I'd totally pay more for a flight where screaming kids and crying babies are down the back – or aren't on board at all

02.09.2023 - 09:31 / insider.com / Atilay Uslu / Airlines

Just getting to – and through – the airport in time for your flight is stressful enough in these post-pandemic days. Then there's the fun of getting on the aircraft – even if you have what's euphemistically called something like "priority boarding."

So you've made it on the plane, it takes off and the seatbelt sign is turned off. Chances are you're actually getting to your destination. But just as you're enjoying that first gin and tonic, the toddler just across the aisle starts wailing and cannot be consoled.

We all know that children can be somewhat difficult to reason with and I do feel for parents in these situations – bribery has a limited shelf life and it's hard enough for adults to sit still for hours on end let alone kids.

Full disclosure: I am not a parent. I don't even have a cat. And I can't begin to imagine the hell of traveling with children, especially on a long-haul flight.

That said, I do rather like the idea of not sitting next to or near kids, who – let's face it – can be quite annoying even at the best of times.

So the news that an airline is introducing child-free zones on flights from Amsterdam to the Caribbean for a small premium caught my eye. Atilay Uslu, the founder of Corendon, says it's "trying to appeal to travelers looking for some extra peace of mind during their flight."

He also claims it'll help parents so they won't have to worry if their children are being noisy.

It's certainly not the first airline to try such a stunt. About a decade ago Scoot, the budget offshoot of Singapore Airlines, first offered "ScootinSilence" seats reserved for passengers over 12 years of age for a small additional charge.

But given Corendon is only using walls and curtains to cordon off kiddy class, peace and quiet isn't quite guaranteed. It's a bit like when airlines used to offer smoking or non-smoking seats (younger readers, I'm not making this up. And it only stopped this century.)

Should I be in the market for a flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao then I'd happily pay an extra $48 to sit up the front of a Corendon plane.

But here's an idea: why don't airlines go one step further and start banning kids entirely from some flights?

Realistically it could only work for routes that offer several flights a day – but given the number of services American Airlines and British Airways run a day between Heathrow and JFK, I bet quite a few passengers would also be willing to pay more to guarantee they won't be on a flying creche.

After all, there are adults-only cruises and resorts – so why not adults-only flights too?