Child-free flight zones: what do you think?

[HelenMumsnet]

Morning. We've just seen this article in the Telegraph about a Malaysian airline which has launched 'quiet zones' on selected flights, where children under the age of 12 are not permitted to sit.

It seems that a recent poll of Telegraph Travel readers also found that nearly 70% would support the introduction of child-free flights.

What do you think?

Should people have the right to travel without being 'disturbed by noisy children'? Or not?

[somanymiles]

I definitely support the idea of "quiet areas" and family areas, not for the sake of the people who are annoyed by noisy children (I'm thinking of my dear but very grumpy mother, for example) but really for my sake. I have three children. The older two are usually very well behaved on planes and always have been, despite my DD suffering from travel sickness. My DS2, 24 months old, is a nightmare. He is a very active child who really wants to run up and down the aisles screaming loudly with joy. If forced to sit still he will scream loudly with rage and throwing anything he can get his hands on. It is not that I haven't trained him to be a good traveller, but that he is a different child with a different personality, so I do take umbrage at people who pat themselves on the back and take all the credit for their children behaving on planes, in restaurants etc - it really is sometimes a question of nature rather than nature. Like others on this thread we live overseas and take a long haul flight every year to see family, some of whom are too old/brassick to fly to us. Last year on one of our flights, while DS2 was somewhat disruptive he was in no way as disruptive as a very obese man with a lough hacking cough sitting next to us. Having said that I would feel a lot more relaxed in a "family zone" where at least I would feel that I was surrounded by other parents who at least in part understood the challenge presented by keeping a toddler quiet for a 10 hour flight. If I ever see a parent struggling with a crying baby or tantrumming toddler on a flight or in a restaurant I thank my lucky stars it's not me and wonder what I can do to help, if anything. If only more people were like that. And while some claim having children is a lifestyle choice, it is my children who will be giving them medical care, spoon feeding them and paying taxes to support their care homes when they get old, so they can bloody well put up with them on the occasional flight or meal out IMHO.

[BoffinMum]

It would be brilliant to be able to pre-book nappy and food packs for babies and toddlers on planes, and/or be able to buy them from the trolley.

[Want2bSupermum]

Boffin When we fly with United we get offered a special meal with DD and they ask us what DD likes to eat. It is fab but I don't think they do it for regular economy passengers (def worth asking when you book). I am fortunate that DH flies with them so much that they offer these services.

Flight to Manchester where we flew business they gave me her meal shortly after take off. It was all wrapped up so I could feed her as she needed feeding rather than having to bother the crew. They had little packets of cheese, apple sauce, rice balls, chopped pear, a banana, two rolls, little crackers, salt free pretzels, carrots, celery and cold chicken. They had cartons of milk (like a juice box) for her and gave me a 1.5l bottle of water. Before landing they gave us a packed lunch for DD of cold salmon, apple slices and a bottle of water. Was fabulous I tell you. It costs a lot to travel this way, but short of hiring a nanny, it makes life so much more pleasant. Oh and my mantra towards parenthood is 'Sanity comes at a cost that I am willing to pay for.' I don't think airlines realize this sometimes.

[Tortington]

yes please. i don't want to have to smile at children who kick my chair and scream for 4 hours.

[Want2bSupermum]

ruby We live in the US and travel to visit family, so yes we need a plane to get to our destination.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Supermum, I fear you've misread ruby's post.

[TheDoctrineOfSciAndNatureClub]

Hums Superman theme.

De-de-derrrr, de-de-de-de-derrrrr...

[Want2bSupermum]

I would like to think that her post says more about her than it does about me.

[Saxie]

Yes. And childrens carriages on trains. Why not? Other people's children may be my idea of hell but at least this way you don't have to apologise if your baby is crying to some grumpy bugger who (unrealistically) thinks children should be seen and not heard.

[TheDoctrineOfSciAndNatureClub]

I think it was a joke, Supermum!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

It might help to envision yourself in a cape, Supermum.

(even though Edna from the Incredibles says NO CAPES! love her.)

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

oh but seeing this pop up again on my threads, reminds me: We just took a trip to the Canaries for half term, so, a 4+ hr flight each way. It was Ryanair, so most of the process was essentially hell, however, one of the really good things about the flight was that it was packed full of families with children. It wasn't noisy at all (I recall one child screaming a bit on the way back but only for the amount of time his ears would have been hurting) but I felt so much more relaxed because I knew 90% of the flight was in the same boat as I was.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Well, it's a shame his company won't spring for business class, as that's exactly the situation that section caters for. Even without children, traveling economy class is terrible, and I can't imagine he'd be rested and ready for work the next day. I am incapable of sleeping for more than an hour or two even on a very long flight, in optimal-for-economy-class conditions.

I am an expat so I have to fly transatlantic, and yes, unfortunately with my DS, which is why I'm in the camp of "well, sometimes children do need to fly, as grandparents aren't always capable of coming to them."

I do know what you mean about general thoughts, I didn't take it personally!

It might have been bad, btw, but the joke made me smile regardless.