We’ve all been there: it’s a 6:00 AM flight and you’ve been up since four. You stow the carry-on, buckle up, and close your eyes for some much-needed shuteye… and the kid behind you starts kicking your chair. The baby next to you starts wailing. The kid in front of you is fighting with his brother over the last Goldfish cracker. Don’t these kids have parents?

Wouldn’t it be great if these kids weren’t on your flight?

That’s exactly what experts are suggesting top airlines implement: adults-only flights.
74% of Travelers Cite Kids as the Biggest In-Flight Annoyance, Survey Says

According to a recent survey of 1,000 UK business travelers, nearly three-quarters said children were their biggest airplane annoyance. Responding to the survey results, leading travel experts began calling for in-flight offerings exclusively for the 18 and older crowd.

Other suggestions include designating separate cabins or sections as adults-only sections – or reserving a section of the plane exclusively for families traveling with children. Limiting the fidgeting and noise associated with traveling children to one part of the plane could provide a much-needed “quiet section” for travelers seeking respite.

If we Have Quiet Cars on Trains, why not Quiet Cabins on Planes?

Commuters have long embraced the onset of the “quiet car” during their train commute: a designated car where commuters agree to mute electronic devices and refrain from making cell phone calls. Due to the success of these cars, companies are scrambling to add more quiet cars to all of their trains.

A “quiet cabin” on a plane would allow adult travelers to quietly work or catch up on sleep, though it most assuredly wouldn’t be free. The latest airline pricing trend is the add-ons: “a la carte” charges for extra leg room, for reserved seating choices, and for early boarding. No doubt the additional peace and quiet would cost travelers a hefty additional charge.

One Step Further: Child-Friendly Flights

Parents, put down your torches and pitchforks – we sympathize with your plight. Flying takes a toll on everyone, but it undoubtedly hits kids the hardest. We expect children to sit still for hours. We expect them to quietly contain their excitement as a larger-than-life airplane hurtles them into the sky towards their destination. We calloused adults don’t always sympathize when they’re admiring the clouds or tiny landscapes below at an earsplitting volume, but we can at least admit that flying’s a pretty cool experience for the younger crowd.

So on high-traveled routes, why not offer family-friendly flights as well as adults-only flights? Pass out travel-themed coloring books and packs of crayons (colorable SkyMall, anyone?). Show Disney movies in-flight. Embrace the excitement of take-off and landing. Instead of excluding families or favoring business travelers, airlines can cater to these two distinctly different audiences.

Sound-Off: Do You Think Adults-Only Flights are a Good Idea?

Do you think adults-only flights are unfair to parents or a much-needed godsend? Would you pay extra for a quiet cabin? What do you think of our “Family-Friendly Flights” idea? Frequent flyer parents, be sure to

sound-off on your opinions as a parent and a business traveler. We can’t wait to hear what you think!

Image Source: WoodleyWonderWorks via Flickr
Fact Source: Business Travel & Meetings Show Survey