A recent on line chat had a curmudgeonly majority of flyers saying kids don't belong in first class.And the response:
Of course in my family it was never an issue, but we were a bit taken aback at the grumpiness of the "no kids allowed" crowd. What's bugging them?
. . .
Some flyers went to far as to suggest the airlines charge an additional 10% to guarantee a "kid free zone."
Others insisted kids and their parents should fly in the back of the plane in designated "family sections," turning the rear of the plane into an airborne playpen. Farfetched?
It's not curmudgeonly, it's expecting decent civilized behavior in public
Grumpy, sure, who wouldn't be after eight sleepless hours with unattended brats running up and down the aisles while inconsolable babies cry from every corner? But curmudgeonly, no. A quick poll of my coworkers, who range in age from 26 to 58, many with children of their own, showed 100% would pay a surcharge to fly in a kid-free coach cabin.
The problem isn't the rational adult frequent fliers who complain about the children running amok on planes, the problem is the children. Or rather, their parents. The children on planes issue isn't unique, it's a symptom of the wider problem plaguing boomer-aged and younger parents. They believe they are entitled to continue their childfree lifestyle, just with kids in tow and they are loathe to discipline their children (or better yet, teach them to behave properly before leaving the house so no discipline is required). And bringing babies on a plane is just cruel.
Technorati Tag: childfree
2 comments:
I was on a plane one time, seated in the first row of coach, just behind the first class section and witnessed the following event firsthand: A five year old in the first-class section had been playing with a pepper shaker (honestly - who gives a child PEPPER to play with?) and, predictably, got some in her eye. Hysteria ensued, compounded by the child's even younger sibling who, although pepper-free, nonetheless felt the need to join in the cacaphony. The screaming went on for hours. My first thought - after offering up a silent prayer of thanks that I had not squandered one of my precious upgrades for a first class seat - was how ticked off the other (PAYING) first class occupants must have been. It was a truly horrible flight.
Unattended kid should be destroyed like unattended luggage.
Post a Comment