Q: What should I do when confronted with a screaming baby on a plane? On a recent flight to Cincinnati, the woman next to me made no effort to calm her kid who yelled nonstop. When we landed, she had the nerve to say, “Well, he wasn’t so bad!” I’m a dad myself, so I understand the problems of traveling with kids but this was ridiculous.

A: You are not alone in this frustration over unruly kids on planes. In fact, Malaysia Airlines recently banned babies in first class. However, since I doubt the airline will begin flights to Cincinnati anytime soon, your best bet is enlisting the help of flight attendants who are trained in this area. They’ll likely attempt to get you away from the screamer if possible, though as we all know, there are precious few unoccupied seats on planes these days. In lieu of that, work with the parents as appropriate. Confrontation is probably the worst scenario as you’ll likely end up fuming and one can never tell how parents will react.

Babies on Planes: Yes or No?

One of my employees (a veteran mother) says, “It’s possible the parent was embarrassed about her crying baby, but it would have been nice if she’d said something apologetic just to let you know she was trying.” Parents, please read Five Ways to Ruin a Family Plane Trip, which includes some excellent tips on keeping kids happy and under control during a long flight.

Of course, sometimes little can be done about a screaming infant or toddler, which is why I also asked this question (which got a lot of response): Do We Need Family Sections on Planes? Suggestion: if you can muster the energy, try distracting the screamer with dangling car keys or games of peek-a-boo. Better yet, invest in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones. It’s worked for me many a time.

Thanks to FareCompare’s massive database of current and historical airfare prices, I’ve been able to work out some rules of thumb for summer airline ticket prices based on flight distance.

7 Ways to Screw-up Summer Travel

Guidelines: What You Should Pay for Summer Airfare

What I call the best deals are increasingly rare, and you cannot count on getting them. The shoot for price is more realistic, and still a deal. Take a look:

Flight less than 500 miles (about 1 hour flight time)

• Best deals: Under $100 round-trip
• What to shoot for: Anything under $150 round-trip

Flights of 500 – 1,000 miles (about 2 hours flight time)

• Best deals: Under $160 round-trip
• What to shoot for: Anything under $210 round-trip

Flights of 1,000 – 1,500 miles or more (about 3 hours flight time)

• Best deals: Under $200 round-trip
• What to shoot for: Anything under $280 round-trip

Flights of 1,500 miles or more (over 3 hours flight time)

• Best deals: Under $240 round-trip
• What to shoot for: Anything under $340 round-trip*

*If you see a cross-country flight such as New York-Los Angeles for under $350, scoop it up.

Some Cities are Less Expensive than Others

As always, the figures above are a guide. There will be variations especially in the few hotly contested markets that have lured a preponderance of discount carriers and two that instantly come to mind are Boston and Orlando.

See the Six Cheapest Destinations for Summer

If you’re heading someplace that happens to be on the expensive side, check out nearby airports that may have significantly cheaper prices. A little driving could save a lot of bucks.

Save More with Inconvenient Flights

Never underestimate the inconvenience factor when looking for ways to save on airfare. Some examples:

• Connecting flights are usually cheaper than non-stops
• Choose flights with late night or early morning take-offs
• Fly mid-week or on Saturday – avoid flights on Fridays and Sundays
• Time vacations to coincide with less popular/cheaper times to fly such as May, early June and late August

Do You Know Which Disney is Right for You?

Shop for Summer Airfare Now

We don’t expect tardy shoppers will get lucky this year and find last-minute deals. Sure, anything is possible, but demand remains steady so airlines are not motivated to reduce fares. Those who do wait too long will likely have three options left: stay home, find a vacation destination within driving distance, or pay too much for airfare. Don’t be that procrastinator.

A Carry-on Bag May Cost You $100 on Spirit

1. Fees Keep Airfare Prices Down

If you think your plane tickets for this summer are expensive, try to imagine what they’d cost if the airlines didn’t have all that fee money – which as of last October, was close to $9 billion a year.

Without that revenue you’d pay more for your flights – maybe much more – assuming you could afford to fly at all. Which brings us to #2:

2. Fees Keep the Airlines in Business

Remember the spring of 2008? It seemed as if every time you turned around, another airline was going under: Aloha, ATA, Skybus and more. These carriers raised fares as high as they dared and when that wasn’t enough, they shut their doors. That’s because the modern fee era we’re in now hadn’t quite been invented yet.

Southwest: No Free Bags on AirTran Anytime Soon

It wasn’t until a couple of months after Aloha said goodbye that American Airlines started it all with a first checked-bag fee of $15 (since raised to $25). As I said back then when oil prices were heading to the $140 per barrel mark, “Desperate times beget desperate measures, and this is in the Hail Mary category.” Fees have been with us ever since.

3. Fees May Keep Us Healthier

OK, this is a bit of a long shot, but consider the average airline’s food-for-purchase selection in coach. Okay, now that you’ve considered it, do you really want it – even if it was free? My advice: bring something from home, something that’s tasty and good for you. Better and cheaper.

Chart: U.S. and Global Airline Bag Fees

4. When it Comes to Fees, You Do Have a Choice

I hope I’m not going to sound like ultra-discount carrier Spirit’s crack marketing team (“We empower customers to save money”) but when it comes to most fees, you do have a choice: pay or don’t pay. Don’t want to pay $50 round-trip to check a bag? Use a carry-on (and I’ve used one in Europe).

American Airlines’ 5-Star Service – For a Fee

Other ways to avoid fees:

• Avoid overweight charges for checked-bags and carry-ons by packing light; buy heavy toiletries at your destination
• Avoid costly seat upgrades, especially on shorter flights
• Planes can be chilly, but save on the blanket fee by bringing a jacket or sweater
• Bring an iPod for entertainment – no Wi-Fi charge required
• Drink free sodas or coffee – alcohol will cost you

More from Rick Seaney:

What Airlines Don’t Want Us to Know about Fees

Pan Am Stewardess: Yes, They Really Wore Girdles

Flight Attendants – Aging Population

Yes, flight attendants are aging, but we all will, if we’re lucky enough. In the case of airline employees though, the situation has been exacerbated by the effects of mergers and layoffs on a system that relies on seniority for advancement.

According to a population demographics report published three years ago, based on statistics from 1980 through 2007, flight attendants are significantly older than their counterparts from years past. Some key figures gleaned from the report:

That American Airlines Flight Attendant Rant

Why Veteran Flight Attendants are Important

One of the most important aspects of an aging flight attendant population is experience. This is not to say younger people, whether they’re flight attendants or performing any other job, aren’t capable because they are. But in a difficult, stressful situation, it’s nice to know you have employees on hand who’ve been there, done that. Three quick examples:

• April 2012: A passenger gives birth to a baby on a Delta flight. Assisting was a flight attendant with 29 years on the job.
• September 2011: An American Airlines pilot falls ill during a flight. A 61-year-old flight attendant with a pilot’s license steps in to help the co-pilot land the plane.
• January 2009: Capt. “Sully” Sullenberger of US Airways guides the Miracle on the Hudson flight to a smooth landing, but it is the veteran flight attendants – aged 51, 57 and 58 – who get all the passengers safely evacuated.

Why a ‘Flight Whisperer’ was Hired for Flight Attendants

Flight Attendants and Pay Cuts

Anecdotally, many of us have heard complaints about the attitudes of older flight attendants. I have had no problems with any flight attendants myself so I can only speculate, but – maybe you too might have a bad attitude if you’d suffered some of the financial setbacks they have.

According to the previously mentioned demographics report, flight attendant wages have been slowly but steadily eroding over time:

“There has also been a dramatic shift in the earnings of flight attendants since 1980. After adjusting for inflation, the median hourly wages (in 2007 dollars) dropped by 26 percent between 1980 and 2007. In contrast, the median hourly wages of all U.S. workers rose by 13 percent during this period.” – The Changing Demography of U.S. Flight Attendants

By the way, I have heard some complaints from flight attendants – that passengers rarely look them in the eye, let alone, smile. Try it next time you board a plane, and let me know what happens.

More from Rick Seaney:

Do Older Flight Attendants Get a Bad Rap?

Cheap flights and tips on Disney World

It also depends on how much time you have: Disney World is spread out over 47 square miles while the original Disneyland in Anaheim covers a lot less ground (even when adding in its sister-park, Disney California Adventure).

Can I find cheap flights to Disney destinations this year?

You can find cheaper flights. Both Disney destinations are relative bargains this year and you’ll find Orlando and Southern California on my list of cheapest summer destinations thanks to lots of airline competition from lower-cost carriers like Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and Virgin America.

Orlando Travel Guide: Attractions, Dining, Shopping

How do I fly to Disney World?

Flying directly to Orlando (MCO) will probably be cheapest, but if you don’t mind doing a little driving, also look at flights to Daytona (DAB) which is 56 miles from Orlando and even Tampa (TPA) which is 85 miles away. You never know when an airline will come up with an absolutely irresistible fare if it can’t fill its empty middle seats.

Los Angeles, Southern California Travel Guide: Attractions and More

How do I fly to Disneyland?

You have a lot of options. You could fly to the major airport nearest Anaheim, which is John Wayne in Orange County (SNA) but you may find flights into the larger Los Angeles International (LAX) cheaper thanks to all those airlines competing for your dollars – and it’s just 34 miles from Anaheim. If you live in a city served by JetBlue, take a look at Long Beach Airport (LGB), which is 25 miles from Anaheim which often offers terrific airfare deals.

Babies on Planes – Yes or No?

What’s smarter – non-stops or connecting flights?

If you’re traveling with babies or toddlers, non-stops may be the way to go in case the kids get restless and cranky. With older children, you have more flexibility – and those connecting flights can often save you some real money.

Any packing tips?

As always, try to avoid baggage fees. Many airlines will charge an extra $200 in round-trip bag fees if everyone in a family of four checks a bag (although both JetBlue and Southwest still offer checked-bags for free). If everyone can handle a carry-on, I say go for it (but remember, Allegiant and Spirit now charge a fee for carry-ons). If you do check a bag, watch the weight. It is often cheaper to check a second bag than to pay the cost of a single overweight one.

How do I find cheap tickets to get into the Disney theme parks?

Check with Mickey. All I can tell you is, if you can somehow wrangle a VIP tour or use those Fast Passes to skip the wait in line, do it. Your feet will thank you.