Thus, one can more easily enjoy the beauty of crystalline silence. Or, if one is forced to, say, travel on business while one has the flu, then at least one can hack away without encountering glares, and without any guilt, many coughs joining into a larger cough in an almost religious experience of brief, ravaged-throated community.-- subgenius, Jul 05 2002 squalling section http://www.halfbake...squalling_20section"Put families with infants in their own section of the airplane." [phoenix, Jul 05 2002] Baby Helmet http://www.halfbake.../idea/Baby_20Helmet [phoenix, Jul 05 2002] How far below the level of genius do you consider yourself?-- drew, Jul 05 2002 The "No Babies" idea gets my vote. Too many miserable north atlantic trips where my rest and/or concentration has been ruined by wailing little brats. They put dogs and cats in the hold, why can't all the cots go down there as well ? "It's not their fault" - fair enough, but if I took a portable stereo with me and played a tape of a howling baby for hours on end I'd get in real trouble. It's more antisocial than smoking, and that's saying something. Even a soundproofed area right aft would be a help.-- 8th of 7, Jul 05 2002 The "Also--" is half-baked, but un-linkable. The late [PeterSealy] suggested a "squalling section" on commercial flights.-- angel, Jul 05 2002 If you were a passenger on a non-coughing flight, and got a complimentary peanut lodged in your throat, would you be politely escorted to the door?-- pottedstu, Jul 05 2002 they don't give out peanuts on most airlines anymore because of innocent (and some devious) children with nut allergies and the resulting health risks.-- subgenius, Jul 05 2002 pottedstu: maybe there could be a soundprrofed "sin bin" where the respiratorially challenged could be put for a quick hack. There could be a time limit; after 3 minutes, the cabinet depressurises, instantly curing the cougher's condition as all the air leaves their lungs .....-- 8th of 7, Jul 05 2002 [subgenius] they give out pretzels now, to avoid the allergy thing. And GWB certainly knows how easy it is to choke on a pretzel. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, you will have to deplane now."-- Matty, Jul 05 2002 Deplaning presidents and lesser mortals without cruelty would require the dispensation of many parachutes. A cheaper solution would be to try what one enterprising concert hall did and distribute cough sweets to those embarking. This does lead to another question... How would you legislate against the mass slurping noise as three hundred people simultaneously suck on their medicated confectionery?-- PeterSilly, Jul 05 2002 that's beautiful-- if EVERYONE slurps lozenges, the passengers join in a fleeting moment of community in a fragmented modern age. It'll be like an airborne dionysian rite. No-one will complain. By the time they get to oslo, or milwaukee, or wherever, they'll be shocked to hear anyone NOT slurping. They'll complain when they get OFF the plane.-- subgenius, Jul 06 2002 the cough sweets would be brilliant because it would also help with ear-popping-- chud, Jul 06 2002 Half-baked at best, but suggests an almost feasible compromsie- reseating obviously ill passengers towards the rear of the craft (or some other section).
Regarding babies I think if you've ever so much tried to shop for the groceries with children then you'd have considerably more sympathy for those enduring flights with them. Perhaps a walkman might soothe your savage ears ?-- Peal-n-Eat_Shrimp, Sep 28 2002 random, halfbakery