Although I applaud AFWD for conducting such a poll, I think the choices are rather limited. (Mind you, they didn't ask me, but...) Based on the *extensive* conversation had on this previous blog posting:

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/AirfareWatchBlog/tabid/54/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/488/Default.aspx

the issue isn't entirely black-and-white. Various options and thoughts emerged:
- Should the seating area be required or simply suggested?
- Should airlines simply offer "child-free" flights for a premium?
- What if the kids are fine but the drunken jackass in 15B is the cause of your headache?

There's a lot of fiery opinions about it due to the 'bad apples' in the world, but clearly there's no straight answer to it, and even a 'kids' section of a plane isn't without its complexities.

A good poll, but I'd like to see more options, personally. :)

by Nathan Pralle on Monday, March 24, 2008

Yes, kids should have a separate section. I'd like to keep my kid separate from the rude, selfish, obnoxious and drunken creeps I've seen on planes! Help us nice families out!!!

by NICK on Monday, March 24, 2008

I agree with Nick.

The children in my family are better behaved than 95% of the adults on the plane, including the rude, selfish, obnoxious and drunken creeps I've seen on planes!

On last night's flight, my earplugs just barely blocked the shrill fingernails-on-chalk board voice of the graduate student seated immediately behind me who was yakking non-stop without breathing for three hours to her newly-found boyfriend seated next to her. She must have been making big gestures, too, because about every ten minutes just as I was about to drift off to sleep with my eye-blind and earplugs, her knee or elbow or some body part would bang and batter the back of my seat.

by Tee on Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My kids, even when young, were and are a lot better behaved than many adults on our flights. Also, I think if an area for children/families were set aside, areas should also be set aside for folks that overflow their assigned seat; insist on yakking throughout the flight even though it is clear their seatmates don't want to talk; drink too much and are obnoxious; use bad language consistently and in a very loud voice; have extreme body/breath odor and don't seem to realize it; reek or cigarette smoke; insist on public displays of affection that nobody else wants to see; try to pick up the teenager sitting next to them (when the parent is a seat or two away); cough and hack without covering their mouths; or turn their audio up so loud that everyone else can hear what is coming through their headphones. My kids (all 5) have never been guilty of any of these offenses, although I admit that infants cry when their ears hurt or they are tired and teens can be obnoxious at any time. Get real, folks. People are people, young or old.

by frequent traveler on Monday, March 31, 2008