At many restaurants, churches, and resorts, there is a separate section for families with children. This way families do not disturb other people, and parents don’t spend the entire time being embarrassed and shushing their children. Why not have a separate section in the airplane for families with children. However, a separate section isn’t enough to improve the experience for the parents. There needs to be activities for kids to keep them occupied such as cartoons, small games, and kid’s TV (think placemats and crayons at Friendly’s). So many children in a small area can make a lot of noise, so noise dampening materials are a must. Of course, different flights will have different proportions of family travelers, so a movable screen to expand or contract the section would be helpful.However, families are not the only distinct segment of air travelers.
One post suggested a sleeper section of fixed beds, but this is not a very workable solution because of the need to be seated in the event of a crash landing. It does point to the need for a sleeping section. If all seats in a section are automatically reclined between take-off and landing, the seats could be reclined much further without worry of hitting or annoying the person behind you. This would allow for a much more comfortable bed without a sacrifice in safety or need for more (expensive) space. Also, a do not disturb sign was an interesting thought, but this does not prevent the person next to you from turning on a light to read, food being passed over your head, or being hit by the food cart if you’re on the aisle seat. This separate lights out, sleeping section would avoid these disturbances and increase comfort.
Finally, some people like to read, work on a laptop, or God forbid, chat. Putting these people in a well lighted setting would avoid the need to install individual lights. Making the seats non-reclining would force sleeping passengers to sign up for the sleeping section, and stop them reclining their seats into the faces of the awake passengers. It would also allow for more seats in the same area since there is no need for a buffer between seats for reclining, and cheaper non-reclining seats.
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When I get on a plane, I don't know if I'm going to sleep, read or 'God forbid' chat. If I planned to sleep, so I signed up for the automatic seat-recline area, (when, weeks in advance?) if I can't sleep, am I stuck there? If I planned to chat, but there weren't any interesting or amenable people, could I sleep in your 'chat' area?
Disciplined children don't have to shushed multiple times, and I want my kids with me, not in some kid-ghetto. I'll bring my own crayons. Mostly my kids sleep anyway. Those separate sections teach kids that they don't have to behave-in churches too.
I think the airlines have had enough experience with this now that they do great. I like the flexibility. Sorry my chatting or kids annoy you. I think you need to expect this sort of thing any time people are anonymously pushed together in a group. I have a bigger qualm with large people in the next seat, but I don't complain--I know that they hate it too.
The next big step is smaller planes on direct routes, until we're flying our own planes.