Should Toddlers Be Allowed in First Class?
Ariana Arghandewal October 08, 2018
Flying first class comes with many perks: A flatbed seat, delicious food, and luxurious, quiet cabin. Emphasis on quiet cabin. One of the things that often get reported as making flights unpleasant is The Crying Baby: that creature that boards the plane with a chip on its shoulder and then belts out high-C’s the entire flight. It’s practically what noise-cancelling headphones were invented for.
But that begs the question: Should toddlers be allowed in first class?
I’ve seen lots of kids flying in premium cabins. Usually they’re pretty well behaved, thanks to the distracting of the in-flight entertainment. But babies? You can’t really control them. They can’t express themselves verbally, so when they are unhappy or want something they’ll cry and there’s nothing the rest of us can do about it.
While I have yet to encounter a crying baby in first or business class, I did fly LAX – YYZ in a first class seat immediately in front of economy. A toddler shrieked loudly every two minutes on the dot…the entire flight! The parents made an effort to stop it, but the shrieking continued. It was excruciating and made the 5+ hour flight less pleasant. But I got over it.
What happens when you’re sitting in first class and a toddler is screaming the entire time? Or getting out of their seat and being generally belligerent?
I always respect a parent that tries. It’s those who just don’t care that don’t deserve to be in first class, in my opinion. Or any airplane.
An airplane is essentially public transportation and if you’re going to be completely inconsiderate then either stay home or charter a jet. As for the screaming kids? Luckily most first class cabins come equipped with noise cancelling headphones. This can make the crying and screaming more bearable.
I’ve gone over how to cope with crying toddlers. But should parents actually bring their toddlers into a first or business class cabin? I personally don’t know if I’d feel comfortable bringing an unruly toddler into first class. The death stares from fellow passengers alone would make me think twice.
I also realize that if a toddler screams in one part of the plane, it will reverberate throughout. So does it really matter if the toddler is sitting in first class or coach? Again, no one is better equipped to deal with the crying than first class passengers, who have access to noise cancelling headphones.
I know a lot of folks are going to disagree with me, but as someone who recently traveled with a toddler, I realize that premium travel is in many ways ideal for families. The kids and (exhausted) parents are actually able to sleep comfortably, plus there’s good food and plenty of snacks. Is it really fair for families to be excluded from experiencing those luxuries?
I say sit up front with your kids – if they cry, make your best effort to calm them down. If they don’t, the rest of us can put on our noise cancelling headphones and enjoy the flight.
What are your thoughts: Should toddlers be allowed in first class cabins?
NO, and the worst is attention seekers who want to look like rich parents.
The comments here are hilarious. Yes, anyone with a ticket should be allowed to fly in first class If kids are banned from any cabin, so too should drunks be. And anyone who doesn't wear deodorant, because that REALLY ruins my trip more than any noise. And let's also include every man who sits with his knees pointing perpendicular to his torso, infringing on my airspace for the entire flight. And armrest hogs, because I paid good money for the experience of that armrest. Yes, it is the parents' responsibility to learn how to travel well with kids Yes, the other passengers can stuff a sock in it. It's not like ANY parent EVER said, gee I hope my kid screams bloody murder in a closed space for the next three hours.
Absolutely not. Many adults have enough trouble controlling their impulses to behave badly. Adding children to the equation multiplies the effect (often, they are the children of those adults that have difficulty controlling their own impulses). When I'm paying the money one must pay for a first class seat, I'd really like some peace and quiet.
Flights should be designated noisy or quiet. If you (or your family) can't guarantee to be quiet, book a noisy flight. If you value peace and quiet, book a quiet flight. The price should be the same, so families with small children (or noisy stag/hen parties) aren't penalised for being knowingly anti-social. Basically, I don't want to hear you, whether you're an adult with a voice like a foghorn or a toddler that shrieks until your eardrums burst. I also want seat-kickers limited to noisy (ie inconsiderate) flights. And manspreaders. If you break the rules on a quiet/considerate flight you should be banned for life on all airlines, and condemned to fly only with the selfish and inconsiderate. It'd be like a prison trustee program. Behave, you get to work in the library. Act inconsiderately to other passengers (eg bring a baby on board), you end up scrubbing toilets with your toothbrush. Simples.
Our kids are 23 and 16 now. We did not consider air travel with our kids until they were 3 and even then it was with some reservation. A toddler often cannot be placated or coerced into not crying. Anyone with kids will know this. There's a reason it's called the "terrible twos". Once over the age of three kids are more "manageable", in my experience. BUT.....parents do need to be situationally aware and mindful of the people around them. I would be mortified if my kids we the cause of someone's unpleasant flight. So, I would do everything I could to minimise the disturbance my kids would make on a flight. If I wasn't confident of that, I simply wouldn't fly with them....which is exactly what happened when they were under three. So...yes! Parent should be allowed to bring their kids onto premium class flights...but there is a responsibility that comes with that.