For years airlines have toyed with the idea of separating sometimes fussy, loud children from adults on flights, either through flying nanny services or the ever-popular, but seldom instituted “kid-free zones.” Now, one airline is taking the plunge, offering separate “quiet zones” where passengers under the age of 12 aren’t allowed to sit.
The Los Angeles Times reports that low-cost India-based carrier IndiGo recently added two “quiet zones” to both its domestic and international flights.
Under the program, children ages 12 and younger are not allowed to be sold seats in rows 1-4 and 11-14.
“These zones have been created for business travelers, who prefer to use the quiet time to do their work,” IndiGo spokeswoman Sakshi Batra said.
While the new “quiet zones” may guarantee that you won’t be sitting next to a youngster who might ask you too many questions, or inexplicably begin to cry, the option also guarantees you’ll be paying more: Indigo says the zones will come with an extra fee ranging from $6 to $20 depending on the flight.
The Times points out that although no U.S.-based airlines currently offer so-called “kid free zones,” the idea is appealing to many travelers, according to a recent survey from Expedia.
The survey of 1,001 U.S. travelers found that 49% of would pay extra to be in a designated “quiet zone.”
IndiGo’s new option comes after several low-cost carriers implemented similar plans: Scoot, a low-cost airline from Singapore; AirAsia X, a low-cost carrier from Malaysia; and Malaysia Airlines all offer similar programs.
Richard Branson, the billionaire guy behind Virgin Atlantic Airlines expressed his interest in creating a “kids’ class” for children on flights back in 2014.
The idea was essentially the same, separate kids from adults who don’t want to be bothered, but it featured a slight deviation: kids would have their own cabin where nannies would be on hand to look after them. However, after running into issues with federal regulators, the plans never materialized.
Airline launches child-free zones for travelers who are sick of screaming kids [The Los Angeles Times]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist