An American Airlines passenger complains that “a screaming child” kept them from sleeping in business class “for 9.5 HOURS!” They asked for and received “no help from the flight attendants.”
Jeremiah @jeremiahhastwit
@AmericanAir is this how you treat customers? Paid $1800 pp to upgrade to business class and had a screaming child and no help from the flight attendants for 9.5 HOURS! Asked just for points back as I didn’t sleep on an overnight flight. The best you can do is a $25 credit?!!?!?!
1:04 PM · Jun 29, 2026
Video certainly shows how the whole cabin of passengers would be kept from sleeping:
The passenger asked American for compensation (even though it wasn’t American that was crying) and due to “lack of assistance from our flight crew” customer service provided a $25 trip credit.
The passenger thinks that American’s flight attendants should have forced the parent with the baby to move back to empty seats in coach.
Paying $1800 pp for 2 people to hear screams all night, and the staff not being accommodating is horrendous service. There were 30+ more seats they could have moved them to, but your response is what is unacceptable!!….
— Jeremiah (@jeremiahhastwit) June 30, 2026
And this really raises two separate issues:
- Does a parent with a baby have as much right to a business class seat they’ve purchased as other passengers – or does crying belong in coach? (And therefore coach passengers have less of a right to peace and quiet than those in business do?)
- Does the airline owe compensation to passengers when another passenger disturbs them, because they didn’t get the rest they were trying to purchase with their business class ticket?
There’s a sense in which a big part of what people are buying on an overnight flight in businss class is a quieter environment and a realistic chance at sleep. A crying infant or a repeatedly disruptive young child imposes a bigger cost there than in coach, because the marginal value of quiet is much higher.
But all passengers have an equal right not to be disturbed. Economy passengers have just as much claim not to be subjected to unreasonable noise, kicking, aisle chaos, or parental indifference. There is no moral principle that says the person in coach is less entitled to peace than the person in business.
Business class is not a right not to be disturbed. The notion that disturbance ‘belongs in’ economy doesn’t hold together because most airlines are not selling adults-only cabins. They sell a bigger seat, better service, and a better chance at rest, none of which is a guarantee.
Travel with children comes down to (1) the child’s temperament – there are some kids for whom flying is something to avoid when possible, and (2) parenting, here are the strategies that work really well to keep kids soothed and entertained on a flight. I’ve been able to travel the world extensively with kids – I’m lucky with the kids – but a lot of work goes into making sure they don’t disrupt the cabin.
Ultimately quiet children are fine and disruptive children are not fine. And quiet adults are fine, while disruptive adults are not fine – and that’s the case in any cabin of the aircraft.
Nonetheless, if American Airlines is going to choose to offer compensation, then $25 in future travel off a business class ticket is genuinely ridiculous, and more likely to offend than to appease.
This is WHY you give your baby Benadryl BEFORE you go on a flight – HELPS with many things and VERY much puts the baby to SLEEP for the duration of the flight! There should be a RULE – if you have a child – do this!!!
Airlines should tally the total price of revenue they charge for all classes (first, business, coach plus upgrade revenue) per flight per each type of airplane. Then divide the total summation by the number of seats on each specific plane. Everyone should pay the same price to fly, just like it used to be at the beginning of air travel. Get rid of the elitists and their attitudes.
$25 sounds like the perfect start to a compensation package. The other element is immunity from prosecution.
In the old days, people did not fly with babies/children under two year of age.
What happened? Selfishness or inconvenience?
Family members used to be “the babysitters” for short terms but I guess that’s not happening.
Yes I am old. And I do miss the times when people did not wear their pajamas or lingerie through check-in to boarding the aircraft. I can appreciate a nice looking body but not when 75% are completely off-putting.
Move the crying monster and its entitled parents elsewhere, or deny them boarding. Screaming drunks are removed from planes. Why not screaming kids? The bottom line is that parents should love their kids. The remainder of passengers don’t have to.
@KR – Sorry you are too lazy and stupid to figure out how to earn enough money to afford nice things. Your life must really suck. But that doesn’t mean you get to destroy those nice things for those of us who actually manage to generate a little prosperity for losers like you.
Airlines should establish minimum age thresholds for business and first, perhaps something like 8 years old, not because children are inherently unwelcome, but because these cabins represent a specific service contract. When a passenger pays >$6,000 for a business class seat on an overnight flight, they are purchasing a discrete product: a quiet environment, uninterrupted sleep, and predictable service delivery. Infants and toddlers lack the developmental capacity to self-regulate during flight stress. When this results in 9+ hours of disruption, the airline has objectively failed to deliver the service it sold. This isn’t about entitlement or elitism; it’s about the basic economics of differential pricing. Coach passengers accept a lower cost in exchange for less privacy and more variables. Business class passengers accept a premium in exchange for guaranteed reliability. A parent with an infant is not purchasing quietness; they’re purchasing a seat. These are incompatible products when the infant’s neurological development predisposes them to distress.
Airlines already restrict access to premium cabins based on spend. Age minimums would simply be another reasonable parameter. The counterargument that families have equal rights ignores the fact that commerce is built on segmentation. Families with young children can fly coach comfortably, indeed, families do this constantly with minimal incident, while premium cabins serve those whose travel needs are incompatible with the unpredictability that very young children introduce. A $25 credit response to a ruined $3,600 overnight trip shouldn’t be necessary if the airline had simply structured its product logically from the start.
Unfortunately airlines think their obligations to first or business class passengers ends at providing a bigger seat. Passengers feel it is about the whole environment of upgraded cabins they paid for.
If airlines are right, why not just fill the plane with bigger seats and charge everyone higher fares.
As a father of 4 and Uncle of many more, I find it very surprising that a baby would non stop cry for 9+hours. They would pass out from exhaustion after just 20-30 minutes or so.
And as my priest once said to our congregation during mass when a baby was crying: “God bless those who have the confidence to express exactly how they feel to others.” 🙂
Earplugs work for me. I always sleep well.
Many years ago I was on an Emirates flight from JFK to Dubai. I think it was 12 or 12.5 hours fly time. Baby screamed the ENTIRE time. Nobody slept (granted, this was in economy). The mother was trying to quiet the infant, and at one point basically shouted: “Yes, I have a baby, and babies cry”. I guess others had complained. No amount of noise cancelling (although back then I think Bose was the only game in town) would remotely drown out the crying/screaming.
This is why I always carry Bose noise cancelling (over ears) headphones and a great mellow music playlist. I simply put those on and fire up some music… Never hear a thing and I can sleep (as good as anyone does on an airplane). I had a similar situation with one of those people who just had to take their “emotional support” dog on a plane and the poor animal whined the entire 5 hour flight. Never again, headphones, earplugs, or whatever, I was prepared.
If a baby has the same right to be in business, (they don’t) as Real business class adults.
Then, if a disruptive adult will he dragged off the plane by police,
then a disruptive little brat should likewise be removed from the plane. (same rights?)
If the little monsters won’t shut up, put them in the Last row.
Let me summarize the tired arguments on both sides:
– don’t like it fly private
– drunks are loud too
– I do what I want F you
– back in 1961, kids never left the house so f people who want to bring their kids places
– I pay a lot of money for the seats
Missing anything? The arguments and positions won’t change! Either accept it or not IDGAF!
Dear Gary,
#KR’s virtue signaling is making it difficult for me to relax while reading YOUR blog. YOU did nothing to remove his post and so are responsible for my lack of relaxation. I demand compensation for my time. A small stack of $20’s seems appropriate. Please email me for bank information.
I await your response,
Thing 1
There’s some valid points on both sides of the argument. I tend to side with those who paid a lot of money for some sense of privacy and quietness. Regardless, its if a small child is crying in business/first class, there’s not really a lot one can do. I guess its up to AA to provide better compensation (maybe 15,000-20,000 miles, etc. based on fare paid, etc.).
Now, the best recommendation is from @D Fray regarding noise cancellation headphones. I definitely don’t travel w/out mine. I also have ear plugs which also help during landings.
The problem is that the parents were apparently unprepared An appropriate amount of Benadryl will work for many children or the pediatrician will prescribe something. Of course, they could the mother and baby sit in the cockpit. I’m sure that the pilot wouldn’t mind.
The parents paid just as much as anyone else to enjoy the space and hopeful for some upgraded ammenities and quiteness too.This idea that because I paid a good chunk of money doesn’t mean anything….they did too. Nothing in life is guaranteed and maybe rather than complaining show some compassion and happier life can be lived. The parents dont want a crying kid just as much as the rest of us.
If your kid can’t actually sit in his or her own seat, they are too young for premium cabins.
I “fondly” recall a redeye flight from SCL-MIA on LAN Chile (just before they became part of LATAM); an 8 hour flight where you hope for sleep. I was near the front of economy, so not exactly business class but close. There was a couple in the bulkhead center that had a baby that absolutely screamed all night. Their answer: drink a lot of wine! To the point where their wine bottles were rollling around on the floor. They passed out, Damien 666 continued to scream. And yes, for the entire 8 hours.
Now, the cost involved wasn’t nearly $1800 pp like here. But I can certainly testify that a screaming baby can absolutely ruin a flight for everyone around. Except for neglectful parents.
Air France offered me NOTHIng for a SCREAMING EAR PIERCING CHILD for a 10 hour flight to Paris — so I stopped flying AF in Biz Class.
Who flies overnight C without noise-canceling headphones? My bet is the complaining passenger has been crying over crap for many many years.
@D Fray — This is the way. Noise-cancelling earphones or earbuds, or earplugs, and comfy eye masks, in business or first, lie-flat, door-shut, DND sign ‘on.’
@Stephen Morrissey,
Actually, in the good old days, people DID fly with babies/children.
I remember flying Air France to Paris in the 1980s, watching a flight attendant attach a bassinet to the bulkhead for a parent to place their baby.
I never flew F or J in those days, so I can’t tell you how often it occurred in the nicer seats.
Looks to me like Premium Economy? I guess Jeremiah-has-twit can sit his ass down and stop complaining.
Public service announcement for those new to flying.
American sucks. It’s their core culture.
@Mike Hunt. Your lengthy venting made me laugh. You proved my point “Get rid of the elitists and their attitudes.” Your whining is not “first class,” in the least even though you’re willing to try to buy it. Your ranting rationalization shows you are the likes of who you call others. Personally, you don’t seem to have any class. Making assumptions about people and calling them out with pejorative adjectives doesn’t fit the definition of someone who should be allowed in First Class travel. It’s actually people like you, crying and complaining worse than small infants, that caused the FTA to change the airline industry into the Pay More, (supposedly) Get More. They caved in to the whining and bawling, but there’s no satisfying you. Maybe you should sit in the back and learn to quiet down and have some manners. In the meantime, reread Jeff’s comments. He’s a gentleman and shows he has class when he writes.
Sorry Gary! He won’t won’t even notice.
This happened to me on a BA flight about 10 years ago. 2 screaming kids sharing seats with two parents. The parents go exasperated and stopped trying. I had to work in the morning. The flight attendants intervened and moved them to the galley and helped the parents get the kids settled down. Had they not done that, there might have been violence against the dad who seemed more interested in his business class seat than his 2 screaming kids.
When you’re paying beaucoup bucks or miles to fly up front, a big part of what you’re paying for is peace and quiet. I think @Mike Hunt has the right of things here where kids too small to express what ails them should fly in back.
@KR – Cry harder, you useless communist dolt.
@Mike Hunt — Seems like @KR got you to lose your temper. Win for KR!
(And I don’t even agree with KR’s idea; everyone pays the same, etc., because, I do like to pay extra for nicer things. See, your ole pal 1990’s still a filthy capitalist who just wants a few reforms, consumer and worker protections, not a full-blown poverty cult.) *incoming: Mike Hunt to call me a commie anyway*
@Mike Hunt – You shoulda quit with the solid win. You made a viable point with notable appeal but then wrecked everything by leaping on the fringe express.
@Christian – Eh, I still feel better though. Every now and then the low road has more rewarding scenery.
We should be able to expect airlines to ban babies from flying, so that they no longer have the excuse of this being out of their control. Everything is the airlines fault. If we don’t blame someone, are we supposed to blame ourselves?
Noise cancelling headphones. I don’t leave home without them.
I see the incels and childless cat ladies are still anti family. I work hard for my money and have every right to put my 3 year & 6 month old in first class – and I do! If my kids cry and you’re too poor to afford noise canceling headphones then I suggest moving back to coach for peace and quiet
I assume the person complaining complains about everything and often returns their food when eating out.
The cure is easy and everyone should carry earplugs, especially if they are intolerant to crying babies. I have heard babies crying on airplanes but they always quit after a relatively short while. I know because I usually don’t carry earplugs because the crying usually does not affect me. The long term claim does not sound truthful from my experience. Maybe earplugs could be handed out to impacted people onboard instead of points. Probably cheaper than $25 of points per person.