I will admit that at times (i.e. any red-eye, whenever I’m not in a J-Class seat), the selfish prick in me wished it was illegal to fly with kids. And I don’t mean ordinary kids who are mostly well-behaved. I mean the demonic crotch goblins with the sustained lung capacity of prime Pavarotti and the legs of Roberto Carlos. That’s probably why Corendon Airlines is introducing an adults-only section on flights between Amsterdam and Curacao.
For an extra €45 to reserve a standard seat and €100 for a large seat (both one-way), you’ll be granted access to an “Only Adult” zone located at the front of the route’s Airbus A350-9000, “separated from the rest of the aircraft by means of walls and curtains for a calm and relaxed flight,” according to the official press release. All up, the child-free part of the cabin includes nine XL seats (with extra legroom) and 93 standard seats).
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The age limit, however, is 16 and over. This means you’ll still have to share space with some Zoomer. Although we’d take a snarky teen over a wailing toddler any day of the week.
“On board our flights, we always strive to respond to the different needs of our customers,” said Atilay Uslu, Founder of Corendon Airlines.
“We are also the first Dutch airline to introduce the Only Adult zone, to cater to travellers looking for some extra peace of mind during their flight.”
Uslu added: “We also believe this can have a positive effect on parents travelling with small children. They can enjoy the flight without worrying if their children make more noise.”
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As pointed out by Mr Uslu, Corendon Airlines marks the very first Dutch airline to offer such a product. But this is by no means a groundbreaking innovation. Especially in the Asian market. Because we Asians are practical if nothing else; and based on how I was raised, as a blanket race, we also don’t give a f**k about kids’ feelings, either.
Singapore-based budget airline Scoot, for one, already has a dedicated Scoot-in-Silence option for certain flights that’s only open to passengers aged 12 and over. Malaysia’s AirAsia X, on the other hand, has a Quiet Zone for passengers over the age of 10 on its A330s; while Malaysia Airlines’ A380s feature a restricted area on the upper deck wherein the minimum age is 12.
Then there’s Japan Airlines, which proudly retains an ingenious booking system outlining the flight’s “baby map,” thereby allowing those sensitive to the very idea of infants to avoid them entirely.
Here’s to hoping other international carriers will follow suit.
