Photo: bbc.com
No one wants to sit next to a screaming, crying, tantrum-y toddler on a long-distance flight – maybe not even the toddler’s parents. Japan Airlines is taking this into consideration and offering a sort of “fix.”
According to the BBC, a post on the official website of the airline company notes that the tool is not entirely foolproof, but at the very least it “lets other passengers know a child may be sitting there.” When booking a seat, it offers passengers a view of the seating arrangement, with an icon for where a child under 2 may be seated.
This way, passengers who wish to have an undisturbed long-distance flight can opt for a seat farther from where the kid is seated.
News of the extra option spread on social media thanks to venture capitalist Rahat Ahmed, who thanked the airline for thinking of passengers who either don’t have screaming kids of their own or wish to forget those tantrum-filled first years in their life. Other fliers joined in to say it was an amazing option, even if it didn’t work in all cases: passengers should be warned if they’re in the vicinity of a family with young kids, especially on long-haul flights.
Then, there were those who asked for more empathy and understanding for the parents and their screaming kids. At 2 years old or under, kids barely have an inkling of what is happening to them, which can lead to tantrums. They can be managed with empathy and patience, not with isolation, they say.
Ahmed himself was flooded with both negative and positive comments on his initial tweet, and he’s trying to defend himself. “Adults can be just as bad as babies,” he says. “Empathy is important and every situation is different. Where babies sit can be one of many indicators that help travelers plan flights.”
This way, passengers who wish to have an undisturbed long-distance flight can opt for a seat farther from where the kid is seated.
News of the extra option spread on social media thanks to venture capitalist Rahat Ahmed, who thanked the airline for thinking of passengers who either don’t have screaming kids of their own or wish to forget those tantrum-filled first years in their life. Other fliers joined in to say it was an amazing option, even if it didn’t work in all cases: passengers should be warned if they’re in the vicinity of a family with young kids, especially on long-haul flights.
Then, there were those who asked for more empathy and understanding for the parents and their screaming kids. At 2 years old or under, kids barely have an inkling of what is happening to them, which can lead to tantrums. They can be managed with empathy and patience, not with isolation, they say.
Ahmed himself was flooded with both negative and positive comments on his initial tweet, and he’s trying to defend himself. “Adults can be just as bad as babies,” he says. “Empathy is important and every situation is different. Where babies sit can be one of many indicators that help travelers plan flights.”
Thank you, @JAL_Official_jp for warnings me about where babies plan to scream and yell during a 13 hour trip. This really ought to be mandatory across the board.
— Rahat Ahmed (@dequinix) September 24, 2019
Please take note, @qatarairways: I had 3 screaming babies next to me on my JFK-DOH flight two weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/kQYQFIqqCD
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