And then you cast a glance at the mother’s face and you realize that despite the annoyance you are suffering, she is in utter hell, conscious of all the glares her fellow travelers and flinging her way - no doubt partnered with some obnoxious complaints.
Aren’t We All Entitled To Peaceful Cry-Free Travel?
It is understandable to want a peaceful flight. As an airline traveler, you have paid a substantial amount of money for your seat, and trying to make the most of the time you are forced to spend on board is normal. Whether that means you are determined to catch up on some work, watch a movie, or take a nap, you have earned the right to do so. Until that silence is shattered....The debate on whether children under 12 should be banished from flights, rages amidst arguments from both sides of the spectrum. One side insists if you start to ban one sector of the population, where do we draw the line at discriminating?
What is stopping us moving onto even more unrealistic and insulting demands? Do we now ban the overweight, the heavy drinkers, the annoying sniffer and the man who shouts to a friend three rows in front of him. The list is endless.
Quiet Flights Are A Matter Of Business
On the other extreme is the business traveller who has paid a premium so he or she can prepare for an important meeting or business trip, and instead, may have to endure the disturbances of an ill-disciplined child.
According to the 2012 Jetcost travel survey, over 53% of Brits would prefer for flights to ban children under 12. TripAdvisor's poll revealed that travelers would be prepared to pay more for flights where there are no children on board.
As a solution to the complaints the airline has been receiving regarding noisy children, Malaysian Airlines will be keeping their upper decks child-free, for the Kuala Lumpar to London A380 flights. Air Asia is also implementing a "quiet zone" to meet the needs of their travelers.
Where Do We Draw The Line?
As with anything, is it really fair to ban all children for the bad behavior of a few undisciplined monsters? Parents could argue that they control their own children when out in public, so why should they as a family be censored? Why should they be stuck in a child zone with highly excitable kids when they will not infringe on the peace of others?The airlines remain undecided at this stage, no doubt to avoid causing offense to any parties. Virgin Atlantic claims to have no plans to segregate passengers, and the logistics of making some flights child-free could impact drastically on the airlines profitability. Running child-free flights means reducing the number of available travelers to fill seats, in addition to alienating families left feeling like second-class citizens.
So for now, when checking your flight status do you insist you are booked into a child-free zone, or wait to see what interesting neighbors you may end up with anyway?
Faizan Ahmad About the Author:
This article is posted by Faizan who is the Author and Founder of TechSenser. He is a Professional Blogger from India and a passionate writer about Technology, Gadgets, How-to-Guides, etc. You can connect him on Google+.