As I boarded my Delta flight back from Los Angeles (LAX), a female passenger handed me a typed note explaining that her infant child was on board (first class) and he was a good baby, but if he cried, they had ear plugs. I asked where she came up with this idea. “The Today Show, she said. I told her the best thing to do if her baby cried would be to walk him up and down the aisles. As a father of two, I know you cannot expect a child to be comfortable for an entire long journey. As they age, it is the responsibility of the parents to make sure enough entertainment is available and they are able to walk around.

I guess my next question should have been, why didn’t you buy a seat for the child and why were you flying first class? I believe I have written before about children and safety when traveling. Any drop in altitude and a child is likely to suffer a major or fatal injury. The few dollars saved by having your child on your lap could result in their loss of life.

I thought this was an interesting approach to bad planning. When you travel with children, forgo the comfort of a first-class seat for a seat for your child. We are all better off when you think of the safety of your child first.

— Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

**Join Global Traveler‘s fight against blood cancers and donate to our Light the Night corporate team. Select GT staff will walk two miles Oct. 13 to raise awareness for survivors and those who have succumbed to the disease. Donate at http://pages.lightthenight.org/epa/BucksCo12/globaltravelermagazine.**