Gaza's crazy mileage run to AKL
Jul 10, 2005, 8:59 am
#76
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
Jul 10, 2005, 9:09 am
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Originally Posted by Gaza
Jul 11, 2005, 1:50 am
#78
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
Just arrived back in sunny and warm Poole. It makes a pleasant change from cold, wet New Zealand. 
The final leg of my journey from HKG-LHR was slightly spoiled by one of my pet peeves - children in Business Class.
On boarding the flight last night I as very surprised to find there were 5 children in three different groups on the upper deck. I thought BA always kept the upper deck a child free zone. My guess is they were aged between 3 and 7. Two were in 62A & 62B with mother next to me in 62J. There was a little girl aged around 5 or 6 behind me in 61K who behaved impecably and as did her slightly older brother.
There was some shouting and playing between the two in 62A&B before take-off but they quickly settled down and went to sleep. I was beginning to think the flight would pass of without too much disturbane.
After finishing dinner and watching a movie I decided to get some sleep. I struggled to get in to a deep sleep as I could not get comfortable. Having experienced the CX and QF beds I'm no longer certain that the horizontal BA bed is much of an advantage as I find it way too narrow at the shoulders to allow me to get comfortable. I think I prefer the much wider CX and QF seat as it increases the sleeping and sitting options.
I drifted in and out of sleep having being woken a few times but some quite strong turbulence. Despite having earplugs in I was aware of raised childrens voices. I was then aware of a lot of thumping and I woke up fully. I soon realised what it was. One of the kids in 62A or B was standing next to the mother jumping up and down! I was very pissed off and as I got up to to go to the loo I asked the mother to stop the child from jumping around as it was very disturbing and I wanted to get more sleep. We still had 3 hours to go before arrival and I was not prepared to accept that level of disruption. She said something to the little girl and I walked off.
I spoke to one of the crew and told her what had happened. She said that it was unacceptable if it contunued I should let her know. She also said they they were very surprised when they saw the children as the upper deck is normally a child free zone. She added that HKG was often guilty of this and that they had already decided to include it in their report.
For the next three hours the children in 62A & 62B continued to talk in raised voices, run around and play with each other. Other than say "Anna, Isobel, stop it!" the mother took little action to prevent the disturbance.
As we were approaching LHR the crew took their seats opposite me and began raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads at the children behaviour and the mothers limited actions in putting an end to it.
I accept that BA cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of children but why do they allow them on the upper deck? In the same way VS have a quiet zone why can't BA create the same on the upper deck and allow those of us that want to sleep on long overnight sectors the ability to do so.
The final leg of my journey from HKG-LHR was slightly spoiled by one of my pet peeves - children in Business Class.
On boarding the flight last night I as very surprised to find there were 5 children in three different groups on the upper deck. I thought BA always kept the upper deck a child free zone. My guess is they were aged between 3 and 7. Two were in 62A & 62B with mother next to me in 62J. There was a little girl aged around 5 or 6 behind me in 61K who behaved impecably and as did her slightly older brother.There was some shouting and playing between the two in 62A&B before take-off but they quickly settled down and went to sleep. I was beginning to think the flight would pass of without too much disturbane.
After finishing dinner and watching a movie I decided to get some sleep. I struggled to get in to a deep sleep as I could not get comfortable. Having experienced the CX and QF beds I'm no longer certain that the horizontal BA bed is much of an advantage as I find it way too narrow at the shoulders to allow me to get comfortable. I think I prefer the much wider CX and QF seat as it increases the sleeping and sitting options.
I drifted in and out of sleep having being woken a few times but some quite strong turbulence. Despite having earplugs in I was aware of raised childrens voices. I was then aware of a lot of thumping and I woke up fully. I soon realised what it was. One of the kids in 62A or B was standing next to the mother jumping up and down! I was very pissed off and as I got up to to go to the loo I asked the mother to stop the child from jumping around as it was very disturbing and I wanted to get more sleep. We still had 3 hours to go before arrival and I was not prepared to accept that level of disruption. She said something to the little girl and I walked off.
I spoke to one of the crew and told her what had happened. She said that it was unacceptable if it contunued I should let her know. She also said they they were very surprised when they saw the children as the upper deck is normally a child free zone. She added that HKG was often guilty of this and that they had already decided to include it in their report.
For the next three hours the children in 62A & 62B continued to talk in raised voices, run around and play with each other. Other than say "Anna, Isobel, stop it!" the mother took little action to prevent the disturbance.
As we were approaching LHR the crew took their seats opposite me and began raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads at the children behaviour and the mothers limited actions in putting an end to it.
I accept that BA cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of children but why do they allow them on the upper deck? In the same way VS have a quiet zone why can't BA create the same on the upper deck and allow those of us that want to sleep on long overnight sectors the ability to do so.
Jul 11, 2005, 2:21 am
#79
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cardiff, UK
Programs: BA GGL, Concorde Room card, KLM Silver, PC Platinum Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, UA Premier Silver
Posts: 5,278
Originally Posted by Gaza
I drifted in and out of sleep having being woken a few times but some quite strong turbulence. Despite having earplugs in I was aware of raised childrens voices. I was then aware of a lot of thumping and I woke up fully. I soon realised what it was. One of the kids in 62A or B was standing next to the mother jumping up and down! I was very pissed off and as I got up to to go to the loo I asked the mother to stop the child from jumping around as it was very disturbing and I wanted to get more sleep. We still had 3 hours to go before arrival and I was not prepared to accept that level of disruption.
) ?I would have thought the jumping up and down would have been a sign to move....
Jul 11, 2005, 3:03 am
#80
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Near an airport
Programs: FB, EB, Delta, AC, PC, HH.
Posts: 1,991
Originally Posted by flyclub
Were there any free seats you could have moved to grab some final hours sleep - maybe on the lower deck (heaven forbid... ) ?
I would have thought the jumping up and down would have been a sign to move....
) ?I would have thought the jumping up and down would have been a sign to move....
I'm kind of in the corner where I think kids shouldn't be in business class at all. If the parents have that much money, get a nanny and book them in to coach. Not even flight upgrades for kids should be allowed.
Better still, have kids free flights and have some where kids are allowed. Not all people in coach are tourists. Some are business people who try hard to get some sleep on long haul flights.
I'm talking about babies, todlers and those who are too young to understand the word "sit still and be quiet". I think that understanding comes at around the age of 12.
*ducking*
Jul 11, 2005, 3:14 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: somewhere north of London, UK
Programs: HH Gold, BA Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,245
Originally Posted by Emma65
I'm kind of in the corner where I think kids shouldn't be in business class at all. If the parents have that much money, get a nanny and book them in to coach. Not even flight upgrades for kids should be allowed.
Better still, have kids free flights and have some where kids are allowed. Not all people in coach are tourists. Some are business people who try hard to get some sleep on long haul flights.
I'm talking about babies, todlers and those who are too young to understand the word "sit still and be quiet". I think that understanding comes at around the age of 12.
*ducking*
Better still, have kids free flights and have some where kids are allowed. Not all people in coach are tourists. Some are business people who try hard to get some sleep on long haul flights.
I'm talking about babies, todlers and those who are too young to understand the word "sit still and be quiet". I think that understanding comes at around the age of 12.
*ducking*
I recall when BA started to ban smoking on flights, they phased it in, so where you had a double or triple daily flight, some were completely non-smoking and this was promoted in the timetable.
I think the child issue is especially important when BA is offering the sleeper service too...
A couple of years back I flew KLM from MIA to AMS in C. There were two cabins and all the families were together in one - coincidence or planned, i'm not sure, but it was eminently sensible....
Re kids on the upper deck - not sure how this can be policy when they have a bassinette position at row 64 - even if this is just for overflow, surely it would be better to have this on the rear bulkhead wall (at the side) on the main deck
Jul 11, 2005, 3:17 am
#82
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SW London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, IC Royal Ambassador, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, Tesco Blue
Posts: 307
Originally Posted by Gaza
My guess is they were aged between 3 and 7. Two were in 62A & 62B with mother next to me in 62J.
One other sthing struck me though. I was under the impression that 62A is classified as an exit seat. If so, then that particular child should definitely not have been sat there.
Jul 11, 2005, 3:20 am
#83
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
Originally Posted by ChickenOrBeef
One other sthing struck me though. I was under the impression that 62A is classified as an exit seat. If so, then that particular child should definitely not have been sat there.
Jul 11, 2005, 3:25 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA LTG + GGL, SPG LTP, HHonors Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador
Posts: 12,695
Originally Posted by Gaza
Two were in 62A & 62B with mother next to me in 62J
I'm staying off the kids topic though - I recall we had a huge thread on this after your return from BGI was ruined by some screaming brats too
However, for the future, can you please post up detailed travel plans so I can try and avoid your flights - you seem to be a 'bad luck kid charm', Gaza 
More seriously, it's a shame you had a bad flight back, but I hope it didn't ruin what otherwise sounds like an excellent trip and a great adventure ^
Phil
Jul 11, 2005, 3:30 am
#85
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
Originally Posted by GBOAC
I thought (from your earlier post) they managed to re-assign you to 64K at HKG? Did they move you again
Jul 11, 2005, 3:46 am
#86
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Near an airport
Programs: FB, EB, Delta, AC, PC, HH.
Posts: 1,991
Originally Posted by Gaza
It was an error in the original post. I had asked for 62 A or K , not 64. I normally try to avoid 64 due to the proximity to the loos.
Emma
Jul 13, 2005, 4:55 am
#87
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD, LHR, FCO
Programs: BA Gold, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,402
Originally Posted by Gaza
I spoke to one of the crew and told her what had happened. She said that it was unacceptable if it contunued I should let her know. She also said they they were very surprised when they saw the children as the upper deck is normally a child free zone. She added that HKG was often guilty of this and that they had already decided to include it in their report.
For the next three hours the children in 62A & 62B continued to talk in raised voices, run around and play with each other. Other than say "Anna, Isobel, stop it!" the mother took little action to prevent the disturbance.
As we were approaching LHR the crew took their seats opposite me and began raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads at the children behaviour and the mothers limited actions in putting an end to it.
I accept that BA cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of children but why do they allow them on the upper deck? In the same way VS have a quiet zone why can't BA create the same on the upper deck and allow those of us that want to sleep on long overnight sectors the ability to do so.
For the next three hours the children in 62A & 62B continued to talk in raised voices, run around and play with each other. Other than say "Anna, Isobel, stop it!" the mother took little action to prevent the disturbance.
As we were approaching LHR the crew took their seats opposite me and began raising their eyebrows and shaking their heads at the children behaviour and the mothers limited actions in putting an end to it.
I accept that BA cannot be held responsible for the behaviour of children but why do they allow them on the upper deck? In the same way VS have a quiet zone why can't BA create the same on the upper deck and allow those of us that want to sleep on long overnight sectors the ability to do so.
Jul 13, 2005, 11:23 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Gaza, welcome home! Sounds like you haven't had the best luck with little runts on your recent travels
Jul 25, 2005, 3:55 pm
#89
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,885
Originally Posted by Gaza
The final leg of my journey from HKG-LHR was slightly spoiled by one of my pet peeves - children in Business Class.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/op...rticle_popular
(Registration required)
Choicest quote, though:
Anybody who thinks it takes a village to raise a child has never sat near a crying baby in first class. In these circumstances, if it were up to the village, somebody would be stapling the brat's mouth shut and somebody else would be locking mom in the overhead storage compartment.