A new survey has revealed that the majority of passengers do not view budget airlines, including Ryanair and easyJet, as child-friendly.
The research, undertaken by guidebook publishers Rough Guides, indicated that just six per cent of respondents viewed Ryanair as the airline offering the best option for families with young members, while two per cent felt that way about easyJet.
Virgin Atlantic topped the poll, with 36 per cent voting it the most child-friendly airline, while British Airways came a close second with 32 per cent of the vote.
Explaining the reasons for the budget airlines’ apparent unpopularity among families, Rough Guides’ Fawzia Rasheed de Francisco cited problems arising from their baggage restrictions and the impact this might have on families looking to pack as much as possible for their children.
“Aside from baggage restrictions, budget airlines tend to be allocated inconvenient gates in airports, involving walking long distances, negotiating stairs and buses etc – tough going with small children,” she added.
Virgin offers a number of special services for children, including providing a Skycot for babies aged up to 12 months and an Infant Care Chair for children aged between six and 36 months.
