Lounge Etiquette Guidelines for Parents?
 

Over the years I have seen all kinds of kids in lounges, some were angels while others were nightmares. Right now there is a two year old in the T5 Arrivals Lounge screaming at the top of her lungs, running around and climbing all over the furniture while wearing nothing but a diaper. Her parents seem completely oblivious to the fact that the atmosphere was calm and quiet before they arrived.

There are occassions where we have guidelines for behaviour. Movie theatres ask us to turn off our phones and refrain from talking during the movie. Spas ask us to keep our voices down to preserve the tranquility. Can't BA do the same? Is it so offensive to ask parents to take their child outside if they are throwing a tantrum?

To be clear, I'm not opposed to kids in lounges in general. I think these clueless parents give other parents a bad rep.

Have you done anything, rather than writing about it on flyertalk?

Over the years I've seen numerous business travellers engage in exactly the behaviour you describe (usually, but not always, minus the diapers).

Beat me to it... adults are much worse.

I have a young child who we ensure behaves well in lounges and onboard. I think the vast majority of parents do the same.

Sadly, there is an ignorant minority who think there kids are really special and therefore entitled to disturb others.

Perhaps BA think that anyone using their lounges is capable of civilised behaviour and will control their offspring. Saying some adults are worse is merely deflecting the problem. Although this subject has been done to death it's not getting anywhere near a solution which, in my mind, should simply be a proactive lounge dragon having a quiet but firm word with the adults in charge of their children, or the noisy adult, and making it quite clear that the door works and they might like to try using it.

+1. If it really is intolerable and the parents aren't taking responsibility, then why not ask a member of staff to have a polite word with them? Things can be dealt with sensibly without having to point to 'the guidelines'.

What would you suggest?

Ask the lounge staff to restore the peace.

The lounge staff seemed to be in distress and didn't know what to do. If there was a policy or code of conduct they could point to, it might make it easier for them to take action.

Wow - full frontal?! ;)

more seriously, I fully agree. Lounge self- consciousness should indeed be a must but to all, not just parents. I have seen countless people making ridiculously loud conversation on their phone or on Skype with their laptop shouting at the entire lounge, some roaming around the lounge to ensure that they unmusically pollute as many of the other lounge guests as possible.

i have seen people put their shoes on the table, some clearly getting pissed, some treating staff like dirt, and some more generally behaving like pigs, leaving dirty plates on seats, and even a couple of times having a 'food fight' of sorts with their mates.

And I also agree it is not either/or, and indeed have also had the experience of the parents who think that as long as their child doesn't bother them personally they have no duty to the rest of the world. I have seen them ask their kid and his loud play station or game boy or whatever those things are to 'go play there', charmingly ensuring that the little decibel maximising darling would go bother the rest of the lounge as far away from them as possible and at that stage you wish the parent could be kicked out. Siblings/friends shouting and screaming without the parents worrying about other lounge guests is also not infrequent and not acceptable.

I don't care about the diapers, I'm relatively relaxed about the running around if it is not too loud (after all, many lounges have mice anyway), and whilst parents might handle perpetually crying kids sub optimally in the long term, any child can cry, and as lounges often see them in situations of unusual tiredness, apart from wishing the parent would give the kid a cuddle in some cases where they just look exhausted and fed up, I won't be the one criticising.

I threaten my kids with going out and sitting at the gate. That usually quiets them right on up :D

I am sorry you have run into parents who don't care.

Gosh! Your two year olds must be incredibly clever to understand that threat.

I threaten my kids (28 and 20) with flights on BA, rather than QR or CX - they're experienced enough to recognise the severity of such a threat. ;)

Although not necessarily relevant in this case, can I just put out there that not all cases of a 'naughty' child is down to poor parenting. Many children (and adults) have hidden disabilities that may manifest themselves in behaviour that others deem unacceptable. If BA or any lounge were to take action, such as asking people to leave, then this may mean they contravene disability laws. I am not saying that parents shouldn't try to manage their child's behaviour but it isn't always as easy as some would think especially when there are hidden disabilities to contend with.