Should Men Sit Next to Kids on Airline Flights?

Very sexist, an unecessary. There are plenty of other people on the plane to watch out and see if something weird is happening, not to mention the staff. Not everyone is a pedophile.

I really don't see what's the problem....

You don't know who this man could be sitting next to your kids.

I see this coming in a new SVU episode.

The airline stuffed up here, they coud have been much more diplomatic about relocating Mr McGirr. The airline allocated the seats and, when they discovered that they had made a 'mistake', set about to move Mr McGirr in such a way to cause embarassment. They could have decided to give the gentleman a complementary upgrade to first class and no-one would be embarassed. Not Virgin Airways, and certainly not Mr McGirr.

In actual fact, Mr McGirr, as a fireman, has a 'blue-card', meaning that the approproiate government agency has passed him as being fit to be with children.

Also, I have heard of another similar incident, a guy called in to radio 4BC (in Brisbane) to say that the same sort of thing had happened to him.

Women could never be capable of molesting anyone right? Yeah, right. Sexist BS.

Well, not quite yes . . . more no because it is for the protection of both the child and the adult. As the parent of a daughter that flies as an unaccompanied minor frequently, YES.


The reason the airline chooses to do this is that they are paid a hefty fee: $100 per flight (round trip is $200). There are conditions that must be met and they, for that time period, are responsible for the well being of the child.


The child is one of the first to board and the last to de-plane because of this. They must be within eye-shot of the child at all times. Really, that is impossible. This is their way of protecting both the child AND the male adult.

If I were a man, personally, I would not feel comfortable sitting with an unaccompanied minor. What if they said I did something inappropriate when I did not? Too much on the line . . . better to move when requested -- hell offer to move, run, etc.

firstly kids shouldn't be on a plane without their parents.. and second what makes one think that a women wouldn't do the same things a man might do.. after all look at how many FEMALE teachers are having sex with their students..

Children should be seated with their parents if possible but if they are traveling alone then it is probably more comfortable for them to be seated next to a woman.

ladyjane@ then they should not be seated next to their (FATHER) either. or uncle or brother, but when something badhappen you want a man to jump in and help.

Questions like this really make me start to question the overall sanity of society today... Are men going to be banned from being around kids entirely soon or are the smart ones just going to wise up and start staying completely away from them for their own personal safety?

I have gotten to where I simply will not chance putting myself in a situation where I am left alone with a minor that I do not know for one split second for the simple fact that you cannot trust people or society anymore. I past right by two young girls walking down the interstate in the rain the other day -- probably broke down -- and I called 911 but I also kept right on going. Fifteen or twenty years ago I probably would have stopped to see if I could help them get some gas or change a tire and I have no clue what became of them, and it is pathetic, but I am simply not going to chance thousands in lawyer fees and possibly years in jail just for trying to be a good civil Samaritan.

You are a man, and you help women pass these laws, so the next time, you find yourself, on the wrongside of the shortend, just remember,you help pass these laws, saying men are dangrous, monster, pedi, molester, who cannot be trusted around women and kids.

I tried making sense of that and the best I can figure is that you are simply an illiterate or another plutonian with an assanine agenda. Either do your homework and respond in a sane and civil way or consider your prior post irrelevant.

U-Dog, you made the statement the overall sanity of society, and because your afraid to be around women or children, because of what women and children will say. And you say that I am from Pluto, and my statement are asssanine, because I said Men help women pass these laws, to convict men of anything, be at may by just siting on a plane. Society got you afraid of helping people in need. And my post are irrelevant! How many women will stop to help you around 3am on a dark and lonely road.

That's ridiculous. Besides, I don't want to have to be forced to sit next to kids just because I'm a female! Kids annoy the crap out of me.

Hell yes they do. lol

But you must admit..Roast and.serve with a side of fava beans and a nice Chianti and you have a splendid repast.

Not all men are child molesters. He had a right to sit in that seat. Parents should have educated their children so that HAD something happened, they would've known how to protect themselves or to cry out for help.

This is quite sad in my opinion.

Maya@ who do they cry out for Help (TOO). who do you cry out for help when you need it. Hope it is not a man who has read this story.

What do you mean? It's a crowded plane filled with people who are more or less sitting on top of each other. There would be people all over who could help them. And no, I am not a man, but what does my gender matter? I still know right from wrong.

Also, I think this question should've been worded differently. "Should men be ALLOWED to sit next to kids on airline flights?" would have been better. It is clearer... but my answer would've remained the same.

Remember especially to keep their fathers away as well - who knows what a man may be up to...

This seems like yet another example of overkill correction of the norm in reaction to what may have never happened in order to cover for the possibility and protect the airline. I thought unaccompnied minors were supposed to have someone assigned by the airline to look after them.

children should sit net to there parents...

But in the case of children sitting by themselves what is your opinion? They were flying by themselves :)...

Can they do that? don't you have to have an ID or something?

I'm not sure. I know they have to be a certain age. When my parents divorced, I used to fly to my dad's (he lived in CA and we lived in SC) but I think he moved before my sister and I got old enough to fly on our own.

You should know then...

Children under the age 16 do not need ID. My daughter travels all the time (age 12 now) as an unaccompanied minor. BIG fee involved. $100 extra for each leg of the trip and the airline is the official guardian of the minor during that time.

It's best if an adult offered to move . . . I would. What if the child said I did something inappropriate or even perceived something I may have said as inappropriate?

I say, don't be embarrassed about being asked to moved. ASK to be moved immediately if confronted with a situation like this. Who knows, maybe the airline will bump you to first class.

Ok, then they should bring some mace or something...better...

the shocking part about this vid is it wasn't planned...

REALLY? Like some perv is going to be molesting children in plain sight on a crowded jet? Most of those people are diabolically cunning. That's why they are often hard to catch.

Unless those kids are in his charge for one reason or another.

But you'd think the airline could settle that before he even got aboard! Making him change seats in mid-flight, in full view of the other pax, is inexcusable. It scares those kids even more. I appreciate that the cabin crew were on the spot, but I blame the ticket agents for putting them on that spot.

Then again, airline travel is too great a hassle these days. Last year, I traveled to and from Israel with a tour group. El Al did a wonderful job getting us in there and back--no complaints on that score. But they didn't make an effort even to seat husbands and wives together. We were scattered hither and yon. I thought it was just a matter of security--don't even give people a chance to hatch a plot against the flight. But now I learn that *all* the airlines have abandoned seat-assignment confirmation completely and just seat you any old place.

If the airlines really want to keep "unaccompanied minors" safe, they'll reserve a section of the cabin, put all the kids into it, and make sure they hire flight attendants who are "good with kids."

Unless they know them, then yes. But I doubt kids would want an old man sitting next to them, especially if he looks scary.

I'd rather move .....and sleep

no, it is safer for kids to sit with other kids or with women as a rule.

This, folks, is what the practice of profiling leads to. People can be profiled for race, gender, religion, or just about any other category these days. People don't seem to care when others are profiled, but let them be the ones singled out and they're the first screaming for reform.

Kids should be put in the baggage hold. Haha

Women molest children too.

All men are evil, vile pedophiles and should kept as far away from children as possible. I mean really that's what the policy is stating isn't it?





I suppose it's those dammed evil men who drove these women to commit their crimes. Damn all men to hell.

I get the sarcasm.

But you left out another portrait. This lady impressed me as a child seductress when I first saw her.

Should have been top opinion.