'Families-only' sections on flights -- yay or nay?
Flying on a plane next to screaming kids is just a way of life.
It’s unfair, sure, but most of us have come to accept the harsh reality. Like how we talk ourselves into the HST, or how Charlie Sheen earns about $50 freaking million each year for doing Two and a Half Men.
But thanks to a Twitter video from Bob Saget – yes, a Twitter video from Bob Saget – the age-old argument of “We should have a families-only section on flights” is back on the minds of North American travellers yet again.
Saget, the raunchy comedian who somehow played TV’s most wholesome dad on Full House, has stirred the airline passenger pot with this Zapruder-like film he posted on Twitter last weekend.
The 20-second clip – “Here’s a video of my lovely six hour flight featuring screaming babies with cowbells …” – shows a quick scan of a plane from the 54-year-old’s seat, which is across the aisle from two wailing infants, one of whom appears to be shaking a miniature cowbell in panic.
Okay, so you say, big deal. Yet common as this might be, maybe the celeb’s semi-viral video (it’s nearing 20,000 views in just two days online) might finally throw some weight behind the issue.
Because, by almost every measure, people want a families-only section on planes. Nearly 60 per cent of travellers polled by fare comparison site Skycanner.com said they were in favour of such a move, and a whopping 81 per cent of this FareCompare.com survey said airlines should isolate kids and their parents from other passengers.
These results, it stands to mention, shouldn’t be taken as an offense. Most travellers understand it’s probably the parents of screaming kids themselves that are most embarrassed by a crying baby, and certainly placing parents with well-behaved kids in a hell zone of bawling children would be a punishment no one could relish.
Yet, what is the rest of the flight to do? In the middle of the raging “Should fat people have to buy two seats?” dispute, all airlines do is preach that the comfort of other travellers is priority no. 1 to them. Bigger people should buy two seats, airlines maintain, so they’re not encroaching on the space of the passengers next to them.
So, then, what’s the difference between larger travellers and crying babies? Don’t they equally detract from the comfort of a flight to the passengers immediately around them?
Flyers, what do you think? Should planes have a families-only section for young children and their parents?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Akonye Kena | Oct 13, 2021 2:46:03 AM
WIthout getting into a debate about kids on flights - the simplest question would be how could this be implemented on current aircraft? The only ones I could see are the A380 and 747 -- where the upper deck could be "child free".
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 13, 2021 8:00:39 AM
I think the families would be the ones to get lucky in all this--and I'm all for it too!
We could give them the back of the planes, (pull the curtains on them), at a cheap rate, and the back is also the safest part of the plane. I believe this would be a win-win for everyone involved.
The only problem I foresee is, you would have to "cap" the age at which kids were allowed in this section. Personally, I would cap it at 10. (Teens are a different story, yet again.)
Posted by: Don | Oct 13, 2021 9:44:18 AM
Lisa, it's unclear as to why you think the families should get a discounted rate. Care to elaborate?
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 13, 2021 10:01:41 AM
Well Don, from my experiences on flights, sitting in the back of the plane already gets the lowest prices overall, which has been part of the reason that I liked the back (besides being the safest). So, from these experiences, you aren't in fact giving the families a discount...it just appears that you are. However, looking at this from another point of view, I don't mind giving children the safest place in the plane because as an adult, I have already learned the procedures to go through, should the plane indeed go down. Children have not learned these procedures yet.
Posted by: William | Oct 13, 2021 1:56:07 PM
Why the heck do people deem the back of the plane "safer"? all seats have equal access to exits, equiptment and personale. In the rare occurance of an incident, the front of the plane faces the same plight ans the rear An aircraft never(yes, never) collides head first like a car does, it will generally belly out f anything. As for discounted rates, perhaps not a bad idea since you are perchasing multiple seats. Segregation? great so long as it is fair for everyone. Perhaps this way the flights could be more family or child oriented in these sections? this would reduce 'crankiness' and discomfort for travelling families and mature travellors alike.
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 13, 2021 2:57:57 PM
Sorry William...you are wrong about the safety issue. Impact would generally be greater in the front because the front is hitting the object first and hardest. Also, the front of the plane is going to get to the accident first also, in most cases. (Have you ever heard of a nose dive?) Ask a pilot. I did and I will always be sitting as far back as I can get in any plane.
Posted by: Jay | Oct 13, 2021 7:35:18 PM
Actually, Lisa you're wrong. It's a common urban myth-including with MANY pilots. Yes, the back, that is the tail of the plane is the safest. That's why the black boxes are stored there. However, in the cabin of the aircraft all seats are equally as safe (or dangerous--however you want to view it lol). But the families should still be in the back because the noise from the engines is louder in the rear of the cabin. That noise from the engines might be welcome to parents as well! It would provide some white noise to alleviate things :P
Posted by: paula | Oct 14, 2021 2:14:32 AM
so where do we stop segregating how about not having to put up with drunks on a plane or obnoxious people why stop at the children. this world seems to be looking at fixing problems that dont really need attention how about working on , no heath care, no good doctors, no money for our homeless and needy etc etc etc.
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 14, 2021 8:15:51 AM
Well Jay, in MOST cases, if you're thinking logically here, if we end up in an accident, you're going to think this through ahead of time, are you not? (I do.) So, in many cases, I"m sorry to say, that your argument about all the cabins is redundant (which I believe you noted yourself, anyway). When one end of that plane is in a crash, so is the other, eventually. However, I DO see that I possibly came across strong to William, and you are actually busy defending him. Sorry.
Well Paula, I believe the huge differece between children and anyone else is, usually you can reason with adults. Children, at some ages, you cannot reason with...which is why we are having this discussion in the first place. I've been on planes where the kids were crying throughout the flight and it IS annoying. Then you wonder if the parent can't do SOMETHING to shut the kid up! This I actually blame on the parent, not the kid. The parent should have researched how to help their child BEFORE boarding a plane. There's another topic.
Posted by: Martine | Oct 15, 2021 12:01:54 PM
Perhaps a simplier solution to the problem of wailing children would be to allow parents the option of administering a mild seditive to their child. Parents could ensure that they have a prescription that would enduce a tranquil sleep, prior to boarding the flight. This could be administered shortly after boarding as a preemptive strike or given at the first sign that the child is restless and possibly headed for a blow out tantrum.
This practice if permitted would be a godsend to most parents and their fellow travellers since a sleeping child is generally a well behaved and quiet child.
Posted by: Sheld | Oct 18, 2021 2:43:18 PM
Mmmmm, I am reading some of these little debates as that Lisa has been involved in. Eveyone does make some valid point and my 2 cents is that if I am in a plane crash, I want to be in front as that I will die first and if so, being lucky sitting in the back and not dead, probally you will die soon with unbearable pain. Not many people really survive in plane crashes. Thanks and have a good day.
P.S. love these debates so keep them up along with voting Liberal to keep your rights. Harper does not let anyone speak their minds and if he would have HIS way, we could not enjoy our rights.
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 18, 2021 4:21:29 PM
Good points on the airplane Sheld. I agree with your reasoning on sitting at the front.
However, I came back to reply AGAINST the liberals. I live in Ontario and McGinty has raised our taxes and now we have to do our wash at certain hours too. This is all ridiculous...and it's all the liberals work.
At least we know what's coming (or NOT getting overspent with Harper.) I"m hoping Ontario gets a conservative, like Harper, in the next election.