Screeching Screaming Siren of Woe

October 10, 2014

in Baby & Kid Stories

Worse than an infant — who brings a three-year old and a five-year old on an international first class flight? VS20, San Francisco to London on September 23, 2014, someone brought not one but two young children in first class.

While the elder child was only highly rambunctious (and undressed in his seat), the younger child was a screeching screaming siren of woe. Nothing was acceptable – not the seat belt or the car seat. Each protestation was made at 90 decibels, so no one could miss it. I was seriously considering asking to get off the plane before it left to take a flight the next day.

Instead, like everyone else in that compartment (11 other passengers), I put on the noise canceling headphones and blasted music, even while the plane was taxing and through take off. I probably violated some rule, but the plane didn’t crash, and my ears weren’t bleeding from the shrieks.

Finally, the children went to sleep. That meant the rest of us could go to sleep – until the three-year old woke up screeching.

I maybe got two hours sleep on a ten hour red-eye, despite the lay flat bed.

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Black Ryan Bingham October 12, 2014 at 2:53 pm

Virgin don't have a First Class section! Upper class is strictly a Business Class product at business class prices hence you will always find kids. Its great for people like me that can't justify a first class fare but don't want to know there are people having a better flight than me! hehe

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Quinty Marsman January 24, 2015 at 7:02 am

Yeah i agree with you on this point. We actually need to survive with the economic conditions. Thanks

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Keith October 24, 2014 at 11:30 am

You only want kids in coach? Who are you to decide that? Was the parent trying to get the child to quiet down. People have every right to bring their kids on a flight.Should they drive to London? Step off the high horse and either add to the story or don't complain. It sounded you had to wait a few minutes and then you put on headphones and had a nice flight. Not quite a flight from hell.

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zethuz May 20, 2015 at 3:41 am

I guess you have not had kids. Once you have some of your own then you will realize what a tough job it is to manage kids on a plane. Instead of whining and complaining try to sympathize with the parent.
As regards to bringing kids in First Class , they have as much of a right to travel as you, so stop complaining.

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Crystal September 16, 2015 at 8:22 am

Not when they interfere with the flight I paid for. Control your kids…and yes, proud mother of 2 well behaved children who grew up knowing right from wrong. Lazy parenting.

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RedHead0186 September 17, 2015 at 12:59 pm

They paid for the flight, too. And while they inconvenienced you I don't think they "interfered" with your flight. You got to your destination safe and sound, right? So they didn't interfere with he flight, just your comfort.

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Zombie September 25, 2015 at 1:45 am

But not rested. What if the original poster had an important meeting the next day? Maybe those hours of sleep were worth the cost to the flier (or the employer, of the employer paid) to be certain the flier was properly rested after shifting eight time zones on a red-eye flight?

Flying in this fashion is not always just an indulgence. For many, it is a business decision, and for a potential multi-million dollar deal, spending an extra couple thousand dollars to make certain someone gets a decent night of sleep on the flight is a sound business practice.

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Amber May 18, 2016 at 8:10 am

If they have an important meeting then maybe they shouldn't fly so close to their meeting where they'd have no chance of rest upon landing prior to said meeting. Stuff happens, whether it's cranky children or a drunk passenger or even mechanical issues, if you have to be somewhere and rested then give yourself more time.

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Zombie December 21, 2016 at 8:36 am

Usually, the kind of person who needs the rest for the meeting is someone who is busy — and is likely working up to the flight. I recall a few years back needing to interview a potential employee at an airport because aI was working up until the flight took off.

Traveler1 May 17, 2016 at 12:22 am

If you're a mother, then you'd know that each and every child is different and so is each individual who is a parent to that child. TRYING to control is one thing, but sometimes that just isn't enough. As adults we've got to have the patience and forsight to suck it up.

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Traveler1 December 31, 2015 at 11:27 am

yuck! another whiny "the world revolves around me" idiot complaining about children on a plane. you're not the only one in the world and people reproduce, it's life, get over yourself.

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Amber May 18, 2016 at 8:08 am

The people that can afford to take their children on first class flights are going to do so. Some babies and toddlers cry from the ear pressure of flying, it's not always possible to simply drive or stay home. You suck it up and do your best to ignore the crying, hopefully the parents are responsible enough to come prepared and are able to settle the child down.

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Helen June 7, 2016 at 3:40 pm

To everyone complaining about the passengers- if you pay for a first-class ticket you pay for a certain level of comfort ie. No screaming babies or drunk passengers. I feel sorry for everyone on that flight, including the mother (as that is very embarrassing) but if you can't control your children, don't fly business or first class. People in those carriages have places to be, in a rested and refreshed state, which is why they bought those tickets in the first place.

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