Massive Lobby for Child-Free Flying
I work with my children on their public and private behavior all the time. And I prefer other parents do the same with their children. One of my worst flying experiences was next to an out-of-control, screaming 6-year-old from Miami to JFK.
So this New York Times trend piece spoke to me. Apparently there is a widespread clamoring for flights restricted to adults. How widespread? Well it must be pretty big to warrant a New York Times story, right?
“I would gladly pay extra for a child-free flight,” said Ian Burford, a frequent flier from Boston who recently started a Facebook group called Airlines Should Have Kid-Free Flights. “Or at least if they made it easier when booking a flight to say ‘I don’t want to be seated next to a 1-year-old.’ That would be helpful.”
Mr. Burford said he started his group (two members and counting) after suffering through a flight from Los Angeles to England seated behind a screaming child.
Two members and counting? Now, there are other data points, such as an online survey showing -- shocker -- that people don't relish flying next to children. But if you start a Facebook group that nobody joins, should the headline read "Passengers Push for Child-Free Flights"? Or the opposite?
- Comment (4)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Massive Lobby for Child-Free Flying
I think the health of a society is often reflected by its attitude toward children and families. Can kids bug you? Sure. But those anti-child activists had better thank those of us who have kids. Without them, no old-age entitlements.
And I'd rather sit next to a child than be stuck between two jumbo-size adults.
Jul '10
Re: Massive Lobby for Child-Free Flying
tabula rasa:
And I'd rather sit next to a child than be stuck between two jumbo-size adults. · Nov 14 at 4:18pm
Or a patchouli oil soaked hippie who wants to regale me with his stories of his backpacking trip to India.
I will note in passing it would be great if children were actually disciplined rather than brought up by liberal patchouli oil soaked day care givers instead of you know, their parents.
Edited on Nov 14, 2010 at 5:01pmOct '10
Re: Massive Lobby for Child-Free Flying
You're almost guaranteed to go child free if you catch those 5:30 AM flights when the airlines are repositioning their planes for the day. And to ice that cake, it's usually cheaper too! Somehow, I suspect the adults-only crusaders don't exactly have inconveniencing themselves that way in mind.
Jul '10
Re: Massive Lobby for Child-Free Flying
Well my wife and I have deceided that we, and our children, should be able to fly wherever we want, whenever we want, for free. Why? Because.
I presume that NYT trendsters will oblige us by headlining a piece:
Passengers Push for Free Flights for MI Family