Flying with a baby: Majority of Aussie parents say it’s not acceptable

Travelling with a child is never easy, but boarding a long-haul flight only to realise you’re in earshot of a crying baby can be frustrating, and it seems most adults agree.

A new survey of more than 1,100 Australian parents by insurance company InsureandGo has revealed 60 per cent of parents said it was not acceptable for children aged under one years old to travel on domestic flights, and 76 per cent said the same about international flights.

Meanwhile, 70 per cent of parents believe domestic flights were not suitable for babies under six months.

About 45 per cent said children under five shouldn’t be on international flights, and only a quarter (25 per cent) of parents think it is not suitable for them to fly domestically.

The survey also found a very cautious 14 per cent of parents believe children should be at least 12 to go on an international holiday.

InsureandGo spokesperson Jonathan Etkind said a child’s overall health is very important when travelling overseas.

“Travelling overseas creates a risk to your child’s health that is not usually present. This can take the form of anything from infections and diseases that may be present in the country to which you’re travelling, to the pain children sometimes feel due to cabin pressure at the takeoff and landing of your flight,” he said.

“It’s important to ensure they are covered under a travel insurance policy in case they unexpectedly fall ill.”

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with the survey?