Is It Ok To Let Kids Draw On Their Airplane Seat With Crayons?

by Gary Leff on June 11, 2023

A mother let her child draw all over the seat of a Delta Air Lines flight in order to keep them entertained. They were erasable, and wipes took care of the Crayola drawings. She says that a flight attendant was relieved the drawings came off the side of the aircraft, and off of the back of the tray table in front of them – while Qatar Airways crew were far more chill when she does this.

@crayola saved my life on a 15 international flight with my toddler and baby!

This is NOT an Ad! Giving real life advice. For those parents with toddlers and babies, thank me later! These are a great tool to pull out when the iPad has run its course. I prefer to let my toddler use these when I want him to go to sleep, because the iPad stimulates him and I find it’s harder to get him to sleep. And we all know a sleeping toddler on a long flight is a MAJOR WIN.

* This footage is on our Delta domestic leg. I was proactive to tell the flight attendant they wipe off. She gave me a sigh of relief 😂. However, @qatarairways didn’t even bat an eye when I used these!

A post shared by Ashley Allaround (@momhighclub)

For and a half years ago a mother helped their child draw on the back of the tray table in front of them. At the time I thought at least they could’ve used erasable markers? It seems to me that the principle here is that if you damage someone else’s property, you owe them compensation. If there’s no damage at all – and some erasable drawing tools genuinely won’t leave anything behind anymore, technological advances are amazing – while others can leave marks even when dubbed erasable. Just think of what happens to white boards and chalk boards over time, or at least used to.

Not only are tray tables for changing shitty diapers on, now you can help your kids draw all over them! It's only a $100M aircraft. NBD. ✈️🖍💁🏼‍♀️🤯 #parentingfail – we’re not shaming a child. [📸: reddit user "th0se"] 💯 #VANDALISM • • • #passengershaming #NOPE #instagramaviation #airplaneetiquette #frequentflyer #crewlife #sassystew #aviation #cabincrew #avgeek #cabincrewlife #flightattendant #flightattendantlife #stewardess #flightattendantproblems #travel #flightattendants #instapassport #aviationgeek #FAlife #airtravel #travelgram #traveltips #pilot #pilotlife #travelling #frequentflier #reddit

A post shared by Passenger Shaming (@passengershaming) on Dec 27, 2018 at 6:20pm PST

I’d be worried about leaving marks, but as long as the passenger leaves their seat in as good condition as they found it then I think that is ok? After all plenty of passengers leave their seats in pretty rough shape without drawing on them at all.

(HT: Dennis Y)

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