A new survey by TripAdvisor, the consumer-generated travel guide website, has found that 79 percent of people in the U.K. think there should be a section on planes that is designated off-limits to children.
An even more startling stat: A whopping 71 percent of flyers longing for a separate kid-free space were parents.
While I find the idea of being cordoned off with my child from the rest of the passengers a tad disconcerting, I’ll be the first to admit I’ve certainly winced when I’ve had to endure the wails of a kid in full tantrum mode at, say, the checkout line at the supermarket. Being trapped in a confined space for hours with a screaming child is the stuff of nightmares. But just how far do we carry this segregation? Should we establish no-kid zones on trains, buses and subways, too? How about restaurants? Or maybe we should remember that it takes a village, and just suck it up.
What do you think, America? Do you agree with our British brethren and long for no-child fly zones? Comment here and share your thoughts!
Related Article: Flying with Kids
There is times I want a no kid zone in my house
However I would like to give a piece of advice to those who long for the kid free zone in airplanes. Exit Row and generally first class (although I have flown first class with my tot) Oh and when your at a layover spend it at the bar even if your not drinking. That way you can recharge before being faced with the kids. And one last thing from a frequent flier single mom. Do yourself a favor and don’t sigh and roll your eyes when you see you are going to be seated next to me and my wonderful little girl. Makes me want to feed my kid sugar and tell her it is okay to sing the never ending song at the top of her lungs 
and to feel free to stick those stickers all over the nice man next to us. 
Just kidding.
Worst. flight. ever…
Going to SC (less than 90 minutes in the air) in the early a.m. There were lots of kids including my 1 year old. We spent close to 2 hours on the tarmac. Kids had blown through the snacks and activities parents had kept on hand for the “short” flight and where antsy. But I PROMISE YOU — NO TANTRUMS, JUST KIDS.
About 15 minutes before touch down a woman stood up and yelled; Parents control your children, you’re disturbing the rest of the plane. (Mind you this was 10 a.m. — not an overnight flight.)
I cried. The woman behind me told her kids to start singing that never ending song. The business man next to meet ripped into the woman, the poor stewardess was just apologizing to everyone.
How about a special section of the plane for the rude and unwanted?!
I would love a section on the plane for just kids would make life so much better especially on longhaul flights!!
I have the worst luck when it comes to flying with kids. Children making noise rarely bothers me. I can actually sleep right through it. That skill comes from years of helping an aunt who owns a daycare. It takes a lot of patience.
However, recently my wife and I have been stuck on international flights (8-12 hours long) with not only screaming children, but children who enjoy KICKING OUR SEAT. Look, like I said, I don’t mind a crying baby. But when it comes to kicking my seat repeatedly for 8 hours that’s when I draw the line. And on all three flights this happened the parents just ignored the situation, which ticked me off even more. If you can’t control your brat, LEAVE THEM AT HOME.
Do you think it’s fair for my wife and I to pay $3000 for airfare only to have your brat high kick our seats, preventing SLEEP, or even watching the movie, for hours on end? Talk about a lovely sense of ENTITLEMENT.
So with that said, if the kid is a brat – strap them to the wing of the plane. But if the kid can actually control themselves….no worries.
I don’t have a problem with occasional crying… once the parents get to the root of the problem, that usually stops quickly enough. But I am with the previous poster – the seat-kicking thing is UNBEARABLE.
I find the answer to kids is noise cancelling headphones. I would never fly without them again. They might not reduce the noise for others but they are great for me. Get some and I am sure you will enjoy a different world of flying comfort!
Not to sure about the airplane situation, but I do find that people who dine out occasionally prefer to be in sections away from families. I think its in fear that the children will start running and screaming all over, running their meal and conversations. All in all maybe a section without children wouldn’t be so bad, however maybe people who sit in those sections can do without all their beeping gadgets and other annoying devices. Now they came up with ways you can use your cell phone on a plane..people will be driving others nuts with that in no time..kids or not
I agree with Molly … we need a section for the rude and intolerant. I just returned from a flight from D.C., where there was a little 10 month old girl seated across the aisle from me. Sweet little kid, cheerful and curious. When the plane took off, she really only whimpered for a second — but omg, the looks that the family got from the guy sitting in front of me. It was like he couldn’t stand even the barest SOUND of a baby on “his” flight. I think if people are so intolerant, they should drive. This world doesn’t just exist for them and their comfort!
The children are not the problem. All people should be expected to be polite and courteous, child or adult. If you go know that the world is not going to bend to your view all the time. You will be much more forgiving. Children are the future. Wait until you are an old geezer and those kids stick you in the old people only section.
A long flight can be just as distressing for the parent. When traveling to the West Coast with my 2 girls, I tried to be as considerate of the other passengers as possible. I asked the man cornered next to my 3 year old if he wanted to switch seats with another family member… he leaped over us before I could finish the sentence. I understood but where do we draw the line? Everyone is offended by something; I find it very offensive when people use profanity around my chldren.
A couple of thots from a world traveller with 2 children:
In Switzerland, they have some special train cars that have mini playgrounds in them. they are wonderful. Wouldn’t it be neat to have one of those on a plane?
In our travels (generally a 35 hour flight ‘day’ across the globe from Canada to Africa), I have found that domestic flights for short distances are the most difficult as far as the attitudes of fellow passengers.
My general strategy, especially when our children were babies or very small, was to ‘apologize’ in advance to those around me. I make it really light, almost a joke, and say something like don’t stress about the crying, if we’re all lucky it will end in about 5 hours of quiet. To which I usually got some smiles and then I didn’t feel the pressure to shut my kid up quite so quickly if they did cry.
One story: we were on a flight from Amsterdan to South Africa. A lady who was not prepared with snacks and drinks for her 10-12 month old baby made a great deal of trouble for the attendant and other passengers. She even asked the attendant to ask US if we would share the snacks we had brought for our children. The attendant said in his most fake respectful voice, “ma’am, those children are content and quiet. That family has prepared themselves for this journey. i will not interrupt them”.
LESSON: if you are travelling with kids, be prepared with more than enough snacks, toys, pacifiers, game boy batteries, etc!
Having said that, in all my years of travel, I’ve been surprised at how undisturbing kids are on those long flights.
If people can’t share their flight with children, then they have unrealistic expectations of life!