Bowman’s Travel Brief: Babies in Laps on Planes

We just returned from what will likely be the final flight with my infant son sitting on my lap.

Am I sad about this news?

You better believe it.

Free flights for babies? How could one not take advantage of this? We did the same with my daughter. I firmly believe in the power of children traveling at young ages.

Soon my son will be two years old, and we’ll have to buy him a ticket. My bank account is already feeling the pressure.

Personally, I think two years old should still be eligible for free flights sitting in laps. I mean, if the kid is in diapers, let them fly free!

Ok well maybe not that exact rule because we all know some people would be trying to beat the system and put some 10-year-old kid in a diaper for a free flight.

My bias as a new parent might be showing there, but my feelings would be the same if I wasn’t a father of two littles. How many more families would buy plane tickets if their two-year-old could still fly free?

This is certainly wishful thinking.

Yes, I know there are safety issues when it comes to babies sitting on laps in planes. It’s a hot button issue for some. I am also fully aware of the challenges of keeping a two-year-old in such a small space for an extended period.

And don’t even get me started on the selfish people who give sharp looks at a baby boarding a plane. We have had a mix of rude and polite travelers around us during our travels with infants.

We will happily buy the ticket for our son to keep traveling and experiencing this great big, beautiful world. But it is harder than I thought it would be to say goodbye to the free flight for infants.

What do you think of babies in laps on planes?

Let me know your thoughts and follow me on social media: @EricBowman_

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