babies in first
 

One of the real pleasures of being up front is peace and quiet. For the first time (ever/a LONG time) there was a crying baby behind me in FC. I honestly don't remember this happening before, but it brought back bad memories of all coach Delta Express flights to Orlando! FA, may I have a refill...

Am I right that this is a (fortunately) rare occurrence?

yes, rare.

It is not as rare as most of us would like. There are numerous threads about children in first scattered around flyertalk.

I agree that parents have a right to sit in first class with their children. HOWEVER, I also have the right to a reasonably quiet and comfortable flight. Parents who know their child does not fly well/cries a lot/is a monster/cannot control them/etc. should not take them in first class, period. It is unfair to eveyone else in the cabin.

Saying the above, I have had some great flights with infants/children in first. I also love kids.



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As God as my witness, I will never fly coach again. <sorry Scarlet>
I am not real smart, but I can lift heavy things.

But coach is ok? I don't want to start another long discussion on this, but the problem with babies is that they are sometimes unpredictable and lack skills needed to communicate besides making (sometimes loud) noises.

One might even say that between "imposing" a crying baby on F v. Y pax, it would be better to do so to those in the F cabin. They already have better service, free drinks, and more leg room. The last thing the masses need is a crying baby.

If that noisy child is sitting up front on a paid ticket, they have more of a right to sit there than you on an elite comp. upgrade.

Duplicate posting.

[This message has been edited by Seiple (edited 06-18-2002).]

Duplicate posting.

Seiple,

Are you saying that the parent paid for an extra seat for the crying baby? Then yes you are correct. However, if mom or dad bought one seat and the crying baby is on their lap, I resepctfully disagree.

I have seen babies in First in car seats on several occasions. If a lap child, I still believe revenue passengers have more of a right to that seat than a comp. upgrade. Asking the airline to refuse to sell a F class ticket to somebody just because they have a lap child is unreasonable in my opinion. I highly doubt an airline will tell somebody willing to shell out that $1000 for a paid F ticket and beg them to please buy a coach ticket instead. There is always the option for those who don't want to sit near the lap child to move to coach if it means that much to you.

Nobody, including myself, enjoys sitting near a screaming baby. As another poster has said, the baby cannot help it much of the time. If the parent is making every effort to calm their child then I have no problems with that and can understand. If they are going to ignore bratty children then I have a problem with it but I can hardly argue that I have more of a right to sit up front when I paid for coach when a person with a baby or child paid for their seat.

Oh no, not this debate again. Do a search in MilesBuzz and the MilesBuzz archives and you will see every conceivable opinion on the topic.

3 words: Noise Cancelling Headphones!

Ahh technology!

You are paying for transportation - not a baby-free flight. You can't ask for something you have no right to in the first place. Considerate parents and passengers try to do their best to accomodate each other and make a flight enjoyable for everyone. Would you epect Donald Trump or Elizabeth Hurley to sit in coach when they travel with their newborns?

Amen to that!

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Amen, again! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

If you really feel that you have the right to sit in peace in FC and also to deny that same right to parents with kids, THEN:

You should fly private charter jet OR
Buy all the seats in FC

I have a small child and find it easier to sit in FC with him instead of coach. Just wait till you have kids, and you'll see what I mean. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif