Do not ban babies or even put the idea out there! ALL People were babies once and so we should be tolerant and understanding and accepting and remember that 99.9% of the time the parent and baby don’t mean to be upset. Make the freakin flight experience more comfortable and user friendly and that baby will do better because there’s less frenetic energy.
Bad behavior on airplanes is a reflection of the diminution of standards in society at large, so this is a problem without a comprehensive solution until civility returns, if it ever does, to the larger society.
Disruptive passengers should definitely be banned, and their flight ban needs to last for a good, long time. I've had several bad experiences involving entitled/drunk/obnoxious passengers that have led to significant flight delays and missed connections.
The airlines also need to do at least a reasonable job in enforcing their carry-on baggage policies. I've seen many instances where fellow passengers (typically young-ish women) are bringing on a standard roller bag, a half-sized computer roller bag (that's never going to fit under the seat), a purse big enough to fit a small car, and a big, floppy hat -- all of which get stowed in the overhead.
You make some interesting points about how this could get out of hand. I do however think that one category of person should be banned, at least for a period of time (maybe 5 years). That is those who become violent. Anyone who hits or shoves another passenger or flight attendant should not be allowed back on a plane until they've had time to mature or get help. If the behavior is repeated after the ban, ban them again. Many of the other categories are subjective, but violence is not.
I’ve seen unruly or boisterous passengers that simply had too much to drink at the layover bar in the airport. The bartenders never seem to cut anyone off. Then they are turned loose on us fellow passengers! Maybe a breathalyzer at the gate!! I know that’s far fetched but inebriated passengers should not be allowed to board.
Banning babies;no, but don't make me endure an unhappy or undisciplined child in close proximity. Irresponsible parents need to be educated; carrot or stick? I love the idea of seating parents with kids in the back in their own special space. Let them preboard to the back where they will be out of the way. And please don't try to tell me that mom and dad need a break. If they are traveling with kids, they are "on duty". There is never an acceptable reason for a child kicking the seat in front of them for the duration of the flight. Maybe even add a divider that buffers the sound. I have the same thoughts about restaurants.
I am concerned about suggesting we ban babies on flights. No. Flying is difficult for adults, and the ear pressure often causes babies to cry, especially on take-off and landing, because it feels so weird and can hurt. Be sympathetic and kind; the parents are not having a great time either, trust me.
How can a six month old crying baby be “misbehaving?” Children under a certain age cannot be “managed.” We can’t hold them or their parents liable for this! Adults, get ear plugs and suck it up! Who really are the “babies?”
Talk about creeping authoritarianism! Does anyone not think that arch-partisans in our government won't wildly, and likely criminally, abuse a government-mandated no-fly list? There are already plenty of legal means to deal with violent and otherwise extremely disruptive people. I'd vote that anyone in government coming up with such a terrifying bill be immediately censured.
Banning babies is also one of the cruelest ideas I've ever heard. Who would do something like this? Should families not be allowed to gather if they have young children? Should only business travelers be allowed in airplanes?
The old antitrust regulators that made sure there was adequate competition in the skies would be helpful, or maybe a competent transportation department that makes sure the planes actually take off, and that the airports and airlines are fully staffed with competent workers who get the proper sick and vacation time off would be nice too. Or how about the return of sane regulations to make flying a little less like Chinese water torture, which is maybe what's causing a lot of this angry, disruptive behavior in the first place?
Personally, I feel like the airlines profit driven motives have created a large part of the problem with unruly passengers. The airlines have been allowed to cram so many sub-human sized seats in an already small space which leads to your seat mates literally being in your face for the duration of the flight. No personal space can be anxiety inducing for all of us. An airline seat should be legally required to accommodate anyone 6 feet of taller, up to 300 Lbs, and parents traveling with infants up to age two in their laps comfortably. Everyone gets an armrest and gets to recline without invading the space of the passengers behind them. This will go a long way in making flying pleasurable once again and less anxiety inducing.
If a passenger threatens the safety of the flight or anyone on a flight or, harms either another passenger or crew member their privileges to use public or private transportation ends permanently. Make this rule abundantly clear when anyone purchases their ticket and when they check in.
If serious, get the name of airline staff before you complain. My experience is they will not share names once you complain. Best is to get a name, then ask for the purser, he/ she is the boss below the captain.
Babies and crying children are understandable. Parents who allow toddlers and older children to run amok are a bigger problem. I knew one family was going to be difficult before they even got on the plane. Grandmother, mother and little girl, early boarding. Girl (around 4 to 5) hits every passenger she can reach in the boarding area with her little play purse as the three are boarding early. Grandmother takes someone else's seat (window seat) so the three can sit in a row together. Made to move to her center seat across the aisle when the person paid for the seat arrives. First all three pretended not to speak English and gave the flight attendant a hard time. Then at take off kid insists on sitting on mom's lap. Kid is way too old and too big and had her own seat (on the aisle no less). Flight attendant had to talk to them 3 times and threaten to remove them from the plane. Kid kicked my seat the entire flight when she was told she couldn't run up and down the aisle. Fortunately it was only 55 minutes. Same problem at landing kid not sitting in their seat. Then they pushed ahead to get off the plane. You just can't make this stuff up. I say fine them, don't ban them. And then use the fines to put more space between the rows so the kids can't reach the seat in front of them to kick it!
you hit the nail on the head - flying has become such a dehumanizing experience that it is too stressful for many people .If animals were treated like airline passengers PETA would have a cow
Another idea re babies that I had always thought of… what if a whole section were available on big flights with a sort of certified nanny kids corner day care thing in one section? Parents can be in and out (and people should get up and walk around on long flights anyway) and they can also rest in their seats but the little ones could be in a flight nursery or something
From a safety standpoint there’s things to work out but hey, ideas take thinking not saying NO
Yes, remove the disruptive, threatening/violent offenders but if the govt. determines who should or should not be on a no fly list it’s opening a huge can of worms. More govt. regulation is not the answer. Period. The airlines should handle these problems themselves but with profit over passengers as the focus, will they?
Do not ban babies or even put the idea out there! ALL People were babies once and so we should be tolerant and understanding and accepting and remember that 99.9% of the time the parent and baby don’t mean to be upset. Make the freakin flight experience more comfortable and user friendly and that baby will do better because there’s less frenetic energy.
Bad behavior on airplanes is a reflection of the diminution of standards in society at large, so this is a problem without a comprehensive solution until civility returns, if it ever does, to the larger society.
Disruptive passengers should definitely be banned, and their flight ban needs to last for a good, long time. I've had several bad experiences involving entitled/drunk/obnoxious passengers that have led to significant flight delays and missed connections.
The airlines also need to do at least a reasonable job in enforcing their carry-on baggage policies. I've seen many instances where fellow passengers (typically young-ish women) are bringing on a standard roller bag, a half-sized computer roller bag (that's never going to fit under the seat), a purse big enough to fit a small car, and a big, floppy hat -- all of which get stowed in the overhead.
You make some interesting points about how this could get out of hand. I do however think that one category of person should be banned, at least for a period of time (maybe 5 years). That is those who become violent. Anyone who hits or shoves another passenger or flight attendant should not be allowed back on a plane until they've had time to mature or get help. If the behavior is repeated after the ban, ban them again. Many of the other categories are subjective, but violence is not.
I’ve seen unruly or boisterous passengers that simply had too much to drink at the layover bar in the airport. The bartenders never seem to cut anyone off. Then they are turned loose on us fellow passengers! Maybe a breathalyzer at the gate!! I know that’s far fetched but inebriated passengers should not be allowed to board.
Banning babies;no, but don't make me endure an unhappy or undisciplined child in close proximity. Irresponsible parents need to be educated; carrot or stick? I love the idea of seating parents with kids in the back in their own special space. Let them preboard to the back where they will be out of the way. And please don't try to tell me that mom and dad need a break. If they are traveling with kids, they are "on duty". There is never an acceptable reason for a child kicking the seat in front of them for the duration of the flight. Maybe even add a divider that buffers the sound. I have the same thoughts about restaurants.
I am concerned about suggesting we ban babies on flights. No. Flying is difficult for adults, and the ear pressure often causes babies to cry, especially on take-off and landing, because it feels so weird and can hurt. Be sympathetic and kind; the parents are not having a great time either, trust me.
How can a six month old crying baby be “misbehaving?” Children under a certain age cannot be “managed.” We can’t hold them or their parents liable for this! Adults, get ear plugs and suck it up! Who really are the “babies?”
Talk about creeping authoritarianism! Does anyone not think that arch-partisans in our government won't wildly, and likely criminally, abuse a government-mandated no-fly list? There are already plenty of legal means to deal with violent and otherwise extremely disruptive people. I'd vote that anyone in government coming up with such a terrifying bill be immediately censured.
Banning babies is also one of the cruelest ideas I've ever heard. Who would do something like this? Should families not be allowed to gather if they have young children? Should only business travelers be allowed in airplanes?
The old antitrust regulators that made sure there was adequate competition in the skies would be helpful, or maybe a competent transportation department that makes sure the planes actually take off, and that the airports and airlines are fully staffed with competent workers who get the proper sick and vacation time off would be nice too. Or how about the return of sane regulations to make flying a little less like Chinese water torture, which is maybe what's causing a lot of this angry, disruptive behavior in the first place?
Personally, I feel like the airlines profit driven motives have created a large part of the problem with unruly passengers. The airlines have been allowed to cram so many sub-human sized seats in an already small space which leads to your seat mates literally being in your face for the duration of the flight. No personal space can be anxiety inducing for all of us. An airline seat should be legally required to accommodate anyone 6 feet of taller, up to 300 Lbs, and parents traveling with infants up to age two in their laps comfortably. Everyone gets an armrest and gets to recline without invading the space of the passengers behind them. This will go a long way in making flying pleasurable once again and less anxiety inducing.
If a passenger threatens the safety of the flight or anyone on a flight or, harms either another passenger or crew member their privileges to use public or private transportation ends permanently. Make this rule abundantly clear when anyone purchases their ticket and when they check in.
If serious, get the name of airline staff before you complain. My experience is they will not share names once you complain. Best is to get a name, then ask for the purser, he/ she is the boss below the captain.
Soundproof baby section.
Babies and crying children are understandable. Parents who allow toddlers and older children to run amok are a bigger problem. I knew one family was going to be difficult before they even got on the plane. Grandmother, mother and little girl, early boarding. Girl (around 4 to 5) hits every passenger she can reach in the boarding area with her little play purse as the three are boarding early. Grandmother takes someone else's seat (window seat) so the three can sit in a row together. Made to move to her center seat across the aisle when the person paid for the seat arrives. First all three pretended not to speak English and gave the flight attendant a hard time. Then at take off kid insists on sitting on mom's lap. Kid is way too old and too big and had her own seat (on the aisle no less). Flight attendant had to talk to them 3 times and threaten to remove them from the plane. Kid kicked my seat the entire flight when she was told she couldn't run up and down the aisle. Fortunately it was only 55 minutes. Same problem at landing kid not sitting in their seat. Then they pushed ahead to get off the plane. You just can't make this stuff up. I say fine them, don't ban them. And then use the fines to put more space between the rows so the kids can't reach the seat in front of them to kick it!
you hit the nail on the head - flying has become such a dehumanizing experience that it is too stressful for many people .If animals were treated like airline passengers PETA would have a cow
Another idea re babies that I had always thought of… what if a whole section were available on big flights with a sort of certified nanny kids corner day care thing in one section? Parents can be in and out (and people should get up and walk around on long flights anyway) and they can also rest in their seats but the little ones could be in a flight nursery or something
From a safety standpoint there’s things to work out but hey, ideas take thinking not saying NO
Yes, remove the disruptive, threatening/violent offenders but if the govt. determines who should or should not be on a no fly list it’s opening a huge can of worms. More govt. regulation is not the answer. Period. The airlines should handle these problems themselves but with profit over passengers as the focus, will they?