Fliers eager to sit as far away as possible from crying babies and boisterous kids on planes are getting a new option to do just that in one part of the world. AirAsia, a low-cost airline in Southeast Asia with hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, has begun advertising a “Quiet Zone” that will be offered on its long haul flights starting this February.
The carrier will reserve the first seven economy class rows “exclusively for guests age 12 and above,” the company says on its website. There’s no extra cost for passengers to book in this section, except the regular fee charged for certain seats with more legroom.
Since bulkheads and lavatories separate the section from the rest of coach, and the premium cabin is generally filled with adults, travelers in this zone will likely not sit near babies or young children. An AirAsia statement on its website said “…we know that sometimes all you need is some peace and quiet for a more pleasant journey with us.”
But the service comes with an asterisk: the airline may allow passengers younger than 12 to sit in the Quiet Zone when “necessary for operational, safety or security reasons.” So how would a “quiet zone” fly in the United States? Travel experts said while there may be demand for such a service, it’s unlikely to show up on domestic airlines.
The full story by NBCNews.com’s A. Pawlowski can be read here.
