If you want to start a heated fight out of nowhere, try bringing up the topic of young children on planes in a group of people.
Survey after survey finds that crying infants are among the most frustrating parts of the flying experience for many passengers while a report from travel platform Kayak found that 26% of travelers believe it is not okay to bring a baby aboard a flight under any circumstances.
Related: Internet rallies behind mother told to stop breastfeeding on flight
In an effort to remind travelers to keep an eye on their offspring while traveling, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) put out a joking video of a toddler grabbing items from fellow passengers sitting nearby on Instagram (META) -). A small hand is seen touching the pink headphones and even hairy ankle of a traveler in other rows while the parents have fallen asleep.
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TSA warns about 'toddlers' rules of possession' (don't let your kids do this)
"What's a toddler's rule of possession?" the transportation agency asks in the post. "If they can take it from you, it's theirs. Finders keepers (losers weepers)."
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Along with the lighthearted video, TSA included a list of tips for traveling with kids such as taking "infants and children from strollers and car seats and carry[ing] them in arms through the walk-through metal detector" as well as packing foods that are easy and not too spill-prone for young kids to eat while on the flight.
But the footage of the misbehaving tot was what hit a nerve among many travelers — the video received more than 18,000 likes and tens of thousands of comments from those who had a similar experience.
"Absolutely not," wrote one Instagram user with the username @_darth_millennia. "Personal space needs to be taught early."
"Cute but would get annoying very quickly," wrote another user named Erin. "I'm not here to entertain your kid while you nap." Another countered by saying that this type of behavior was "not even cute."
Airlines are starting to heed the calls for child-free plane sections
As with every viral post about kids on planes, the debate split into those who just want someone to "smack that tiny little hand" and lecture those parents and those who feel that travelers need to display at least some understanding for the youngest members of society and the challenges of traveling with them as a parent.
Listening to these discussions, at least one airline has heeded to what started out as joking calls for "child-free plane sections." Corendon Airlines, a Turkey-based air carrier serving the Dutch market, announced that as of Nov. 3 its route between Amsterdam and Curaçao will have a dedicated zone that travelers older than 16 can sit in for an additional 45 Euros (roughly $48.77 USD).
The airline said that the zone would create a quiet zone for adults who want to rest or get some work done while also having "a positive effect" on parents who won't "have to worry as much about possible reactions from fellow passengers if their child is a bit busier or cries."
The pilot program is meant to test demand for such a feature and is definitely being tracked by other airlines deciding whether this is one area where they should follow suit.
