Small Children on long flights
 

<BR>I just posted on Tahiti-Explorer about small children on my 81/4 hours <BR>flight to Tahiti. There were 3 infants and 2 small toddlers.I said I would rather not fly that long with small children and everyone became offended and defensive about it!! <BR>I don't hate children but don't you think that's too long a flight for both Parents and child to make? Any <BR>Comments or similiar experiences?

Ummmmm.....Debbie, you're new at this website, right? Just found it within the past 2-3 weeks? <BR>Either that or you're simply trying to stir up a bunch of emotional responses which will waste everyone's time and provide no useful info. <BR>Why do I say this? <BR> <BR>Because this question has been asked MANY times before and it NEVER provides any useful discussion. Just a bunch of people shouting in capital letters back and forth. <BR> <BR>The bottom line? Parents are going to do what they want to do regardless of what anyone else thinks. So why sit and argue about it? Is it right or wrong? Is tattoing right or wrong? Is Metal music right or wrong? Is smoking right or wrong?

I don't think anyone has the right to tell a parent that they would rather not fly with their children, what were the parents to do, get off the flight. With that said, I'm a parent and have flown to and from Hawaii with my daughter when she was small, but I would much prefer a child free flight, but it's just not going to happen.<BR><BR>Good Luck finding a child free flight!!!

Do you suppose the airlines might ever become so user friendly that they could offer "no kids aboard" flights to Hawaii as well as "kids friendly" flights? I suppose it's just too much to ask . They are more interested in filling the plane and so really don't care what the rest of us think/feel. I hope the day will come when they will have to listen to us in order to make the money that is so precious to them. I think I'm talking about "consumer power" but as long as most travelers will accept shabby/inefficient/incompetent arrangements for the cheap tickets, we the traveling public, will have no say so and no leverage.

I regularly travel overseas on business and I am delighted to share the flight with kids. I have NEVER seen children misbehave for more than a short while, and that is generally just a result of being overstimulated or tired. I would think most people welcome kids. I'd rather sit behind a child than some pompous blowhard like the jackass calling herself "Tired." Get over yourself, dum-dum.

I am still waiting for airlines to offer no jackass flights. Why can't they guarantee that you won't have to be stuck on the same flight as some guy tapping away on his laptop all day and night and hogging up the phone for eight godawful hours? And have you noticed that there's no upper age limit to air travel either??? Its disgusting. Some old fart could kick off in the seat right next to yours, and you'd be stuck sitting next to the corpse for the next six hours. Or worse, they could be wearing adult diapers. The airlines really need to adopt some standards, so that the rest of us who remain absolutely quiet and still for eight hours aren't disturbed by the fact that others happen to occupy the same world we do.

Debbie, it doesn't matter whether or not you WANT to fly together with those infants and toddlers, you have to! We can't choose an all adult flight. If parents of young children choose to fly to Tahiti, and you're on the same flight, too bad for you. I would imagine the flight is the worst part of the trip for them. Sometimes it is worth it for parents to put their children through long flights like that to get to somewhere magical. If you happen to bear some of the ugliness those children display during that uncomfortably cooped up period, so be it. I'm sure you'll survive. Children are mearly displaying what we adults would like to at being cooped up that long in a very confined space. The flight is a very small portion of a vacation. Deal with it.

Like none of us were ever children who go obnoxious at times! I'll take a whiny kid over a gum cracking, over perfumed, or seat kicking adult any day, especially since misery loves company and I know a whole section of us are unhappy when some child is screaming! the positive side is that children who travel grow up to want to talk about travelling.

See, Debbie.<BR>My point exactly. Look at these highly predictable responses.<BR>The same question always elicits the same tired responses.<BR>And it solves or proves NOTHING.<BR>And BTW, Tom, I find it really interesting that you assumed I am a WOMAN. Why might that be?<BR>

Because it's always the overprotective mother personalities that get so fanatical and irrational about their children's behavior. Their little darlings can do no wrong and to heck with anyone else if they don't like it. Men seem to be able to maintain some semblance of rationality when it comes to managing children.

tom's AE: talk about stirring up trouble!

Not this crap AGAIN !!! How about an original troll - 'gay whales take up too much legroom on space shuttle flights' or 'an inexperienced spermatozoa needs directions to the nearest fallopian tube'. Come on guyz - get creative !

Hi, Debbie, welcome over to the domestic boarding area. May I divert you to an earlier thread where a closely related issue was addressed, one that has real meaning for your own inquiry: Should Pets Travel In Cargo Holds? Seriously, many posters raised the spector of pet allergies as an excuse to ban them below. Most of us probably know there are also emotional allegries, say, being allergic to small fry. In the pet discussion, the more humane favored anal tranquiliziers (i.e., for pets) to achieve a smoother movement from city to city. See, some help already. You'll find this is an empathetic bunch. Ciao

A pathetic bunch surely ?