What, did your hearing go out? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif



------------------
"Sire, it is not a revolt. It is a Revolution!"

They made me check my political correctness at the gate.....

Do I care if i offend ........ NO. If at the age of 30+ you need to prove to the world that you and your partner still make love take a photo of you riding him/her and show it in the most intrusive way you can to people you dont know. it will have the same effect but you can get on with enjoying the finer things in life you can no longer afford cos of the brat.

have fun in all you do and say

Jon

Spiff, no, I've just become more patient, understanding and aware again of the beauty of children.

We don't have any children just yet (hopefully in the near future), but when we do and we have to fly somewhere it will most likely be in FC. I wish it were always quiet too, but that's life. You can't expect someone to fly coach because they have an infant. Even though it's rare that I fly coach anymore, I still feel that people in economy have just as much right to peace as anyone else on the plane.

If you want to control the entire flight - but your own **** jet!



------------------
Ken in Sacramento

So many comments, it just seemed like I should say something too.

I believe that it would be best if Adults did not bring infants into the first class cabin. When traveling with infants (0-12 years old in some cases) they should choose to fly coach. I do not think this should be a law or a rule, just common courtesy.

Why coach? Just like eating at McDonalds, I expect not to have a "leisure/quiet/pleasant" trip in coach but do in First. When I eat at a top end restaurant, I too think Adults should not bring infants...that is why there is Denny's, McDonalds, etc.

First class is special. It is for major business travelers. It is for those who can easily afford the huge expense. BUT must importantly it is for those special occasions where you "shoot your wad" to make everything as perfect as you can for you Honeymoon, Anniversary or ... Same with a first class eatery.

No, no laws or rules, just common sense and courtesy.

As for drunks, etc. They obviously have no common sense or courtesy.

I always fly in first class and so does my 10 month old has been on 16 flights already. He has his own seat and I pay for it(cheap seats upgraded or first class awards when going overseas). I have never had a problem with him "acting up". He is very pleasant and smiles at everyone who passes by. I do feel sorry for others in first who are near a crying baby but if the parents get him/her a ticket too bad they have just as much right as anyone to be there. It is no worse than being by someone who didn't shower or snores very loud.

[This message has been edited by rachel (edited 01-19-2001).]

jongar:

Yeah and just think, if your parents had taken your advice, we all have been deprived of that insightful suggestion! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

1. it's a bummer when kids act up whether in F or in Y. Flying ain't McDonalds.

2. nevertheless, parents should do what they can to avoid flying if possible with small children, and if they have to fly, to keep the kids entertained.

3. life includes kids. It might be better for others if babies, etc. would just disappear but of course that is impossible. We just have to live with it, it is an imperfect world where kids will fight, babies scream, etc., even in F.

4. I hate it also when kids act up and their parents don't do anything about it.

5. I've had delightful experiences with kids in F and in Envoy Class once on US, no problems whatsoever.

6. I've had my own small kids on airplanes and they were a handful although we did our very best.

So I guess I think the rule of courtesy, civility etc. should apply in F and kids are part of the world so they are occasionally to be found in F and that is fine with me!!

I was intrigued to see the heat and emotion that this topic caused. IN the magazine Business Traveller this became as choleric a topic as smoking.

For my part, I detest badly behaved anybody, rather than whether they are infants, juniors, seniors, or adults who never quite mastered puberty. As far as I am concerned Small babies cry probably to unblock their ears. They can be so hard to console. I do feel so sorry for their parents that I just could not bring myself to complain to them or anyone else. I have my share of ill-behaved children, and they have been outnumbered 5 to 6 by the well behaved. From what I see in the USA few people seem to pay the full F fare anyway. If the youngsters have had an F fare paid they are entitled to ride in that seat. I'd rather some small child anyday to some of the so-called adults that I encounter. No child has ever thrown tantrums like some of the adults who are denied an upgrade.

I was interested to read about the parents who upgraded and left the children in Coach. I think that the passengers in that event had every right to complain. Upgraded meant that you had a confirmed seat in Economy. Why did you not stay with your children? Isn't that what a family trip is all about? I know that this string occurred recently, and most people said as I recall that they would refuse anything that separated the family. Don't children have a right to be with their parents? I do not mean to offend, but to me it seems bizzare.

Indeed. Make mine scotch.

And silly me thought that this thread was dead http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ...

I don't really want to add too much to the flames BUT my very recent research has revealed that QF and BA have settled ALL financial compenastion claims on international flights to and from the Southern hemisphere that have arisen from noisy infants in 1st. After all if there is a bed in 1st then you are entitled to sleep... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif Sweet dreams!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PAUL PALMER:
I was interested to read about the parents who upgraded and left the children in Coach. I think that the passengers in that event had every right to complain. Why did you not stay with your children? Isn't that what a family trip is all about?

Paul, I have boys ages 13 & 16. I have NO qualms about them in Coach and my husband and me in First. Why would I want to spend the miles to upgrade them? They are comfortable in Coach, we parents are not on a long haul flight. This means I can do more with miles and take them to see more of the world and that is my main reason. Who has quality time with their family on a long flight anyway? We have plenty of togetherness when we arrive.

Incidentally, my boys know not to come to First cabin. We check on them ocassionally and receive nothing but compliments on their manners from passengers and crew. It works for us and does not disturb anyone. Of course it's different if you have little children (we never separated til the last couple of years).

I just called BA to reserve seats in F for an award ticket (YVR-LHR-BKK-SYD and back). All the seat assignments are either 2A (5) and 2K (1). Asked if 1A of 1K was reserved for elite members. Was told by the agent (a Quebecois?) that they were reserved for babies. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

Spider, et al:

Besides, please note that the population density is much higher in coach.

Paradocs (sorry didn't see the pun until actually tyoing this). Sorry, I quite agree with you. My remarks were addressed to those who during the string admited that their small children had to be consoled with an ice cream sundae. 13 and 16 is no longer considered to be a child by the airlines or anyone else, and is not quite that which I had in mind. I doubt (and I hope that this sounds jokey and not sarcastic as it is not meant that way) that either have sat on your lap and needed to be fed a sundae! I suspec that you have taken flack in the past. None was intended. What I saw were 5 or 6 year olds on an LAX-HNL. They came looking for their Mum and Dad quite understandably.

Best Wishes

Paul