Plane fury over child in first class

DAD reignites pointy issue, detailing a first class passenger's reaction to sitting next to his child, including 'audible sighs and grumbles' before demanding the toddler be moved.

Not everyone is happy about having kids in first class. Picture: Supplied

A TRAVELLER has reignited a pointy issue by detailing the reaction a first class passenger had to his child.

The man wrote about the stressful situation his wife and daughter encountered on Flyertalk.com, saying the fellow passenger created a scene when he discovered just who his seatmate was.

The family were flying on United Airlines from Washington D.C. to Houston on Wednesday when a male passenger complained about being forced to sit next to the 22-month-old girl.

'Audible sighs and grumbles' followed, and the man eventually demanded flight attendants move the duo.

Here's part of the post: "While you were on the ground and at the gate, I can tell you my wife very much appreciated your audible complaints to the entire first class cabin about wanting a discount because you were forced to have to sit next to a child in first class.

"I can also tell you that your audible sighs and grumbles every time my little angel talked to my wife in her excitement about her trip were noted and only made my wife more uncomfortable ... my wife very much appreciated you demanding to the flight attendants in front of her that she be moved, considering that she had arrived early and unpacked all of her travel items to keep the child busy and entertained in her seat.

"My wife and child are travel pros, and we have never had an incident on-board a plane with any screaming and yelling in over 40 flights, but you wouldn't know that unless you asked. So, of course, my wife had to gather up her stuff, her child, her two bags and move to another seat, just so you could be seated next to another business traveller. The message was very transparent - you don't like kids."

It's an issue that's become the subject of much debate over recent years. On the one hand - if you've paid all that money and your child behaves well on flights, why should you not have the right to sit in first class?

However, there are those who believe there should be an age limit at the pointy end of the plane.

Some airlines have begun rolling out child-free quiet zones on planes. Scoot was the latest to make this move, banning under 12s from rows 21 to 25 of its aircraft. CEO Campbell Wilson said: "No offence to our young guests or those travelling with them - you still have the rest of the aircraft".

Other airlines that have child free zones include AirAsia X and Malaysia Airlines, which banned infants from first-class cabins in its Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 planes after receiving a lot of complaints about noisy infants.

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