I had just finished up school and joined the Army to pay back my time to them. We had lived in NYC and didn't have a car. The Army moved all of our stuff. So my wife boarded the plane with my mil and our two kids, an 18 month old, and a two week old. We were so concerned about them not handling the flight well we purposely scheduled a red eye flight hoping our older child would sleep through the flight and that the newborn would be pacified by feeding.

It was a perfectly executed plan because when they landed after the 5-6 hour flight across the country the flight attendant made it a point to congratulate my wife two kids for being angelic, and not making a peep, to which the cabin responded with applause and cheering.

You know it has to be annoying when the flight attendant makes it a point to recognize good kids. I agree with your point and argument in that many people don't take into consideration or thought the things they may be able to do beforehand to prepare their kids for flights and in flight entertainment, etc.