Probably a risky topic: kids on planes

[Zeebs]

My family live in New Zealand so in order for us to go home to see them we have to fly. We took Cullen when he was 10 months, it was hard work, I pretty much breast fed him for the entire 4 twelve hour flights we took there and back to the UK again (its a long time to have your ****s out) he was crawling at the time and we found it was easier and quieter to let him crawl up and down with us walking behind him than it was to have him sat on my lap screaming his lungs off the lesser of two evils in my mind I suppose but I guess some people would rather he was in his seat. We will fly to Orlando in Oct Cullen will be 2.5 and Seth 10 months, we will have snacks, treats, activities and will make use of the films and hope like anything it will be enough to keep them occupied for the flight.

I like the idea of having an area for families and people without children. I always get angry at all the bits they talk about putting in the Airbus. A casino to me what a waste of time how about an area to get the kids away from their seats, expell some energy to stop them annoying other fliers. But I suppose that wouldn't make the airlines as much money and given that the people making the decision probably fly first class with children less likely to be near them don't really care if they are stressing out other passengers.

Kirsten

 

[wayneg]

An American lady, down a few seats, had her husband asleep next you her and he was snoring quite loud.

She started tutting, and that got louder and louder, that was very much annoying me.

She then went to 'shush' and finally spoke to me, she said, ''Why cant you drug them before the plane ride so they are asleep'' I couldn't believe it, I would never drug my kids for any reason, and she didn't stop, she kept gong on and on about kids on planes should be drugged to keep them quite!

We had an almost identical situation.
DS was about 3 years old, 1st time to Florida for him. He was almost perfect all the way, just did usual thing with a child, table up and down to draw on, play games etc, lady infront complained to cabin staff for all the movement and she could not sleep. Telling us children at that age should not be allowed on planes and all sorts of rubbish came from her. I have never been in a public argument but that was the closest to one. DW was distraught. Cabin staff appologized to us, and other passengers kept coming over and asking if we were ok. Never met such a nasty woman. She told us her children would not move if they flew.
As we got off I said good bye to her and felt so sorry for her children.

 

[chip&dale]

I think this says it all.
The worst flight I have EVER been on was a Friday flight to Barcalona.There was not a single child on that flight. Enough said

 

[Cyrano]

Well said Andrew.

You covered all topics raised thus far, in a fair and respectful manner.

David

Ditto

 

[Graeme]

(its a long time to have your ****s out)
Kirsten

Watch out for the arbiters of good behaviour and their baseball bats!!

 

[disneyholic family]

We flew out to Orlando last week with VA. 9 hours 30 minutes. We were in PE, in the upper part of the plane. Next to us there was a 2 year old boy, 2 rows in front another boy, just a little bit older. During those 9 hours 30 minutes we didn't get a single minute of peace and quiet. Crying, screaming, running up and down the aisle, climbing onto the furniture, ...
We weren't flying out on vacation, we were going for business so had hoped that by flying PE we'd arrive a bit more rested. This was the worst flight ever! Even with earplugs and noise cancelling headphones, the high pitch screeching sounds still came through.
The parents did seem to realise that we weren't impressed, but didn't care as their kid was ever so cute and couldn't possibly be a nuissance (I actually heard one of them talking in a way that implied this train of thought).

Wouldn't it be possible for the airlines to get a section of the plane for people without kids?

i know how you feel.....
it's one of the reasons i like the airline i usually fly and why i always try to get on their 747s rather than their 777s...
on the 747s, they have business class both upstairs and downstairs, so they try to keep the upstairs section small-child free...
oh the peace and quiet of it all.....it's wonderful and worth the effort of checking their schedules to make sure which plane we're on...

by the way, one of the worst flights i was ever on was on a flight inside the US....DD and i were at the back of the economy section...sitting right in front of us was a 2 year old boy and an 8 year old girl...
the boy was totally impossible (right in front of me)...
after a while of incredibly bad behavior, the stewardess said something to the man sitting next to the boy - the man said he didnt know the boy...he wasn't flying with them...
so the stewardess asked the little girl where her parents were....
they were way up in first class.....and had left a 2 year old and 8 year old to sit by themselves in the very back of the plane!!!!....the stewardess was shocked and outraged.....went up to get the parents and told them a 2 year old boy could not sit by himself that way.......
what were those parents thinking?????????????????????????????????????

 

[Pinklepurr361]

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!

OMG - we'll be on the same flight as you!

 

[Lisash]

I think the majority of us appreciate how difficult it can be to keep the kids entertained and lets face it after 9 hours on a plane I'm a bit crabby let alone my kids. As long as the parents seem to be trying to keep the kids entertained I don't have a problem. I do have a problem with people who get the 'I'm on holiday now so I don't have to do a thing' attitude. We had just such a family behind us a couple of Christmas's ago, lets call them the Slob family. Mr Slob put his headphones on as soon as he boarded and did not interact with the rest of the family for the whole duration. Mrs Slob just sat looking exhausted. Their three 'lovely' kids had not so much as a comic between them so spent most of their time leaning over our seats looking longingly at what I had got my DS to keep him busy (I did contemplate offering them paper and crayons at one point but thought I might get a mouthfull of abuse). At meal time they fed their toddler and didn't clean him up hence we spent a long time leaning forward to avoid being covering in the bright purple gloop he had all over his hands and face.I finally lost it when he leaned over my DD's chair and pulled out a handfull of her hair Mr Slob never so much as looked up. Mrs Slob just shrugged her shoulders By then end of the flight everyone in nearby rows was giving us sympathetic looks

 

[scottishsue]

You must be a very patient person Lisa - because I would have said something to them !!

 

[cherjp]

Yip me too, !!

 

[boff64]

I've touched on this before. I think because VH use VA as their carrier that you are always likely to get a larger majority of kids on their planes.

We flew VA last time we went to Florida and never again. Kids running up and down the aisles and crawling behind the back of the seats in front of the middle galley. We had our two DD's of 8 and 6 with us who under threat of death to immulate that. I'm not saying my kids are saints by any means but treat others as you would expecte etc etc. The thing that capped it for us was the Mum of the kids laughing for 8 hours chasing her kids with loud shouts of "Oh they're so excited", "Sorry, they're not bothering you are they"

 

[Soprano]

We're flown a couple of times with two toddlers. First time DS was 20 months and fell asleep as soon as we sat on the aeroplane. But woke up as soon as we took off so we feared the worst! Thankfully he was happy to sit there like this

Every now and then he wanted to have a little look around, so I carried him around for two or three minutes, then back to the seat.

We plan ahead. It is easy to keep kids amused with a few crayons, haribo's and of course stickers! This and Virgins entertainment system kept them happy.

Next time when they were 4 and 5, it was just as before. Again with the stickers! They saved us again!

They only really started to play up when we got off the plane and the 'joys' of going through hoops at MCO! Not to mention moaning in the back of the car on the way to the hotel!

Both time have been fine for us and the kids. I say this at great risk, as we're off to LA in April...

 

[laluna]

OMG - we'll be on the same flight as you!

I knew there would be someone!

 

[K8T]

We flew back last week!! We were not in PE!!!!!

However, we had our three year old with us and were very aware of the effect she could have on other people. Although she was quiet, she did start kicking the seat in front of her and I warned her I would move her (she was by the window), when she carried on, I moved her to the middle (there was no one in the seat in front now). She protested, but gave up quickly and I hope the people in front appreciated my actions.

However, it is difficult on such a long flight, we took loads of stuff to keep her going and she wasn't allowed to run up and down, but we did take her for a little wander twice, just around the plane and back.

One thing I was disappointed with that there were only three short TV programmes for children on the video, Wonderpets, Bob Square Sponge Pants (not really for a three year old) and In the Night Garden, otherwise one film Ratatouile, which after three times gets a bit boring for anyone, including a three year old. Adults however had numerous films to choose from, so what is going on there?

Luckily we had our own DVD player, with headphones, but it would only take a couple more childrens films - Classic Disneys would be perfect. To keep everyone happy.

To the OP, I understand your frustration and yes think a kid free - similar to a mobile free area on trains - would be useful, but no doubt would be over subscribed!

What did you want the parent to do? Acknowledge your frustration? Stop the child running around? Make more of an attempt to keep him quiet? If it was the latter then you should say something, not just give a look, or ask the air steward to do so. Some parents are getting so stressed by what they are dealing with (added to by annoyed looks from around them), that they can't react in a way they should, or perhaps are incapable of doing so.

On the return, my daughter had her tea (not helped by the blue sugar sweets included on the tray before she had eaten anything!!), and slept the whole way back (we put her in her pyjamas after her tea and made up a little bed on her seat. Once she woke up disorientated and had a little cry for a couple of minutes until she settled - I was on tenterhooks until she was quiet.


That lady behind you however, could have been me trying to cope and desperately aware of how others were feeling around me!

You fly to Orlando, you have to accept the kids

Kates

 

[nannyj]

I have never found the little ones to be too much of a problem, it is usually the older ones, say 9 upwards that seem to run riot. Well they did on our last flight. Everyone was complaining but the parents were too busy making merry with the free alcohol to keep them under control. In the end the steward had to step in to try and calm them down. I do realise that your holiday begins when you board the plane but in such confined spaces you should have more thought for your fellow passengers.

 

[scotlass]

we took my son to florida when he was 2 and to Dom Rep when he was 3.both long flights and we up graded both times and i knew when we boarded the plane people were talking about him and stressing out at a toddler next to them.

well they shouldnt have stressed , he behaved perfectly and we actually had people coming over and talking to us to apologise for ther initial thoughts.

My wee guy is by no means perfect but he just knows how to behave.some people just cant control there kids on a plane or any where else.

 

[The Fetherstons]

Our son Adam (5) has never been any problem on any flight even as a small baby,now we take plenty of activities for him to play colouring books, comics and his nintendo ds, he usually sleeps half of the way which is great. Last year coming back from florida we had a really rude family sitting behind us they were really loud and kept pressing the call bell for attention and then when the stewardess came they would say it was a mistake the family consisted of three teenagers (directly behind us) and the mother and father on the next row their behaviour was far worse than any child on the plane, Adam slept with his head on a pillow and unbeknown to us until we actually got home and was getting him changed did we notice that his neck had been coloured in in marker pen obviously from the teenagers sitting behind us needless to say we were absoloubtly furious, so its not just small children who are a nuiscance on planes.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Well said Andrew.

You covered all topics raised thus far, in a fair and respectful manner.

David

Agreed!



Yes, I'm one of them! Absolute agony in an upright seat (tho' not much better reclined TBH) and I end up spending the first few days of the hols flat on my back. But that's why we pay to upgrade...

Well said Andrew

This topic is a sensitive one indeed. I take time to keep my kids amused and quiet on a plane and they mostly are - for me this means hours of coloring and eye spy and make sure that it is DH that is sitting in the seat in front of the youngest so if he accidental kicks the back of the seat it is DH that gets it

It is a balance, as a parent, you have to be responsible for your child and be respectful of others peoples feelings, however kids are kids, their our future, we were all young once, and some people ( a few) cannot wait to jump on you, -on a plane any action is magnified as we are all in a small space, and some facilities are limited. Space on seats, the loos' etc, Adults can spend a lot of time in there, as well as kids, who might be confused about how it all works!

I take great care to amuse my kids, but in annoys me if some people do not give you that leeway back.

Things happen and as another poster said, if you are on a plane to/from Orlando, you will have a lot of kids!

If I am on Upper class, paying the same as other adults without kids, I and my family are entitled to the same service. I cannot allow my kids to run riot, what i say, is they get bonus $' spending money, if they are good on flight.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We had an almost identical situation.
DS was about 3 years old, 1st time to Florida for him. He was almost perfect all the way, just did usual thing with a child, table up and down to draw on, play games etc, lady infront complained to cabin staff for all the movement and she could not sleep. Telling us children at that age should not be allowed on planes and all sorts of rubbish came from her. I have never been in a public argument but that was the closest to one. DW was distraught. Cabin staff appologized to us, and other passengers kept coming over and asking if we were ok. Never met such a nasty woman. She told us her children would not move if they flew.
As we got off I said good bye to her and felt so sorry for her children.

Terrible.

 

[PoppyAnna]

Very interesting thread.
We travelled to MCO in May and October of 2007. We traveled with our two DD's (around 2 and 4) on the May trip both girls behaved so well and although not a total surprise (they are generally quiet girls that play well together) we did sigh from relief, I think the eldest fell asleep 2hours from landing and the youngest slept for about 2 hours in total. We took the usual colouring, small toys, stickers and their fave snacks, along with the TV and kids films was enough. Having gone so well we decided to go again in October. The flight out was perfect again, we got the four seats together in the back row of the small economy cabin - DH and I sat in the aisle seats and the girls played together in the middle two seats, we do not encourage the removal of seat belts (made them understand it was important like being in the car at home) A lady actually came up to us and commented how good they had been and until she walked passed us to go to the loo she didn't even know there were children in our seats The return was slighty different - there were 70 free seats on the plane so after our meal our eldest slept across three seats for about 5 hours our youngest was not so happy and let her feelings known! DH and I walked about with her on a number of occasions and played with her for ages, she finally fell asleep for a hour or two. She wasn't too bad but it was very tiring, especially after a full day at DQ beforehand - thankfully we got no nasty looks from "grown-ups" as they knew we were putting the work in. We discovered upon returning home she had an ear infection, I did medicate her a little on the flight but it didn't settle her.
Please keep in mind a child boarding a long haul flight has already been up for ages, is about in embark on a journey that will take them far over their usual waking hours and please have a little sympathy for those parents as they still have to deal with immigration, baggage, customs, car hire, heat, finding their accom and then settling their children through the onset of chronic jet-lag!
Parents of small children HAVE TO unpack that night as they need so much "stuff".
Whilst a childless couple is probably in an Orlando bar getting over that awful trauma of little Johnny in row 12!
Yes, it is our choice to take our children on a long-haul flight and most of us are responsible parents. Please keep in mind even if you are travelling on business to MCO you ARE travelling to the FUN capital of the world, you will encounter children.
I think if you have a child only area on the flight its like feeding children only "child friendly" food. How will they learn? If the well behaved children are made to travel in with families that are prepared to let them run wild they will all eventually behave badly. As parents of generally well behaved children - why should we be put in the rabble! Overall I had four pretty
good long-haul flights with my children last year, I wouldn't have enjoyed my holidays so much if I was made to travel in an area of families only.....