Hell is other people

[casanovawa]

With babies it can be a bit different as they might be effected, mostly at the start or end, with changes in pressure and not being able to do anything about it, plus lets face it all babies cry even in the most benign situations with wind or for a feed without being in a big pressure tube...

Other times, even if you have well behaved kids they can go off the deep end now and then which i am aware of and a little sympathetic too, but it shouldn't be for several hours certainly and yes preparing them a bit before the trip so they don't arrive tired and cranky is a big help...

 

[drron]

Now I am often as guilty as anyone else but if you have this sort of situation the only possible way of having it resolved is talk to someone-parents,children FA or CSM.Might not work but doing nothing continues the horror.
One example where I was probably caught off guard,going soft in the head etc.But window was young mother with infant I found out was not quite 3 months old.Middle seat was a 2 year old boy doing what 2 year old boys do best-being a monster.Then there was me on the aisle.Now obviously mum had no chance of controlling Mr.2.I,asking permission first,started reading the inflight magazine to him-pointing out pictures of cars,planes,helicopters.Though disappointingly no trains which 2 year old males are usually fascinated by.Before we descended I had him literally eating out of my hand.FAs and mum were very impressed and thankful.
So-dont just sit there,do something.

 

[wilco]

With babies it can be a bit different as they might be effected, mostly at the start or end, with changes in pressure and not being able to do anything about it, plus lets face it all babies cry even in the most benign situations with wind or for a feed without being in a big pressure tube...

That is why a parent worth their salt knows to feed or suckle the child as the swallowing action keeps the pressure across the ear equalised.

 

[awilcockson]

I'd try to engage the kids in conversation (jedi mind trick) & ask them questions about their holiday. Often kids will give their parents merry hell but will behave or respond favourable for strangers.

Great idea for a female bit every male over 18 knows doing this would tempt a visit by the AFP at the destination airport. Sad isn't it? I'll never forget the flight where a mum and her two year ended up next to me (LHR-SIN in whY) and I woke up in the middle of the night with the kid sprawled sideways with his head on my leg. Terrified doesn't begin to describe my initial reaction. Luckily the mum was cool and acknowledged that not all men are as bad as the press might like to make out.

Sorry, back OT now

 

[harvyk]

I do have to agree a little with you there awilcockson. If I engage a child into a conversation (or vice versa) I make damn sure that the parent is part of that conversation. Last thing I want is for the parent to get the wrong idea.

Having been yelled at by a mother once when I tried to help her child who was lost at the local shopping center. As sad as it is, I now no longer help little kids if they are lost at shopping centers (or other places) fearing the wrath of the parent.

As for kids being disruptive on planes, if the parents are attempting to control the kids I simply put up with it. Having been there with kids on a flight who did not want to behave I know how difficult it can be for parents. If however the parents seem to not care (and for some reason IME the cheaper the airline the less likely the parent seems to care :shock: ) then I have no problems making both the kids and parents and FA's aware of my annoyance.

 

[QF029]

I did make the comment that I didn't see him in the F lounge before we left SYD.

Not sure I understand the relevance of this?

 

[wilco]

Not sure I understand the relevance of this?

I think someone was trying to be smart in suggesting that the J pax was somehow less important as he wasn't observed in the F lounge, unlike the parent of the child whom he rolled his eyes at.

Unless I have it all wrong too, in which case we are both screwed!! lol

 

[QF029]

Ignore. Confused 2 different posters.

 

[Simo]

I think someone was trying to be smart in suggesting that the J pax was somehow less important as he wasn't observed in the F lounge, unlike the parent of the child whom he rolled his eyes at.

Unless I have it all wrong too, in which case we are both screwed!! lol

Basically the person rolled there eyes at me and said to his partner loud enough that I could hear was the children should not be allowed in business class area.

She jammed her fingers in the tray some way and only cried for a few mins and even one of the FA's come up saw what was wrong as she had been colouring in for a few hours and no noise from her at all.

At the end of the day we are all equal regardless of the class we fly in.

What I am trying to get at that kids can cry but as a parent you have manage the incident and settle the child ASAP.

 

[harvyk]

What I am trying to get at that kids can cry but as a parent you have manage the incident and settle the child ASAP.

Sometimes easier said than done, a couple of years ago I took my daughter on a flight and she cried for the first hour and there was nothing we could do to calm her down. The crying started whilst still sitting at the gate so it wasn't presure changes.

 

[Simo]

Sometimes easier said than done, a couple of years ago I took my daughter on a flight and she cried for the first hour and there was nothing we could do to calm her down. The crying started whilst still sitting at the gate so it wasn't presure changes.

Yes Harvyk that is why I said ASAP.

If the child is upset and won't settle well you are trying to make it all happen as soon as possible.

If it takes an hour fine but my grudge is when parents don't do anything to comfort the kid or discipline the child during the flight.

And when i say comfort it might just giving them a rub on the back or wrap your arms around them so they fell secure or if it is there ears giving them either a dummy or something to suck on but hey i realise it might not work with your best of efforts.

My 3 year old has done many flights and one time she cried during turbulence it lasted for over 20 mins and she was upset but when it stopped she settled. We tried everything to settle her but could not console her.

I was on a flight where a lady had a small baby and as soon as we got in the air the baby started to cry the lady didn't even give the baby a dummy or go for a walk with the child to try and settle it. App half hour before the flight landed she went to the toilet and carried the child and stopped crying. It was a red eye from SIN to MNL.

 

[harvyk]

Yes Harvyk that is why I said ASAP.

ah but here is the problem, your version of ASAP (as a pax without kids along) and mine (as a pax with the kids) might differ greatly. As my methods for claiming my kids down might differ greatly to what you would expect.

A few weeks back we took the kids to PER. Doing the SYD-PER leg about an hour from landing the kids decided they had had enough. We tried all the things we could think of to calm the kids down. (eg food \ drink \ activity packs \ AVOD \ toys \ take kids for a walk) and even then I could feel the glares from some of the other pax. An almost "how dare you think about taking kids on the same flight as me, kids should not be allowed to fly" type look followed by a "if these where my kids I would be doing this" stare.

 

[Simo]

ah but here is the problem, your version of ASAP (as a pax without kids along) and mine (as a pax with the kids) might differ greatly. As my methods for claiming my kids down might differ greatly to what you would expect.

A few weeks back we took the kids to PER. Doing the SYD-PER leg about an hour from landing the kids decided they had had enough. We tried all the things we could think of to calm the kids down. (eg food \ drink \ activity packs \ AVOD \ toys \ take kids for a walk) and even then I could feel the glares from some of the other pax. An almost "how dare you think about taking kids on the same flight as me, kids should not be allowed to fly" type look followed by a "if these where my kids I would be doing this" stare.

Harvyk,

My version is as long as it takes.

I do have a 3 year old and sometimes it can take a few seconds and other times it can take a lot longer to settle them down.

Harvyk when i see that happen i wish that it was me walking carrying my daughter as I would be missing her.

 

[Canny man]

Some intresting replies to the thread. I wrote while still grumpy after 13 hrs of hell. Back on land I can say that:
- yes I did speak to the CSM, and the staff did everything a good crew could do in attempting to provide distraction etc
- Like anyone, I am happy to pitch in and help beleagured parents - I've been there myself with my kids, but if you are 2 or 3 seats away it's not easy
- Remonstrating with parents is all fine and well, but this couple were trying there hardest and obviously conscious of the disruption. Making them feel worse about it wouldn't have helped

There's no way of knowing what was the root cause, poor parenting maybe, but the kids had colouring books, toys and all the paraphrenalia that usually helps and there were cuddles and reading and playing aplenty. More likely the poor kid had a sinus infection, couldn't equalise and spent the whole time in pain.

It's just part of flying a lot. For every op-up there's an equivalent flight from hell waiting out there for you.

Best line as pax dismebarked was 'we had 13 hours of that, they've got at least another 15 years of the little s***'

 

[simcat]

- Remonstrating with parents is all fine and well, but this couple were trying there hardest and obviously conscious of the disruption. Making them feel worse about it wouldn't have helped

Best line as pax dismebarked was 'we had 13 hours of that, they've got at least another 15 years of the little s***'

Agree that as long as the parents are trying that's all we can expect. Kids are unpredictable at the best of times and are obviously going to be (for most at least) well out of their comfort zones on an aircraft.

I (and Mrs Simcat) took our two kids from SYD to LAX and back in J two years ago, aged 3 and 5. I feared (and planned for) the worst and hoped for the best. As it was they were brilliantly behaved (mostly) - and even received a comment from another passenger as we disembarked - but it wasn't just the kids minding their own business the whole way, it took reasonable constant attention from either myself or Mrs Simcat. Much less 'downtime' on the flight than the usual OS work trip but worth it for different reasons of course.

From my few occasions I have had kids near me on long flights it seems to go wrong when the parents either don't make any attempt to keep their kids engaged / busy and / or they expect the already busy FA's to manage their kids for them. Both theories are pretty much doomed to failure to the detriment of all the other passengers around.

By the way, love that last line in your post!

 

[ajw373]

... I will be asking qantas what on earth they were thinking when they decided to put toddlers in the front row of the 380 j cabin.
...

So where should Qantas have put them? Presuming they were paying passengers like you they have every right to sit where ever they like.

Likewise if they were disturbing you, you had every right to complain to the parents and/or the crew on board. You say in a later post that you spoke to the CSM and you spoke to the parents and they were trying their hardest, so what more do you want, and what exactly do you want Qantas to do about it now?

 

[russ]

So where should Qantas have put them?

In the overhead lockers, of course.

 

[Canny man]

So where should Qantas have put them? Presuming they were paying passengers like you they have every right to sit where ever they like.

Likewise if they were disturbing you, you had every right to complain to the parents and/or the crew on board. You say in a later post that you spoke to the CSM and you spoke to the parents and they were trying their hardest, so what more do you want, and what exactly do you want Qantas to do about it now?

Simple.
do as the 747, have one section biased to families and another to adults -downstairs j family, upstairs j no kids.
On the 380 load the kids at the back of the upstairs section.
Not possible all of the time, but would really be appreciated by pax like me that are on their 5th 10hr plus flight in 12 days across many time zones and plan their flights meticulously to maximize sleep chances.

 

[bossreggie]

In the overhead lockers, of course.

That's just ridiculous russ.

Everyone knows you'd still hear them in the cabin.

In the cargo hold next to the fluffy puppies!! That would work! ;-)


Sent from my iPad using AustFreqFly App

 

[ajw373]

Simple.
do as the 747, have one section biased to families and another to adults -downstairs j family, upstairs j no kids.
On the 380 load the kids at the back of the upstairs section.
Not possible all of the time, but would really be appreciated by pax like me that are on their 5th 10hr plus flight in 12 days across many time zones and plan their flights meticulously to maximize sleep chances.

So how would that help? Are you saying the people downstairs on a 747 or at the back of an A380 are less entitled to peace and quite than those up top or at the front? Hmm I had thought everyone was more or less equal, even Emeralds with children.