Do you think its fair parents bring young babies on flights for a holiday ?

well, it is really a troublesome thing to travel with a young baby, but it depends on everyone's will, some people like to travel with their babies, so i think it do not exist about fair or unfair matter, just as you like

One way of equalizing the ear pressure in young kids/babies is to give them something to eat/breast/bottle at takeoff. Same effect as adults chewing gum.

Personally, I know I will fly with my child once it's born - simply because I live here in Ireland, and my family are in Germany. I do want the child to have contact with his/her grandparents, and while they will visit us here, it's a two-way street.
I'd say the child will be about six months old when we'll fly first. thankfully it's only a short-ish flight, about 2 hours.
Long-haul, though, definitely not.

I can't see the problem with bringing a baby on a flight. I have been on countless flights where there's been one or more babies on board, and let's face it, the worst they'll do is cry. I think it's unfair to expect the parents to have to either leave their child with a child minder or with other members of their family just to save the sensitive ears of a few fussy passengers. I know I wouldn't.
My wife is expecting our first in a few weeks and since we travel a lot, we will be including our child in all our journeys, obviously once we get over the initial shock to the system
Since we'll have this new member of the family, I will want to experience different places, cultures etc with them, regardless of how young they are or if they remember it or not.

It's not so much the flight part with kids, but more that I don't see the point of bringing a small child on a sun holiday or even foreign holidays in general. They won't appreciate or remember it at all. I know the parents might like a bit of sun but I've seen people overseas with small kids on holidays and it looks more like work than a holiday- besides how dangerous the sun is for their delicate skin. Obviously sometimes travel due to emigration etc can't be avoided.

Also I don't mean to sound old fashioned but when we were younger my parents brought us on holidays to places like Wexford, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Galway and to be honest we'd probably have better memories from those than the odd time we went abroad.

I was down in Dunmore East a few summers ago and there was a dad (I assume) with his little girl, she was about 3. The weather was only ok, dry but overcast. She had a little wetsuit on and I've never seen a happier little girl splashing around having a ball- she wouldn't have known or cared whether she was in Waterford or Tenerife. I just think you're better off saving the foreign holidays till they're a little older to appreciate it.

We've brought our lass on a few flights. Once you're organised its not that difficult and shouldn't really be disruptive for others. We don't have a screamer anyway, if our child was very difficult we'd look at other ways of traveling but she's slept most of the flights we've taken. Older children who are let kick seats and run riot are far more irritating.

keithclancy wrote: »

I've heard mixed opinions on this one.

Basically on the continent (I work in Germany and live in the Netherlands) most people I know wouldn't dream on going on a flight with a young baby (young meaning under a year old), mainly because:

A. Babies can't/don't know how to equalise and it can be very painful even as an adult if you are congested etc when flying.

B. There's plenty of places you can drive to or simply go on a holiday close by with the ferry.

C. They simply stay at home and use their days off to spend time at home doing stuff and organise activities to do in the local area, they'll put off foreign holiday altogether until the kids are old enough to carry their own stuff, understand whats going on.

D. Travelling anywhere with a baby when you don't have a car is a pain in the hole.

In Ireland I've seen the complete polar opposite, with people going off to Mediterranean destinations with babies a few months old.

Why is this the case ?

Myself, I don't see the point, why put yourself and your child through that much hassle just to get a bit of fun in the sun, Ireland has some great spots to go to and enjoy yourself without flying anywhere.

Here sunshine (what an apt term in this case) the reason people in Ireland do this is because we live on a fooking island.
You are on about people in Holland using campervans.
Well bright spark they can drive down to south of France, Italy or even Spain.
We have to take a flight or face a very expensive ferry ride (yes it is damm expensive Ireland to France at height of season) plus a drive of at least 10 plus hours added to it to get to anywhere near the south of France nevermind Spain or Italy.

A lot of Irish people would stay at home if we had any decent weather, as in the last couple of weeks.
But normally we don't and it is never guaranteed.
You know maybe people with families would actually like to see a bit of sun for a week or two of the year.

Come back to us when you live in ireland, have kids and have been looking at pi**ing rain in kerry or Galway for two fooking weeks.

The Backwards Man wrote: »

There are many circumstances where it is necessary for people to fly with young children in my opinion, going on holiday isn't one of them. I'd include children up to at least seven years of age in that.

So people with families should not fly, particularly for holidays.
Is that what you are saying ?
Get this little point through your head, whilst some of the kids may be over 7 others may not.
Are parents meant to wait until all the kids are in their teens before they go on a decent foreign holiday ?

The Backwards Man wrote: »

You could have spent the first year of your life in Disneyworld and you wouldn't remember a single solitary thing about it.

What's the point?

Yeah but the babies siblings may be 5, 10 or 13.
Should they not get a chance to experience it ?

keithclancy wrote: »

Not a theory, its based on having a groups of friends/acquaintances from three different countries.

Also if you saw the amount of Dutch Campervans/Caravans in the summer you'd get the idea.

I never said they should be, simply asked do you think its fair on a young baby when they have no choice.

Do you have a map of Europe or even look up google earth/maps and then see if you can spot the blue stuff that surrounds Ireland but doesn't surrond Holland, Germany, etc.

That is fooking water mate and unless you have a special campervan you would get very wet driving it from Dublin to Nice.
Of course you could take a ferry which only adds €1600 odd to your trip cost.

Let me ask the posters who are anti kids flying if they have any kids ?
And yes it does make a difference and causes one to start thinking about other things rather than your-fooking-selves.

PS I have flown with kids but over last couple of years have taken ferry since you can pack more stuff for them and it is less hassel than airports.
I have always endeavoured to make sure my kids don't annoy other people, but reasoning with 2/3 old is not always easy.
And yes there are those parents that don't give a sh**, just like they are those numpties who seem to think anyone with kids should not be allowed have a life at all.
Just rememebr my kids will probably (hopefully at least) be the taxpayers of the future contributing to your healthcare and nappies you will be wearing when you will be pi**ing in your pants in a dodgy hospital.
Hell I might even hope one of them may even be doctor that is giving you a jab in your wringly old ar**es.