The outrage about babies and children flying business class

[JPT96]

I always see people say that it’s not fair to fly business class with young children and they would be better off in economy. I find flying in business with my kids so much less stressful than Economy. They are comfy and less likely to whinge as we’re not all squashed in a tiny row of seats (plus the can have a proper sleep if it’s an overnight flight). If someone can afford it- why shouldn’t they be as entitled as the other paying passengers to be in business. Also, why is it ok to subject passengers in economy to crying babies. Their journey is stressful enough!

I've encountered that situation more than once, the first time the nanny back in economy had 5 children including a baby to care for!

They are the same as the Aria suite on Cathay.

Okay, looks like the same as I posted a photo of earlier 👍

I agree with this opinion.

It would be ridiculous to expect nanny to.look after 5 if parents were not there too,in my opinion

Reminds me of a pub lunch a year or two back. A large family group with lots of small children left and we all breathed a sigh of relief.... too soon. They were replaced by a large group of drunk adults who were much worse.

Where should families sit then who want more space and a lie flat bed for a long haul flight?

I fly business when I'm on business so I need to work , I need few distractions and sleep. It's super annoying when there is a child , even If they are being good. The pitch of their voice is really distracting. I pay a lot so I can have sleep. I don't know what the solution is as if the airline sells tickets then they are allowed. Personally, in an ideal world I would have business and furat as child free for those reasons

Most airlines have renamed what was known as business class product as they realise their market is greater than just those travelling for business purposes. I’ve done plenty of travel in “business” class for work related purposes but have no intention of not having my DC’s travel business/first.

You got a bit sensitive over my comment for no reason. Of course I’m not unpleasant to people who are child free and I agree - drunken men or woman on a plane are 100% more annoying than a child!

What the quote means is that you can’t be in a childfree world because it’s just not reality. There’s no point tutting at kids at a restaurant or complaining about a crying baby on a plane. They have much right to be there as you. Of course it’s annoying, I’m a parent and agree a crying baby who’s been upset for ages next to you can be annoying (them early days of being constantly cried at by a newborn isn’t fun for parents either!) but it’s life, we were all babies once.

It's hard to look after kids in business class because of how the seats are configured.

We used to fly business and even first class with our kids when my husband worked for a BA subsidiary - we only did it a few times because you had to fly standby and hope that there would be 4 free seats. These were invariably in business or first class as the economy seats are usually sold out but the others aren't.

Anyway, first class in particular was a nightmare with kids as everyone has so much personal space. And the food they serve is so fancy. Business class was more manageable. And tbh if I was paying first or business class I wouldn't want kids around. Luckily ours understood they had to be quiet or dad might get into trouble - fee paying passengers might feel differently.

Totally agree with this. 😁

I also agree. There is lots of potential for businesses to offer adult only travel, hotels and restaurants and the demand is there.

Yes oh totally!! I find flying with my babies so stressful OP, that I just have the butler bring them X x

Because some of us have parents and family members who cannot fly to come see us?

How selfish and entitled can you be not to consider other reasons and then talk about the children not remembering, the family does who finally gets to see them.

My father couldn’t fly when my first was born because he medically couldn’t at the time. He nearly died while I was pregnant.

People are pretty negative when couples have grandparents wait to meet their children, imagine not meeting a grandchild for years because people like yourself think you’re entitled to a silent flight.

If I did as you thought, he wouldn’t have met DS1 until he was four which was when he was finally able to travel to us. I took DS1 business class because it had much more space for him to move around, he was on the verge of walking vs him trying to move around with someone right next to us. He was quiet the entire time even during take offs and landings because I made sure to nurse him to help with the pressure change.

Do like the rest of us who travel and wear headphones/earphones! Take something that has you sleep the entire flight so you don’t hear the noise.

At the end of the day, a flight is public transport, the parents are paying way more than you for your flight alone and you are not guaranteed silence from adults and/or children. I’d take the baby crying who can’t help it than the loud talkers and drunk adults who could actually keep their voice down and limit their drinking.

As I actually said, no skin in the game, only flown 3 times as an adult. Certainly wouldn't have taken children! couldn't afford it even if I had wanted too
Incidentally, have family abroad, not met in person but we are now lucky enough to have means of contact beyond a blue airmail letter.
I'm not entitled at all, I actively choose to avoid crowded tin cans, and when I have flown, took noise cancelling headphones, if anything those who choose to get pissed, be loud, lairy, or take children who they can't placate( let's face it, its not a given a baby/ child will, even for the best parents) are the entitled to inflict themselves on others. I'm happy to be around polite, quiet people and the majority do tend to be and even young children but unfortunately if they aren't there isn't any escape at 30,000ft.

The unpredictable nature of small children on flights is precisely why you shouldn’t inflict them
on the people who have paid extra to have a quieter/more relaxed flight experience…….

Totally agree. It's luck of the draw and sometimes you lose out. Last time we flew long haul there was a disabled boy who let out an ear-piercing scream every five minutes or so. While I, of course, sympathised there was a part of me that really hoped we weren't sitting right next to him for the 9 hour flight. As it happened we were but he was completely quiet. I actually suspect they sedated him.

When you pay for business/first you’re paying for:

extra space
wider choice of better food, served on your schedule
unlimited drinks
someone to put your bag away and hang your coat
PJs and slippers
lie flat beds and someone to make them

you’re not paying for

exclusivity

if you want that, don’t fly commercial.

as another poster said the world isn’t child free, if you want child free, options are available, but they’ll cost you.

There are trains in Europe that have separate, sealed compartments for people with young kids. Introduce these in planes, they're all together & solves the problem.

I'm not.

Whenever this gets mooted, I've never noticed any willingness at all from people to pay more. It's one of those things that some people may feel entitled to, but without expecting to meet any of the costs themselves.

But also I think most people's priorities when flying are the most suitable flight time and the price. A lot of the time due to things like annual leave and date of event people haven't much flexibility about when they can go. And the airline industry has very little slack to cut. I'm not sure how practical it would be even if anyone were willing to pay for it.

If you’re excluding small children from business/first class flights, do you propose a criteria for adults who can’t behave in business/first class?

Whenever this gets mooted, I've never noticed any willingness at all from people to pay more. It's one of those things that some people may feel entitled to, but without expecting to meet any of the costs themselves

indeed. Additionally it always seems to be posters who are traveling on someone else’s expense (work ticket) rather than those who have paid their own money that complain hardest

Ot

I guess if you’ve really stretched to afford business class for an occasion rather than it being the norm then other people’s small screaming kids would be quite irritating. That said, airlines allow people to book seats in business/first class with babies and small children, so whilst annoying you have to just suck it up.