I tend to disagree. I think every situation is different. Safety if that is really an issue, you shouldn't get in a car with a child, as that is heaps more dangerous than flying with a lap child. Anyway there was always empty seats on our flights, and the baby was much happier therefore pleasent to others in Mommy's lap rather than her own seat.

Applaud encouraging kids to be seated in their own seat in a safety restraint.

But note it won't do a lot to help the scream factor.

On a recent transcon had an infant in a car seat with a lie flat business first seat of her own, 2 parents, and a nanny -- all taking up a row of first class -- and she still threw loud fits throughout the flight.

Though let's just say the parents were...well not the most engaged.

Personally I think all kids and parents should be confined to the back of the plane. As long as they stay confined in a cluster back there I don't care how they are sitting/running around.

While other have resolved the full fare misunderstanding. I think its only fair to point out: CO's policy is in line with most major carriers.

Thats what the nanny is for

I'm rather surprised that the OP has not responded to this thread since his original post, even to acknowledge the responses! Not very community-minded!

Maybe the OP has a job??? Not everyone lives on FT 24/7.

Indeed...it hasn't even been 24 hours yet.

Like others, I always purchased a seat for my daughter even when she was an infant. I didn't have the concern of anyone else on the plane in mind...I didn't want a child on my lap for 6 hours, even if that child was my own.

And I would also agree that an infant could qualify as "disabled." Can the infant get up and walk to the exit? No. Can a wheelchair-bound individual? No. Only difference is that the infant is easier to carry.

Indeed, back just now from my pretty demanding job in a GMT+ timezone. Thanks for the cover, COSPILOT.

And thanks for the clarifications & reassurance, everyone else. My concern was that CO was charging infants a much higher rate for intl flights than domestic. Glad it's only a 10% surcharge, for now.

I'm not seasoned enough flying with my own children to comment on best practices. I travel 90% alone and can empathize with parents/other annoyed passengers, but it's actually the kids who have the worst time. My personal experience and own hypothesis has been that the circumstances of flying, time change, cabin pressure, constriction, etc distress infants and young kids far more than adults. Don't know if there is science out there to back this up. Perhaps others know more.

Our philosophy is to leave baby home as often as possible, but occasional visits to relatives must be paid!

Agreed. I would support mandatory full Y fares for every person on booking (no upgrades permitted) and complete ban from F for infants. it's not their fault, but it is my problem.

No. The nanny and the infant should be riding in steerage.

If you are going to ban kids make sure you band the annoying adults, and the stinky people, and those funny looking people, and let's add old people to that too.

Btw if you have a lap child in business BF or first you do pay more for the ticket. Fyi my kids did great in business, no more noise than the other passengers. So it really depends on the kids.

I really depends on the parents as well.

Quite agree, all on the kids and parents. Last week on CO4, parents in front of our row, BF, had one seat for their 3 and 6 yr olds. They were fun to talk to before the flight and no problem during. They both slept most of the flight on the single flatbed and I can say I never noticed them.