Following our United Airlines/changing table debacle from earlier this month (still no response to my complaint letter, in case you’re keeping score at home), my angst is growing about the way airlines treat parents with young children.

All week, friends have been emailing me with sob stories about their own experiences on airplanes without changing tables.

Then, tonight, after just declaring her as a lapchild for another flight (admittedly on United again; part of the problem is that we live in a city where there aren’t many cheaper or more convenient alternatives), I’m convinced these airlines just don’t give a crap (pardon the pun).

This time—literally, moments ago—I had the presence of mind to ask the customer service agent when I had him on the phone about changing tables. “No,” he said from Singapore or the Philippines or wherever he was located, “I’m sorry, sir, but none of our planes are [sic] outfitted with changing tables for babies anymore.”

While I know his statement wasn’t entirely true (as I mentioned in my letter to United, we have flown their planes between SFO and OGG, and some of those had changing tables), perhaps the company proclaims not to have them so as not to disappoint travelers like me.

Still, the facts are disturbing. How does the FAA allow planes not to have changing tables? What’s more, how, with all of the family travel-oriented coverage out there, has nobody made an issue of this simple fact? Does any of you readers share in my outrage? If so, speak up, and please provide suggestions for changing babies in a sanitary fashion mid-flight.