Airlines Create 'Baby Ghettos' in Back of Flights for Nosey Children
Airline passengers who are either traveling with a baby or being annoyed by noisy infants on a flight are torn over the new “baby ghettos” that were created by airlines.
Passengers who travel with children are outraged over airline policies that are currently seating travelers with children in the back of flights.
In some cases, families are even ordered to split up, leaving children seated in middle seats with strangers, unless other passengers arrange to swap seats on board, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Some frequent fliers are applauding the policies, which they feel minimizes the annoyance children cause on planes.
“Personally, I would love to have Kid Free flights. And yes, I would pay more. Like someone else said in the comments ‘how would a parent flying without their kid for once, feel if I were next to them and screamed in their ear the whole flight?’” said forum user Enola on DebatePolitics's website.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, there are several reasons for the creation of “baby ghettos.”
“First, many seats on flights are reserved for elite-level frequent fliers or full-fare business travelers. Routinely full flights have less seat-assignment flexibility,” said writer Scott McCartney.
“Also, airlines are increasingly selling choice seat assignments for extra fees, an expensive option for families,” McCartney continues. “And bulkhead rows at the front of coach cabins that used to be ideal for traveling with infants, offering more privacy for diaper changes and more space for restless toddlers, now have to be reserved for passengers with disabilities,” McCartney added.
To avoid being spilt from their children, parents are forced to pay more for seating or ask other travelers to arrange seats. Moreover, other options are becoming expensive.
Most airlines are charging lap-child fares – a fee to allow children to sit on their parents lap – for international flights, typically 10 percent of the fare the adult pays for the seat, plus taxes and fees.
Therefore, as travel becomes more restrictive and expensive, those traveling with children will continue to receive the bulk of the discomfort.
