A father in China came prepared with 100 pairs of earplugs before boarding a late night flight with his eight month old baby.
Concerned that the infant might cry and disturb others, he personally walked around the cabin and offered earplugs to nearby passengers.
Bought earplugs one week before flight
The man, surnamed Chen, was travelling from Hubei to Guangxi with his wife, mother and two children.
Speaking to the local media, Chen said he was worried that changes in cabin pressure or his baby’s emotions might cause the infant to cry during the late night flight.
As he did not want to disturb other passengers, he ordered 100 pairs of earplugs online about a week before the trip.
He said he had previously seen other parents doing something similar online and felt it was a considerate gesture worth learning from.
Most passengers politely declined
After boarding the plane, Chen’s wife carried their baby while he approached passengers, explained the situation and offered them earplugs.
However, most responded with a smile and told him that it was fine and they did not need a pair.
In the end, Chen only managed to give away slightly more than 20 pairs.
Baby remained calm throughout most of flight
Despite being prone to crying at home, the baby was reportedly calm throughout most of the journey.
According to Chen, the infant only cried twice due to changes in cabin pressure during takeoff and landing.
He said the understanding shown by fellow passengers made him feel fortunate.
Chen also brought the remaining earplugs along for the return flight. This time, however, he handed them to the cabin crew so they could distribute them if any passenger needed them.
The heartwarming gesture later gained praise online, with many commending the father for being thoughtful.
Some also suggested that parents could prepare small snacks instead, as passengers might be more willing to accept them.
Chen welcomed the suggestion and said he would continue preparing in advance whenever travelling with his children, as long as circumstances allowed.
“I hope to minimise any inconvenience caused to others and that considerate gestures like this can continue to be passed on,” he said.
