This airline lets you avoid sitting near infants – splendid, but I'd take it further

Telegraph

09-05-2025

Whichever genius at Japan Airlines came up with the idea of displaying where children are on the plane's seat plan – so that passengers can avoid sitting near them while booking – deserves an award.
Who would possibly take issue with such a sensible policy? Someone did, of course. Sofia Kalimeridou, a 'momfluencer' on social media, sparked debate when she posted on Instagram about the topic – from her business-class seat, no less – describing the airline's policy as 'very disappointing'. She stated: 'They're basically pre-framing millions of people that those are the areas to be 'avoided' and that being sat behind a baby can make your flight uncomfortable.'
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A post shared by Sofia Kalimeridou | TRAVEL FAMILY (@sophiefamilytravel)
News flash: being on a long-haul flight in close proximity to a squealing, kicking infant is indisputably uncomfortable. Planes are already unpleasant spaces. Shouldn't we have the freedom of information (especially in business class!) to limit that discomfort as far as possible?
I say this as the mother of a nearly-three-year-old who just flew 11 hours with him from Mauritius to Italy. Not exactly out of choice, I should add; I think flying long-haul with toddlers borders on child abuse and should be avoided wherever possible – we happened to be emigrating. It's not fair to expect them, with all that energy and curiosity, to be strapped to a chair for that length of time, and of course it's going to induce tantrums.
My point is, the last sort of passenger I would have wanted us to be seated next to would have been one who is particularly disdainful of children (I used to be one of them) – like, say, someone with a thumping hangover or important work to attend to. I don't want to be glared at and tutted at. They don't want to be near us. Japan Airlines' policy is surely a win-win for all involved.
Personally, however, I think we could go a lot further. I'd like to see other characteristics flagged on airline seat maps…
Seat recliners
I've been very vocal on the topic in the past, and it's a divisive one. But I shall die on this hill: if everyone reclined their seats on long-haul flights (except for at meal times), domino-style, then we would all still have the same amount of space but would be titled in a more comfortable position and not bolt upright for hours on end.
The problem comes when one person reclines and the passenger behind refuses to follow suit. I would like these psychopaths (the ones who would rather sit like a plank all through a night flight than press that button) to be visible so that I can avoid sitting in front of them and thus annoying them when I recline. Given this system doesn't exist, I always, always book the very last seat in a row so as to lean back guilt-free.
Stag/hen parties
Are you plotting a voyage to Alicante during which you will be dressed in an insane outfit with a gaggle of mates, drunk at 7am? Good for you, but do identify yourselves, please, at the booking stage, so that I can keep my distance.
Light sleepers
I happen to be (or was, before I became a mother) the sort of gold-standard passenger who, on a long flight, would pop a valium with a glass of wine and conk out in the window seat for the duration of the flight without ever having to wake my neighbours in the middle and aisle seats. If, on the other hand, you're a light sleeper with a tendency to leave your seat a lot, or someone with a small bladder, and you've chosen the window spot, then I sure as hell don't want to be next to you, playing jack-in-the-box every time you need to get up.
Members of the plus-size community
I've put that politely. Personally I don't happen to be irked by those with a rotund composition, especially since in some cases it's not their fault, but plenty of others abhor the issue of fleshy spillover. From the perspective of a larger passenger, however, an empty chair beside them allows more room, so possibly a 'plus-size alert' would be another win-win seating solution?
Small-talk enthusiasts
This is a good example of how such a system could operate more like a dating app than a discrimination-fest. Some people genuinely enjoy chatting away to strangers when they travel. Others (myself included) would rather sit next to a chronic farter as long as they remained silent. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to choose?
Truly ghastly individuals
There is a whole class of humans who deserve a giant red flag attached to their booking (convicted paedophiles, armrest-hoggers, passengers who take off their socks, etc.) but I fear this would only play into their hands. Because they, too, would surely be rewarded with an empty row on any non-full flight; and unlike families with small children and overweight individuals, they aren't worthy of more space.
I could go on, of course, and it's arguably a slippery slope, but I would certainly pay more for a carrier which, like Japan Airlines, identifies certain categories of passengers on a seat map. I wonder how many concur. And please, I implore you, if you disagree that children should be marked for others booking a flight, explain to me in the comments why.