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?

guess what? The £700 i might pay on an economy class ticket is a bigger chunk of my income than the thousands of pounds someone who can afford a business class ticket can pay.

And I need to sleep just as much as wealthier people.

I work for a non profit so when I fly for work its economy, but good to know you all think your charity money should go on business class tickets for the employees, feel free to message me privately and I will send you our charity details so you can pay for my next trip to be uppgraded. :)

of course, parents should do their best to make sure their babies are not disturbing the passengers.

It's a plane. You can't stand anywhere without "standing over" someone.

Totally get what you’re saying - but these flights were paid privately for us for a holiday, not by the company I work for

They could equally ask why you chose to sit right by the most spacious part of the plane, where people are clearly going to be moving to get a bit of air/ space.

They are allowed to walk around.

A 9 hour flight with small children is very difficult and you can't confine people to their seats.

You could have chosen a seat somewhere in the middle.

If you're sat right by the emergency exit in the most spacious part of the plane then of course people are going to be loitering near to your seat.

We only have OP's description that they were 'standing over' him/her.

It's more likely that they were just trying to get a bit of space, which happened to be right by where OP was sitting, and because planes are naturally cramped spaces and OP was clearly frustrated and sleep deprived, it felt like they were being 'stood over'.

I doubt that they were actually holding their crying baby above OP's head.

This type of travel focuses relaxation, sleep, an area to work, privacy. If I had someone repeatedly coming over looking in to my area or standing there with a noisy baby I’d call the cabin crew to sort it out.

I think a lot of posters are missing the fact that you said your seat was by the back and the exit row. On a lot of planes that's the only place you realistically can move a little to try to settle a crying baby.

It's unfortunate all round but I don't think there was a conspiracy to stand by your seat and annoy you in particular! Plane travel is a bit grim and lacking in privacy whatever class you fly.

You've not paid for a 'private space'. You've paid for a reclining chair and perhaps slightly more privacy than economy.

A space that is intended to be fully private would have a curtain over it or be its own individual compartment that no one can see in. If someone standing there can see into it then it's not a private space.

This is about YOUR expectation, not anything that is advertised or being sold to you by the airline.

If you want a fully private space you need to book first class.

People are allowed to get up and go wherever they want in the cabin when the seatbelt signs are off, and you were sat right in the area with the most space that people are obviously going to go to.

I hate crying babies and noisy kids as much as the next person, but children (and their noises) are part of society – the only way to ensure getting away from them is child-free events and spaces etc. If that isn’t an option, then you have no rights to be away from children, no matter how much you pay.

Children on flights are not segregated to their seats. They can be moved around as much as adults would like to. Moving babies and children around a space is a known tactic in diffusing their upset, so it’s reasonable for parents to do it. They would have been bothering anyone they stood next to, so why someone else and not you? Luck of the draw.

I’d disagree you have paid for privacy on the plane. You have paid for the seat and the space, and neither gives you rights from being away from a baby or child. You took a gamble at it didn’t work out - simple as that.

No area on a plane can be completely private for security reasons. The flight attendant has to have a view as they walk through the cabin.

Thats an expectation that anyone walking through the cabin would be fleetingly able to have an aerial view of your sleeping space. Someone loitering round it is an entirely different matter.

Entitled, and completely lacking in consideration of anyone but themselves and their children

isn't there a curtain/division between business & cattle class ? Something to define the people paying more ?

Have you never been on a plane before? Why would you think booking a seat next to the one space where people can stand for a bit on a plane wouldn’t result in people standing near you?!

My unpopular opinion is that at least one section of business class should be over 16s only. I would pay extra for it.

Well exactly. It’s more private, but it’s not private. You’ve just been unlucky, OP. Move on.

Flew business twice recently and one child screamed for over 40% of the 14 hr flight. Off and on but as any parent will tell you it doesn't take much to disturb even an hour of sleep.

They have bassinets in business class?! 🤯

If you're sat right by the emergency exit in the most spacious part of the plane then of course people are going to be loitering near to your seat.

Agree.

Any place on the plane where there is a bit more space there will be people stopping in it, especially near the emergency doors or loos.

I find looking up the seat map via SeatGuru before booking flights helps and plan accordingly. I also know that earphones are a necessity.

Maybe I’ve been lucky but I find most people on long haul flights especially if they’re full are aware that we’re all trying to get from point A to point B and can only make the best of it.

I travelled on two business class flights recently. Screaming babies on both.... the long flight costs a lot extra to have a full reclining bed and planned sleep...so yes I didn't smile and go "oh that's fine" when the child next to me screamed a lot

I had earphones. Dad was next to useless making more noise about the screaming that the baby. Mum was not much better and I suspect nanny who'd have been great was in economy.

I suspect they'd have been pissed off if I'd stood near them making a noise when they finally got baby to sleep. We are all allowed to feel annoyed

The walking is done to help the babies fall asleep.

If you want a quiet, undisturbed flight, buy a first class ticket (and cross your fingerless first class isn't full of some millionaire's babies and children) or take take the QE II.

YABVU

Absolutely, and in First!

To the ladies credit in front of me with her 2.5 year old; she took it like a champ when the flight attendant asked her to sit down as the seat belt sign was on due to turbulence.

She told her toddler that they have both been told by the lady and therefore both had to do what they have been told to do otherwise the pilot would turn back. That’s what you want to see, some effort to stop the disturbance of other passengers, which she did beautifully.

It’s the horribly entitled behaviour of others that I can’t abide. We all paid our money, we all take our choice - don’t be a nuisance to others, anymore than I’d get rolling drunk and start singing, because why not- I’ve paid?!

YABU if you require silence so you can sleep you're responsible for making sure you're properly equipped with headphones and earplugs that are up to scratch.

Really recommend flare audio for in ear plugs, loops are a close second and the Sony XM5s are the best soundproof headphones I've ever come across.

Lesson learned, you'll just have to be better equipped now you know what you're up against the next time you need to fly.

What headphones do you have? I have yet to find headphones that block out all noise so I am very interested.

Well aren't you a peach.

Because over 16s never get drunk and disorderly and extremely annoying...

At least babies know no better.