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Viral TikTok video sparks debate on what to expect from flying
We’ve all been there.
You’re prepped for your flight, armed with the perfect pillow, a cute little travel blanket, top-of-the-line noise canceling headphones and a perfectly tailored flight suit. You’ve paid extra for extra legroom and even splashed out on pre-boarding so you can carry it up to the upper class, sit back, settle down and receive your zen for the next flight.
That is, until the three-year-old sitting behind you decides you’re going the other way today – chair kicking, incessant crying, and cartoons on the iPad-come-distraction device.
This is the case of a recent Tik Tok video that went viral and sparked a debate on the internet, centered around the question, should airlines offer adult-only flights?
It’s a complicated question, and the answers tread a fine line between disgruntled parents on the one hand and frustrated customers on the other. The video naturally divided the public, with some immediately agreeing with the video’s adult-only sentiment, while others came to the defense of parents.
Frustration is natural, especially on a long flight. An already dreaded mode of travel can be made tenfold worse by not being able to relax, but carelessness and prudence must play a role in the decision to combat the issues.
Just as it is unreasonable for every passenger to buy noise-canceling headphones, it is unreasonable for a parent to ask their child to be quiet. But is it worth it for an airline to offer adult-only flights? Will people really pay for it? what does it look like And even if we could, should we?
The girl in the video says she pays a lot for an adult-only flight. She’s only a three-hour flight away, and like any TikTok video, she’s visually demanding. Previous studies have shown that a third of travelers would pay for a child-free flight, but not all of them are willing to cough up the extra cash.
Most of us choose not to upgrade to a comfort-plus seat on a regular flight. These can range from $25 to $200 depending on the line and airline. Those are guarantees we all enjoy. Everyone is happy to know that they have an emergency exit bag because everyone knows that their flight will be more comfortable. However, we still avoid parting ways with extra cash.
When push comes to shove, do we choose the more expensive option for quieter flight? Probably not. That’s betting $100 or more on the possibility that the child will start crying mid-flight.
From an environmental point of view, it will be very scary. All personal concerns aside, new flights mean flights don’t fill up without any additional demand. This is not good for the airline, and it is not good for the environment. The more people on a plane, the better, and adults-only flights make that impossible. With carriers now being forced to explore ways to reduce their carbon footprint, it’s clear that flights like this are not in anyone’s future.
Say what you will, but adults are bigger annoyances on airplanes than kids. Sure, the single sound of a baby crying can be the straw that broke the camel’s back, but eliminating that problem won’t take away from loudmouths, arm wrestlers, hygiene issues, or perpetual chair sitters and slouches. There are no kids shooing you out of the way to take a pointless spot in the line to get off the plane—if anyone, it’s the parents.
Separating families with young children may alleviate one problem (and we emphasize), but it only raises the price for everyone while dealing with some of our worst.
What is the purpose of flight? It takes us from point A to point B. No luxury is irrelevant unless it’s an antonym we want to associate with it. In practice, an airplane is no more than another form of public transportation, and believe it or not, families must travel occasionally.
No parent brings their child on a flight with the intention of ruining everyone’s day. In fact, it is the parents who hurt the children the most. Not only do they have to navigate an already exhausting journey, but they also have to do what they themselves can’t do while watching over a little person.
It’s normal to see most parents feeling some sort of guilt (if they have a second to feel it) and profusely apologizing to those around them. The last thing they need is the anger of other passengers. They don’t act the same way on a bus or a train, so don’t bet on them.
It can be an option to create different zones on the plane. Airlines may have separate family zones, the size of which is based on the average number of families with small children flying. Ideally, this costs nothing and can be easily answered. Unfortunately, it may bring up empty seats again, as there is no guarantee that they will be filled every time.
Creating an adults-only zone on the flight might work better. Hopefully anxious passengers can shell out more money to pay for the same style of seat but in a separate compartment where families aren’t allowed to sit. This of course leads back to the previous questions. What are we really willing to pay to avoid a hypothetical child who may or may not cry on our flight? They don’t see the cost of paying unless it’s a hard-to-quantify figure and a fraction.
But the truth is, none of us are entitled to a perfectly quiet flight. There are no laws against people talking on a flight at 3am, and we can’t order a small child to stop crying, or worse, block the flight. It is part of air travel that we must accept if we choose.
This article originally appeared on Off-Road Travel. For the latest breaking news affecting your next trip, please visit: Traveloffpath.com
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