Aussie parents say youngest kids should not be on planes.

Steve Creedy

By Steve Creedy Wed Jun 26, 2019

Out of control children are a major gripe among passengers generally but now it seems some of their parents agree they shouldn't be on planes. A new survey has found the majority of Aussie parents believe children under one should not be taken on flights and many believe it best those that those under five do not fly internationally. The survey commissioned by travel insurance company InsureandGo asked 1133 Australian parents who traveled at least once in the past six months what age children should be before they can go on a domestic or international flight holiday with their family. READ our passengers who make your flight hell survey. Unsurprisingly,  70 percent of respondents believed it was not suitable for babies under six months to travel on domestic flights.
Six out of 10 also believed under-1s could not travel comfortably on domestic flights, dropping back to 25 percent for children aged five. Older people were less enthusiastic about young kids on planes with 27 percent of parents aged 45-64 saying kids should be five years or older before being allowed on a domestic flight compared with 11 percent of parents under 44. The biggest resistance to youngsters was on international flights. More than three-quarters of those surveyed believed international flights and children under one did not mix and 45 percent thought the comfort and well-being of children under five suffered on long-haul journeys. A not insignificant 14 percent said children should be over 12 to go on a holiday involving an international flight and this increased to 16 percent in the 45-64 age group.
There was again a generational divide with just 5 percent of parents under 45 who thought under-12s were not ready for international flying. Advice from the company for parents who decided to fly with their children included encouraging natural sleep by bringing a favorite bedtime, reading them a story and discouraging screen time during normal sleeping hours. The company recommended consideration of overnight flights and counteracting cabin pressure changes by encouraging kids to yawn, swallow or chew gum or sweets. Babies could be breast or bottle fed during descent or take-off. Parents should also reserve bassinets where possible and request the right meals, making sure they specify requirements and allergies.

Have questions or want to share your thoughts?

Comments

No comments yet, be the first to write one.

Latest news and reviews

View more
Deliberate pilot actions such as on flydubai flight responsible for 20-30% of major disasters
Airline News

Deliberate pilot actions such as on flydubai flight responsible for 20-30% of major disasters

Oct 1, 2026

Sharon Petersen
What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?
Airline News

What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?

Sep 30, 2026

Sharon Petersen and Dev Lunawat
How STARLUX became one of the world's best airlines in just six years
Airline News

How STARLUX became one of the world's best airlines in just six years

Sep 29, 2026

Sharon Petersen
Vietjet signs with Starlink to bring free high-speed Wi-Fi to its entire network
Airline News

Vietjet signs with Starlink to bring free high-speed Wi-Fi to its entire network

Sep 25, 2026

Dev Lunawat

Featured articles

View more
What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?
Airline News

What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?

Sep 30, 2026

Sharon Petersen and Dev Lunawat
Deliberate pilot actions such as on flydubai flight responsible for 20-30% of major disasters
Airline News

Deliberate pilot actions such as on flydubai flight responsible for 20-30% of major disasters

Oct 1, 2026

Sharon Petersen
United Airlines older Polaris better than you think
Airline Ratings review

United Airlines older Polaris better than you think

Sep 25, 2026

Airline Ratings
Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?
Airline News

Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?

Sep 17, 2026

Airline Ratings