What do you think about kid-free zones on airplanes?
A couple different airlines in Asia have started offering the option of paying a fee (usually around $14) to upgrade seats guaranteeing a spot away from children in a kid-free zone.
When I first heard about this, I thought, “Great, I’ll pay the fee, sit away from my kids and relax in peace and kid-free quiet.” But that’s not really how it works. Apparently the kid-free zone puts kids and their parents together in a section of the airplane away from people flying without kids. That makes more sense, I guess.
Even thought it initially kind of seemed like a mean thing to do to parents, after thinking about it, I’m all for it.
Our family has flown with our kids a few times, and I honestly dreaded it each time. I was more worried about the people sitting around us getting upset with us, than how my kids were going to behave. If I had known ahead of time we were in a kid-only area I wouldn’t really care how my kids behaved or how loud they were. It’s like being in a restaurant with a bunch of other families with kids. It’s a little easier to relax because you know they (hopefully) are understanding if one of your kids is screaming in anger (or squealing with joy).
I would rather be around kids than adults in many situations anyway. I’ve sat near cussing college kids, nosy people looking over your shoulder at what’s on your screen, and drunks on planes and I would much rather sit with a pile of kids than any of those people again.
So, it seems like a win/win/win to me.
Parents and kids get their own area of the plane.
People flying without kids get their own area of the plane.
And the airline finds yet another way to squeeze more money out of its customers.
Happy Flying!
-Pete
