Flying with children: What do you think?

Be grateful you CAN travel! When I was a child the only travel avaialble was to and from war zones! First school trip abroad was cancelled due to government saying our travel wasn't neccessary! Then we lived through the £50 travel limit when yuou had to take passport to bank/travel agent where you got your foreign currnecy (no ATM machines then) to have the amount you had in foreign curency entered into it for future reference and YES yu did get searched at irports to check you didn't have an excess or heaven forbid more sterling than the officer in charge that day thought was neccessary. Travelling then with four children was a nightmare as small children who are the most expensive to take away did not qualify for any allowance. I glory in seeing my grand-children and now my great-grandchildren having the freedom to travel It's what my parents generation fought for

I don't think that children under 2 years old should be allowed to travel on an aircraft, until they can be taught the valsalva technique. I think that it is cruel taking babies on an aircraft. Babies can not be taught the valsalva technique (popping your ears) to deal with pressure changes during aircraft descent. I have heard too many babies screaming due to the pain caused by this situation.

Have been flying with my kids since they were babies, oldest now 10, fly at least twice a year, kids have never messed up a flight with crying or anything else. Born travelers (no not those of Dale Farm lol).
It is very irritating though kids yelling for hours and hours though, but what can you do, we've all been small. Just make sure, as a parent, you've got a whole arsenal of stuff to keep them happy.

Just returned from Greece after a 3 hour flight with a toddler with lungs far bigger than his size indicated
sitting very close by who screamed for most of the flight, this is not fair on other passengers, Airlines
should try and keep small children at either the front or back of the plane and use some common sense.

Poor air conditioning, cramped conditions, constant noise and a pressurised cabin means that aircraft aren't suitable conditions for young children. Children start messing around and crying because they are tired, bored and sometimes have ear pain, parents get frustrated and agitated and the rest of the plane is expected to put up with it. Do everyone a favour and don't take children on planes.