Malaysian Airlines announced this week that they would ban babies from flying first class and that their new fleet of airbus A380s would not be equipped with bassinets in the first class compartment.
According to a related article in the Britain’s The Globe and Mail, a recent poll showed that 70% of first class travelers cited crying babies as the number one annoyance when flying. I think this is true for passengers in all classes, but tossing the babies back into the cheap seats is a bit like the king emptying his chamber pot on the peasants. Nobody wants to spend 10 hours cooped up next to a screaming infant or a belligerent toddler – not even the parents!
I don’t think banning babies from any part of the aircraft (except the cockpit, of course) is the solution. Most parents I’ve seen wrestling with young children on flights want some peace and quiet just as much as the people around them and most are doing the best they can to make that happen.
Wouldn’t a better solution be to create a “kid zone” where children can have a little more flexibility to be children, without being glared at by the other passengers?
I think I will put this out to some of my mom friends and get their opinion. I just don’t think that a baby ban is the solution.
I completely agree with you!!! A kid area would be AMAZING! I’d much rather be invited to an area than banned because I made the choice to have a child.
I disagree. They aren’t banning them from the plane, they are just banning them from first and business class. If I pay premium price for a ticket, I expect a premium experience. Go ahead and create a kid zone, but put it in coach.
Kid zone is a great idea.
if i was to become a millionaire, i believe i would dedicate some of my winnings to starting an airline that was completely childfree. after enduring a 24hr and a 27hr flight [combined] last year both which had lots of screaming babies, toddlers and young children on it – yeah nightmare. yes first class passengers pay more but you know what the price i paid for my ticket last year was expensive for me and i’m entitled to a pleasant flight just as much as first class passengers are.
I’ll fly Missruby Airlines! Sadly, the airlines do not think we’re entitled to a pleasant flight AT ALL! Pleasant flight – an oxymoron unless you can afford business or first class. On the few times I’ve flown internationally on business, there have rarely been babies. And quite frankly, I was so busy enjoying the champagne, playing with my seat going up and down, sleeping (yes, sleeping is actually possible in some classes) that the children crying don’t bother me. That said, I can see the reasoning for keeping them out of first class, in the same way that fine restaurants don’t allow babies.
My goal is to someday fly first class to England to see my Mum. When that happens I will be switching my opinion faster than you can say, “Peanuts or pretzels,” but until then I stand by my opinion. 🙂
I love the idea of a kids zone for long haul flights! It’s brilliant. I live in New Zealand which is comprised of two main islands. The main ferry service between them is a three hour journey and the boat has a whole floor dedicated to kids with a playground and a movie theatre. And also a paid premium area which is R18. Why shouldn’t first class be childfree? Personally if all airlines did this it would be more of an incentive to fly first class for me, actually KNOWING for a fact there aren’t any snot goblins nearby.