Should airplanes have child-free zones?

Traveling with a baby or small children it can be a daunting experience for parents and often leads to elevated stress levels for parents and fellow travelers. The thought of having to share a plane with a baby who can’t calm down or a toddler who isn’t sure how to use their words just isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s best to create a kid-free zone. move?

news week recently released the results of an exclusive survey conducted by Redfield and Wilton Strategies on its behalf, which asked 1,500 American adults whether there should be child-free areas on public transportation, specifically on planes and trains. The poll found that most people were in favor of the idea.

“Fifty-nine percent of respondents agreed that a child-free zone on planes and trains would be a positive,” the publication reports, “while 27 percent disagreed and 14 percent did not. I was sure.” According to the data, younger people were more likely to say they would like a child-free zone than older age groups, with 69 percent of those aged 25-34 and 49 percent of those aged 25-34. 45 to 34 years. 54 years.

Over the years, several videos have gone viral on social media of people complaining about sharing a plane with a less than happy child. One video racked up 1.2 million views and had nearly 30,000 comments on TikTok debating the idea. published by mooorganic, the nine-second clip of a screaming child in the background asked, “Why aren’t there adults-only flights? I’d pay that much money.” And recently, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass tweeted about a United flight attendant who allegedly forced his pregnant wife to clean up after their young sonsparking more debate about having children on planes and who is responsible for cleanup.

While it can be unpleasant to sit next to a screaming baby or watch a child make a mess during a tantrum, does someone’s desire for a clean and quiet flight trump the freedom of parents and children to travel? We asked some people where they landed in child-free zones on planes: Here’s what they said.

“Airlines could turn this into a kid- and parent-friendly service.”

kimberly king, a parenting expert, trainer and best-selling author, tells POPSUGAR that she’s open to the idea of ​​child-free areas on planes. “As a mother of three young children, years ago, I would have loved a ‘family-only’ or ‘kids-only’ area to sit,” says King. “To protect me from mean, grumpy, rude travelers with no patience or perspective.”

However, she feels that framing tickets as “family-friendly” or “kid-friendly” may be a better measure than labeling them “kid-free zones,” and airlines could go the extra mile for parents traveling with children in tow .

“Airlines could turn this into a kid- and parent-friendly service. Early boarding, help with car seats, loaner iPads with games, free headphones, extra Goldfish, and secret reservations for chocolate milk,” he shares. “If airlines had kid-friendly areas, these tickets would appeal to families. And people who want to sit away from the possibility of a crying or moving tray table can sit a few rows up or back.”

travel blogger Roisin Miller he also likes the idea. “I don’t have children,” she says. But she would “definitely pay to be in a kid-free area,” she tells POPSUGAR. “Yes, it’s lovely when families are together, and oddly enough, I care less about the kids when I’m on vacation,” adds Miller, “but when I’m traveling on business and need to focus, the separate space is appreciated.”

“Babies cry. That’s what they do.”

Others believe that child-free zones are simply not practical. “The challenge of children on flights is as controversial as tilting the seat back or pressing the flight attendant call button,” trend expert and keynote speaker. daniel levine he tells POPSUGAR.

Levine says that “no one likes to sit next to crying babies,” but acknowledges the fact that “babies cry. That’s what they do.”

He suggests planning ahead and anticipating the potential for a crying baby rather than imposing restrictions like kid-free zones. “I think the best thing you can do is take matters into your own hands and follow a few tips and techniques to minimize the chance of screaming in your ear,” she suggests.

This includes choosing your seat wisely. “At the front of the plane, babies in bassinets are often seated in the bulkhead rows. In economy class, families often sit in the back,” she says. “And in all classes, seasoned travelers like me cover their ears or ride with a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones.”

“It’s almost impossible to achieve 100 percent satisfaction for both parties.”

“We all know that children on airplanes may not be ideal seat mates for some of the passengers around them. As a parent, I totally understand that.” justin albertynas, CEO of hotel and travel comparison site RatePunk, tells POPSUGAR. “When a child cries or has a tantrum on a flight, he can really bring everyone down. Especially us parents.”

But Albertynas cautions that child-free zones won’t solve the problem. “If a child is crying, screaming or whimpering, sitting a few rows away from the child won’t help, as there are no soundproof partitions within the one-aisle booth,” she notes. “Also, if a child is active, he may want to walk or, worst case scenario, he may want to run. Then it won’t work.” He acknowledges that larger planes might offer “special seats within a specific cabin,” but that will also add a lot of complications.

“What if a passenger wants a specific seat but the ones available are only in the family section with children, or all the seats are sold out and only the seat next to the children’s section is free?” he asks. “It’s almost impossible to achieve 100 percent satisfaction for both parties.”

Albertynas suggests being practical in how you reserve your seats if you want to avoid the possibility of being around crying babies or children. “If you don’t want to be sitting near children, secure an exit row seat and avoid reserving bulkhead seats, as they are often reserved by families with children,” she notes.

Ultimately, Albertynas believes we should “do everything we can to be patient, kind and understanding with our fellow travelers” and pack their noise-canceling headphones.

The bottom line?

Ultimately, only time will tell if planes actually adopt child-free zones. Until then, it’s important to keep the tips above in mind and know that many caregivers are doing their part to limit the extra noise their children make during a flight. Plus, traveling with kids is challenging enough without the weight of other people’s problems on your shoulders, he says. alli cavasino, Co-Founder and CEO of JoyLet. “Children are still developing and learning to navigate the world around them.” And at young ages, air travel can be overwhelming at times. “This requires empathy and compassion from the adults around them,” says Cavasino.