Turkish leisure group Corendon Airlines is tackling the war against crying babies with its “Only Adult” zone on board its upcoming Airbus A350 flights between Amsterdam (AMS) and Curacao (CUR).
From November 2023, Corendon will be flying five times weekly between Amsterdam and Curacao with an Airbus A350-900 leased from Spanish charter airline World2Fly. The aircraft will seat 432 passengers in a 3-3-3 configuration.
The Only Adult zone is not some type of an X-rated theme, but rather a physically partitioned cabin located to the front of the aircraft dedicated to passengers ages 16 years and above. This cabin features 9 extra large “XL” seats, as well as 93 regular seats.
Corendon created this new concept for passengers looking for a “child-free environment” as well as business travelers looking for a quieter work space on board.
Passengers wanting to fly in the Only Adult section can expect to pay a premium of €45 for per one-way upgrade, and €100 for a one-way upgrade to the XL seats in the Only Adult zone. If you’re in the back and feel left out, there are XL seats available for purchase near other emergency exits on the aircraft, but for safety reasons they are also limited to passengers ages 16 and over.
Atilay Uslu, founder of Corendon Airlines, had this to say about his new concept:
“On our flights, we always strive to address the diverse needs of our customers. We are proud to be the first Dutch airline to introduce the Only Adult zone, as it caters to travelers seeking some extra tranquility during their journey. We also believe that this offering will have a positive impact on parents traveling with young children, allowing them to enjoy their flight without apprehensions when their little ones make a bit more noise.”
Babies on an airplane has always been a contentious topic depending on who you ask. For some, crying babies can be seen as a nuisance, but there are those that are quiet for the duration of the journey. One could even argue that some adults are the ones that cause the most trouble based on the rising number of onboard incidents, but that’s a topic for another day.
Corendon’s idea isn’t perfect, but seems like a very reasonable option. If customers really want a quieter experience, they can pay the extra fee to do so. The passenger experience is pretty much the same otherwise with both standard and XL seats being offered in both sections.
I have to wonder what will happen in cases where there are a disproportionate number of adults. Will they offer complimentary upgrades to fill the Only Adult cabin or will those seats go unsold if passengers refuse to pay the upgrade fee?
What happens in a rarer situation where there are an abnormally high number of passengers traveling with kids? Will the parents be split up to maintain the promise to those paying to be in the Only Adult section? It’s definitely an interesting concept and I’d love to see the public’s reaction, if it lasts long enough that is.
[Featured Photo: Corendon Airlines ]
