Also, noise cancelling headphones are exceptional these days - even my cheap AirPods drown out all but a fraction of noise... Get some?

YABU, you picked the wrong seat.
The parents have no choice but to book the seats with the bassinets, but the only place in a plane where you can pace to calm a crying baby without blocking the aisles is near the emergency exit doors.

In any long-haul flight I've taken thas were the parents go.

Crack on. You can charter a plane to guarantee its child free. So I assume you fly private 😁

It’s just for selecting the seat. We do the same.

I’m surprised the flight attendant didn’t say something if it was a stream of babies. I don’t mind babies but I agree it’s rude standing over you like that.

Well, op yanbu, but nobody gives a fuck about anyone else these days. We live in a society where people take exactly what they want and to hell with anyone else. And all this shit about headphones - these fuckers were looking into OP’s sleeping area intrusively. The airline won’t care, nobody will care. And we will all become more selfish.

No they cant’t in business class. That is the point and why you pay more. So that you can have a comfortable trip, recline the seat fully and sleep. Especially if you are on a work trip and need to work straight away. It’s private space and it is extremely rude for someone to stand over you like that.

Same here.

I have experience of both travelling with children and needing to roll off a plane for a business meeting the day after and be at my best. I think you do have to assume that there will be a child or baby on the flight making some noise and that understandably parents will walk them around to try and pacify them. My Sony noise cancelling headphones are a game changer as is a good support pillow and a blackout blindfold. I think it is about adjusting and dealing with a problem you know will arise. I do not think airlines are going to stop banning kids from business class anytime soon.

Obviously they can... otherwise this thread wouldn't exist.
"Standing over" or just could see her sometimes?

I would have told them to bugger off OP although I guess they were vaguely trying to look after their children. I was on a flight to NY a few years ago. I was fascinated by a young woman who boarded wearing diamanté studded jeans, sky high stilettos and a strappy top. She was carrying a child who was probably just under a year old and a very small clutch bag. She had absolutely nothing with her for that child no toys,books,food,changing bag etc. The child started crying when we took off. She handed the child to the man she was with and fell sound asleep. The child cried on and off for the whole fight while the woman slept soundly the whole way. What state the poor little mite must have been in after the flight I have no idea. When did the baby get fed or changed? The whole thing really upset me. I don’t understand the mentality of people taking babies and very young children on long flights unless it is absolutely unavoidable to do so.

Yeah sadly some people lack in social skills. But they seldom understand it themselves.

Well as far as I'm aware airlines don't guarantee silence and total privacy. So expectations should be adjusted until they do.

Babies can fly in First too!

They should stay in their seats.

I don’t think children under 10 or 12 should be allowed in business to begin with.

They absolutely can but I feel it would be unlikely for parents to pay the extra to travel in first with a baby or toddler

I would have walked over & said something to her, and complained to the receptionist.

There wasn't a receptionist it was an urgent treatment centre and what am I going to say to the mum i know your kids ill but will you tell them to shut the fuck up

They’re just doing their best in a stressful situation. When I hear a crying baby on a flight, I’m just glad it’s not mine!

The point is that you don’t expect someone to stand over your cabin like that. Standing still. Babies cry and you absolutely can’t count on silence. But there are still social norms which people need to understand. Consideration. You don’t just have rights you also have obligations. A dying skill.