Since this is a general travel issue, and not specific to US, we'll move it over to the TravelBuzz forum where it will benefit (hopefully) from broader exposure and discussion.

-AZ
A US Airways Forum Moderator

Not even close.

Malaysia merely opted not to fit bassinets to the FC cabin on one of their plane types. You can still take lap infants I believe, and children age 2-102 in their own seat.

+1 ^

Couldn't have said it better, except maybe to start with "........and....?"

I don't give a rat's posterior where anybody sits on the plane, regardless of age. It's all about behavior; well behaved children and adults are equally welcome to sit next to me, regardless of which cabin I might occupy. Badly behaved children and adults are most UNwelcome to sit anywhere near me.

Bad behavior comes in four main flavors for both children and adults, including:

* Noisy
* Smelly
* Physically Intrusive
* Health and/or Safety Risk

Whether a particular behavior fits one of these flavors is a matter of opinion, and the opinions can be pretty polarized (witness the ongoing, never-ending argument over reclining seats).

But generally:

* If you make noise that can be heard from more than 2 rows away, I consider you noisy.

* If you can be smelled from more than 1 seat away, I consider you smelly (I have a lower tolerance for some types of smellies, as I have rather severe allergies and get shooting pains in my head from almost all perfumes and colognes in the world).

* If you or any of your belongings intrude over or under the armrest or seatback into my seat, or if you continuously impact my seat (or me) such that the impact is translated to my body, or if you impact my belongings in the overhead or under the seat in front of me, I consider you physically intrusive.

* If you bring contagious disease aboard, I consider you a health risk. And if you become intoxicated or otherwise impaired, or attempt to lift a bag that is too heavy for you above my head, or engage in other behavior which might tend to put other people at risk of physical injury or damage to their belongings, I consider you to be a safety risk.

Those are just the basics, of course; everyone evaluates the behavior of others in their own fashion.

I have 2 kids under the age of 4 and they have pretty much traveled exclusively in FC thanks to upgrades (or miles used). And no they are not well-behaved (usually) because kids that aged are rarely well-behaved and there isn't always a lot the parents can even do about it (except try). If US Air had any problem with this they'd ban children from FC, since they haven't your complaint is with them, not the parents. It's one thing if an 8 year old kid is misbehaved but a 2 year old is a 2 year old and sometimes there is nothing you can do.

I couldn't disagree with you more. I raised two kids (now teens) who were typically well behaved, especially in public. And my kids are far from unusual. I've met many young children who are smart enough to understand what behavior is expected and act accordingly. There may be the occasional bad moment, but if, as you say, the children are "rarely well-behaved" then it definitely IS the parents' fault. (assuming, of course, that the child doesn't have a disability which causes what might be seen as poor behavior)

As their parent, it's your responsibility to do what you can to prevent your children from annoying others with their bad behavior - especially when those people have no way to escape when your little darlings are less than darling.

But there's a huge gray area within that. I've been on an IAD-MCO flight where my kids asked a loud question about something (baggage buggies maybe) and the guy across the aisle shot me a dirty look. No bouncing in the seats, no crawling in the aisles, but some people apparently have a higher standard than that.

What is your point? Is this some financial injustice moan?

I wouldn't call speaking a little louder than normal "bad behavior" if (as I'm sure you did) you asked your kids to lower their volume a little and they complied. I've been seated near adults who find it necessary to conduct their conversation at (what sounds to me like) shouting volume.

I remember getting dirty looks from a couple as I walked into a restaurant holding a sleeping baby (who stayed asleep the whole time). I think some people just wish the whole world was their private child-free zone.

^^

I sat across the aisle last weekend from two kids in F whose dad was in front of me. They behaved beautifully. And they were extremely polite. It was great to see. Much better than the adult nose picker I sat beside on an earlier flight.

I would have said something directly to kids.. to ensure they know what they are saying is inappropriate..

~18 hours of flying (one way transpac) for my two elementary age kids next week in F/J.. and I (nor will they) feel sorry for the OP doing the walk of shame back to Y

but regarding the stuff below

first I don't mind sitting next to a child in Y; you know 99.95 % of the time, shoulder room will not be an issue, they can squeeze out without me moving an inch from my aisle seat, and they don't get drunk

That is true. And those people are jerks.

Likewise, some parents think that the entire world is their child's personal playground. Those people are also jerks.

I prefer it when people on both sides of the equation have just a little bit of common sense.

Ok. Now this makes sense. First class on USAir is more like coach, so I understand why the children sat up front.