This Morning television presenter Eamonn Holmes has sparked controversy among parents after admitting that he hates sitting next to younger travellers while on a flight.

The father-of-four has revealed he would happily support child-free flights. D uring a phone-in about travelling on planes with children, Holmes, 56, made a passionate plea for segregated flights, saying that if he's paid for a flight ticket then he should have some 'choice' about who he sits next to.

However, the presenter was quickly labelled 'grumpy' by viewers watching the segment on the This Morning show.

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Who supports segregated planes? Eamonn Holmes landed himself in hot water with viewers of This Morning today after admitting he doesn't like sitting near children on planes

'I've paid for my ticket. I just want a choice' A passionate Eamonn revealed he just wants to sleep and watch a movie during his hard-earned time off

Hot topic: A live phone-in on This Morning on child-free flights divided viewers and sparked plenty of debate on Facebook after the show

The phone-in had been discussing the story of Nicola Colenso who last week revealed that an 'abusive' air passenger had told her to 'shut that child up' referring to her disabled eight-year-old child Yasmin.

Journalist Martin Daubney had suggested that those who moaned about flying with young children were 'finger-wagging, pursed-lipped disapproving grumpsters'. Holmes wife and co-presenter Ruth Langsford quickly replied: 'Have you been sitting next to him?' about her husband.

Holmes then launched into why he disliked travelling alongside young children, saying: 'What makes life miserable is that I’ve paid for my holiday – I’ve got one week off all year.'

'I just want to get on that plane and watching my movie, or sleep or whatever it happens to be.'

He then added: 'I just want the choice.'

Plenty of viewers took to Facebook to voice their strong disagreement with Holmes' standpoint.

Journalist Martin Daubney, left, referred to Holmes as one of a breed of 'finger-wagging, pursed-lipped disapproving grumpsters' who made parents feel bad about their children

Mixed bag: While many of those listening to the phone-in condemned Holmes' view, more than a few agreed that adults-only flights were a good idea

Amy Louise Eley wrote: 'This is ridiculous. Child-free flights, what next? Small children, bless them, don't understand what is going on, ears popping etc so if they do cry then surely we can be understanding to that?'

Tegan Milson agreed, saying: 'I can't explain how angry some of content of this segment is making me. Bad parenting! Naughty children! Uncontrollable children! How dare they speak this way?'

An air passenger was shamed on Facebook after allegedly yelling 'shut that child up!' to Nicola Colenso, the mother of an eight-year-old girl who was having 'a meltdown'

Nicola Colenso (pictured) wrote an open letter to the woman on a flight from Ibiza to Manchester last week after her disabled daughter Yasmin, 8, was asked to be quiet

She added: 'If your child behaved impeccably on a plane well congratulations. You were lucky! I doubt it was your amazing parenting skills.'

Jason Potts penned: 'The minority of people who selfishly want children barring from flights need to get a grip on reality. The public world isn't a child free place.'

Kerry Morris added: 'People need to get over it! Kids will be kids. Am taking my eight-month-old baby on her first flight next week and I know she's going to be hard work... but one dirty look or snide comment from someone and I won't be able to hold my own!'

Josephine Hems berated Holmes: 'This is really annoying me! Why shouldn't parents go on holiday with children? Regardless of their age? We've always flown with our children. We pay the same as those without children. Why should parents look at alternative holidays which don't include a trip on a plane?'

However, for every comment from a parent angry at Holmes' comment, there seemed to be another in agreement with the presenter.

Journalist Daubney suggested that Holmes' view was outdated, something many watching at home seemed to agree with

Holmes cracked a smile at the end of the segment after sharing his views on child=drere

Aileen Leonard wrote about a nightmare flight that made her change her mind on airline segregation: 'We had the worst flight ever last year. A 10hr flight from Vancouver surrounded by children. Some were brilliant and slept for most of the night time flight however one child cried for 6 hrs of the flight.'

On Twitter, ‏@PeaceHavenUK said: 'I think there should be family flights and none.

'There's nothing worse than a screaming child on how ever long the flight.'