Business class babies

[Jorja Brown]

There should be aeroplanes/flights just for children and their careers. Maybe an airline devoted to transporting children! That way they are all contained and can do what they like.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Maybe I read this wrong (hey it is Sunday morning lol) but can you explain what you meant by this statement?

Yes, i would have thought most airlines ARE common carriers. But they can still zone seating if they want (just like they do for elites etc)

 

[get me outta here]

Recently, on LA-MEL QF F, I was very disappointed to see a baby and mum get on, but on the other side of the cabin thankfully. Then, the dad emerged bringing their a 9 year old boy to my side and settled him in to his seat. Then, after 10 hours flying I noticed the same family also had a 4 year old girl in her own suite. She was so quiet I hadn't even known she was there.

The father went up to J after settling them all in. I didn't hear a peep out of any of them. It was bliss. As we disembarked I heartily congratulated the parents on their wonderful children. I think the key was the very considerate, polite and assertive way the father organised everything.

 

[skylight]

Travelling J on SQ in December with a nearly 2 year old, adult daughter and myself. We chose to sit in smaller section on A380 where all bassinets are located. I have paid to travel several times and if there were babies well that is bad luck as their parents have paid also. I agree that parents should do all they can to look after and control their kids. We had one lady that kept sleeping while her baby was screaming in the bassinet lucky it was a noisy old QF747. If any one is on our flight I will do my best to keep the peace and noise down to an acceptable level. We Flying First on BA from London to NYC might get a few looks then.

 

[Pegsy]

What about First Class? There were two pissed adults in first while I was with my wife and two kids traveling to Sydney from Dubai yesterday. We apologized in advance for any announce the kids would make and they all appreciated that, it’s down to the parents.
I think you’ll find the top hotels, Aman etc work hard to accommodate families - because they can spend.

I find it’s those people who fly business for a special occasion who think it’s some gentrified environment, that are the ones who say no kids.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I find it’s those people who fly business for a special occasion who think it’s some gentrified environment, that are the ones who say no kids.

There is that balance. There are those flying in premium cabins for whom the class of service is simply an extension of their lifestyle. Then there are those who have saved up for a special occasion. I think those in the former group should be aware of those in the latter and do their best to sooth distressed infants and children.

 

[Ekka]

Where do you draw the line? All of those stereotypes I have mentioned have the same potential to negatively impact on the "Premium" experience that you are harping on about.

If the Parent/guardian isn't doing anything to help the situation I agree that isn't right, but if a Parent/Guardian wishes to purchase an airfare in the J cabin, should the fact they are traveling with an infant/child preclude them from that?

Yes.

 

[Ekka]

To be honest a crying baby in any cabin is cringeworthy. But I can't see banning a pax who is paying $thousands for a ticket makes good business sense? Particularly when the child gets older it could result in a lost customer for life in a premium cabin.

Dedicated quiet cabins for those who need it could work, as well as baby 'training' for those parents boarding the aircraft. Some airlines already do a speal on baby seat belt attachments, but don't utter a word about managing ear pressure etc

Spiel.

 

[Flying mermaid]

To be honest a crying baby in any cabin is cringeworthy. But I can't see banning a pax who is paying $thousands for a ticket makes good business sense? Particularly when the child gets older it could result in a lost customer for life in a premium cabin.

Dedicated quiet cabins for those who need it could work, as well as baby 'training' for those parents boarding the aircraft. Some airlines already do a speal on baby seat belt attachments, but don't utter a word about managing ear pressure etc

i have to admit when we got our plane home from Dubai yesterday and I saw lots of fretful babies at the gate, I whispered to Mr FM, “I hope we don’t have any in F with us”. No one likes other people’s crying babies......

Having said that, I agree with your premise - why alienate people who are paying for the product. We travelled with babies and very young children and must have handed over huge amounts of money over the years. Our kids became so used to the idea, that they will definitely pay for it, when they can afford it. Dr FM and Master FM have already started paying for Y+.

We never ignored our kids - we spent ages playing with them and reading to them and made sure they never disturbed others. Popping the baby on the breast usually solved ear problems. Unfortunately we have a growing no of parents who seem to see no need to be responsible for their kids - talk to any teacher and hear their stories as well.

I don’t see it has to be an all or nothing - if there is enough customer demand for baby free zones in premium cabins, then why can’t the airlines implement it. J easier than F of course - with the small F cabins hard to do.

A few years ago I paid for J tickets for Ms FM and her husband - can’t remember where - return trip to Singapore I think. She has had a lot of health issues and I worry about her and like her to get a decent sleep. Coming back from Singapore the guy behind her snored so loudly, she couldn’t sleep at all. So it really isn’t just crying babies.

 

[jase05]

Would happily pay a premium price to the airline that bites the bullet first with child free cabins.

 

[Ekka]

It's fun. Keep you the parent occupied

Pity about the rest of us eh?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Isnt that when you fly up front and the kid flies as UM down the back?

i think we saw something similar that last night . The guy at the gate asked for F passengers to board and a lady and her son went forward - he was probably 12ish (don’t know - the older I get the younger everyone looks). Anyway she walked along and then instead of turning down the F lane to board the plane, she raced down the economy one. Later I saw her on her own in the F cabin. I assume she installed her son in economy and then went to F on her own. We could never do that - when the kids got older and we had to pay full fares for them, we dropped to J, but we always kept together as a family. One horrible year when money was tight we actually went economy.

 

[daft009]

Pity about the rest of us eh?

Can't speak for others but we annoy no one. I still like to treat people on how I'd like to be treated.. though society as a whole is going downhill, it's me me me now

 

[lobby]

This thread reminds me of a red eye flight once with my children (aged 3 and 1, in J), and the lady behind us was laughing so much at a movie it was keeping my children awake! No one seemed to have a problem with her, except us,but I wonder what the reaction would have been if the situation was reversed.

 

[Pushka]

What BS ??? If I'm paying Business for a Baby and it Cries Tough cough suck it up Princesses- the people that can't handle it go back to Cattle

Well I’d at least hope you’d try settle the baby and not think tough luck at the outset. Pretty much everyone here would have sympathy for the parent doing their best to settle but have none for the parent who thinks ‘I’ve paid, not my problem’.

 

[sammy]

White shark, you may have been fortunate with your own, but not all babies can always be settled. Sometimes, despite the parents pacing, feeding, patting, and pleading with the gods, babies still cry. Those parents aren’t lazy and inconsiderate, but trying their best. Maybe the child is suffering from colic or ear pain.
To think that you are there a couple of rows away calling them inconsiderate is ironic. Recognise when you have been lucky. And don’t say luck has nothing to do with it. Some babies are easy, others demonic, often with the same set of parents. There’s nobody so smug in the world than those who were blessed with easy babies.

 

[Stef]

White shark, you may have been fortunate with your own, but not all babies can always be settled. Sometimes, despite the parents pacing, feeding, patting, and pleading with the gods, babies still cry. Those parents aren’t lazy and inconsiderate, but trying their best. Maybe the child is suffering from colic or ear pain.
To think that you are there a couple of rows away calling them inconsiderate is ironic. Recognise when you have been lucky. And don’t say luck has nothing to do with it. Some babies are easy, others demonic, often with the same set of parents. There’s nobody so smug in the world than those who were blessed with easy babies.

Agree - Really feel sorry for some of the people in this thread who feel so entitled they believe they should fly without kids in the vicinity. There's generally the commonality that those with that belief either a) don't have the money to do the same or b) are so selfish and inconsiderate that they think the Universe revolves around them.

As someone who's been fortunate to have my kids go with us through business since birth, and me with my parents before me I can tell you the vast majority of us try our best and have stellar travelling experiences. My next travel is next year on the 787 to LAX and we are actually flying this route as an overnighter to ensure there's the chance the kids will be asleep for at least half the flight.

Yes I have had (only one) occasion where a child decides to blow up mid flight - let me tell you as a responsible parent there's nothing more embarrassing. We are trying our best but it's often hard to reason with a <2 year old (But I get the feeling some of the posters in this thread have the same brain capacity). Thankfully those around us understood the situation and showed compassion, and after 15 minutes of pacing up and down the cabin he was fast asleep. Nowadays as a 2 year old it's iPad in his lap and he's like a pig in cough, but anything under 18 months it isn't always so clear cut.

 

[clementine6]

It's not just crying babies; kids who run around, kick seats etc, there's the toddlers with iPads and no earphones playing cartoons at full volume. Sitting near one of those recently I asked one of the FAs to ask the parents use earphones or turn it down. The FAs response? Oh, but he's just a little boy. The entire cabin had to put up with the awful noise.
When I travel in business class it's because I need to work and rest. A screaming baby or disruptive child makes that impossible. Yes loud snorers can be bad but noise cancelling headphones help. Disruptive adults can be wrangled by FAs. But kids?
Having children really seems to bring out a massive sense of entitlement in some people.
I'm for a separate cabin for (anyone with ) kids < 12.

 

[Pushka]

White shark, you may have been fortunate with your own, but not all babies can always be settled. Sometimes, despite the parents pacing, feeding, patting, and pleading with the gods, babies still cry. Those parents aren’t lazy and inconsiderate, but trying their best. Maybe the child is suffering from colic or ear pain.
To think that you are there a couple of rows away calling them inconsiderate is ironic. Recognise when you have been lucky. And don’t say luck has nothing to do with it. Some babies are easy, others demonic, often with the same set of parents. There’s nobody so smug in the world than those who were blessed with easy babies.

Oh yeah. We had one of the screamers with ear pain. The second child was a dream.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Don’t you just love the ‘ME ME ME’ society we have grown into?