When you fly you generally have the option of coach, business or first class. But for some airlines your next ticket could be child-free.
A 2017 survey from AirfareWatchdog.com found that a little over half of respondents believe families with children ten and under should sit in a designated area. The people surveyed said they would pay extra for the peace and quiet and would even support the idea of adults-only flights.
Now some international airlines such as Malaysia Airlines and Indigo are introducing kid-free zones where passengers can purchase a ticket and know they will not be seated next to a small child. Unfortunately, U.S. Airlines have yet to follow suit and there’s a good chance the idea won’t take off at all.
Industry experts say it would be a controversial idea and a public relations nightmare to introduce kids-free zones. They say considering the issue around support animals, any rule that benefits a smaller group of people in this case the child free, does not go over well.
So hold onto those noise-canceling headphones, you’re gonna need them.
About Brian
CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.
