UKTraveller4Fun

How did parents manage to bring up children before Apple invented the iPad? There were plenty of Children travelling on flights before these things were invented and I cannot say I remember a huge number screaming!

While there is no golden rule if a 2 year old isn't allowed to get away with ipad with volume once in a public place then generally they won't want it in the future. I am sorry I do not subscribe to the you need an electronic device to be able to control your child and before the advent of these things children were uncontrollable monsters!

ermen

I think it is extremely inconsiderate for parents to use the external speakers of their mobile device for their kids. Same with adults doing the same on the train and other public transport.
Nobody wants to hear whatever cartoon / movie / game you are watching. I would never let me kids (4 yo and 1 yo) do that.

I have only asked the FA on flight (this was CX) to tell the offending parent off once (which to their credit, they did). I have also personally confronted a person who did that on a Singapore train.

I would hope though for airlines (and other public transport providers) to explicitly implement this policy - to not be able to use the external speakers of their mobile device in public.

And to parents who say there is no reasoning with a child who insists on using their mobile device with sound - I would say that is a cop out. And if your child can ONLY be comforted by watching some cartoon with full blown sound, wow, that is a serious issue.

If only more people adopted the Japanese concept of not causing annoyance to others, and respect even the quiet spaces on public transport.

I am actually thinking of downloading an app that plays say a screeching noise or high pitch alarm. if someone is being inconsiderate by using their external speaker, it would be a good idea to play that app in his direction, and see their reaction (after all if it is ok for them, it should be ok for me??)

ermen

I concur (it is also pretty bad in HKG)
Believe some people should not be allowed to own a smartphone.

FlyerTalker688786

This thread actually reminds me 2 weeks ago in Miami Airport premier lounge while I was waiting for BA208, there were one elderly couple (cir. 65-75) watching a Spanish speaking news channel on their phone. I was sitting the table next to them and I have to leave due to the extreme volume. The gentleman thoroughly enjoyed the news so does his wife. I moved to a table near the bar area and I can still hear the news of the day in Spanish. I learnt two things from this experience:
1, Rude and inconsiderate behaviour happen to all culture and all ages, while some knows better than others;
2, The sound quality (volume) on phone or tablet is extremely good and it can reach almost 30n feet (10 metres) in the enclosed space like the lounge and aircraft.

florens

I had that situation once in the row behind me. I found it very annoying. Listening to music or watching shows or a movie on loudspeaker in public should be banned.

MickV

onobond

(My bolding)

Good points , there.

Especially the bolded part reminds me of a return from NRT, where I visited the JL F Lounge, where loudspeakers or even mobile call use is prohibited, except for a designated area, away from where others eat/drink/relax/sleep/work. After a short stay in LAX, I found myself in GF T5, as I was meeting three friends, too many to guest to CCR. On the terrace was one family of 6, having a video conversation, and those sitting away from the phone screamed in the direction to be heard. In a corner was a girl of 4-5 years watching a cartoon , of course with loudspeakers at high volume. We went inside, only to be entertained by two DYKWIA guys gobbling on their smartphones on the topics of football and last week's one-nighters, respectively. But not holding the phone to the ear, loudspeaker on, phone in hand at waist and speaking with very loud voices. Although uninterested both in football and the nightlife of fellow passengers, I find the behaviour very disrespectful. The resemblance of behaviour needing to show you had a mobile, even after years of common use strikes me. LOOK HERE, I HAVE A SMARTPHONE WITH LOUDSPEAKER FUNCTION!
Perhaps not in touch with society in other ways either, as many pre-school kids now also have them.

LTN Phobia

Since BA do not call for boarding in their lounges to give us peace, I think they could do well to ban talking on mobile and noise on mobile devices.

I'd like to see the Elemis Spa and cabanas replaced by 'loud booths' (think telephone boxes) where they can use mobile phones, Facetime or whatever they wish with or without headphones/earphones to their heart's content. I think that would do more service to people than having facilities that are hard to book!

It gives them privacy, it gives others peace, and ban can be imposed in the lounge without inconveniencing anyone. Win-win, perhaps?

London_traveller

Hmm. I don't personally buy the idea that because we didn't have iPads as kids then they're not necessary to calm a child down. We all know how technology's transformed our lives and that's no different for young people.

That said, if the only way to calm your child down is to get them watching an iPad then I'd have thought that packing the kid's favourite headphones would be top priority - that you wouldn't entertain the thought of travelling with the iPad but not the headphones. Like travelling without a passport, or without their favourite teddy bear (or whatever).

tigertanaka

Recently a colleague of mine was talking about her upcoming holiday and how the iPad would be such a godsend as her daughter would be able to watch her favourite cartoons on the plane. She qualified this (in case we were to think she was a bad parent) by stating that her 2 year old would have to listen to it without earphones in case they would cause damage to her ears.

I pointed out that maybe the other passengers would not appreciate listening to Peppa Pig on loop throughout the flight and she was genuinely shocked at my response. Clearly being too wrapped up in plans for keeping her daughter occupied in the air, It clearly had not occurred to her about the potential impact on other passengers.

Forever in Seattle

It is actions of others, like these when travelling that drives me to drink.

dougzz

I don't what explains this, cultural, generation differences, who knows. This relates to a non travel thing, but is essentially the same behaviour. We have a canteen at work with a TV, the TV is permanently on, I always turn it off when no one is watching, but I guarantee it's turned back on by a new visitor within 2 minutes. On many occasion I go in there to find the same two people doing the same thing. TV on quite loud, person A is watching a soap opera (he's explained it to me) on his phone with sound, no more than 2 metres from the still on very loud TV, person B sits on the couch facing person A, on his mobile phone, maybe 1.5 metres from the first person and the TV. They are both happy and get on well, there's no tension, they are not winding each other up, it's just how it is for them. I can't hear any of it, maybe my age, maybe the language, the TV is English, the conversation and soap opera are both different foreign languages. I asked the phone soap opera guy about it once, and he looked up, and glanced at the TV, from his comment and expression he clearly was unaware it was on, just very focused on his phone.

stevie

Good pair of noise cancelling headphones are a must when using public transport, and I am not talking about the kid....

holloway1000

Is this not OK in WT+??

Swissroll

Unfortunately we are just catching up with other parts of the world where this is the norm. At least BA or any other airline can introduce a policy to stop it

Now dont get me going about parents who take their kids out to dinner and just let them watch films, play games on their tables, headphones on and zero social interaction for the entire meal (also known as seriously lazy parenting - tin hat on)