Here’s a possibly cute-and-fun way to placate the other passengers:
Hand out little baggies with sweets and ear plugs, along with a note of explanation:
‘We’re twin baby boys on our first flight and we’re only 14 weeks old!’ the note read.
'We’ll try to be on our best behavior, but we’d like to apologize in advance just in case we lose our cool, get scared or our ears hurt. Our mom and dad (AKA our portable milk machine and our diaper changer) have ear plugs available if you need them"
Once there, be sure to avoid Nuremberg Rallies.
Wow those notes come off as incredibly annoying and condescending.
Up to you, but I think this is dunno over the top maybe?
It’s a long economy flight. There are cranky passengers of all ages and it ain’t your living room. Too many passengers think they are self entitled royalty because they bought a discount economy fare ticket yet feel like they should get first class treatment. I did and do the best I can with my kids to minimize encroaching on others (whether on a plane or off), but Christ on a pogo stick we are a society and that society also includes small children. Deal with it.
Ask him in ten years how much he remembers from his splendid contribution to society.
That said, many trans-atlantic flights now have separate sections for people travelling with infants, and I expect such problems to be mitigated in the future.
I’m with you on this. It’s not like people don’t know what a baby is.
We travelled to Europe (9hrs+3hrs) when my daughter was 11 months old. She had already taken several long road trips, and we knew most of what worked with her. The fact that I was nursing was great help, if she got fuzzy I’d stick a booby in her mouth and she’d forget what the fuzz was about. We packed a carry-on with toys, snacks, change of clothes. Since she’d never been sick before (not even a cold, still the same 8 years later) we didn’t think of packing any medicine.
If you are traveling with your spouse, take turns taking care of the child, and walk them around the airplane once in a while.
If you can book well in advance, and check in early, ask to be given child-friendly seats. We have been doing the same trip every year, my daughter has always been very well-behaved, so it’s not necessarily impending doom. Adults around me on the other hand…
Sorry, but parents dragging their infants across the ocean with them is usually not a necessity.
Infants don’t deal well with the pressure changes on a flight (adults know to “swallow” to equalize and keep their ears from popping).
But SDMB being what it is, the holier than though types show up to state otherwise.
Unless it’s a true necessity, leave the infants home, or wait on your trip.
There is nothing so blood curdling than hearing a child hollering at the top of their lungs.
Nm
You do realize some people have family that’s not in driving distance, right? And that sometimes families move from one place to another, maybe even for damn good reasons? The idea that parents take babies on overseas flights for shits and giggles is an absurd fantasy. Flying with a baby is MUCH more stressful than flying near a baby, and the fact that people chose to do so is pretty much evidence they have a good reason.
If you can’t handle a flight with members of the public that are not in your preferred age group, it’s you who needs to rethink your travel plans. FYI babies are not allowed in first class, so it’s not like you don’t have options.
Like everything, there are exceptions. However, I stand by my post.
So you think most people on long distance flights with babies are flying for frivolous reasons?
Yes.
They can’t wait 18 months for the child to grow?
Sorry, but there are very few reasons to drag an infant around the planet via commercial airline.
I realize this is a very non-PC post, but really don’t care.
It’s not like it gets better as they get older- 9 months is light years easier than 3 1/2. 3 1/2 is prime seat-kicking, running around and nonstop whining age. With a 9 month old, at least there is a good chance they will sleep through it.
At some point your going to want the kid to meet the family, and great-grandma probably isn’t going to be able to wait until the kid is fifteen, you know?
Good example of exactly what I wrote - folks that think a plane ticket provides the right to being treated like royalty, including a child free flight.
Regardless of what you define as a necessity, airlines don’t require proof of necessity for you or for younger passengers. Airlines would rightfully be sued for age discrimination if they did not allow infants just because some of their other customers object.
You’re welcome to drive or go in first class if you must avoid children on your plane.
I’d be totally fine with “family sections” on airplanes for families with kids and/or infants.
I’ve been on plenty of flights were adults were by far the worst offenders. That behavior has considerably toned down since 9-11 as airlines and passengers don’t put up with the behavior they may have tolerated in the past. I haven’t had a flight diverted to unload such people the press was full of an unscheduled flight over the knee defender.
Your first sentence is both an insult and quite a reach.
The family flying an infant is also welcome to drive or wait until the child is old enough to fly.
Sorry, but there really are very few reasons an infant needs to be on a plane. The fact that airlines permit it is not an excuse.
Sorry, I’m talking infants, say below 18 months old or so.
A 2 year old won’t usually start a blood curdling scream when their ears are about to pop. Or at least a 2 year old can be told to swallow to alleviate the pressure.
In all my transcontinental flights there’s never been a memorable child or infant, adults on the other hand (wanna hear about the one that was taken in handcuffs at the arriving airport?).
Just my humble opinion but you do seem pretty self entitled on the subject of under 18 month olds flying. That’s your opinion and thankfully not backed by either law or airline policy.
Obviously, you’re not a seasoned plane traveler or you would have ear cancellation headphones and/or earplugs, eye mask, and be inured to anything non-physical or a non-hijacking.
Just to give you some personal reasons. I was working in China supporting the US economy and my kids were born there. I’m not supposed to travel with my family to visit aging parents (one of which can’t fly owing to age and war wounds in service of the US of A)? Sure its a non emergency but that’s not allowed? Also my youngest has serious health issues and I wanted to get her checked out by specialists at Denver Children’s Hospital, but I should wait since she might cry on the flight that you’re coincidentally on? And let’s just not go into having to satisfy random internet strangers who probably don’t even take economy class flights overseas with what they think should be airline policy. YMMV
There are very few reasons that ANYBODY really needs to be on a plane. But there are many reasons that people find it useful to travel by plane, and in that regard an infant has just as much reason to be aboard as anyone else.
In other words, your business meeting is NOT more important than baby’s visit to grandma.