Are child-free flights the next travel trend?

Flying next to kids is not all right, some travelers are telling airlines, after a string of high-profile, midair tantrums

"I would gladly pay extra for a child-free flight," says one frequent flier.
(Image credit: Corbis)

An air-rage-fueled rebellion is brewing, as travelers without children pressure airlines to protect them from their worst travel nightmare — being seated next to a relentlessly screaming toddler. Nearly 60 percent of travelers surveyed by price-comparison website Skyscanner said airlines should put all groups with children in a "families only" section on flights, and there have been several recent scuffles over poorly behaved kids who angered other passengers. Is it time for airlines to offer child-free travel options?

It would certainly make flying more pleasant: It's just a fact of life, says Kim Gray at Modern Family. Passengers who don't have toddlers of their own "dread" dealing with "ear-piercing wails" and "foul-smelling diapers," especially on long flights. Child-free flights might not be feasible, but it's easy to understand why people want them.

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