Flying First Class w/infant???

[Lover_of_Disney]

We are in the midst of planning our next trip do Disney and are traveling with an infant. We opted to go first class since I could potentially be pregnant and sister's husband is large enough to need a first class seat. My sister's infant will be around 6wks old at that time. IS IT RUDE TO TRAVEL WITH AN INFANT IN FIRST CLASS?????? I have heard others complaining about paying to fly first class and listening to an infant cry the entire time.

What do you all think???

 

[letyfrombrazil]

rude? no way.
On another post, someone wrote that she as an "spoiled traveller" didnt agree with kids in the 1st class!
My opinion is that when you buy a 1st class ticket, all you purchase is a larger seat and a better meal, not the right to say who you want to travel with.
Hope you have a great trip!

 

[pumba]

US AIR and Delta.....and there had been babies in first class.....If your sister remembers to keep the bottle when taking off and landing.....keep the babys pacifier close buy I really do not see any problems......have her talk to her pediatrician .....some times babys are better then adults on planes......good luck

 

[peg2001]

Rest easy, it is not rude to travel in first class with an infant. It is not even rude if the baby cries the entire flight, as long as the parent is doing what they can. Co-passengers don't have to LIKE it, though.

I have friends who drive long distances with their young child because when they were childless, they were the ones to complain about having babies and young children wailing on airplanes. Now they can't face risking the same reception for themselves.

I think it is silly. Parents have the right to travel too as long as they are taking their responsibility seriously and doing what they can to minimize noise and disruption for other passengers.

Go, don't worry about it, and have your glare ready if anyone dares to look askance at a baby in first class!

Peggy

 

[CarolA]

I don't think it is rude. However, does the child have their own seat.

While I know this is not a popular feeling, I believe that you should purchase a seat for all children and put them in their car seat. It is just much safer. If there is turbulance or some other crisis the child is much safer in the car seat then with you trying to hold them. The facts state that parents cannot hold onto kids in these situations.

 

[Gillian]

It's not rude. I can understand how that other person felt, but if you want to choose who you travel with, you need to buy all the seats youself!

If the baby doesn't have a purchased seat, it is more likely that the airline will have an extra empty one in coach. At least, that's what seems most likely to me. We have always purchased a seat for our son, and since we're expecting a second, our next trip will be a driving one. 4 plane seats on 1 salary gets to be tough. Plus, I like road trips

 

[bat4less]

I understand 'MOST' people don't like bucking the trend on these boards, but here i go...

We travel a lot, usually 7-10 vacations per year flying- we always travel first class- we have a 5 - 3 - and 6 month old- we have traveled since before we had our first child. We believe it is rude to have a child of any age crying the entire flight in first class- this is one reason we fly first class and usually pay double or triple what coach costs. We have seen other first calss passengers ask the flight attendants to take care of the noise problem. We " make sure " our children don't disturb others while flying, whether we go to the lav or walk the isle with them- we do whatever is needed to make sure we dont bother others on their flight- we believe it is their right to not to have to listen to one of our children crying- AND WE BELIVE IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS

this opinion comes from a frequent flyer of first class trips- i would gather that most of these opposite opinions do not come from people who fly first class frequently

we are not trying to slam anyone , just stating our opinion

thanks

 

[ducklite]

I fly first class at least half the time (Is that frequently enough?).

But the point is, it doesn't matter where you sit on the plane, the following applies:

I don't care who sits with me as long as they don't smell or be terribly disruptive. A baby crying and fusing for a few moments here and there is OK. A child who wails through an entire flight is not, nor is the parent who sings incessant stupid babbling songs to try to quiet the child (I think I'd rather hear the crying). Nor is a child who kicks the back of your seat. Or a drunk and beligerent passenger. Or cheerleaders singing Christmas carols through the entire flight--they needed a good punch in the head--enough to knock out a few teeth.

If you have a generally well behaved baby, no problem. Don't change the diaper on the seat (gross!!!), make sure you have a bottle for take off and landing. And talk to the pediatrician before you go about giving the kid some Benadryl to avoid ear pain.

And if you have terrors for toddlers, drive. That's just common courtesy. My son was a terror of a toddler. We didn't fly anywhere for a LONG time.

And as the other poster said, buy the kid a ticket. They will be safer, and they will also feel more secure int he seat taht they are used to traveling in.

Anne

 

[bat4less]

i guess ' ducklite ' has other issues to deal with

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by bat4less
i guess ' ducklite ' has other issues to deal with

Nope--I just get ticked off by people who don't have common courtesy for others. Especially cheerleaders who think it is "cute" to belt out Christmas Carols on a late night flight for over an hour.

That was far more annoying than any crying kid. They and their adult chaperones should have knoen better.

Anne

 

[sgtdisney]

Do I think it is rude to travel with an infant in First Class? Absolutely not. If you can afford the ticket, you have right to fly where you chose. Common courtesy isn't something that is exclusive to First Class or Coach for that matter. I would assume, based on your post you are not discourteous people. Babies cry, kids shrill, businessmen get drunk and rude, teenagers make noise. While the world, and an airline flight, would be better if these things never happen they do. A courteous person works to correct it.. And just to make it clear, I have flown first class numerous times in my life and many, many times as a child. Of course, I was always a pefect angel.

Now, this is not directed at anyone in particular but here is my broad opinion on this subject... If a person wants to chose who sits by them on a public airplane, or ensure absolute silence or a specific type of service while flying, their best choice would be to charter a private plane. Then they can control who and what gets on the plane with them.

 

[bat4less]

that is the key- if theyre not courteous than they are rude

 

[bat4less]

that is the key- if theyre not courteous than they are rude

the question is not if its rude or not.. its whether its rude if the children are loud all flight long!!

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by bat4less
that is the key- if theyre not courteous than they are rude

This is very true.. Very true. However, there are rude people EVERYWHERE in this world, not only on an airplane. Aside from wiping them from the face of the earth, there isn't much to do but to accept it. To make someone feel bad about travelling with kids and or infants because they may or may not cry on occassion is equally rude to me. And please, this is not directed to you or ducklite because I can see what you are both saying, and you aren't implying that. I am talking about other posts I have read not only here on DIS but other places as well attacking parents who travel. Personally, like Ducklite said, I would rather sit next to a crying child than a drunken and obnoxious business man or a troup of obnoxious teenagers, but it is always luck of the draw, isn't it.

 

[bat4less]

i agree, i hope noone is taking this personal- because it is obviously not an attack on parents who choose to fly with children- we easily fall in that category. BUT people need to realize there are things in place to stop that kind of behavior and they need to be used. My businesses allow us to travel often- 7-10 vacations per yr and around 10 other weekend excursions- all in first class and i have only encountered this problem 3 times- the parents didnt care one bit if the children were loud and obnoxious- so the flight attendant took care of the problem for us and the other 8 people in fc

 

[sgtdisney]

I actually remember one flight like that with a child having a complete emotional breakdown/temper tantrum. I never could tell if the child was terrified of the flight or something else was bothering him. However, in my case, the parent was trying to do what she could. I was sitting in the last row of an American Airlines MD80.. I was on my way to Miami because of my wife's grandmother had passed away and I was joining her and my then 2 year old son.. I got literally got the last seat on the plane as I bought the ticket at last minute.. The mother had left her seat and went as far back in the plane as she could, which was next to my seat.. She was doing everything she could to comfort the kid, but to to avail... The poor kid layed on the floor kicking and screaming... That is one flight I can't forget..

 

[Gillian]

Loud & obnoxious children are not what the OP is talking about! Those parents should obviously discipline their kids. The OP is talking about a 6 week old. I'd like to know just what a flight attendant is going to do about a crying 6 week old.

Babies of that age are generally quiet unless they are uncomfortable for some reason. Sometimes though, you feed them and give benadryl & Tylenol for ear pain, and they still cry. If you've done everything you can, and it doesn't work, IT IS NOT BEING RUDE!

I don't know the official definition, but to me, people who don't care about how they (& their families) affect others are the rude ones. Anyone who bothers to ask if they will be causing a problem, and is willing to change their plans if they get a negative response, is not rude, in my opinion.

I'm chartering my own jet next time and everyone with babies can fly with us Instead of pretzels, we'll be supplying ear plugs

 

[inkkognito]

I agree that it is often discomfort that makes a baby cry incessantly on a flight. On one trip from Colorado, hubby was next to a man with a "lap kid" that definitely looked to be over the age limit. He also was clueless about bringing something for the kid to suck on. It was a turbulent flight, and as a result the kid SCREAMED the entire flight, plus constantly kicked and thrashed. The kicking was so bad that hubby could not use his tray table because he was being kicked by the kid. The guy could not get up and walk around due to the turbulence, and the flight was full so we could not be moved. We flying a lot (almost monthly to Orlando), and in all that time, that was the only experience that stands out in my mind as really bad. For the most part, you'll get some crying babies and misbehaving people of various ages, but it's usually not so bad that we can't stand it for 2 hours. We just plug in our portable CD players and tune out the world (and to avoid kids next to you, sit in an exit row...to avoid being kicked, sit in front of the exit row but be aware that your seats might not recline).
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Mikelly1221]

Hi! I was reading this post, and having never flown first class, I'm very curious...

Bat4less, how did the flight attendant "take care" of the problem of the loud and obnoxious child. For some reason, I'm getting mental images of seats on the wing!!

 

[bat4less]

the flight attendant politely asked the mother if she could get anything for the child, since the child looked like she was having some problems= the mother then turned her full attention to the child and everything went great for the remainder of the 8 hour flight to hawaii