nallison

But where does it end? We are always being told flying is the safest thing you will ever do, if everyone should treat every moment on a plane as if there is an immediate threat that something terrible is about to happen, then how on earth would we do anything else in life that carries greater risk.

Or w​e should certainly stop all the flyertalkers gulping champagne pre and during flight as well, no? How will they assist themselves in an emergency? (Only said half in jest).

If the kids are well behaved sitting together, and the parents were close by, I don't see a problem. Maybe the kids prefer being together. I guess there is no rule about this because it's not considered a real risk to safety.

Would anyone ask questions if two kids were sat in a row on a train on their own with their parents across the aisle?

Waterhorse

We are constantly told that flying is a very safe form of transport - exactly because we do constantly ask this sort of question. It is important to stop those thoughtless, ignorant ( as in lacking knowledge not oafish) or plain stupid actions of people who will always find a more risky form of behaviour if said risk benefits them for a short while. I think we can all envisage the public wails of despair and anguish of the parents who use the cabin crew as baby sitters should, god forbid, a rapid decompression happen and their children suffer, while the kids are in economy and they are in club, unable to help their little darlings. You can also hear the rubbing of hands, in glee, of the ambulance chasing reptiles of the "legal profession" who will see an opportunity to make themselves some cash on the back of the misery of those parents. That is why it is important to keep asking this sort of question.

nallison

Yes, I was referring to a situation where the parents are close by, I have no time for parents who leave their kids alone while on a jolly in another cabin.

You have just made the argument for banning booze before or during flying though. Doubt that would go down well here! Anyone who has had a few is going to be a threat to themselves and others if anything happens. Probably far more so than a couple of kids, but no-one ever talks about that. (And I'm playing devils advocate here because as a nervous flyer I like a few drinks when flying).

moral_low_ground

OMG....lets tie the children to you when you cross the road lest they get run over (but the cord might strangle them....what to do???)

Why not be near the kids and let them have some independence and learn how to behave. Way more likely to have an incident outside a plane and you can't cater for every eventuality.

Better to have a life rather than spend it in fear for everything that might (but probably will never) happen

MrsW

The only time I sat in a different cabin to my kids was when work had booked me in economy to Milan. I decided to take my boys at the last minute. Cash rates were astronomical so I booked them a redemption. Only redemptions available were CE. They sat up front and I was behind the curtain. Luckily we all survived the flight and are here to tell the tale......

KARFA

Well that shouldn't have happened.

710 77345

The situation described by OP is one which BA are happy with - they can put parents in the row behind the kids, which I don't think is safe enough in a situation where oxygen is required in Club World.

LTN Phobia

I don't drink 48 hours before/during/48 after flights because I am vain and do not like my skin drying (alcohol exacerbates that problem for whatever reason). However, a small amount of drinking before/during/after flights to the extent of not exceeding the drink-driving limit shouldn't affect people's alertness to the extent of hindering evacuation.

In fact, if it did, then it brings up an entirely OT issue of bringing down the blood alcohol level limit for driving. But let's not go there or I may need to send the thread off to OMNI!

Besides that, I think it is sensible to keep the children within easy reach in case something happens. It doesn't even need to be a decompression. A simple turbulence would do as an example. If I had a child who tend to undo the seat-belt while the seat belt sign is on, I'd want to make sure that I am there to refasten it in case it hits a big bump and the child goes flying.

Now, a turbulence is a bit more common than a rapid decompression and it doesn't even take a big bump for the child to hurt him/herself if they start walking about during turbulence and it wobbles and falls over.

Personally, if I had a young child about whom I have the slightest doubt about staying put, I'd pay the extra to sit next to the child, and put the child in the window seat, I'd put myself next to him/her even if that is the dreaded middle (to make sure that the child can't escape from the seat easily) in Y or PE even though I'd hate that, because that is where it's easiest to keep my eye on the child and do whatever needs to be done for him/her. Not so easy to block him/her in any other seat/cabin.

KARFA

I understood it was three children sat together on one side. I am not sure how that is in line with "We will make sure each child under 12 years sits next to an adult from your booking..."?

710 77345

BA seating policy would be happy if adults were sat behind or in front of them.
This sort of distribution is most common in Club World, but is compliant with what BA commit to do free of charge.

KARFA

Is this noted somewhere? It wouldn't be my understanding of next to.

LTN Phobia

We don't even know if the seats they were sitting on were what BA allocated to them. For all we know, one of the parents may well have originally been allocated one of those seats but swapped themselves around as they wished.

KARFA

Indeed. I had thought that but hadn't made the point in a post. Also, as you say it isn't clear where the parent(s) were supposed to be sat or actually sat in relation to the children.

Calchas

You'd have to be pretty plastered to be unable to put an oxygen mask on. It's not exactly keyhole surgery.

Wozza2404

Clearly you've never been a plane with me and Jamier45