When our daughter was 11 weeks old we decided to take her to Portugal for a week - as much to find out what it was like travelling with a baby as having a holiday. Once through the noise and disturbances of airport security she was a dream. She slept all the way to Faro on our laps in CE. Every meal we had there she slept through - be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.

On getting on the plane for the return journey she was awake but quiet. A couple of ladies sitting behind us in the 2nd row of CE (there were only 4 of us in the cabin) told the Purser - but in a way that was directed at us - that they had recently had to endure 13 hours back from HKG with a screaming baby.

True to form our daughter slept all the way back to London. On getting off the ladies commented on how well she had behaved but in quite a snide way, to which I said thanks but I noticed how unimpressed they obviously where when we boarded - to which they became very red-faced.

Now, I am the first when I board a plane to think things to myself when I see a baby or child in whichever class I'm in. However that makes me far more conscious of how my daughter behaves as the last thing I want to do is inconvenience other people.

We're now planning this year's travel which will include some long haul with our now 6 month old. We will be in CW. I would prefer First but I dont think its entirely fair if she does flip out - although she very rarely does that anyway. We will always seek to keep the inconvenience to others to a minimum but we cant guarantee it.

Sadly it seems that people are becoming increasingly selfish - those parents that dont think of others, and those other passengers that are so intolerant. Believe me, its much easier for parents when their kids are quiet (preferably sleeping) and lets them have a more relaxed journey, but it doesnt always work out like that.