If you are planning to jet off on a summer vacation with young children, then you know to be prepared for unwelcome stares and more than a few evil looks as you make your way down the airplane’s cramped aisle, right?
Of course, you do.
Unless you are one of those parents.
You know; the clueless types that think their toddler is going to sit like an angel in his seat the entire flight without a single toy, coloring book, iPad, or bag of Cheerios to distract him from screaming his head off once he figures out that he can’t run amuck at 35,000 feet.
I’ve sat next to those kids and those parents, both as a single traveler and as a mother.
I’ve learned a lot from my mistakes…
Well, apparently, so has Malaysia Airlines. The commercial carrier just announced that it is no longer going to make the “mistake” of allowing babies fly in its first class cabin.
After all, what non-baby toting traveler wants to dig deep to fly with extra leg room, unlimited champagne, warm blankets, and a kid screaming his head off for the entire flight?
In a classic case of the squeaky wheel getting the oil (and money talking louder than shrieking infants) Malaysia Airlines has given into its deep pocketed complaining customers and banned babies from the first class cabins in its Boeing 747-400 jets. In addition, the carrier is reportedly planning to extend the baby ban to include its Airbus A380s.
Execs at Malaysia Airlines say the company’s no babies allowed program was created so its childless travelers can enjoy peace and quiet on the carriers longest flights, from Kuala Lampur to Amsterdam, Sydney and London.
What do you think about Malaysia Airlines’ baby-free zone? What about the idea of it going mainstream? There’s a rumor that other airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic and British Airways may also institute similar baby bans.