A third of Brits would pay extra for child-free flights

You know the scenario – you’ve just settled nicely into your holiday flight when the child behind starts booting the back of your seat.

Or you’re trying to catch a much-needed 40 winks when a yelling toddler comes stampeding up the aisle, chucking Lego at your legs.

Is it any wonder one third of Britons confesses they would rather pay higher airfares for the peace of a childfree flight?

A survey by travel site TripAdvisor reveals that badly behaved children are one of the biggest causes of a bad flying experience for holidaying Brits.

According to 22 per cent of respondents, having a child kicking the back of their chair is their biggest peeve, while 22 per cent also said parents not controlling their kids is their biggest frustration when flying.

In fact, some are so exasperated by unruly children that 37 per cent – more than one third – would happily fork out for a higher fare for a flight free from youngsters.

Meanwhile, some 34 per cent said children should be banned from first class and business class cabins –although 36 per cent disagreed and said they should not be excluded.

However the number one faux pas for 29 per cent of passengers was inconsiderate seat recliners: the person in front who plonks their chair back just while your food is being served, or within seconds of take-off to the deepest angle, rendering you effectively pinned to your place.

TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma Shaw said: “Even on a short-haul holiday the flight makes up a significant part of the travel experience, and a stressful flight can really have a negative impact.

“Any disturbance when flying is a frustration but it seems that unruly children are among the biggest frustrations for some passengers.”

She added: “Whether we can expect to see any airlines offering child-free flights in the future remains to be seen, but it’s clearly a topic that fiercely divides opinion.”