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Jeremy Clarkson angers some by suggesting airlines should treat babies like luggage

You might think that Jeremy Clarkson has run out of groups to offend, but the Top Gear frontman remains as unfiltered and unbowed as ever, this time calling for British Airways to deposit traveling young children in with the luggage under its planes. After a flight to Scotland, the irascible Brit quipped, "When will British Airways realise that babies belong in the hold?" via Twitter. The tweet prompted equal quantities of laughter, outrage and support from those who follow him on the social media service. Acknowledging the controversy, Clarkson would later follow up by noting, "Mine didn't fly till they were old enough to behave."

Predictably, British Airways has responded by reiterating that all are welcome in its airplane cabins, but Clarkson's musing has also triggered widespread support for the notion of child-free air travel – on Twitter and beyond. And as the Telegraph notes, at least one airline realizes that for some travelers, there is real appeal to the idea: Malaysia's Air X airlines recently introduced select routes with seating areas where occupants must be 12 years or older. Perhaps they've just found their new spokesman.

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