Japan Airlines has changed its seat-booking system to show passengers where young children are seated so customers can avoid being placed next to “screaming babies”.
A child icon shows when a passenger is travelling with a child aged under two years, allowing “other passengers know a child may be sitting there”.
The news has attracted a mixed reaction on social media with some welcoming the move and others saying passengers should be more tolerant.
One traveller sent a tweet on Tuesday thanking Japan Airlines for “warning” him about where children were sitting.
“This really ought to be mandatory across the board, ” he said, adding that Qatar Airways should “take note”.
“I had three screaming babies next to me on my [New York to Doha] flight two weeks ago,” he added.
But G Sundar wrote: “They are babies, as we all once were. We need to learn tolerance or will soon start needing a map of seat locations for mouth breathers, droolers, farters, drunks, and perhaps a lot more things in life.”
Andrew Lim said: “I used to feel and say exactly what you have just said – but after having my own son, I am very sympathetic to parents travelling with kids.
“If you’re not happy with a screaming child in the cabin, then I am more than happy [for] you to try and reason with them.”