Ban Kids on certain longhaul flights?

[nivsy]

Ok - its just a thought - but has any airline thought about it?

Having endured a couple of longhaul sectors where my seat is constantly kicked and table tops raised and opened with force - seats thrown back into recline when trying to have some sort of food and increase in noise levels due crying and general child "activity" which includes running around the cabin it would be nice to be on a child free flight. Even seperate cabins for families and their off spring would suffice.

Not being anti child here - just wanting a better flying experience to suite me.

Suppose I could pay out more and go Business etc - but is that guaranteed to be child free (ie under 16?)

Not saying that all the long haul flights should be child free - but take London to New York. How many sectors a day - a fair number. Oh to have one or two child free........................


Nivsy

[AMEandPPL]

seat is constantly kicked and table tops raised and opened with force - seats thrown back into recline when trying to have some sort of food

In principle a perfectly reasonable suggestion ! But in my experience there are just as many thoughtless adults who do exactly the same things !

[boardingpass]

Perhaps you could fly in your own private jet, and then the only thing to complain about would be the weather...

[strake]

I agree, get rid of 'em...little s*ds.

While we're at it, loud people...I don't like them either, they seem to think everyone else wants to listen to their conversations. Then fat people..how dare they? Coming onboard huffing, puffing and sweating all over us..ugh!
Last time I flew there was an ugly person in the seat next to me. Can you imagine that? Don't they realise that flying is all about beautiful people, like you and me, living the dream. Wafted to the airport in style, breezing through formalities to be greeted on-board by a vision of subservience wanting only to fulfil our every need.
As a kindred spirit, I'm going to give you a tip. Drop me a note if you want further details. London to New York return, excellent service even to the point of going and coming back when you want, dedicated service, all for £87,000 return....
Alternatively, you could stay on public transport for about £350........

[Coquelet]

When you see that one cannot even keep a cat in the cabin - a cat, who is an animal that is always quiet, silent and gentle ...
Why not put the children apart, in a pressurized hold, for instance. I bet quite a few parents would be glad to be rid of them fot the trip duration ...

[Katamarino]

And what about all the perfectly behaved children who are much less trouble than most of the adults on board...? Smaller too, so they don't put the seat back as much and let the person behind have more room!

[PaperTiger]

then the only thing to complain about would be the weather...I wouldn't bet on that :*

[Abusing_the_sky]

Ban (badly behaved) kids from longhaul flights? - YES
Ban (badly behaved) kids from all flights? - YES
Ban (badly behaved) kids from actually existing? - YES

We had this problem before, in the CC thread about badly behaved kids and bad parenting. I say exterminating both of the above will make a difference and make us happier than ever.

But then again we should exterminate the Gov who offers freebies (house, car, free holidays) to these subspecies...

But then again who am i to make a difference? I'll just look after the chavadelic family going on holiday, making sure they are safe and sound from take off to landing, because that's my job and i swore I'll sacrifice my life to save theyrs...

On second thought i might be considering a 9 to 5 job in a call center now, at least i won't feel that i have to forcibly smile to TWATS there...


Rgds,
ATS

[ZFT]

i swore I'll sacrifice my life to save theyrs...

A bit over the top don't you think?

[Abusing_the_sky]

Rainboe, like always, you have the voice of reason:ok:


A bit over the top don't you think?

Not at all, just very polite yet sarcastic:rolleyes:

Rgds,
ATS

[G-BPED]

When you see that one cannot even keep a cat in the cabin - a cat, who is an animal that is always quiet, silent and gentle ...
Why not put the children apart, in a pressurized hold, for instance. I bet quite a few parents would be glad to be rid of them fot the trip duration ...


Why pressurize it, save money on the (lack of) air from the packs :E

I jest (or do I)!

The problem stems from the parents, they are the reason the child runs riot around the cabin/kicks seats etc. Our society today is really broken in many ways.

There is no proper discipline anymore as anything more than a mild telling off is considered assault by our wonderous law makers in HMG.

However, not all kids are bad. I recently travelled LHR-YVR in 1st on BA.

Sitting there in the relative peace and calm and 2 adults and their 4 children (from 4 yrs up to about 14) enter the cabin.

I have never ever witnessed such well behaved children. Every one of them had perfect manners. The cabin crew were always answered by "Please may I have" or "Thank you" The youngest even took her empty food plates out to the galley.

Of course they were Canadian!!!!

As for the OP subject on banning children from flights, I dont think that has a chance of happening but, I do have sympathy with being locked in a confined space of an aircraft with misbehaving children whos parents could not give a toss.

Regards,

G-BPED

[nivsy]

Thanks for at least seeing the issue Rainbow - glad I am not really alone in this.

Funnily enough I think it was clear that I did say even if one or two flights had the option of being child free would be nice although I do take on board some of the comments regarding adult pax as well who are not always the best behaved on board. I still maintain though it would be probably be a vote winner with some pax and even if kids are on board with the layout of cabins etc I am sure something could be done with the config on wide bodies to allow them their own cabin of sorts.

Guess the general attitude of parents though (not all)does little to help the cause. The glare and mouthful i got from a mother when I told her kid to stop kicking the back of my seat was a bit of a shock! Ho hum.

[JEM60]

Small kids dont get drunk, and generally aren't rude to the FAs. Give me badly behaved kids over yobbish parents ANYDAY.
Once on long haul, Senior Management and myself had a young baby in front of us, yelling the place down all through boarding and taxiing. Thought this flight was going to be ghastly, but not a peep out of the little one throught the whole flight. Ban the parents who REFUSE to control their offspring!!!

[Charley B]

A few years ago we had 2 little cherubs behind us that kicked the seats all the way from Montego bay to LGW !!
And a guy in front with a bawling baby on his lap-reclining his seat back, even after being told by the BA cabin crew three times to put his seat in the upright position!
Fortunately there was an empty seat next to me so I moved over so i could get a bit of room--thoughtless parents and unruly kids are a pain on flights---totally agree with Nivsy and Rainboe!
Never had the problem on flights to GIB Nivsy--normally golfers or Businessmen!!

[BelArgUSA]

You guys should not have any complaints with your "little ones"...
Argentina kids are all future soccer champions, Maradona class...
Especially if you are from Manchester United, they will take care of the back of your seat.
After all, Buenos Aires to Madrid is a mere 11 hrs long flight.
And if you do not like Argentina, take a Varig flight with Brazilian kids.
xxx
:}
Happy contrails - bang bang bang...

P.S.
Maybe put the kids in a kennel, maybe, with checked baggage...?

[nivsy]

True enough Charley B although sometimes there are some "strange bods" on board! (although last year when Paul Weller was on the Gib/Lgw with kids he was a perfect gent).

That said its only a couple of hours to /from Gib its usually the other sectors that get me! Roll on the next flight..........:}

[FlyingConsultant]

probably impractical to ban kids, not to say "can you imagine this on the New York times front page"?

The issue is really the mix of business people, singles etc with kids in the same part of the plane. How about not assigning seats for people with kids until check-in? That way, you could move all the families in the back of the bus, all the kids together, etc. Fill it up back there with the cheapest tickets and mileage fliers. Move flight attendants there who like kids (they exist) and pronto - you have a nice kindergarten with really no additional work.

[FlyingConsultant]

I have three kids, and they all have flown every year of their life East Coast to Europe. I have had to yell at them for kicking the front seat (and it worked), and I had them screaming (because I yelled at them for kicking the front seat, because they were to small to look out of the window with the seat belt on, because they were small and the ear thing hurts, etc). After their 3rd year, they all knew how this works and no problemo any more. It also helps that the airlines I fly now have video screens in economy most of the time. So I do not understand parents who do not have their 5 year old under enough control (for a given level of "enough" - these are NOT cats that are happy to sleep in one place). I am a parent but you, lady with the kid throwing food across the aisle, have an annoying beast that you need to tame asap.

But I also don't understand passengers who protest when a baby screams here and there. You put a lot of people in a room, that's what happens. Do you think I want my kid to scream because his ear hurts? It's not that we poke them so they ruin your day/night, you know. If you want to have your own personal space, rent your own plane. I understand you are upset about the kicking, and that's inexcusable, and I have said so to kids and parents behind my row. But a baby screaming, come on - buy ear plugs!

[ithinkso]

As a parent with a perfectly behaved child, nothing gives me more pleasure than giving the little imp a good hard pinch at around midnight on the long haulers. His ear piercing screams usually manage to wake at least the economy section of the aircraft.

Why?? Do i hear you enquire, because Im a bastard. Simple

[Romeo India Xray]

The probelm these days is the dismal standard of parenting coupled with mamby pamby legislation.

Go back 20-30 years and people would still wear their Sunday best, flying was something special - unruly children were either forced to behave or more likely were not from families who were financially able to fund the ticket price.

I really do sympathize with the really young kids suffering ear discomfort and both unable to equalise it while being too young to be told how to do so. This is a problem that only exists during climb and descent. For the idiot children of idiot parents who fail to control their brats during the cruise I feel nothing but contempt. When I was a child, unruly behaviour in public would be met with a "clip around the ear" - worked a treat, there were very few times I misbehaved. Inept government is assisting the breeding of the human equivalent of vermin.

RIX

[lexxity]

Amen to that RIX and FC. :ok:

Mother of a 3 year old, who just did a MAN/JFK with son in tow. We had to have a couple of words with child, but compared to the slob across the aisle who wouldn't turn off his phone, take his ear phones out when requested, was rude and obnoxious I'd say we were model pax.

[Tudor]

But then again we should exterminate the Gov who offers freebies (house, car, free holidays) to these subspecies...

Some of the worst behaviour I've witnessed hasn't come from 'chav' children but from over-indulged little princes and princesses whose ridiculous parents can't bear to say 'no' to their precious little poppets.

Also, without wishing to stereotype a nation, I found, in my flying days, a lot of Dutch children to be poorly behaved as a result of, again, over-indulgence. So it's not just the British...and I fail to believe Canada doesn't have some naughty kids ;)

[Donkey497]

Just on a serious (honest) note here. Just how much more capacity would each aircraft have if all passengers were sedated and stacked into shipping racks rather than in rows of economy, business or first class cabins? - Just think of the shuttle in the Luc Besson film wth Bruce Willis called "The Fifth Element".

It has certain advantages:-
1: you would certainly cut down on air rage incidents
2: If everyone's sedated & racked, fewer cabin crew would be needed
3: Minimal catering
4: Hugely reduced chance of a hi-jack
5: You could allocate a standard volume for each passenger & luggage - everyone could have their own travel "pod"
6: No need for In Flight Entertainment
7: Simpler loading/unloading
8: If everyone used thier own STANDARD travel pod, loading & unloading would be a breeze & there'd be next to no chance of every llosing your luggage.
9: Less of an issue with nervous passengers.

I wonder if the airlines have ever thought about this?

I appreciate that this would cut down their in-flight duty free sales, but is this worth considering for all of the other benefits?

[clareprop]

I wonder if the airlines have ever thought about this?
Whilst a very attractive fantasy, I'm fairly sure they haven't if only on the basis they would constantly have their hands full with law suits from the relatives of the dead and brain damaged.

[TankEngineStar]

All kids are not the same. Most of the problems are due to the parents.
Our daughter has been flying long haul since she was 2. Never had a problem on a flight as she has very good manners and knows right from wrong.
How can you legally ban children form certain classes. Our daughter has only turnt left once or twice when bording a plane. Long haul and ultra long haul are business class. She would never dream of kicking the seat in front. Always very polite and well mannered to the stewrad/stewardess and fellow passengers. It's all down to how the parents act and have brought the children up.
Just my opinion.

[Curious Pax]

Agreed TES. My 8 year old has flown regularly since he was 20 months old, and has never been a scrap of bother - wish he was as good elsewhere! Mind you the first time he flew I did make it clear that any misbehaviour would result in the captain coming into the cabin and throwing him off. Think I subconciously had Rainboe in mind!!

[AUTOGLIDE]

On my list of nightmare passengers, I'll take kids, screaming or not, above drunken gobby scum, you know the ones who now make up 80% of the UK population, hen night/stag night parties, obnoxious self-important 'business men', BA staff loudly proclaiming their right to a seat in business, and those who seem to think I really want them to touch me all flight and press their legs/feet/arms against me, 1 hour long PA's about scratch cards, and totally pointless rambling pilot announcements telling me where I am in the middle of the night when I have a screen in front of me showing a map.
Badly behaved kids with bad parents are a problem. Good kids/babies who make noise are a part of life, and anyone who wants them excluded is probably anti-social and self important.
As the posts state, get your own jet or shut it child hater :ok:

[nivsy]

Oooch - child hater a little strong - :eek:

As originally posted it was in the free market environment that we allegedly partake in - an opportunity by preference - to travel on a child free flight (stressing here not all flights to be child free.)

Obviously the UK (as we all know) is a nany state and such issues could never be tolerated - of course smoking can be banned amongst other things and to make the general environment more pleasant - well for some - child free would be a little more pleasant.

Private jet seems the only way out - now where is the web site for netjets.....:*

[MarlboroLite]

One of the best quotes i've seen is.....


Children should be allowed to fly if:-

1. They are muzzled and sedated
2. Go as freight

[dazdaz]

Security aspect aside (their only children) would it not be entertaining for the children if they were allowed to play on the f/d? I'm sure all those buttons and switches would keep the little darlings amused for hours, which also might relieve the boredom for the Captain and F/O.

Just an idea.

[spiney]

Be nice to your kids - they get to pick out yer Old Peoples Home... ;)

[L337]

I agree with the banning of children. But even more I think adults should be banned as well.

Aviation would so much easier without passengers. Full Stop.

[chornedsnorkack]

Go back 20-30 years and people would still wear their Sunday best, flying was something special - unruly children were either forced to behave or more likely were not from families who were financially able to fund the ticket price.

What did "Sunday Best" mean, in Y, C, F or R?

White tie, tailcoat and top hat would be best, but too much even for R (anyway, they are not to be worn by day). What is the proper level of dress?

Also, what should children wear on planes? Civilian suits, school dress uniform, or school undress uniform?