Airline offers baby free zone

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   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   Airline offers baby-free 'quiet zones' on flights
   
   
   For many of us (the childless ones, anyway), few things about flying are as excruciating as a crying baby. We know, babies have to travel too, but when you're trapped in an aluminum tube six miles in the air, nerves get rattled and fuses get short. The folks at AirAsia — a budget airline operating in Southeast Asia — feel your pain, and beginning next February, are offering baby-free "quiet zones."
   http://now.msn.com/airasia-to-offer-bab … ts-flights
   At the risk of being booed, I would love to see this on more US airlines. I've had too many screaming babies on long flights...yes it isn't fun for the parents but maybe babies shouldn't be on the plane.

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      Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't like to hear screaming babies on flights, either. However, I'd rather know they're being included when families get together. It would seem more humane for the airlines to assist parents in unclogging baby ears when they won't pop for altitude change (ear pain is one reason babies cry) and to cluster parents with babies in one section of the plane. That way the babies could possibly entertain each other a little more often. However, as we've entered the cattle car era of flying, and nobody's willing to boycott flying until the airlines clean up their act, we won't have any amenities, baby-related or not.

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      Midasfxposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I highly approve!
      
      Reminds me of the old Bill Cosby skit >  http://youtu.be/Fs0cYJUqJys

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      moneyfairyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree with you Stacie that there should be child free flights in the future, just like they have business class and first class,they should maybe have family class and have flights specifically for familys , then specifically for business/adult individuals only.... that would make flying a bit more pleasent. Also have seats just a little bigger in regular class so that one doesn't feel like a sardine. I loved Queen Latifa in The Holiday movie I forgot the exact title but she was on a flight in the movie where this guy put his seat all the way back and it was in her lap and she complained about the greedy airlines trying to squeeze all these people in to make more money ,but at the discomfort of the regular travelers... anyway it was fun how she stood up to them Last Holiday? I think that was the movie,very funny.

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   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   Being near an unhappy baby is no fun, especially as I go trans-Pacific (20 hours).
   
   But babies are people too, and families need to go places.  Just because I don't like something doesn't mean it is unfair or should be changed. 
   
   I figure I should just suck it up, and put my ear plugs in.

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   tony.abacabposted 12 years ago

   I also risk being booed with what I'm about to write.
   This is a two way situation. Yes, it can be uncomfortable and sometimes annoying to have babies crying throughout a flight but excluding them or small children from flying and travelling I think is somewhat patronizing, discriminating and it's generalizing a trend.
   I fly quite regularly as you may see in some of my articles, and yes I have had flights with unsettled babies, but this is not the norm; rather the odd exception. On the other hand, what I've seen on more occasions (and this is also not the norm, but it's worth mentioning as well) are loud annoying and inconsiderate adults, drunk wannabies and attention seekers - both in economy and business class, mind you- and strangely enough I hardly see any babies, young kids or even adults complaining about that...
   It is mostly down to parent who sometimes maybe out of lack of knowledge or sometimes sheer laziness, don't prepare the kids for long treks like these.
   What one reader commented on popping ears is a very valid point. One reccomendation (for parents) is to whether you like it or not, arm yourself with a dummy (pacifier in US) as the succtioning on this prevents baby's ears from blocking thus avoiding the painful earaches that most of the times is what make these little creatures cry.
   For older ones, keep them entertained. Take as many books, toys as cabin regulations allow and keep them entertained. Also, if possible, tire the hell out of them before a long flight so they manage to get some decent sleep on board.
   On the other hand, most SE Asian and good European carriers usually have staff at hand who are happy to assist parents in these cases.
   It is too easy to stand on ones high ground and critisize and/or demand 'baby-free' flight, quite zones and what have you. We are all human and for that reason non-perfect beings.
   I know some of these and other recomendations are not fail-safe, but it is a way of making the flying experience a stress-free one.
   Just remember one thing, we were once babies, then children and finally adults and I'm sure no one was 100% perfectly well-behaved.

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      Healthy Pursuitsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Here, here!

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