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Is that to say it doesn't happen? Or I made it up because you never experienced it? Expats, including pilots and families get an annual return ticket (usually in economy) paid by their employers. This particular pilot worked for the airline he was flying on, so maybe that's how he got a business seat. I get an annual ticket, and I pay the difference to up grade to business.
It means that I've never experienced or seen it. I think it's a pretty rare thing and I believe it shouldn't be used as yard stick to measure today's children and parents.
It means that I've never experienced or seen it. I think it's a pretty rare thing and I believe it shouldn't be used as yard stick to measure today's children and parents.
It wasn't used as a measuring tool, but an example.
Babysitters are expensive nowadays. Plus, with today's crazy schedules parents probably don't want to leave their kids behind during every trip out.
Weird. I wonder why everyone has crazy schedules these days?
Back in the old, old, old days my parents were lower middle class and they always found a way to pay a babysitter.
Oh well...to each his own.
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Air travel is very popular now. I don't see anything wrong with it. And how do you know these kids are always jet setting off to exotic locales? You are seeing these families one time. How do you know it isn't a once yearly trip? Maybe the family has relatives in another state?
Perhaps they are traveling to meet family in another state. With today's fractured families being the norm I guess that is a better "assumption" than traveling off to exotic locations or Disney World.
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Perhaps those families are traveling. Maybe they were out running errands after school and work and are stopping for a quick bite to eat. Maybe it's their one night a month they go out to eat. *shrug*
Bringing kids to a restaurant bar at 9:00 pm is a quick bite after work or eating out after running errands?
Sure, whatever...*shrug*
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Lots of assumptions in this post...
So? I guess I can't make statements/opinions based upon my experiences in life?
Anyhoo, my experience dealing with many parents is these parents "assume" all adults must automatically love and put up with their children in all situations involving public interaction. Especially children who are misbehaving in public. But I guess that is OK.
I don't care. I have never had a problem with kids on a plane and I average about 40 flights a year. Perhaps it's all up to individual tolerance - I know that kids have a hard time with pressure changes, with being in confined spaces, and being trapped for long periods of time. I understand that it can be frustratingly stressful to get an entire family on an airplane, from packing to boarding. I know that this stuff is not easy with young children. I also understand that toddlers can't be reasoned with - no matter how much mum or dad try.
There are idiots on this board who think spanking the kids is the answer. Of course, I've never met a kid that responded to spanking with anything other than crying and screaming. Thus, such suggestions seem a bit moronic and counterproductive.
I also understand that having small kids in a bulkhead area makes life a lot easier for everyone - there is more space and junior can actually sit on the floor with his toys. I am willing to be gracious and forgo the legroom if it makes the kids happier and the parent's life easier.
Sure, if there is a handicapped person, that person needs to get priority.
I am also willing to give up my seat so that families can sit together. You know why? Simple - if they are forced to sit apart, it could be me ending up next to an unrelated three-year old. I have a feeling having a three-year old being separated from mum or dad for several hours is not going to work for anyone. I may not love to give up the seat i reserved, but being a social animal, it's possible to reason with me. I am also quite aware that one seat tends to suck just as much as the next.
For, you see, unlike some people, I understand that sometimes, there are no other options and that my inconvenience may just be worth it.
Obviously, we live in selfish times with selfish people insisting on their selfish rights.
To me, this is just a really, really sad commentary on our societal development. I truly feel sorry for all the pathetic haters on this board.
Other societies have gone through such developments. Germany comes to mind. They used to have a very child-friendly society. Then people became increasingly self-obsessed. Tolerance of children diminished to the point where kids where simply perceived as a nuisance. As a consequence, birth rates are so low that the number of Germans is steadily decreasing. It's societal suicide.
I think this is the whole point of this thread. Put the families together in the back of the plane, they have easy access to the bathrooms, they would be kept together, and it's a great compromise, kids can fly, and other passengers don't have to sit right next to them.
I can't see why anyone would oppose this, like somone else pointed out, the passengers with kids take a long time to pack up strollers, toys, diaper bags and the extra carry ons they need. The others can more quickly get out, and it's easier for everyone.
I disagree that a child is more likely to be a brat if seated next to a stranger however. When a child behaves like a spoiled brat, it's almost always for the benefit of the parent. Separated from that parent, the child doesn't get the same rewards for bratty tantrums and so doesn't do them.
You also can find large families where the kids behave nicely.
I have 2 young kids and don't see a problem being seated with other families on a plane - back/front/middle/whatever.
However, I would have a problem if an airline changed my preselected seats at the last minute. I have a very specific plan for air travel with my kids, especially regarding seat assignments. At the time of ticket purchase, we always select 4 seats in a 2x2 configuration (2 consecutive rows with the 2 window and 2 middle seats). My oldest sits with me in the rear window seat, I take the rear middle seat, my youngest sits in the front window seat, and finally my wife takes the front middle seat. While neither child kicks the seat in front, my youngest can't even reach the seat in front and my oldest would be kicking his sister's seatback. My wife and I act as buffers between the kids and the aisle passengers. The kids are separated. We can pass items (toys/books/snacks/dvds/etc) forward and backwards rather than across the aisle/other passengers. It's a great system that works well for my family. I suppose most families don't put this much thought into these types of details, but I do and in all seriousness if anyone were to muck around with it - it would be at their own peril. (Try picturing a combination of Snakes On a Plane and the scene in Ghostbusters where the city inspector shuts down the containment system in the basement of the Ghostbuster HQ despite being told that it would be a very bad idea )
Throw em in the back of the plane, ban them from restaurants and theaters, and half of society's ills are suddenly solved. Sounds like a good start to me.
And a very effective one at that!!! Repeat business knowing that it is one of the few places that you can enjoy your dinner without children being present.
Repeat business knowing that it is one of the few places that you can enjoy your dinner without children being present.
It's likely the same conversation took place in the south in the 1950s about another "undesirable" group of people. Probably also in Germany in the 1930s
Replace children in this thread with any minority group and you'd border on hate speech.
I'm sure klansmen and Nazi's felt no moral compunction about the hate they spewed towards those they felt were "lesser beings."
And a very effective one at that!!! Repeat business knowing that it is one of the few places that you can enjoy your dinner without children being present.
But they aren't solving any problem, really. Because there is actually no problem. It's a perceived issue that smart business people came up with and idiotic customers fall for.
The way kids are raised today those airlines need to put soundproof walls around the back of that plane. Johnny can throw a tantrum with no fear of retribution from Mom or Dad.
The days of the quiet child are long gone.
Yep, I see kids so out of control these days and the parents act as if they are the ones being directed by the children. When I was a child, I was told to sit still and be considerate of others around me. If I didn't, it was a whooping big time. Lets just say, I spent a lot of time being quiet and considerate to others when I was out with my parents. I didn't care for the whooping and avoided them as much as possible. *chuckle*
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