Parents should keep children under control on planes

Readers write about quiet zones on airlines, Aleppo and the smaller emirates

Some readers say they would pay more to be in a child-free quiet zone on aircraft. Hans Neleman

In response to Executive travel: Child-free zones are innovative, but may be discriminatory (December 25), children crying is a part of life. It happens.

My anger is directed at lazy parents who ignore their crying child at the expense of others.

When I see a parent doing everything they can, I feel sorry for them. When I see a lazy parent who does nothing to control their screaming or out-of-control child, I will say something. I shouldn’t have to suffer that.

Carol Goodey, UK

I would pay more not to have to fly next to a noisy child.

As a parent with grown-up children, nothing irritates me more than new parents who think they’re special because they have a child.

In fact, I’d ban children under 2 from flying long haul unless their parents pay extra to ensure that they are seated somewhere that they can’t irritate me.

Gary Wright, Dubai

Let’s not stop with quiet zones. Can we also have:

An oversize zone for the people who are too large for their seat and encroach on others’ space?

A snoring zone for people who disrupt others with their loud sleeping habits?

A hygiene zone for the people who do not have good body odour?

Ben Neal, Abu Dhabi

If you can have family sections and smoking zones in restaurants, why not children’s zones on planes?

To keep away the noise pollution, there could be family-only or child-free flights once a day.

Mohammed SK, Dubai

The next time a spoilt brat kicks the back of my seat for hours while his mother turns a blind eye, there might be serious trouble.

Wiltrud Matthes, Dubai

Accentuate the positive

The UAE is the best Muslim country and it has achieved an incredible number of great accomplishments. Of course, The National has delivered countless positive messages. It is always better to promote positive things.

For example, it might have been better if you used the headline 98 per cent of Dubai residents have health insurance coverage rather than Only 2 per cent of Dubai residents lack health care cover (December 25).

I also think that the excellence and strength of the UAE could be promoted more efficiently abroad.

One example is UAE-made porcelain, which is excellent and very competitive in price. Five-star hotels of Turkey are using made-in-UAE cups and dishes. This product should be promoted more widely in the European Union and other countries.

The positive international image of the country will help in this respect.

Alip Muhammed, Abu Dhabi

One large and happy family

Thank you for the story, Christians celebrate Christmas Day with mass in Abu Dhabi (December 25).

This is why my family has lived here for over three decades – because we live happily alongside one another, embracing every culture across the globe together.

Tanya Milbourne, Abu Dhabi

Tears for the loss of Aleppo

The events in Syria are heartbreaking (Rebel-held Idlib a tempting but difficult target for Syrian regime, December 25).

Aleppo was the best place to visit in Syria. What has happened there would be like wiping out San Francisco.

Patricia Estep, US

Frankincense must be saved

Your story, World's last wild frankincense forests are under threat (December 26), is bad news for the whole industry from harvester to user.

Some sort of control has to be implemented, otherwise this very ancient commodity will become extinct.

Its wide benefits, especially as a medicine, will be lost.

SM Hussein, Yemen

In praise of the smaller emirates

Thank you for your article, Northern Emirates a big draw for tourists (December 26).

I have never stayed overnight in Dubai. I usually stay in Umm Al Quwain and, once, in Ras Al Khaimah. I have been to all ­seven emirates, and I think ­Fujarah is also very nice.

Eugene Goldberg, Russia