I recently did a flight for 2 hours with my 22 month old with Ryanair - you know, with the tiny tiny space and her attached to me as it was a full flight and until they are two, they don't have their own seat. It was really really difficult but luckily two hours is nothing and I just kept her occupied, fed her and played with her the whole flight and she was fine. I know what you man OP about the tine space though and when you have a child on your lap its really awkward. I dropped or she threw a few items at times and getting them back proved to me a nightmare!
The lady next to me was really sweet and helpful though.
I am very concsious of others though, she kept trying to kick the seat in front but I stopped her as best i could. The poor family behind me had a child of similar age and he screamed the whole flight and I could hear the poor family doing their best to soothe him. I just felt sorry for them and didn't feel annoyed at all about it. When you have a child you empathise more with those situations.
I do agree it would be nice to have a family area - I would rather be sat with other kids/families too. Having a type of nanny im not too fussed about, I just won't take her on a long haul for a little while.
So they have never eaten a meal with a child sat on ther knee?
All parents have done that at some point.
For goodness sake, if they couldn't cope, why go to Australia? Why not wait until the children were older?
hmm that's what I was thinking. Unless the trip was absolutely essential I wouldn't take children that age on anything longer than a 3 or 4 hour flight.
I do understand that it would be next to impossible to eat with a child on your knee in such a confined space, but maybe it would have been possible to take it in turns to distract them (maybe walking down the aisle) whilst the other person ate, it only takes a few minutes to eat an aeroplane meal!
Parents with children should be responsible for entertaining their children on planes, and it shouldnt be up to the airline to provide it, I would consider it bad parenting otherwise.
If you can't control your kids then don't fly. I don't have kids and don't want to be subject to others screaming, noisy badly behaved brats. If they can't behave then don't subject other people to them.
It's a tough one - because I love kids and really believe kids should be allowed to be kids. But not to be badly behaved kids. I know that it is the parents fault and I do try my hardest not to get aggravated, but when you've worked all year for your week in the sun, you don't want a screaming child or a kid kicking your seat the whole time.
Having said that, i normally turn round and very politely ask the parent if they would stop their child kicking my seat - i have generally found that a polite word works wonders - it's just the screaming ones you can't really do anything about, as their ears are probably hurting and they are bored. So I try to sympathise, but there's no denying they do pee me off.
But then you could have a smelly old person (yes I know not all old people smell), or worse still one of those people who wants to make a friend on the plane and insists on talking to you the WHOLE flight.
it's not just kids who can sometimes be annoying on flights.....
I'm normally pretty tolerant of kids on flights, sometimes a baby just has to cry, what I can't stand is toddlers who are so obviously badly behaving, last month I had a little boy kick my seat for two hours solid, his Dad told him not to but he continued to do it, plus as soon as we began the descent he started wailing for his mum, who was across the aisle, Dad didn't do anything, I had half a mind to turn round and ask him to stop kicking my seat but I didn't want to cause a scene.
I feel sorry for parents with kids on planes. Given the lack of space, it means any noise the kids make is going to be more troublesome than normal.
There was a woman with two very young kids on a flight I was on recently. She kept the toddler occupied while jiggling what looked like a six-month-old on her knee. It must've been difficult for her but she was great with them. I didn't envy her position at all.
I wonder: can kids have a mild sedative for really long flights? It might do the trick when the plane settles down to sleep.
There is a difference between crying kids who are bored or uncomfortable, and those who kick the seatbacks constantly and prat about up and down the aisle. Ive seen this before on a flight.
On a short flight from Belfast to Edinburgh, with easyjet, our children were given fun packs to do. Consisted of a colouring book and pencils and a few other bits and pieces.
If you can't control your kids then don't fly. I don't have kids and don't want to be subject to others screaming, noisy badly behaved brats. If they can't behave then don't subject other people to them.
Unreal :mad:
I lived abroad 20 years ago, in Dubai, around 3,000 miles away. We moved out there when my daughter was 11 months old, should I have left her here? Or left her in Dubai when we flew home to visit our family twice a year? Or left her and my 2nd daughter, who was born in Dubai, behind when we went on holiday to visit family in Australia?
I'm sure my kids weren't perfectly behaved, but we always booked a sky cot as far in advance as we could and luckily on long haul flights, which we took at night whenever we could, they slept for most of the time.
When we moved back to England, I was booked into Business Class with my girls, who were 4 and almost 2 at the time, the faces of the other passengers in that section was priceless and do you know what? My girls were brilliant.
It's completely up to the parents to ensure their child is as entertained as possible but it's bloody difficult at times. As much as I find whining and crying children a pain in the backside on a plane, I understand just how difficult it can be to entertain them, even on a short haul flight.
As has been said, it's those parents who virtually ignore their bratty kids who really annoy me.
One of the many, many, many, many reasons I avoid going on holiday if I possibly can.
But, saying that, I have quite intense memories of screaming and crying on a plane while my ears were popping as a young child. Must have been very annoying for the other passengers and in retrospect it was probably wrong for my parents to take me on a plane at that age.
I think that the minimum age for air travel should be at least 10.
This is about right, at 10 you're old enough to have some self-discipline generally when it comes to not kicking up a fuss about whatever (and to understand that your ears popping are not the end of the world.)
In past times pilots might allow lucky children into the cockpit as a treat, nowadays this would be foolhardy to the extreme as chavvy kids would take control of the plane and crash it "for a laugh".
In past times pilots might allow lucky children into the cockpit as a treat, nowadays this would be foolhardy to the extreme as chavvy kids would take control of the plane and crash it "for a laugh".
That sort of answer demonstrates the kind of parenting that produces kids like that - IE couldnt give a shit! There's such a thing as telephones and the internet to keep in contact with the family 3000km away, or get the family to come here, or of course the obvious answer - just wait a few years till the kids are older!
Definately ban children from certain flights. There should be adult only flights, no alcohol served flights and rules about people standing and blocking the aisles.
Alternatively there should be family friendly flights with children's films, maybe a children's entertainer and space provided for a small play area.
Also just like the quiet carraige on a train people could choose to travel on a "quiet" plane.
I had a nightmare flight. It wasn't children who annoyed me it was a stag party on board who were clearly drunk before boarding. They were rowdy, vomitted in the aisles, harrassed the staff and other passengers, swore and sang loudly and had no consideration at all for anyone else on that plane. It was four hours of absolute hell.
I agree.
I heard that in the USA they can get a mild sedative for children to take to before a flight to make them quiet and calm.
There are people who go to pubs and ignore their children's behavior. On a plane they cannot abandon their children in the same way. Those sort of parents are not in the habit of controlling their childrens's behavior or spending time with their children. On a plane they are quite happy to let everyone else suffer.
That sort of answer demonstrates the kind of parenting that produces kids like that - IE couldnt give a shit! There's such a thing as telephones and the internet to keep in contact with the family 3000km away, or get the family to come here, or of course the obvious answer - just wait a few years till the kids are older!
Some people think more of their family than to just keep in contact through the internet and actually want to see them and want to see new additions to the family before they are 6 years old.
It's not selfish or unreasonable to want to do that, it's normal.
Some people think more of their family than to just keep in contact through the internet and actually want to see them and want to see new additions to the family before they are 6 years old.
It's not selfish or unreasonable to want to do that, it's normal.
They could perhaps do the flying themselves then?
The poor children wouldn't have to be cooped up for long flights then.
The poor children wouldn't have to be cooped up for long flights then.
With respect, you don't know what you're talking about.
There's for example, 20 members of family in the UK, and 4 in Australia. How would it be possible for them in Australia to accommodate all 20 members of the UK family, it's obviously much more logical and economical for the 4 members in Australia to come to the UK.
All this 'poor children' stuff is purposely emotive but it doesn't strengthen your leaky argument, I'm afraid.
There's a big difference between "kids being kids" and kids misbehaving & their parents doing absolutely nothing about it. Babies/toddlers will cry/scream and there's often absolutely nothing the parents (or anyone else) can do about it, but there is something parents can do to stop their children kicking the seat in front, running up & down the plane, shouting at the top of their voice & generally annoying other passengers. But sadly, there are many selfish/lazy parents these days, who seem to think their kids can misbehave as much as they like when out in public in the same way as they presumably do at home. In a confined space like an aeroplane, this can be intolerable. When I flew as a child, we stayed in the seat (unless we needed the loo) & behaved ourselves as our parents would make sure we were kept entertained & didn't do things to annoy other passengers or were made to stop if we did. But on planes and other public places (supermarkets/shops are a common one), some parents just let their little darlings run around as though they're in their own back garden, with no consideration for anyone else about.
I can't see a family area on a plane working, unless it's walled off/soundproofed from the rest of the plane, cos as anyone knows, the sound of a shrieking child can pierce ears for miles around.
Comments
The lady next to me was really sweet and helpful though.
I am very concsious of others though, she kept trying to kick the seat in front but I stopped her as best i could. The poor family behind me had a child of similar age and he screamed the whole flight and I could hear the poor family doing their best to soothe him. I just felt sorry for them and didn't feel annoyed at all about it. When you have a child you empathise more with those situations.
I do agree it would be nice to have a family area - I would rather be sat with other kids/families too. Having a type of nanny im not too fussed about, I just won't take her on a long haul for a little while.
hmm that's what I was thinking. Unless the trip was absolutely essential I wouldn't take children that age on anything longer than a 3 or 4 hour flight.
I do understand that it would be next to impossible to eat with a child on your knee in such a confined space, but maybe it would have been possible to take it in turns to distract them (maybe walking down the aisle) whilst the other person ate, it only takes a few minutes to eat an aeroplane meal!
Having said that, i normally turn round and very politely ask the parent if they would stop their child kicking my seat - i have generally found that a polite word works wonders - it's just the screaming ones you can't really do anything about, as their ears are probably hurting and they are bored. So I try to sympathise, but there's no denying they do pee me off.
But then you could have a smelly old person (yes I know not all old people smell), or worse still one of those people who wants to make a friend on the plane and insists on talking to you the WHOLE flight.
it's not just kids who can sometimes be annoying on flights.....
There was a woman with two very young kids on a flight I was on recently. She kept the toddler occupied while jiggling what looked like a six-month-old on her knee. It must've been difficult for her but she was great with them. I didn't envy her position at all.
I wonder: can kids have a mild sedative for really long flights? It might do the trick when the plane settles down to sleep.
It's not advisable to sedate children on aircraft for safety reasons.
Unreal :mad:
I lived abroad 20 years ago, in Dubai, around 3,000 miles away. We moved out there when my daughter was 11 months old, should I have left her here? Or left her in Dubai when we flew home to visit our family twice a year? Or left her and my 2nd daughter, who was born in Dubai, behind when we went on holiday to visit family in Australia?
I'm sure my kids weren't perfectly behaved, but we always booked a sky cot as far in advance as we could and luckily on long haul flights, which we took at night whenever we could, they slept for most of the time.
When we moved back to England, I was booked into Business Class with my girls, who were 4 and almost 2 at the time, the faces of the other passengers in that section was priceless and do you know what? My girls were brilliant.
It's completely up to the parents to ensure their child is as entertained as possible but it's bloody difficult at times. As much as I find whining and crying children a pain in the backside on a plane, I understand just how difficult it can be to entertain them, even on a short haul flight.
As has been said, it's those parents who virtually ignore their bratty kids who really annoy me.
But, saying that, I have quite intense memories of screaming and crying on a plane while my ears were popping as a young child. Must have been very annoying for the other passengers and in retrospect it was probably wrong for my parents to take me on a plane at that age.
This is about right, at 10 you're old enough to have some self-discipline generally when it comes to not kicking up a fuss about whatever (and to understand that your ears popping are not the end of the world.)
There is a time and place to be a kid, on a plane is not one of them.
I'm going on holiday hopefully when most of them will be back at school. More room in the pool without them.
LOL!! Do you know anything about aviation?
Excellent post.
Alternatively there should be family friendly flights with children's films, maybe a children's entertainer and space provided for a small play area.
Also just like the quiet carraige on a train people could choose to travel on a "quiet" plane.
I had a nightmare flight. It wasn't children who annoyed me it was a stag party on board who were clearly drunk before boarding. They were rowdy, vomitted in the aisles, harrassed the staff and other passengers, swore and sang loudly and had no consideration at all for anyone else on that plane. It was four hours of absolute hell.
I agree.
I heard that in the USA they can get a mild sedative for children to take to before a flight to make them quiet and calm.
There are people who go to pubs and ignore their children's behavior. On a plane they cannot abandon their children in the same way. Those sort of parents are not in the habit of controlling their childrens's behavior or spending time with their children. On a plane they are quite happy to let everyone else suffer.
Some people think more of their family than to just keep in contact through the internet and actually want to see them and want to see new additions to the family before they are 6 years old.
It's not selfish or unreasonable to want to do that, it's normal.
1. They go as freight.
2. Muzzled and heavily sedated
I would rather sit next to a big person who takes half of my seat than sit next to a screaming rug rat
They could perhaps do the flying themselves then?
The poor children wouldn't have to be cooped up for long flights then.
With respect, you don't know what you're talking about.
There's for example, 20 members of family in the UK, and 4 in Australia. How would it be possible for them in Australia to accommodate all 20 members of the UK family, it's obviously much more logical and economical for the 4 members in Australia to come to the UK.
All this 'poor children' stuff is purposely emotive but it doesn't strengthen your leaky argument, I'm afraid.
I can't see a family area on a plane working, unless it's walled off/soundproofed from the rest of the plane, cos as anyone knows, the sound of a shrieking child can pierce ears for miles around.