---
title: "Japan Airlines’ New Seating Map Shows Where the Crying Babies Will Be on Your Next Flight"
description: "The tool will now display a smiling baby icon for every passenger under two years of age."
date: "2019-09-28"
modified: "2019-09-28"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/30069/japan-airlines-new-seating-map-shows-where-the-crying-babies-will-be-on-your-next-flight"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
---

# Japan Airlines’ New Seating Map Shows Where the Crying Babies Will Be on Your Next Flight

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2019/09/GettyImages-933434618-e1569636344185.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Japan Airlines is rolling out a new feature for its online booking tool that shows users where potentially crying babies will be sitting on their next flight.

"Passengers [traveling](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/26741/airline-passenger-charges-obese-man-150-to-sit-next-to-him-on-flight-sparks-online-debate>) with children between eight days and two years old who select their seats on the [JAL website](<https://www.jal.co.jp/en/dom/support/smilesupport/baby.html>) will have a child icon displayed on their seats on the seat selection screen. This lets other passengers know a child may be sitting there," the airline explained.

For the childless among you scratching your heads right now at that "8 days" restriction: For medical reasons, babies less than eight days old aren't actually allowed to fly with JAL at all while many other airlines require a physician's approval before a baby that young gets [on a plane.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/28010/drake-started-from-the-bottom-but-now-has-a-massive-private-boeing-767-airplane>) The more you know.

![message-editor%2F1569639091081-jalbaby.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1569639091081-jalbaby.jpg>)
**Japan Airlines**

The feature should take the lottery element out of avoiding much younger, [louder](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/26169/delta-airlines-answers-the-big-question-do-planes-have-in-flight-fart-filtering-technology>), tinier people while [flying](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/28499/delta-sends-private-jet-for-fifth-graders-after-american-airlines-cancels-flight-for-school-trip>) but JAL adds that the system doesn't guarantee a tantrum-free flight. The airline cautions that baby icons will not be visible if tickets are booked as part of a tour, using award tickets, or if seats are chosen through any site other than JAL's own such as third-parties like Expedia or Travelocity. The icons also may not show up properly if there's a change in aircraft.

One Twitter user lauded Japan Airlines for its new baby-avoidance tool and called on other airlines to implement similar features.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1176494097588084737

Er, I don't have kids but I'm pretty sure babies don't [plan](<https://media.giphy.com/media/3SyCSMTIDNYkg/giphy.gif>) to scream, yell, or [do anything](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/28444/airline-passenger-mistakenly-opens-plane-emergency-exit-door-while-looking-for-bathroom>), really. They just do those things.

Now, if only movie theaters could show us where all of the talkers, texters, snifflers, and deodorant-phobes will be sitting, that'd be great, thanks.

## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)