Kids in planes - an age old topic

they should be checked as baggage...

I can see why they would do it but I don’t blame the children. Some parent’s excuse their children's behavior.

Antonio is six years old. He’s flown to New York, Miami, Europe and Puerto Rico. He’s very well behaved while flying. If an airline told me I had to sit in certain seating because I was traveling with a child I’d use another airline.

I don't agree that adults chomping on potato chips is just as irritating as a fussy baby and I don't think they belong at the back of the plane. I've travelled on airplanes quite a bit and there's usually at least one, if not several, crying child. And they're not just infants - toddlers have loud cries and wails, too. Of course it's irritating, but there's nothing you can do. Their parents cannot always shush a child.

Practically speaking, you can be 20 seats away from a howling kid and still hear him loud and clear so what good would it do to put them a few rows behind? That doesn't even make sense.

I've often found loud adults or teens talking more irritating than babies. And then there's incessantly talking older children.

It's one of those things you have to suck up with air (or bus) travel. I just plug in my ear phones and focus on the music or tv or my book and within minutes I'm able to tune them out.

Exactly. It makes the idea seem more punitive than effective and punishing people for having children is pretty dumb.

That's true about still hearing twenty seats away. The most bothered I've been on planes has been by the crew talking, laughing, when people on the plane were trying to sleep. But a lot of that is solved with good earphones or ear plugs.

Also, I seem to remember that the back of the plane was considered the least safe - not sure if it still is. If so, that adds to the punitive factor.

I'd like it if they'd at least pretend to try to manage/help them.

I think that's what bothers me most. Parents/attendants who think their distressed kids are cute. Hey mom, hey dad - try to help your kid out - your kid is upset. I don't get upset about the kids, but there have definitely been parents I've wanted to whack.

In fact, let me take the kid on the plane - mom/dad can travel on the next flight.

I doubt parents think their distressed kids are cute, and they don't want that noise any more than the rest of the passengers. Not only is it irritating, but their kid is upset. It's really hard to shush a baby or toddler who's on a crying jag. They can't reason, they don't know why they're crying (either the parent or the baby), and I think they feel terrible about the impact on others.

I just think placing them in certain seats is ineffective, and really punitive to the other passengers who happen to get stuck in those seats.

The best thing to do is invest in a good set of headphones so you can tune out all the noise, chattering teens and adults included. I don't want to hear anybody's conversations.

The rear of the plane is normally the safest. It is also about the worst for motion sickness.

I’d rather have a policy where if someone makes too much noise in the quiet zone that they are booted to the back. I’ve sat near as many (if not more) loud obnoxious adults than kids. In one case, it was a family – but the kids weren’t making much noise, the damn mom was whining and complaining so loud, I wanted to go over and slap her in the face.

And what about kids that are well-behaved and quiet and also don’t want to be around noisy adults or noisy kids? They need to be punished because other kids don’t know how to behave and sit with the noisies.

And I agree Marciano – I’d use another airline as well.

It was a test pilot that told us that. But that was a long time ago. I see by googling opinions vary. I'll buy this one, which is the same as yours, Roger.

http://flowingdata.com/2008/05/20/the-safest-seat-to-sit-in-on-a-plane-is/

adult-only airlines just like adult-only hotels, condos and vacations?

hmmmm

here they have 'quiet' cars on the inter-city commuter trains (staff throws the noisy folk to other cars if people complain). I like that option, but you probably couldn't work that on airplanes.

you fly with a nicer crowd than I have experience with

Even being a parent (or especially being one) I agree. There are many ignorant or uncaring parents that allow their children to do whatever without regard for others (as long as the parent isn't being bothered).

I've flown so much with my kids from infant onward, that I've learned a few tricks to keep the monsters in line. But some parents don't care. I remember one situation where a kid was in front of us (my kids sitting nicely drawing and crap) and he was making all sorts of fussing.

Realizing she may need help or be more inexperienced at flying with young kids, I offered up some toys or coloring books or what ever else to shut him up. She seemed taken aback and said I've brought some!

Well then why the h*ll don't you give him something to do?

I was going to write that I heard from an engineering perspective that the seats closest to the wing are technically the safest.

According to this Popular Mechanics article, it supports your claim Roger:

Safest Seat on a Plane: PM Investigates How to Survive a Crash
In the wake of nearly 200 passenger deaths in a Brazilian airliner accident, we take an exclusive look at 36 years' worth of NTSB reports and seating charts. The best way to live through a disaster in the sky? Move to the back of the Airbus.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/safety/4219452

Or maybe I just fly more than you do.

Or see the parents are trying to shush them.

Kind of makes sense. The back of the plane used to be where they dumped us smokers. Then the in crowd found that was the safest part of the plane, so they outlawed smoking. Another simple solution!

My link somehow referenced the same study.

A lot of larger planes have a secluded section up front that is segregated from the rest of the plane. Put the kids there.

Ahhhg. Just nail 'em in a barrel and feed them through the bung hole till they're old enough be out on their own.