For & Against: Our Travel Team Got Real About Kid-Free Zones On Planes
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
If you've travelled on an airplane before, you may well have your own horror stories of crying babies and kids kicking seats for hours on end. However, one European airline is offering a solution.
In a press release, Corendon Airlines, revealed it was launching adult-only zones on its flights between Amsterdam and Curaçao from November 3, 2023.
According to the airline, the zone is for people travelling without kids or for business travellers who want to work on their flight. The airline also mentioned that having a separate zone for adults could be beneficial for parents, who won't have to worry as much about possible negative reactions to their children from fellow passengers.
The section will be available for passengers ages 16 years old for an additional $66 (€45) one-way per person, going up to an additional $146 (€100) for seats with extra legroom.
But how important is having a kid-free space on a plane to travellers? The Narcity travel team weighed in on whether or not they'd spend some extra cash to sit in a kid-free section.
For
Senior Editor Helena Hanson loves the idea of being able to travel in a separate section.
"I've been sat around so many annoying kids on flights. Kids who kick seats or who play their iPad out loud watching Cocomelon," she said.
"I just wish the rule was over 18, rather than over 16," she added.
Hanson also made the point that for parents travelling with kids, it will ease the pressure as they'll likely be travelling in the same section with other parents so if their kids are crying or making a lot of noise, other passengers are likely to understand and sympathize.
Against
As a Travel Creator, I've definitely had my fair share of awkward encounters with children on flights from babies crying for hours to kids running up and down the aisles with tired parents trailing behind.
While I completely understand the move towards kid-free zones, it isn't something that bothers me enough to pay extra for an adults-only section. Noise-cancelling headphones and an eye mask are usually enough to do the trick.
Associate Travel Editor Madeline Forsyth added that while she understands, she personally doesn't feel it's worth paying extra just to sit in a kid-free section of a plane.
"I don’t get too bothered by children crying. What bothers me is adults getting into my personal space, being rude or impolite or being rowdy," she said.
Whether you're Team Kid-Free Zone or Team Noise-Canceling Headphones, there's a section for both types of flyers on this Corendon Airlines route.
