Children in Envoy Class

[CLTBWIDAYSYR]

Perhaps this has been discussed on the forum and I missed it, but last week's flight to London can't happen again. This really needs to be sorted out.

Picture it: A full A-330 from CLT to LGW, agents in CLT (doing their jobs selling upgrades since the age restriction was lifted by AmWest for travelers in Envoy) sold upgrades to three families who had nine children under the age of five. Three of the children were infants. All screamed the entire nine hours across the Atlantic. One mother decided to change a dirty diaper at the seat in the forward cabin DURING DINNER. All this because management thinks the added revune is worth it. Here's the rub, Mr Biz Customer (hence the term, Business Class) who flies to Europe twice a month and pays $3K for his ticket gets no sleep due to crying babies. He decides for his own sanity, he will fly Delta, Northwest, United, American or Lufthansa from now on to avoid this. They don't allow children in trans oceaninc biz class. His six grand a month to us is now gone. Meanwhile, Mr and Mrs Couple with Baby travel once a year. They upgrade for $800. Anyone understand how or why we changed our policy?

Management, if you do read these boards, you're pissing off our most important customers. If its not going to be business class, then rip out the seats and stop selling a product that does not exist.

 

[night-ice]

Perhaps this has been discussed on the forum and I missed it, but last week's flight to London can't happen again. This really needs to be sorted out.

Picture it: A full A-330 from CLT to LGW, agents in CLT (doing their jobs selling upgrades since the age restriction was lifted by AmWest for travelers in Envoy) sold upgrades to three families who had nine children under the age of five. Three of the children were infants. All screamed the entire nine hours across the Atlantic. One mother decided to change a dirty diaper at the seat in the forward cabin DURING DINNER. All this because management thinks the added revune is worth it. Here's the rub, Mr Biz Customer (hence the term, Business Class) who flies to Europe twice a month and pays $3K for his ticket gets no sleep due to crying babies. He decides for his own sanity, he will fly Delta, Northwest, United, American or Lufthansa from now on to avoid this. They don't allow children in trans oceaninc biz class. His six grand a month to us is now gone. Meanwhile, Mr and Mrs Couple with Baby travel once a year. They upgrade for $800. Anyone understand how or why we changed our policy?

Management, if you do read these boards, you're pissing off our most important customers. If its not going to be business class, then rip out the seats and stop selling a product that does not exist.

or perhaps only allow children over the age of 7 to upgrade...no wearing of diapers, crying, nursing, etc; My kids fly all the time and are very mature. It would be uncommon if either the pax or crew did not comment on how well they behave when they fly...and to be so young.

 

[LGA / 037]

I know for a fact Singapore & Lufthansa will ask the parent if traveling in Business or First to take the child back into coach until the child calms down and stops crying !

 

[N965VJ]

The brats should be booted out of domestic FC as well, say over 2:00 block time.

 

[Jonnyd]

This has happened to me at least twice flying in Envoy to and from FCO many times these past 4 months. These kids would not stop screaming at 4 in the morning when everyone was dead asleep. Needless to say I need a long nap when I arrived in FCO.

 

[luvn737s]

Eliminate the policy of allowing infants to ride as human missles on their parent's laps and the problem is solved. The general excuse is that if airlines charged parents full fare for infants, they would end up driving, where they would be required to be in a car seat!!

 

[SKY HIGH]

Sorry to hear that. Perhaps this is one of the few times a passenger should confront another regarding the conduct of their offspring???????

sky high states: Very Problematic. Why NOT ban kids on RED EYES too? Ban them on LATE NIGHT FLIGHTS?
How annoying to hear a child scream ANYTIME of the day. Butttt, it's a "CUSTOMER SERVICE" industry, isnt it? And, its a "PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT" isnt it?

 

[zethya]

Picture it: A full A-330 from CLT to LGW, agents in CLT (doing their jobs selling upgrades since the age restriction was lifted by AmWest for travelers in Envoy) sold upgrades to three families who had nine children under the age of five. Three of the children were infants. All screamed the entire nine hours across the Atlantic. One mother decided to change a dirty diaper at the seat in the forward cabin DURING DINNER.....

That's really Bad. Didn't the Envoy flight attendants do anything to try and resolve this? If not, why are they there? It is especially difficult to understand how the FAs permitted the diaper change as you discribed. Send an email to Parker with this posting, including your flight # date and seat #. If it ever happens to me, I'm gone.

 

[MarkMyWords]

There was never a policy of "banning" infants from Envoy or First Class, except for non-rev's. I don't believe you can just "ban" anyone from purchasing a ticket or an upgrade. You would be accused of discrimination.

 

[whlinder]

Wow, I know most frequent travellers hate children with a passion but didn't know that airline employees felt the same way.

I have also never heard of any airline "banning" kids from a premium cabin.

 

[Charlie_Tuna]

Fact is some things in life are "Adults Only" and the airline needs to have clear rules in that regard.

The fact is the airline does have clear rules. Live with it or move on

 

[andyperkins]

What do you think the flight attendants should do? Move the customers with the children back to Y and give the seats to selected adults inflight? All hell would break loose! We have no written policy for this situation.

I try to work F as much as I can and have had many problems with younger children in F/C. I try and politely remind them, or the parent, that there are other people sleeping, trying to eat, or relax during the flight. But we really can’t do much more than that.

I’ve always thought young children should not be in F class. Now that the domestic F product is nothing more than premium seating, it’s a little difficult to have such a policy not allowing them.

 

[reznc]

There is no rule about children in First or Envoy, in fact we have had trouble where the parents want a very young child to travel on their own in the back, so the parents won't be disturbed!

However, most people don't want to pay for their children to be up front, only themselves, and I can assure you when they are using FF miles to purchase tkts to Europe and you then advise them the infant rate of 10% of a business class fare plus tax they quickly opt for the back. Little Johnny has cost them more than a coach class seat.

 

[Seatacus]

How would everyone feel if a 2 year old had accompanied their parents on 50 segments in coach and became a premium traveler and then used their status to upgrade?

 

[john john]

How would everyone feel if a 2 year old had accompanied their parents on 50 segments in coach and became a premium traveler and then used their status to upgrade?

I know a UM that was a US2 divorce parents kid travel just about every weekend use to upgrade her all the time when the parents flew the UM would upgrade the parent