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Banning Kids From Airplanes: Malaysia Airlines Creating Kid-Free Zones

No Joke: Malaysia Airlines Creates Kid-Free Zones On Flights
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It may have started as an April Fool's joke, but now it seems one airline is looking to truly keep kids away from adults on particular flights.

As reported by Australian Business Traveller today, Malaysia Airlines will be banning kids 12 and under from the upper deck of its Airbus A380 on specific flights, starting July 1.

"The move is aimed at ensuring a more restful and enjoyable trip for business travellers who have to fly in economy," the publication stated.

The airline had come under fire last year when they did not install bassinets in the first class cabins of their Boeing 747s, excluding babies from flying in that part of the plane.

As Malaysia Airlines managing director and CEO Tengku Azmil, explained on Twitter:

Also hv many complaints from 1st class pax dat dey spend money on 1st class & can't sleep due to crying infants

The 12 and under ban was announced only two days after Canadian airline WestJet released a spoof video for April's Fools, declaring child-free cabins on certain flights.

“We’ve heard from many of our guests that they’re tired of kids screaming and running up and down the aisle and are looking for some peace and quiet,” Richard Bartrem, the airline’s VP of communications, says in the "ad" released Sunday.

This sentiment, it appears, is very real, but that won't come as a surprise to most travellers. Earlier this year, a family was actually kicked off a JetBlue flight after their 2-year-old child threw a tantrum, and a new category of nannies has been created specifically for family flights.

While this ban won't necessarily affect families with children too greatly -- after all, there are plenty more seats on the Airbus -- it could become restrictive if more airlines decide to take on the practice for business travellers.

What do you think? Should airlines be allowed to ban children from parts of the cabin, or even from entire flights?

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