Probably a risky topic: kids on planes

[Pinklepurr361]

I've only flown short-haul so far with my children and therefore none of the flights have the in-built entertainment system, so it was always up to us as parents to ensure they were content. This meant no rest, but we played games, read books, did colouring. Basically anything we could think of to ensure they were well behaved. We did not allow them to run up and down the plane or climb all over the seats, but there were plenty of parents who did.

We went to Majorca last half term on an Easy Jet flight. More than half the passengers were children. A small handful were uncontrollable and it was SO noisy. Never again!

It is only now they are 8 and 6 we are attempting our first long-haul. We are going out in Y and back in P.E. They are old enough now to watch tv, play on their gameboys, read and play games. However, we will still ensure they are mindful of the other passengers and behave well. We've booked the "bubble" for P.E in the hope (fingers crossed) that it will be quieter so we can all get some decent sleep on the return.

I think if you are going to a popular holiday destination, especially in peak periods you have to expect lots of children on the flights. However, you should not have to put up with out of control toddlers. If that kind of situation occurs when we travel, I will either speak to a stewardess or the parents concerned, even if they glare at me for the rest of the flight!

 

[wideeyes]

I have a DD who is very well behaved on a flight, spends all her time drawing or watching tv, I don't want to be around other peoples unruly children who parents don't care how they behave anymore than childless people do!

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

Only one way of travelling w/out kids, buy your own jet
Seriously it annoys me when parents let there kids behave like that, dont go reporting me to social services - i always carry a small bottle of low dose over the counter sedative to help my son settle IF WE NEED IT( for my asd son ), never have yet. Last year my one lo wanted to follow a lo as he ran up and down the aisles, but we wouldnt let him, so he screamed for all of 2 minutes (he was only 2) and then he decided to do some colouring. Parents are responsible for their children and the length of a flight isnt an excuse. Other travellers - you have to allow for the odd inconvienience esp when travelling to a popular family destination , OP would you have minded if it was a holiday as opposed to business?

 

[Neoshoegal]

Yes, I would have been annoyed if we were on holiday too.
Also, I honestly don't mind the odd "disturbance" they are kids after all, and can get scared/have trouble with flying, ... It's how the parents deal with it or in this case not dealt with it!
A bit further away there was another baby, I guess just over 1 year who was adorable, sweet and not a problem at all!

 

[StephenKay]

Being over weight myself I luckily do not require two seats. Some people have medical problems as to thier weight gain. Its not all about appearance. Sorry to get a little huffy. It makes me mad when people comment about people's weight.

If it was that bad and she was larger than the seat then the airline should of made them pay for an extra seat or be asked to move if there was available seats. Its not that passengers fault.

People make me laugh, Fat people are fat people and of course everything is a medical condition nothing to do with eating lots of food . Why average weigh persons experience suffer because large people spill out over to other persons seats.

Thats brings to mind my other area of loathing the obese, the Magic Kingdom is a place of more miracles than Lourdes, this occurs when large people use these electric carts to run over people when navigating the parks, why don't they walk they could lose a few pounds. They get the best spaces for parades and suddenly they rise from these carts as if a miracles occurs.



Now to the topic,

It's about time some of the parents start exercising some control over their children whilst onboard, you can understand some of it especially for babies etc but parents should try to excert some discipline.

Flame all you like.

 

[scottishsue]

It's about time some of the parents start exercising some control over their children whilst onboard, you can understand some of it especially for babies etc but parents should try to excert some discipline.

Flame all you like

I totally agree with you Stevie. My 2 boys were never noisy, unruly, nor did they run around on the plane, when they were younger. They were well disciplined - its a pity a few more can't be like that.

 

[fatdave42]

People make me laugh, Fat people are fat people and of course everything is a medical condition nothing to do with eating lots of food . Why average weigh persons experience suffer because large people spill out over to other persons seats.

Thats brings to mind my other area of loathing the obese, the Magic Kingdom is a place of more miracles than Lourdes, this occurs when large people use these electric carts to run over people when navigating the parks, why don't they walk they could lose a few pounds. They get the best spaces for parades and suddenly they rise from these carts as if a miracles occurs.

Not that I am going to get in to name calling, but. I go to the gym 4 times a week, I eat less than my wife (who is 9 Stone) and I still can not luse any wight!!!!! There was a case where a airline made a large man pay for two seats. In the end it cost them a lost of money and more embarrassment.

 

[Boss Hogg]

I agree with this to a part. Children will be children, and to an extent will be exuberant and excitable - especially when they are going on holiday. Now, at the same time, I do not feel that this means they should be able to treat an aircraft like a playground.

I think, as someone has already said, this is a question of tolerance and what each individual feels is acceptable.

We have been on a flight (by coincidence in PE) where there was a baby/small child crying for almost the entire flight home which made sleeping very hard. Now, I am no expert with children and babies, but it may be the case that there was little to be done with said child. So, are we now to say that all children of a certain age should not be allowed on a plane?

 

[scottishsue]

That's ridiculous !! Why should you pay for 2 seats just because you are a bit overweight !!

Ok, I'm talking about myself here, but there are other (lots) of people who are overweight. Why should we pay extra?

I'm like Dave, I find it hard to lose weight, despite all the walking etc. that I do. By the same context, should then, really underweight people (like size 0 models), pay less than everyone else?

 

[Netty]

By the same context, should then, really underweight people (like size 0 models), pay less than everyone else?

no they should be made to sit two a seat!
This thread has gone way off topic now, tolerance on the plane and tolerance to peoples feelings on this thread

 

[T16GEM]

Kids are kids and sometimes even the most angelic will turn into Satan, and having just experienced the whole long haul flight thing with a 26 month old and a 11 month old I can honestly say that it's damn hard to keep them occupied, happy, plyable for the whole flight. I took many many things to keep them occupied and even still we had a couple of bouts of screaming / yelling etc. Even with a stern word in the ear they will do what they feel at the time - I was not about to start causing a scene so that the whole p[lane knew I was disciplining my annoying child though. And people like you sending dagger looks our way do not help the situation. Orlando is a family destination and there will always be children on the flights unless you go 1st I would imagine. I think suggesting that the children be segregated to one part of the plane is a bit much.


All I can say is that you shouldn't judge on how hard it is to control children in theconfines of a plane until you have tried it yourself.

Sorry this topic really got to me tbh.

 

[Boss Hogg]

Got to say I agree with you entirely Tigem. It is easy to say that parents should do this, that or the other.

Not sure that you would ever get a portion of the airplane just for children - it would be like a Wacky Warehouse (or whatever they are called) - you could even put a ball pit in!

In my experience it is often easy to see which parents are making an attempt to occupy their children, and those who are not, thankfully it has never been too much of an issue for me. At the end of the day it is one of the potential "joys" of flying, and I am not sure that it matters what class you fly - you just get children and babies in first whose parents have more money.

 

[Netty]

no they should be made to sit two a seat!
This thread has gone way off topic now, tolerance on the plane and tolerance to peoples feelings on this thread

Sorry this wasn't meant to offend anybody - my daughter is a size zero - the tolerence bit is aimed at remarks that have been made about larger people and their lifestyle, that is uncalled for

 

[Netty]

In my experience it is often easy to see which parents are making an attempt to occupy their children, and those who are not, thankfully it has never been too much of an issue for me. At the end of the day it is one of the potential "joys" of flying, and I am not sure that it matters what class you fly - you just get children and babies in first whose parents have more money.

agree, and theres the parents as said that occupy the kids and those that think its everyone elses job! ie the stewardess.
kids will be kids at the end of the day!!

 

[Daysleeper40]

Kids are kids and sometimes even the most angelic will turn into Satan, and having just experienced the whole long haul flight thing with a 26 month old and a 11 month old I can honestly say that it's damn hard to keep them occupied, happy, plyable for the whole flight. I took many many things to keep them occupied and even still we had a couple of bouts of screaming / yelling etc. Even with a stern word in the ear they will do what they feel at the time - I was not about to start causing a scene so that the whole p[lane knew I was disciplining my annoying child though. And people like you sending dagger looks our way do not help the situation. Orlando is a family destination and there will always be children on the flights unless you go 1st I would imagine. I think suggesting that the children be segregated to one part of the plane is a bit much.


All I can say is that you shouldn't judge on how hard it is to control children in theconfines of a plane until you have tried it yourself.

Sorry this topic really got to me tbh.

I think that is the point tho - at least you make some effort to control / discipline your children. Most people understand that kids are kids and there will be bouts of crying / unrulyness etc. It is the way that some parents don't even TRY to handle the situation that is annoying.

 

[lexie32]

When we travelled across the pond last May ds was 2.5 and to be honest i was dreading it, we came prepared and between us dh and i spent the whole flight dedicated to keeping ds occupied with the treats i had prepared, not so the family next to us their boys were probably 4 and 6, the parents had not bought anything to keep them occupied and just told them to watch the films and swore at them when they said they were bored, the people sat infront of us thanked us at the end of the flight for making such an effort with ds and then said loudly that some people did not deserve to be parents looking in the direction of our neighbours. To be honest i was fed up with this family as their antics were effecting my ds!

Alex

 

[paulh]

we have had this in reverse,noisy kid running from PE to economy.There mum and dad let them run wild in economy so it wouldent afect them and the rest in PE.But to op if the parents want to spend the money its up to them,did you compain to air crew?
Paulh

 

[laluna]

Following this thread with interest in anticipation of our flight in March with my daughter (6) and son (20 months eekk!) Daughter has flown transatlantic twice and has been an angel but I am apprenhensive about my son but, let's face it, this isn't about the kids, it is about the parents. I am already planning for the flight, writing my list of things to take, buying little things to occupy them as I see them, seeking advice from the pharmacist about appropriate medicine if I need it, reading accounts from others about flying with LOs, researching what seats to request and arranging the child seat thingy from VA etc. Whilst we are all paying customers, I do think some need to be a little more tolerant of others but I wholly accept that it is my responsibility to ensure that my children behave appropriately at all times. Babies are sometimes a bit different when they just cry and are irritable, of course, so apologies to anyone booked on the 27 on 23rd March!

 

[SammieG]

Parents should be aware of how their children are behaving and at least make attempts to entertain them...

Our son took his first flight to Orlando when he was 1 year old. He was amazingly good.. and there were a few times we flew business class (free upgrades!) when i saw people look at us as we went in.. and i could see them thinking.." oh no.. a toddler". Many people commented to me how well behaved he was when we travelled business class with him.

However.. we had one flight on the way back (we were in economy this time)... where DS screamed and screamed and screamed.. all the way back basically. I felt so dreadful - we did everything we could to get him off to sleep. A little girl even gave him her treelo (from bear in the big blue house) to try and help him get to sleep.... but for about several hours of the flight i couldnt console him. It was very stressful for me and highly annoying for the other passengers.... however they could see me doing all i could to try and stop him crying.

 

[Frances999]

People make me laugh, Fat people are fat people and of course everything is a medical condition nothing to do with eating lots of food

Absolutely horrible comment. I'm slim and fortunate enough to be able to lose weight easily, but my sister is overweight and it is because of a medical condition, for your information. Making the gross assumption that "fat people are fat people" and that it is simply due to excessive over-eating is unfair and narrow-minded.