Baby on board: Apologetic man in China buys 100 earplugs to give plane passengers

A crying baby on a plane, especially on a late-night flight, is often a nightmare for both the parents and other passengers.

Worried that his eight-month-old baby would fuss and disrupt the experience of other travellers, a man in China purchased 100 earplugs in advance to give out.

"I apologise in advance to everyone," the man is seen addressing the plane in a video.

Smiling, he walks down the aisle to distribute the bagful of earplugs. A commuter declines one, saying that it is a "normal" occurrence for children to cry.

The parent, surnamed Chen, told Chinese media outlet Jiupai News on July 22 that his family of five were on board a domestic flight departing past 11pm.

He was inspired by how other parents dealt with similar situations by handing out goodie bags and decided to follow suit.

"My fellow passengers were nice and understanding. In the end, I only gave out about 20 or 30 earplugs," he said.

Chen's baby only cried several times during takeoff and landing and was easily soothed, according to China News Service.

On his return flight home, Chen passed the remaining earplugs to the cabin crew to distribute to passengers in need.

The man reflected that it is a parent's duty to be considerate of people in public situations and said he wants to continue setting a good example for his children.

"I hope such civil behaviour will continue on," he added.

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