by Shirley Love

Created on: September 07, 2010

Having separate sections on airplanes for children would be an ideal situation for nearly everyone. What a lovely concept.

Children are going to be children, and they should not be expected to sit quietly during a long flight under the notion that children should be seen and not heard. That may be the way many people view the question, but it is certainly not the way it usually happens.

On the other hand, loud and rowdy children are an annoyance to most people who are trying to relax and enjoy the flight, or perhaps get caught up on some important work. Using a laptop is not easy with children yelling in your ear and trespassing on your train of thought.

Some parents may try to keep their children quietly occupied by reading to them, or playing a passive game with them. Other parents, however, seem totally lost for any idea of how to handle an over-active child in a space as small as an airplane aisle.

If there could be a small section of the plane devoted to children where they could sit accompanied by a parent and view movies appropriate for their age such as Disney films, there might be less frustration for all passengers. That section might include a rocking chair where the smaller children could spend some quality time with Mom while his or her siblings played with stuffed toys, coloring books, or puzzles. That could prove to be ideal for all concerned.

Some people just do not want to be around children. Some of them can be quite rude and crude when subjected to the presence of our future generation. Some can be more immature than the youngsters. But, even this type of human being has his rights, and that includes the right to be in the company of adults only.  

Airplanes afford little or no privacy when it comes to seating arrangements. That is the fact of flying, and should be expected and accepted as normal accommodations.

So, will this ever be an option for the airlines? It is very doubtful. The cost of sectioning a portion of the plane for children would be staggering, and the question of the size of such a section might never be agreed upon. Most major airlines are already struggling with increasing costs according to their press releases, so although a separate portion of the plane devoted to passengers with children would be ideal, it is probably not feasible.

The answer lies with more understanding between the passengers with children and those who are traveling with no youngsters.  In today’s world where so many strangers prefer to remain strangers to the people seated around them, the sad fact remains unsolved. The generation gap cannot be bridged on an airplane, but the idea is certainly appealing. 

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