Airline Launches Its New “Quiet Zone,” Banishing Kids To The Back Of The Plane

If you’ve ever flown on a plane, it’s probably happened to you: The cabin is packed, there’s no hope of having the seats next to you remain empty and then, of course, a couple with a little baby sits down in your row. The baby is cute! Until he or she inevitably starts bawling. It can’t be helped — children cry — but Air Asia X thinks the problem can be alleviated with its new “quiet zones.”

We heard about the airline readying this plan last September, and it finally debuted the quiet zones as of last Friday. The airline’s A330-300 fleet, which covers flights across Australia, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea will have the new zones. It doesn’t even cost more to sit within these seven economy class rows, notes Australia’s News.com.au, where there will be soft lighting to encourage relaxation.

And those crying babies? Not gonna happen in the quiet zone, as the airline says any children under 12 traveling in economy will be relegated to the back of the plane.

“This product enhancement allows our guests to have a more pleasant and peaceful journey with minimal noise and less disturbance,” said AirAsia X’s Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani. “The airline is not banning kids from travelling, but instead, is enhancing the array of product offerings on board to suit its guests individual needs and preferences. We also offer three infant bassinets in the other two larger economy cabin sections to cater for families with young children. Hence, offering a fair choice for our guests.”

It’s the same price to choose a seat in the quiet zone as it is to pick specific sets elsewhere, and less expensive than choosing a seat with extra legroom.

As we pointed out before, it’s highly unlikely that carriers in the U.S. will replicate this quiet experience anytime soon, as domestic planes are one continuous cabin. There’s no easy way to sound-proof certain areas of the cabin, and as such, no relief from those unhappy babies.

‘Quiet zones’ launched on AirAsia X planes [News.com.au]

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