Please no baby on board?

What do you think about banning children and baby on board flights?

A story about a smelly passenger kicked out of a flight was recently featured in CNN. The story’s comment section has eventually diverted to the discussion of children and babies on flights.

The issue of ill-behaved children and crying infants is a favourite among airline passengers. Some readers who were downright harsh said that kids and babies shouldn’t be allowed in airplanes, cinemas, restaurants and other public places, while those who were sympathetic said that other passengers should just drown out the noise caused by children and babies with in-flight entertainment. Other readers suggested that airlines should sit all families with kids and babies together in one section.

While some people would love to ban kids and baby on board flights, we all have to face the fact that everyone, even these little ones, have the right to fly. As annoying as some passengers find crying babies, they just have to deal with it! Some experts urge airline passengers to try to understand that crying is the only way that babies communicate with adults. If they’re hungry, hurt or sleepy, they will cry. So headphones or earplugs will definitely be useful. On the other hand, parents should keep all tools and paraphernalia that will make their babies stop crying handy. For those with older kids, bringing along some books, toys or video games will definitely be helpful. Walking the kids around the plane once in a while would also be a good idea, especially for long flights.

If you’re the object of some chair-kicking stunt or if you are sitting right next to a whining kid, reacting hostilely will not really help. First, try to check if the parents are doing anything to stop the ill-behaviour. If the mother or father is trying to do something, then just let them do their job. If it seems like they’re not making any effort at all, it’s best that you ask a flight attendant to talk to them about their child’s behavior. Parents are most likely to listen to airline employees than fellow passengers.

How do you usually deal with crying baby on board your flights? How do you keep your kids from creating a ruckus so they don’t disturb other passengers? This one mum resorted to cough syrup…

Hope you enjoyed this discussion about baby on board flights.

Venture onto other related articles on travelling:

Happy flying with your toddler

Tips for traveling when you are pregnant

Baby drugged with cough syrup on flight!