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?

We get it you hate kids and think the world revolves around your comfort and convenience.

So OP could have wicked good noise-cancelling headphones + white noise.

OR just turned around and asked politely for the parent not to hold a crying infant over her head.

OR explained the situation to a flight attendant.

You took none of those options?

If you can afford to travel business class, you can afford the best noise cancellation out there. Invest. You have no idea how good those things are if you think they wouldn't have helped.

This is one of the most insane things I have ever read on here. And discriminatory nonsense too. Children and parents are people who have the right to choose to travel however they wish to, and to whatever destination, just like everyone else.

Go ahead and start a GoFundMe for a childfree airline so people can pay for the privilege of relaxing, silent travel if you want.

But the poor lamb doesn’t like the bigger headphones.

well yes but with international families it doesn’t always work that way. I personally didn’t take my babies on planes but I do understand that for some people they have to.

It isn’t a luxury experience. It is just more room, a flatter chair and a bit of champagne. That is basically the only difference. Nothing about flying is luxurious whatever cabin you are in.

I wasn’t being serious.

By contrast to economy cabin it is luxurious, and it's certainly luxurious in price.

My first flight was as a 9 year old in 1972; I have lived abroad and been on hundreds of commercial flights since then. Most recently in Delta One last month returning from a milestone birthday celebration for my partner. Trust me when I say it's geared to be more of a luxury event.

Just because lowclass people are determined to drag flying down to their level at every turn doesn't mean it's hit rock-bottom yet. Some of us still dress decently, conduct ourselves considerately and try to respect and enjoy the FA's attempts at providing upscale service.

It's not "discriminatory" to expect rock-bottom decent behaviour in close quarters. By everyone.

There are very few reasons that infants and small children "need" to fly. Perhaps to receive life-saving medical care, or on a one-way journey to an overseas residence.

They don't "need" to fly to Disney, to vist grandparents, etc. That's a "want" and parents are fulfilling their "wants" at everyone else's expense, consideration be damned.

I guarantee that no one had a worse flight than that crying baby’s parents!!

Oh my god. Getting flashbacks to an 8 hour flight I did alone with a toddler and a baby where I spend at least 3 hours walking up with down with the baby. The crying was worst when we stayed still. Also felt like at least I wasn’t annoying the same people all the time.

Not the OP's problem.

And the OP wasn’t the parents’ problem @TheHerboriste

I’d imagine they were doing their best.

Would you like to see a ban on children in planes?

I travel business class regularly for work. It is simply a way to get from A to B. Yes it is more comfortable so you can sleep easier and the food is marginally better but those are the only differences. It certainly is not a luxury experience by any stretch of the imagination. There are often babies and young children in business. They are sometimes in first class too. It’s just life- people have to travel sometimes and sometimes kids have to come along too. I didn’t appreciate having a baby scream in the cabin for an entire 11 hours last year but I got over it.

All these people saying business class shouldn’t be for babies, I would pay more for no kids etc - if that was actually the case then airlines wouldn’t hesitate to ban kids from business. However clearly it’s not a winning strategy commercially as there is not a single airline with a kids-free business class. Money is money and people paying to bring their kids into business class are as entitled to be there as anyone else. Obviously congregating at your seat and staring over the ledge is annoying and inconsiderate and you should have called that out but walking them up and down is fine, not much choice with screaming baby or toddler and if they left them in the seat and did nothing people would also criticise them for not trying to calm them. In my experience with the bassinet seats they are also near the toilets so everyone congregates, disturbs the baby etc but that’s life. Travelling with babies sucks for the parents and the unlucky passengers around them, I get that, I don’t like being stuck next to kids in business when I’m not with my kids and I need to work the next day but I realise that’s just life and those kids are entitled to be there so it’s my unfortunate luck. And no, I don’t feel bad when I bring my kids into business class the few times we’ve been lucky enough to afford it or upgrade with points. They are well behaved but they cried as babies on the odd few flights and probably annoyed other passengers. That’s life, no one owes you a quiet, kid-free flight.

Hi Gettingby - can you let me know what headphones you have, please? I think I need them.

A stream of young children in business class? How unusual.

Also an unusual cabin set up if business class is large enough for a stream of crying babies at the front of business class not to be heard from the back of business class unless they are moved to the back.

Gladly.

Get a grip. They were doing something and the best they could. Child free life you can chose child free world, you can not!!

Tbh you sound pretty entitled yourself.

There's often little reason why adults "need" to fly as well.

How?

I think there should be a lower age limit on business class actually. I’d say no-one under 12 in there, basically the child needs to be able to entertain themselves and be quiet. I know people won’t like it because ‘their little darling needs more space’ but people pay £££ for those seats and don’t deserve to have their experience ruined by screaming kids.

This. 100%
at least Ul get rest that evening. Parent will have that unsettled child. Yes it’s annoying but children exist and are loud and pacing the small space in desperate attempt to settle them is all they can do.