Should airlines create separate sections for kids, larger fliers?

[The Straight Story]

Should airlines create separate sections for kids, larger fliers?

It's not that Ian Burford hates children. But the founder of the Facebook page "Airlines should have kid-free flights!" would prefer not to have a wailing tot nearby when he flies.

"I'm 6-4, so seating is always an issue," says Burford, who launched his page a year ago. "But when you're uncomfortable anyway, and then you have some young child screaming or kicking the back of your chair, it just puts you in a bad position, because there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. It's not a case of not liking kids. It's a case of not wanting them sitting next to you or behind you when you travel."

Across the skies, there's a growing debate over whether airlines should do more to segregate the seating of passengers — with designated areas for kids, for example. At a time when increasingly crowded jets have helped to make flying less pleasant for many passengers and social media allow them to instantly tweet their frustrations to the world, a comfortable perch on the plane — and some tranquility around it — has become ever more precious.

Polls of fliers by the travel search site Skyscanner and of business travelers by Britain's Business Travel & Meetings Show indicate a majority of airline passengers want sections set aside for families, or cabins that are for adults only. Overweight passengers have complained about being humiliated as airlines enforce rules that they pay for a second seat so they won't crowd their fellow fliers. And some passenger advocates say that designated rows for those who are tall, heavy or disabled would be a good idea.

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011/03/Calls-for-segregated-seating-rise-with-tensions-on-flights--/45212050/1

[tammywammy]

1. I'm ready!

:popcorn:

[WolverineDG]

4. scootch over

:popcorn: :popcorn:

dg

[FLPanhandle]

2. I always cringe when I have to fly in/out of Orlando

It's the kiddie express.

It's not about the kids, it's about crappy parents that think their little snowflakes are amusing no matter what they do.

[Incitatus]

3. They make a big playpen in the cargo hold and stuff them down there.

:sarcasm:

[Travelman]

8. They could get one of those big ball pit things

like they have at McDonald's and Chuck-E-Cheese and whatnot. It certainly would make turbulance more fun!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. I would prefer wing mounted cargo pods

[Modern_Matthew]

5. No. Give the kids the window seats and put the big people next to them...

Problem solved.

[a la izquierda]

6. I fly. A lot.

I've had exactly one bad experience with kids on a plane. And it wasn't even the kids so much as their useless mother, who let them run around like tyrants. The woman screeched at the flight attendants and ignored her children, then cussed me out for telling her child to sit down. This was after he kicked on the door as I tried to use the bathroom.
However, 99% of the time, kids are really well behaved on the flights I've been on. And I'm a tiny person, so if the person next to me needs a little extra room, I don't really care. Not worth getting my pantaloons in a bunch over.

[geardaddy]

17. +1 million

It's the parents who think it's everyone else's job to take care of their kids that are the problem.

[Ilsa]

20. Nailed it. The only time I've heard babies cry is when the plane was descending.

I took an eight month old with me once. He did fine on the flight out but cried descending on the flight home. I was doing everything humanly possible to help him and comfort him to stop the crying. Still, the rude flight attendant had to say something nasty to me as if I wasn't already trying everything. Bitch. And I'm so nice to flight crews because I'm polite and don't want them causing me hassles in retaliation.

I'm glad my kids are older. They are better behaved than most adults. And one is extremely autistic.

[Donnachaidh]

7. No. Those advocating this need to grow up themselves.

Don't want to travel with the *great unwashed*? Then drag out that charge card and pay for first class. I've seen more adults react badly just watching children come into the boarding area. They work themselves into such a froth that they are waiting for the kids to do something -they- consider bad.

Grow up. :nopity:

[Jim__]

9. Airlines should put adult-sized seats in coach. - n/t

[LiberalFighter]

10. Have the airlines impose an incompetent parent fee if their kids are not controlled

The parent would not be subject to the fee if any of their kids get out of hand as long as they get them in control fast.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Nature spreads Uranium-235 atoms evenly among Uranium-238 atoms for a reason. -nt

[peace13]

13. I want the people who bathe section, the no farting zone and let's see...

The no sneezing zone, the no reading with the light zone, the no small bladder zone. Really if people are so distracted by distractions then they should not fly. Take a boat and eat in your cabin. Drive your own car, so whatever. I hate to say this but I have people in my family who are upset if I talk to exuberantly! Will there be a section for me too?

[WatsonT]

14. Seems reasonable to me

if people are willing to pay a bit more to be free of children than I don't see any problem with that.

Likewise if you pay for 100% of a seat you should get to use 100% of it. If your neighbor, for whatever reason, is taking up part of yours there is a problem.

[Dappleganger]

15. Heaven forbid they should ever take the city bus or Greyhound, lol!

[n2doc]

16. Sounds like they need a section for narcissistic assholes n/t

[SoCalDem]

18. whole new meaning to FAA

FatAssAirlines:)


or

SBA
ScreamingBabyAirlines


That said, when airlines prices are what they are, and the whole process is such a hassle, it's not hard to see why people's last nerve is frayed beyond reason & why some people get so upset .

There's no real solution at hand anyway, because no matter where you stop the "Family section", unless it's sealed off, the very next row of people will still be affected.

Anytime you use a public conveyance , you can expect to have some discomfort..It's just that simple, because it's not just about YOU.:)

[housewolf]

19. Sure ... and

how easy that would make it to book a flight at the time you want!



"Sorry, no normal-sized adult seats available on that flight..."


It's already hard to pick a seat that you want when you book a flight