Japan Airlines Launches Baby Seat Map to Help Travelers Avoid Sitting Near Infants

Every now and then, an invention comes along that leaves us wondering why no one thought of this years ago. Japan Airline’s new baby seat map is one of those innovations.

As CNN reported, the new tool will let prospective seat buyers know which seats have been purchased by passengers with young children who, as any traveler knows, have a distinct tendency to scream loudly on flights.

“Passengers traveling with children between 8 days and 2 years old who select their seats on the JAL website will have a child icon displayed on their seats on the seat selection screen,” the airline’s website explains, meaning passengers will be armed with the knowledge we need (and deserve) to avoid sitting near a small child with the potential to shriek.

Many have already tweeted their support for the new seat map update.

“Thank you, @JAL_Official_jp for warnings me about where babies plan to scream and yell during a 13 hour trip,” wrote Twitter user Rahat Ahmed. “This really ought to be mandatory across the board.”

Thank you, @JAL_Official_jp for warnings me about where babies plan to scream and yell during a 13 hour trip. This really ought to be mandatory across the board.

Please take note, @qatarairways: I had 3 screaming babies next to me on my JFK-DOH flight two weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/kQYQFIqqCD

— Rahat Ahmed (@dequinix) September 24, 2019

However, Japan Airlines has warned users that the baby map isn’t an absolutely failsafe method to avoid all small children on planes. The map will only display the child icon for bookings made through the website, and icons will reportedly not display if there is a change in aircraft. Moreover, the map will only warn passengers about children under 2 years old, so there’s no protection against a fussy 25-month-old.

Of course, while some travelers are elated, plenty have their gripes with the new anti-child measures.

“How about the airline also introduces a map to allow parents of babies to avoid assholes?” wrote one Twitter user, while another called the policy “outrageous and shocking,” and called for “more not less tolerance & understanding toward parents.”

Then again, people will probably have a lot more tolerance for parents when they’re not sitting next to those parents’ screaming children on a flight. Just a thought.

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