Folks clamouring for family sections on airplanes? Sure, but why stop there?

I see that 60 per cent of people surveyed by a company called Skyscanner say they'd be in favour of family sections on airplanes.

I gotta admit it's an interesting thought. Right now you get little tykes sprinkled all over the place, and you never really know if you're going to be safe from Little Johnny. (Don't get me wrong; I adore kids. I have three. They were all pretty well behaved on airplanes, mostly because my wife was smart and packed lots of things for them to do and eat and drink).

Writing in USA Today, Gary Stoller said that "Skyscanner posted the poll on its site Aug. 11-23, after a confidential settlement last month between Qantas and a 67-year-old American passenger who sued the Australian airline after a 3-year-old screamed on her flight last year. The woman complained of excruciating pain in her ears and was taken to a hospital before the Darwin-bound flight departed from Alice Springs.

Most poll respondents in favor of creating a families-only section said they don't have young children and "want to sit as far away as possible" from them.

Skyscanner spokeswoman Mary Porter says results of the unscientific poll are not surprising. A previous poll found that young children are the "most annoying" factor on flights. "I can still remember that feeling of dread when you found yourself seated next to a baby on a long flight," Porter says. "However, since regularly flying with my 1-year-old, I am much more aware of what a stressful and often embarrassing situation it can be for parents.""

Personally, I wonder why we would stop there. It makes sense, perhaps, to have no-peanut zones on airplanes. I read the other day that they have them at ballparks in the U.S., which allows parents of kids with peanut allergies to safely sneak their child off to the old ballgame. That makes sense.

Maybe we could try the following, too:

- Steven Slater-free zones

- No turning on your Blackberry until we actually, truly, really reach the gate zones

- No overt snuggling zones. Nothing wrong with a little smooch, but getting all lovey-dovey on an airplane is embarrassing to those around you, folks. You want to get lucky, try the mile high club in the washroom.

- No "Rush" zones. Flying is stressful enough. If I hear Geddy Lee at 35,000 feet I'm gonna hurl.

AIRPLANE MEALS COOKBOOK

As Dave Barry might say, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.

It seems that Singapore Airlines' has published a cookbook. Yes, that's right. An airline cookbook.

The press release I got said the book is called "Above and Beyond: A Collection of Recipes from Singapore Airline's International Culinary Panel."

"Dispelling the myth that airline food can't be of high quality, the cookbook reveals the complexity and exacting, attention-to-detail required to create meals on an airplane that appeal to a discerning clientele."

OMG.

Singapore says it serves 55,000 meals a day and that they follow a "regimented menu process that scrutinizes all elements of food preparation, including texture, freshness, seasonality and presentation. The chefs employ their deep culinary knowledge to deliver a unique and enjoyable experience aboard Singapore Airlines, unlike that of any other carrier."

I've never had the pleasure of flying on Singapore, but it's probably better than American Airlines "great pretzel recipes of the 20th century."

KING EDDY HOTEL TORONTO

Thanks to the folks at Le Meredien King Edward in Toronto for putting me up last night, allowing me to save a commute back home and then a quick turnaround for today's Go Media breakfast at the Canadian Tourism Commission meetings in downtown Toronto.

It was a rather large room, at least 400-450 square feet, I'd say. Comfortable bed, nice desk, a great bathroom with a ton of marble and lots of counter space and a great shower. Nice and roomy, and bigger than some entire hotel rooms I've had in England.

They even had a place in the shower to put your shampoo! You know, one of those molded soap holders that goes into the wall to allow you to rest your soap or razor, what have you. This sounds simple but I've stayed in two hotels in the last couple months that had straight walls in the shower with no place to put ones belongings, which I found utterly bizarre.

The room was large, but it might be time for a remake. There was a ton of chintz; the curtains, the photos, the wallpaper in the bathroom. It probably goes over well with older folks who like to take tea in the afternoon, but it was a bit over the top. Also, I didn't get my 7 a.m. wakeup call. That's not good if you're on business.

(Maybe you didn't hear, but how about golfer Jim Furyk missing his alarm on Wednesday at a golf tourney in the U.S.? He was late for the pro-amateur tournament and had to forfeit his participation in The Barclays tourney, which starts Thursday. Yikes).

The Consort Bar is a good, solid hotel bar with nice views of King St. I thought they were a little shy in terms of original drinks/martinis, but the prices were more than reasonable. And the lobby is as lovely as ever.