Malaysia Airlines announced that their new Airbus A380 will have a Child-Free Zone! Finally, an airplane that will almost be 100% free of crying babies! The super double-decker aircraft will consist of a total of 494 seats in three classes; eight first class and 350 economy class seats will occupy the lower deck, while the upper deck will feature 66 business class seats and an additional 70 economy class seats. The entire upper deck economy zone will be children free and those passengers traveling with children under 12 will have to sit on the lower deck. However, at this point there has been no confirmation to if business class will also band children keeping the entire upper-deck child-free.
Malaysia Airlines said the idea is to make for a quieter, restful and more comfortable cabin for those business travelers who are traveling in economy verse business class. Furthermore at this time there have been no announcements on rather there will be a surcharge for the economy seats on the upper deck.
This announcement follows the “baby ban” Malaysia Airline currently has on infants traveling in the first class cabin, which is currently only offered on the B747. The baby ban has been in effect since June, 2011 when MH banned babies in the first class cabin after a numerous complaints about crying infants. Infants at this time are not banned from Business class, but only first class on the airlines very few jumbo jets that fly long haul flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, London, and Amsterdam.
I am 100% ecstatic to hear about the baby ban and child ban and I’m looking forward to a quieter flight on MH no matter where I sit! I don’t know if any of you have ever suffered the high pitch screams of an infant, or witness a child running up and down the aisles on a long-haul flight, but those of you with or without kids will appreciate the child-free zone of the A380! After a long-haul flight many years ago from Seoul to Seattle next to an Indian family with 2 screaming infants who cried consistently for 9+ hours, I vowed I’d never fly again! Clearly that did not happen, so with that I know I’ll be booking my next trip on the child-free upper deck on the A380. I applaud you and thank you Malaysia airlines!