Crying babies on planes: Aeromobility and parenting

• We draw attention to the developing debate on ‘crying babies on planes’.
• We examine the relationship of aeromobility, place and sociality.
• Underlying passenger comments were issues for the individual versus the collective.
• The disciplinary gaze on parenting takes place in an aeroplane’s confined space.
• An aeroplane is not a neutral space but rather one of angst and intolerance.

There is a knowledge gap concerning passenger-to-passenger interactions in mobility especially in air travel. Employing netnography and Critical Discourse Analysis, we examined the current debate on “crying babies on planes” as displayed on public online news sites and discussion boards. We also explored airlines’ discourse about the issue as posted on the airlines’ websites. It was clear from analysis of the public discourse that an aeroplane is not a neutral space but one in which rights and responsibilities of passengers are disputed, with parents and their children often under the disciplinary gaze of other passengers. While crying babies concern passengers, airlines, for the most part, are avoiding the issue. We examine the discursive and socio-cultural practice which surrounds the website texts.