"You must be kidding - Noise cancelling technology enhances the irritating qualities of infant screaming. It eliminates the muffling qualities of the engine/airstream noise and allows for unadulterated enjoyment of high frequency wailing."

I disagree. I always listen to music with my NC-10's and I have to hit the button to be able to hear what the F/A is saying when she asks me a question. The musinc is what really drowns out the high pithed stuff. I've been seated near loud children and loud adults on flights, and this is by far the best way to deal with them when you want quiet. Just drown 'em out.

I've never heard a child wail loudly for more than a couple of minutes on a plane. As far as the original argument goes, I think kids have just as much right to a seat up front as any paying (or upgraded with miles) customer does. If a kid cries, well, that's just part of life. I'm sure all of us embarassed our parents when we were young by doing something inappropriate at the time. If an older kid is a little Hellion during the flight, well that's the fault of the parents, but it's easy to just ignore them anyway. I don't make it my business to poke my node in other people's business.

Most kids I see on planes are better behaved than a lot of adults I've run into.