WorldOCT 19, 2023

Airline Announces Adults-Only Zone Where Babies Aren't Allowed, Starts Heated Discussion

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Traveling etiquette isn’t always respected amongst all travelers.

We have all experienced sitting on a plane with the occasional naked-foot dimwit, greedy seat space robber, and backseat kicker. But for those who particularly hold animosity towards the occasional loud sound produced by the younger ones, there might now be a silver lining.

Turkish leisure airline Corendon is introducing a child-free zone on its A350 flights between Amsterdam and the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.

The carrier’s only adult area, which little ones are completely banned from, is set to launch in just a few weeks from November 3 this year, with future passengers already enabled to book seats in the distinctive area.

Corendon Airlines has launched an adult-only zone on some of its planes

Image credits: AlexVog (not the actual photo)

According to Corendon, the area in the front of the aircraft will feature nine 'XL' seats with additional legroom and a total of 93 standard seats.

The airline explained in a press release published in August that the specially designated zone is “intended for travelers traveling without children and for business travelers who want to work in a quiet environment”. It also informed that the introduction of the only adult zone also has a positive effect on parents with children, as they won’t have to “worry as much about possible reactions from fellow passengers if their child is busier or crying”.

The zone will be physically separated from the rest of the aircraft by walls and curtains, “creating a shielded environment that contributes to a quiet and relaxing flight”, the airline wrote.

A seat reservation in the only adult zone will cost €45 per single journey, while an XL seat in the only adult zone will cost €100 each way. Moreover, the only adult zone will exclusively become accessible to passengers aged 16 and over.

Passengers must be at least 16 in order to sit in the specially designated zones

Image credits: hwilson8 (not the actual photo)

"On board our flights we always strive to respond to the different needs of our customers,” Atilay Uslu, the founder of Corendon, said. He continued: “We are also the first Dutch airline to introduce the only adult zone because we try to appeal to travelers who are looking for some extra peace and quiet during their flight.

“We also believe that this can have a positive effect on parents traveling with small children. They can enjoy the flight without worrying when their children make more noise."

The announcement is a rather unusual advancement in airplane history, seeing as carriers tend to follow strict policies where pets are forbidden, and smoking has long been banished entirely.

As a result, people expressed divided reactions, with some condemning the new zone altogether.

A man wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “More like a crying adults section.”

“A babe should sue because of age discrimination,” another person commented.

A separate individual wrote: “So apparently airlines are considering making 'child-free zones' on planes, and I can't decide if this is a dystopian shift or not, but generally it’s really sad how little tolerance people have for children and babies - even acting like they shouldn't be in public.”

“The 'adults' that can't deal maturely with a crying baby usually ARE the problem.. so I'll pass on paying extra to be grouped in with those unstable snowflakes,” another X user exclaimed.

Child-free zones on airplanes have sparked a divided conversation amongst many travelers with most of them thinking it's rather "disgusting"

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As Corendon’s adult zone sparked a lengthy debate online, other people saw the news as a rather positive one, as a person posted on X: “16 is too young. I'd raise it to 21.

“Have you ever seen a drunken 16-year-old on the way to a Caribbean vacation?”

Another X user chimed in: “Might be a good idea. Parents worry about their kids being bothersome.. relieve some pressure for them too.” A mom commented: “I have kids, and I approve this.”

“I have 2 small kids. It is a fantastic idea. All airlines should do it. In fact, they should introduce adult-only flights,” another parent wrote.

A separate person commented: “I would be an immediate frequent flyer for an adults-only airline.

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Corendon Airlines isn’t the only carrier offering a special zone on planes, dedicated to quiet and peace.

AirAsia introduced last month new “quiet zones” on their X flights, “simply because we know that sometimes all you need is some peace and quiet for a more pleasant journey with us,” the airline wrote.

The quiet zone promises little to no noise, zero disturbances, and soft ambient lighting.

Moreover, children below the age of 10 are forbidden into this zone, which is exclusively available on AirAsia X A330 aircraft that fly to countries such as South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan.

Back in 2016, Indian airline IndiGo also launched its own child-free quiet zone aboard some of its planes.

The carrier wrote: “Keeping in mind the comfort and convenience of all passengers, row numbers one to four and 11 to 14 are generally kept as a Quiet Zone on IndiGo flights.

"These zones have been created for business travelers who prefer to use the quiet time to do their work.”

As reported by The National News, a survey conducted on 3,292 travelers in the UAE revealed opinions about children on planes.

Of the 3,292 respondents, 60 percent said that they had been disrupted by a child on a plane, and 64 percent said there should be child-free areas on planes.

Only 14 percent of respondents agreed with the suggestion that children should be banned from business class – but more than half of them said they would take a child-free flight if one were available.