Adult only planes

A lot of the screaming children I feel is down to the selfish adults who take them abroad on holiday. They just must get their two weeks by the pool to drink the cheap alcohol. The older inconsiderate children are all down to self centred adults who as long as they are okay don't mind what their charges are up to. I gave up flying abroad years ago flying only within the UK. Another issue for flying to holiday places is the number of drunks allowed on board especially groups. That will be the next exclusion - tee totaler flights!

Merryweather it is amazing, though, that some parents seem unaware of the fact that feeding a baby, breast, bottle or even sucking a dummy will help alleviate ear problems.

I turned round on one flight to shake my head and say 'no' nicely to the child behind me who was kicking my seat. It turned out to be an adult male, bumping my seat with his foot non-stop.

I've flown with mine from 9 months old to primary school aged and never have they behaved like that.
It's the parents not the children.
If you take activities for them to do there's no reason for screaming for hours on end. I breastfed mine as babies on the way up and down to avoid popping ears and pain therefore avoiding crying.
It's not difficult. If you can't be bothered to parent your children effectively, don't have them!

I can cope with the yelling babies- a good pair of ear plugs works for me, but those children whose bad manners are endorsed by their parents ignoring them . . .
I spoke to one obnoxious child in Dutch telling it to sit down and stop trying to hit my head with its comic/ soft toy/ sweet bag.
The mother, having so far ignored the child’s behaviour was roused to remonstrate with me about ‘swearing’ at her child. Having gained her attention I asked if she would stop her child attacking me and pointed out that Dutch was not swearing! She then told the child to sit down so that ‘bloody woman’ would stop ‘bloody’ complaining! ?

Typo sorry - ‘of’ other passengers

It seems very strange to me that we are all on gransnet and therefore I assume most of us have children and great grandchildren, so why so much (almost vitriolic in some cases) anti children posts? I agree that screaming infants are upsetting for everyone , but please spare a thought for the distress and anxiety it causes parents who have no choice but have to travel with their young children , for whatever reason .The glares and muttering if other passengers make a stressful situation far worse . A kind word of understanding goes a long way !

Having experienced a drunken hen party group on a 7.30am flight to Malaga we were faced with a school party for the flight home. Those kids were so well behaved, I know who I preferred.

Simple really...... stop selling alcohol at airports ( that would cover drunken hen/stag parties as well)...... no kids under 3 years old to fly ( should be potty trained by then)....fat people over a certain weight pay excess baggage....sorted!

I don't mind screaming children. I'm just relieved that they aren't my problem.

God help us from screaming babies on planes. There ought to be a law against it. And no babies aren't charged the same as an adult on a plane and even if they were I can't imagine anyone wanting to sit next to that awful row for one hour let alone four. Call me selfish if you want but it seems to me if they know ther kids don't like flying why take them in the first place?

I would, but don't blame the kids sometimes is the parents who give in to easily and don't control the children. But I've also been on flights and is the adults causing problems.

Could we exclude the drunks as well?

Brilliant idea!! Going during term time does not help these days. At least child free sections on a plane might help.

I do understand but I think young children and babies may scream or make a high pitched whining noise on flights because their ears are hurting, poor things.

They can't equalise to relieve the pressure like adults and need a bottle, a breast feed or something to suck to help them. Cabin crew should know this and should help.

It's the parents who annoy me when they ignore their children, laugh at their bad behaviour or don't bother to try to stop them crying.

Yup. Child free zone for me too.
Flying is scary enough without having the nightmare you endured, to deal with.

gilly1952, completely agree with you! I flew back from Vancouver once having been seated next to a hugely fat young woman. I think I should have only paid for 75% of my ticket and she should have paid the rest, as her blubber spilled into 25% of my seat. I think it’s a great idea to weigh passengers and luggage together.... as for kids, no problem. I actually was moved on a flight once because the man sitting next to me stank so badly of b.o. I was almost choking. The cabin crew absolutely agreed with me and had no problem finding me a different seat.

Sorry Chardy , I see you’ve mentioned this already !

There are some excellent earplugs and noise cancelling headphones available......

This thread has reminded me of, and reinforced, my decision not to fly again! I don't like rowdy or disruptive passengers, no matter what their age is.

I also don't go to the cinema anymore, due to mobile phone use and the incessant slurping and chomping throughout the film

I think I have achieved true "grumpy old woman" status . Or maybe I just don't like other people

Yes please, I would pay that bit extra too! Ferries are ok I guess; it is possible to move away from unruly passengers if you're not related to them! Last year I had to endure a seven hour ferry crossing with extended family members including a very stroppy 11 year old. She was a bloody nightmare, it got so bad I pretended to feel seasick so I could escape the embarrassment!

I dont blame the children but the parents who believe that children today should be allowed to do what they want and when they want as long as they leave mummy and daddy to stick face in their phones.

Cossybabe I quite agree with you. There is not a lot you can do with a crying baby and in that respect I feel for the adult. But children kicking seats etc etc - no way, the adult can see what they are doing so a simple do not do that again or an apology would go a long way to diffusing the situation

I can't imagine travelling without headphones. (Actually it's noisy, squealing teenagers I can do without on public transport.)

I don't know how common the problem is, when I have flown there has perhaps been one infant in arms crying.

Children kicking the back of seats stop when I ask them to. Yes, their parents get huffy, but it is my rear end that is being hurt.

Perhaps airlines could train their stewardesses to take charge if children are making pests of themselves? They are after all capable of dealing with difficult adults.

If we get child-free planes, can we please have drunks- free planes, as well.? Give me difficult child any day, rather than a drunk.

Does nobody ever just put up with stuff they don’t like for a short while? I’ve seen threads where people have tolerated abuse from spouses or unkindness from children for years. How come we can’t all put up with a howling baby, or a loutish child, or a noisy drunk for a few hours?

Fascinating, isn’t it?

Especially as this is the generation known for calling younger ones “snowflakes” for not just getting on with things the way they did.

My worst flight experiences have all been at the hands of men who think they own all the space.