Mother, Son Kicked Off Southwest Airlines Flight
UPDATE: Southwest Airlines has apologized for kicking the mother and son off of the flight.
Pamela Root and her son, Adam, were on their way home to San Jose, California (where I live) when they were kicked off Southwest Flight 637 on Monday afternoon. The reason? The child wanted dad, wanted to take off, and was a bit too loud for the crew and passengers.
Usually my kids are great on flights, but I’ve been in this position before. I would guess that the child would have given in once the flight took off, but they were never given the chance. I REALLY hope that Southwest Airlines looks into this, at least to find out more about what happened. Was the child kicked off immediately? Was the mother given a few minutes to settle him down? Was he kicking seats or causing a major disruption (if this is the case then it is definitely justified). I always fly with Southwest and would hate to see this issue not be at least looked into for all of the facts.
While I understand that there are those who will say that the mother and child should have been removed, without all of the details, I would have to disagree just because I’ve been on MANY flights with kids who are unruly like this and I’ve just learned thatit’s just a part of life.
As a parent, I know what it’s like to have a child who can be difficult at times. Like I said before, most of the time, my kids are great on flights. We even get compliments from other passengers who appreciate how good they are, and we always love that! But there are times when they aren’t, I would hate to be removed from a flight because we were having trouble getting them to settle down. Sometimes it takes longer than other times, but eventually, they do relax. Food always helps, their medicine helps too. Keeping them awake through their nap time until the flight is great because many times, they’re asleep before the plane takes off! It may sound funny, but even other supportive passengers can help!
We do our best as good parents to respect those around us. If you want to read about a bad parent, then you should check out my posts on Casey Anthony.
On this issue, feel free to agree or disagree with me. That’s what discussion is for 
From the San Jose Mercury News:
Pamela Root’s 2-year-old son was screaming for the Southwest Airlines plane to “Go! Plane! Go!”
“I want Daddy!” Adam shouted. Over and over again.
Despite her embarrassment, the stay-at-home San Jose mom remained confident that once the plane took off and she fed him, Adam would calm down and take a nap — just as he had on the half-dozen other plane rides with Mom.
The flight crew wasn’t willing to find out.
With her luggage heading back home without her, Root was stuck in
Amarillo, Texas, and forced to buy a portable crib and diapers and stay another night with her parents. Still fuming, she wants Southwest to apologize and compensate her for the flight and things she bought. Adam’s father, Mike Root, a software engineer at Symantec, who was waiting for them in San Jose, is also livid.
Southwest, with its fun and family-friendly reputation, immediately began looking into the matter on Thursday at the request of the Mercury News. Spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said it’s “very rare” to ask someone to leave a flight, and especially “unusual” to remove a crying child.
From the New York Times:
The Oakland Tribune is reporting that a Southwest Airlines crew ordered Pamela Root and her young son off a flight from Amarillo back home to San Jose this week, because the boy was screaming “Go! Plane! Go!”
“I want Daddy!” repeatedly while the jet waited in line for takeoff. Root told reporter Lisa Fernandez that she had seen Adam like this before. Her strategy was to wait to feed him until after the plane took off, she says, which made him a little cranky for a short while, but insured that he would soon calm down and take a nap.
The plane returned to the gate for what the pilot described as “a passenger issue” which was the first Root knew she and her son were being forced to deplane. As she describes it, the conversation with the attendant who escorted her off went something like this:
“We just can’t tolerate that for two hours.”
“He’ll be fine once we take off.”
“We’ve heard that before.”
Tags: Adam Root, Alaska Airlines, Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, Child Kicked off Flight, Flight 637, Marilee McInnis, Mike Root, Mom Kicked off Flight, Northwest Airlines, Pam Root, Pamela Root, San Jose Flight, San Jose Mercury News, SJC, Southwest, Southwest Air, Southwest Airlines, Southwest Kicks off Child, Southwest Kicks off Mother, United Airlines, Unruly Child
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October 30, 2009 at 10:52 am
What is your problem here?
The stewardess should be promoted for taking the correct action – an unruly, loud child unable to be controlled by his mother ought to be removed. There are 200 other passengers that deserve consideration, and nothing can be done after takeoff so it had to be done before then.
Did you bother to read that the mother created this situation by not feeding the boy before boarding? Next day she flew home without issues because the child was not miserable.
SWA did the right thing. This kind of action should be applauded because it was for the benefit of all the passengers.
October 30, 2009 at 11:08 am
People who can’t tolerate a crying child should not be allowed in a plane. That is for the benefit of the rest of the human race.
October 30, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Putting up with a screaming shild is not a happy thing. I agree that the child did not belong on the plane. I am sick of the PC people who feel that they own the world and the rest of us should just shut up and suffer.
October 30, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I had the most miserable flight in my life to Jamaica because a young mother totally ignored a crying baby for 3/4 of the flight. That was not fair to other passengers to listen to a screaming kid for hours. I applaud the airlines for taking action.
October 30, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Thanks for all the great comments. It’s a tough question: what do you do. Would any of your opinions change if you were the parents of the child? I think that it is good that someone took action. I’m still up in the air if it was a good decision or not. But, it seems that it was a judgment call that needed to be made, at that time.
October 30, 2009 at 3:19 pm
i was flying 4 weeks ago,and parents with a toddler was inside,the toddler was crying all the 3hour flight,everybody looked at the parents like,you dont cant stop this.the parents looked really ashamed,and i ,i feel so sorry for the child and parents!
October 30, 2009 at 3:20 pm
No offense but the last thing I want to hear on a plane is a screaming child. I love kids but in a closed up area like that it is ten times worse!
October 30, 2009 at 3:20 pm
John~~“Go Plane Go” That little guy was great advertising for the airline. He just wanted that big old jet to get off the ground. He couldn’t wait.
Now if he had said, “don’t go”, that is when I would have had to make a decision. A pacifer dipped in sugar settles them down, even when they are in those terrible twos.
October 30, 2009 at 3:37 pm
John~~What do you think of this comment?
People who can’t tolerate a crying child should not be allowed in a plane. That is for the benefit of the rest of the human race.
This seem to be discrimination against people who pay a sizeable fare for quiet enjoyment of their flight.
A businessman may be working aboard a flight. The last thing he needs is a child screaming distracting him.
One little loud set of lungs can be very disruptive.
October 30, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I travel for work and it is hard when children scream, it is a very small area!
October 30, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Laura~~you know some folks have phobias when they fly.
Some are flying home to the funeral of a loved one.
Alot of personalities make up the masses of those aboard the flight.
The airline has to put the safety of their passengers, first and foremost. Maybe this is the reason they felt the screaming child may be a risk to their safety issue standards. There were no guarantees that the little guy was going to stop crying once the plane took off. He must have been crying for a reason, possibly sick or pains in his tummy. I think he was better off on the ground until he settled down.
October 30, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I agree. Sometimes I get nervous flying the last thing I need is a screaming baby, who doesn’t feel well.
October 30, 2009 at 6:01 pm
On this one i have to say, give the mother a break. This mother and child had every right to be on that airline. The mother stated she was waiting to feed the baby when she got settled in on the plane, that way the baby would have gone to sleep like other times she had done this when flying. Makes perfect sense. If airlines do not want to have a crying baby they should put out a new policy, no babies allowed on board, otherwise they have no right to make this Mother and her child get off that plane. The Mother is a paying customer just like everyone else is on that airline, and when you board a plane with all kinds of people be it babies, children hacking coughing adults or whatver, you take the risk of hearing a lot of noise you might not like. If this lady pushes it this airline will end up paying this lady what she wants in my opinion and darn well should.
October 30, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Unless this baby had nitroglycerin in his diaper i cannot see what risk to any passenger’s a crying baby could be. Just another screw up of Southwest Airlines they cannot afford.
October 30, 2009 at 7:01 pm
An airline is not an office so if a businessman is using it as so and cannot funtion properly due to a crying baby then he should do his business somewhere more suitable, like, hello his office. It is descrimination to the Mother and child to be kicked off the plane for this absurb reason.
October 30, 2009 at 7:30 pm
This really has sparked some opposing viewpoints. I think that the line about “…the benefit of the human race” might be a bit strong but I am glad that people stand behind their belief on an issue.
October 30, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Hi Kreuzer, I was actualy shocked at how many are in favor of southwest airlines decision. I just don’t get it and i have been on a plane before with a fussy crying baby for hours but i never thought they should not be allowed to be on the plane like everyone else that bought a ticket.
October 30, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Kreuzer, thanks for posting this topic as it is interesting to find out other’s views.
October 30, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I tend to post issues that I hope will spark discussion. Most of the time, I don’t get involved in the discussion because it is very interesting to sit back and hear what others have to say. Thankfully, most of the discussions remain civil, but people can be very passionate on some issues.
October 30, 2009 at 8:24 pm
John~~ It seems the majority of the folks just don’t want that cranky kid aboard the flight. I got to see his picture and he is a cute little fella. I think he had hungry pains and, since Mommy wouldn’t feed him, he was hollaring for his Daddy to give him some lunch.
Take a boo at this poll..
http://forums.mercurynews.com/poll/would-you-kick-a-mom-and-cranky-screaming-2-year-old-off-airplane-if-decision-was-yours
October 30, 2009 at 8:45 pm
John~~I have a comment hung up in spam. If it comes thru, feel free to delete it. I had posted a link to the San Jose Mercury News.
They are taking a poll and so far…
79% say kick the cranky kid off
21% say let him fly
Goodnight, a nice change from the Anthonys. Thank you.
October 30, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I try to post a lot more than just the Anthony stories. Unfortunately, it seems that they seem to be the most common topic that people like to read. I actually have more
October 30, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Had the airline let let Mommy stay on the plane long enough she was going to feed the baby. I Checked on the polls and so many don’t even have the story straight. They have the baby already in the air flying when he never left the ground. go figure~~
October 30, 2009 at 9:06 pm
What i have learned from going to the polls and reading blogs underneath them is , there is very little empathy left for human beings in our world today. Instead of I, Me, Myself, how about, Miss can i help in anyway.
October 30, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Kreuzer, i for one find this a refresher from the Anthony case even if it does disappoint me in a lot of the human race.
October 31, 2009 at 6:08 am
[...] more: Mother, Son Kicked Off Southwest Airlines Flight « Kreuzer's Korner By admin | category: southwest airlines | tags: california, everyone-gets, flight, [...]
October 31, 2009 at 6:51 am
Thank you Kreuzer. I am just a mother, I understand that children are no machines.
October 31, 2009 at 6:52 am
Cranky old people, now they can kicked out any time if it was up to me :>)
October 31, 2009 at 7:13 am
I am the mother of 4 and have 7 grandchildren. The mother should have volunteered to leave the plane. Obviously this child has not been diciplined. (I don’t mean spanking for those who will assume). This stay at home mom should watch more of Nanny 911. My kids and grandkids can be taken in any public places without this level of disturbance. Even at 2 yrs old! Sure my kids TRIED to throw a tamtrum but were quickly taught that it was not acceptable behavior. Diciplined children are happier children. Thank you Southwest Airlines for removing them for the sake of the other passengers. As for the port-a- crib: she should not be reimbursed for it. They are very handy and is something she can use even when she got home or leave at the grandparents house for the next visit. We need more classes of how to parent. Obviously this mother needs help.
October 31, 2009 at 7:18 am
Judy very well said. I am not a cranky old lady but the last thing I want to hear is a crying child. I am disappointed some choose to call names here because that is not how Kruezer runs his corner!
October 31, 2009 at 7:28 am
Judy~~so very true. I raised 3 daughters and never had any problems. When we went into stores, the girls were told beforehand, what would happen if they misbehaved. I did not have to spank my girls.
I would never take my child in a store hungry and walk them by the eatery section. The cranky little fella was hungry. When the mother fed him beforehand on her next flight, he was fine. A two year old is not an infant. Had it been an infant, I think the airline would have let the child stay aboard.
October 31, 2009 at 7:31 am
Kreuzer, I like your blog. Ok if I add you on my blogroll?
October 31, 2009 at 8:04 am
Good job Southwest. I’ll be using that airline more.
Southwest should have charged the mother with a federal crime instead of apologizing.
Useless parents with brats like this think they have the right to be obnoxious and ruin everyone’s flight. About time someone put them where they belong; on the ground.
October 31, 2009 at 8:38 am
Ina~ Of course
October 31, 2009 at 8:40 am
I don’t think she should be charged with a federal crime, as that would be quite extreme. But, we have debated taking ourselves off of a flight and requesting to be put on the next one. That seems reasonable to me.
October 31, 2009 at 10:12 am
I think it is fair they apologized. It was a bit over the top to refuse them. Just my opinion. I am very glad I can give it here.
October 31, 2009 at 11:51 am
I really don’t get Knight Owl’s stand at all. It is unfortunate that the mother and child were removed from the flight, however, any other passenger acting in an unruly, loud, or disruptive manner would also have been removed. The other passengers should not just have to put up with a crying or screaming child.
October 31, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I must say I do agree with knight Owl on this issue.
There are many things which can annoy You when You are on a Plane, example, if You sit beside someone with really bad Body Odor, sure doesn’t make it for a pleasant Flight, I think I take a Baby crying anytime.
I have been on long Flights before going to Germany and I had to put up with annoying People, Baby’s don’t annoy me.
October 31, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Me neither, Hilde.
October 31, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Jane, it is okay if you don’t get my reasoning as i don’t get anyone’s that think it is okay to kick a Mom and toddler off a plane just because the toddler was fussy. Everyone will soon get it as Southwest airlines keeps this up they will soon be out of business along with any other airlines that follow suit. Plus everyone will get it when they have a family member with a child that is kicked off a plane due to it being fussy. Children have been around since the beginning of time,most people have one or more of them, ones that do not, still know they cry and get fussy at times, they are not toys you can turn off an on by a button switch and no child is a perfect child just like no adults are perfect. With terrorist attacking us a fussy baby seems like a piece of cake to me on a plane. If that is all we had to worry about we wouldn’t have much problems in the world.
October 31, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Hi Hilde, Thanks at least you and Ina also get it. My best friends hubby is an executive with Walmart. He was flying back from China and some guy in the row in front of him had horrible gas problems and it continued for the whole 12 hour flight. He said it was like being in the worse smelling sewer he had ever smelled and he was about sick by the time he got off that plane. I can tell you he would have taken a baby crying anyday over that.
October 31, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I see no difference in a toddler and an infant whether or not they were kicked off an airline. A two year old toddler is still a baby also and they are going to act like a two year old baby. Problem i see with so many adults nowdays is everyone wants a baby to act other than what it is, a baby.
October 31, 2009 at 7:07 pm
At least southwest gets it NOW as they had the brains to apologize, reimburse her plus extra.
October 31, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Goodmorning all. I hope no one got sick from the sweets
Just peeking what goes on here. I would like to say something about toddlers and tantrums (this wasn’t a tantrum I think btw, just a toddler scared and missing his dad) but tantrums I believe, are dangerous, as parents not always stay calm. I think a child with a tantrum is in danger of getting lashed at.
My middlest son had them, his father was away a lot for his work, and now we think that was his problem, as he didn’t know when and if his father would come back. I suppose we didn’t point that out to him very well.
He went through glass doors when in this state. I am no expert, but I do remember I decided to stay calm, not mind too much what other people might think (important) and look at this problem from a little distance and with some humour. He would go balistic in the middle of a street or in a supermarket, on a ferry. I made sure he couldn’t get hurt, you know, just getting him away from the traffic, and waited till it was over, put my arm around him and after he calmed down, we went on. I don’t think he would have understood at that age (2? 3?) that he could have controlled his frustration. But that is just my opinion.
It all went over when he learned how to talk better, he turned out to be a real sweatheart. And not many people were so harsh as to judge him, or me, although they must have been annoyed. I did get a compliment on being so calm. Thanks, that person
I know you feel embarresed when your child does this, but it is all part of being a child. My other 2 sons didn’t have those tantrums at all.
Sorry if this comment is too long, I haven’t read the rules here yet. Have a nice after Halloween day
November 1, 2009 at 4:44 am
I have flown with my now adult, children many times. Mostly they were well behaved, sometimes not. I would always pack a bag of brand new toys and bring them out whenever needed. And lots of snacks…..let me ask this? How about if he was laughing really loud, and giggling..would the noise still be annoying? About the possibility of people on the plane wanting to work….go to first class if you want quiet. A plane is for anyone who can afford a ticket and if one kid is a little rambunctious, too bad. I think SWA owes that mom a huge apology and monetary compensation for her missed flight. And shame on all of the people that think this is right.
November 1, 2009 at 6:09 am
Did I say sweatheart? I think I meant sweet.
Rambunctious, now that is a nice word, I never heard it before. I agree btw, EDRN.
November 1, 2009 at 6:13 am
No comment is too long here.
There are only a couple of rules:
No foul language (if at all possible) and no personal attacks on other commenters. We don’t have either problem too often. I’ve only banned two people from the site who weren’t respectful. Feel free to speak your opinions
November 1, 2009 at 6:37 am
Thank you Kreuzer. In my opinion that sounds fair enough
November 1, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Ina, what a great post and i didn’t think it was too long but instead very enlightening. When you hear a story like this then all the perfect parents come out of the woodwork and their children are perfect and would always be perfect angel’s anywhere they took them. I don’t believe there are any perfect parents nor children, and for God’s sake i don’t even want to see a perfect child, cause if a child is that perfect then makes me wonder in a negative way what type of a homelife the child has had to cause it to act so completely perfect at all times.
November 1, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Hi Edrn, great post. I am sure there would be some that would complain about a baby laughing to loud. This toddler was saying go plane go and i want my daddy, i think him saying go plane go was really cute myself. These people that complain about babies need to drive everywhere they go.
November 1, 2009 at 6:21 pm
It seems to me that everyone is striving to be so “politically correct” that we forget a bit about humanity. Who hasn’t had a child be a little loud, whether it be at church, in a movie, at a wedding, or on a plane? On a Christmas Eve flight one year, my son threw his shoe (he was 2) over the back of the seat and spilled a drink onto a business mans suit. He was furious and asked that WE be moved (there were 4 of us). The flight attendant told him the flight was full of families and if he didn’t want to be bothered by children he should have booked a seat in First Class. I offered to pay for the dry cleaning and apologized profusely, but this man was not to be pacified.
Another thing that comes to mind, would SWA (or anyone who said SWA acted correctly) ask a disabled person who makes noises (Tourettes, Mental Retardation) to leave the plane? I think not. The ADA would be on them in a heartbeat.
So my point, people need to relax, enjoy the excitement of a child and accept that kids will be kids. Maybe lend a hand to the mom.
November 1, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I think adults need to remember they are grouchy, obnoxious, wise guys at times and not so much fun to be around too, and hellooooooooo, they started out as babies too and i bet not so perfect either.
November 2, 2009 at 2:03 am
lol Knight owl. I bet some people think they were just that as a kid though: Perfect.
We shouldn’t want our children to be perfect, or model them into shape, we should guide them to adulthood with respect and understanding, teaching them in the right age to have respect for others and to care for them. And so should we be about all children, not just ours. As we live in a society, and not in a vaccum.
And as we are not perfect ourselves, we can only do our best and be forgiving.
Just my opinion
November 2, 2009 at 3:37 am
As far as calling the child a “Brat”, that was a ridiculous comment! The “mother” was the one who chose not to feed him, granted, a mother knows how her child will (or most likely will) react to a certain situation. I do know, that the stewardess should have been more compassionate, and I would assume either doesnt have children of her own, or has never flown with them, you just never know. One big question in my mind, is how long was this poor little guy away from his daddy? Maybe, he was just super anxious! I think that SWA acted very inappropriately and should pay for it. Unfortunately, publicity, good or bad, is still publicity.
November 2, 2009 at 3:45 am
EDRN, very good point about the MR and other disabled people!
November 2, 2009 at 4:48 am
I fly Southwest regularly and have to say I think they’re the best. It seems every flight I have a kid kicking the back of my seat or screaming, while the rest of the passengers have to deal with it. I’ve never seen the airlines kick any of these offenders off; in fact a parent skewed my polite request for them to ask their son to stop kicking into my being rude to her son! I’m a parent and my child behaves properly on the flights. Everybody – the majority – has paid for their seats and should NOT have to tolerate the people who think their kids take priority over anyone else. These parents usually seem inconsiderate, if only by the fact they usually ignore or defend the misdeeds of their children. Yes, they are children, but parents should know their children well enough to realize (and prepare for) the difficulties they may experience while flying. If they know that flying will distress their child, they should try other means of travel or not travel until their child is ready. Consideration means preparing with snacks, new toys – as someone mentioned- or music with headphones. It also means that you care about other people, who have the right to an orderly flight. The excuse of being “just a child” doesn’t cut it – children are usually capable of being well-behaved with the proper consideration of their caregivers. It’s the lax attitude of “whatever” that usually contributes to this situation in the first place and I think Southwest has to be given credit for taking the majority of their passengers into CONSIDERATION. Thank goodness there are people that refuse to give in to the carelessness of the “ME” individuals and dare to promote civility when it’s dying all around us.
November 2, 2009 at 5:32 am
THE AIRLINE SHOULD HAVE KICKED HER OFF, I GET SO SICK AND TIRED OF THESE PARENTS THAT HAS NO CONTROL OVER THERE CHILDREN. THAT’S WHY THE STREETS ARE FILLED WITH CRIMINALS. THEY GREW UP BEING ALLOWED TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO.
November 2, 2009 at 6:16 am
When you are talking about children of about 4 and older, I do think you can teach them to behave in public. Especially when they are already in kindergarten, they get to learn about the social rules. But I don’t really think you can prepare a toddler for an event he turns out to find freightning, Integrity.
I never met people who think their children have priority over every one else, it is not like that I think. But I don’t know everyone of course.
Most parents with small children that are crying try and do their best to make them stop. But the children that age can’t grasp that yet, as they are simply too little. So some parents just give up and wait till it is over. They know their child, some get worse when frustrated in their crying and make even more noise. Ignoring it might work. Too bad for the other people, but the noise of churchbells on a Sunday morning are also annoying to those of us who have to work till 4 at night, right?
There is so much anger towards other people in general, I think we should try and relax. Try and see things from the other persons perspective. How would you feel if it was your child becoming the center of all that anger?
The others are not going away. We have to put up with them. Like it or not.
I will shut up now.
Kreuzer, sorry if I am flurrying.
November 2, 2009 at 7:45 am
Kreuzer, have you changed the lay out or am I getting blind? Everything is darkblue I can’t read the words anymore.
November 2, 2009 at 8:17 am
Haven’t changed the layout since the day I started the page. Sometimes, WordPress will have issues I found where it does that. You just need to close the box and come back. If that doesn’t work, you may have to give it some time. Not sure what to say
November 2, 2009 at 8:31 am
You are right. I came back and it is over
November 2, 2009 at 8:32 am
Maybe this child had a physical pain which caused fretfullness.
For example, earaches, they can come on unexpectedly, be very painful
or not severely painful, but enough to cause the child to be relentless in frustrated behavior. It can sometimes takes time to determine exactly what the problem is in such a situation. A two year old is a two year old. If the mother
had been smacking her child to try and keep her child quiet, what say then?
I had made a previous comment last night, it did not show, if it does please
delete one. Thanks
November 2, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Kreuzer33 I just want to commend you for not taking the bait where you were asked for your opinion by “quoteing a comment” made by another commenter.
You run an excellent blog and have shown utmost respect and discernment in your participation and for all your commenters opinions. Thank you for that!
November 2, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Everyone should be given the opportunity to speak their mind, whether you agree with them or not. That’s just how I feel and will respect all who respect me, my site and those who stop by to read/commment
Sorry if I miss some of the comments that are directed to me while I’m working, or having fun with the family. As you know, this is just a site that I do for fun for y’all to enjoy so sometimes I do miss things. Only human! Ha Ha!
November 3, 2009 at 5:32 am
Are you sure? That laughter didn’t sound very human to me
November 3, 2009 at 8:31 am
Southwest was right, and It makes me want to fly them again.
November 3, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Does anyone know who the FAA is? Well let me tell you the airlines and the F/A could be fined thousands of dollars because of that 2 year old. Yes after 2 they must, yes that is must, be seated and buckled in before the plane can move. So would you rather wait until the child clams down and be hours late or take off?
November 5, 2009 at 4:14 am
I was kidding about the laughter of course
Perhaps it is an idea to make special flights for people with kids, and other flights for people who don’t want kids? Just an idea.
November 6, 2009 at 2:43 am
*INA*.. Actually not such a far-fetched Idea! I don’t really know whether this Situation occurs Regularly, or if there would actually be enough “Only Flyers with Kids” to send the Planes up, but my overall Opinion on what happened here is that, in such a Confined Space, it’s both a matter of Understood Common-Courtesy among the Passengers, and the Airline’s Obligation to Ensure a Comfortable and Pleasant Experience. It seems to me that this Mother COULD have done more, or better, to Tend to the Problem and avoid her Consequences. I do not believe, for one Minute, that it’s “Impossible” for a Parent of a Child— at any Age, under any Circumstances— not to be able to take Control. Whether it’s due to Hunger, Tiredness, Fear, Temperment, whatever…. Simply providing what the Situation “Calls-for” at that Moment— A Snack, a StoryBook, Talking about something which Captures the Child’s Interest,
“Bargaining”, etc, etc— A “Diversion”, “Tricks-of-the-Trade” work Wonders, and can completely Change the Action of even the most Unruly Child. C’mon, Where there’s a Will, there IS a Way— You have to use your Head…. Children will Respond if you use the Right Tactics at the Right Time. Personally, I don’t think the Airline is at Fault here, and I’m sure they really did not want to have to Resort to their Decision. If anything is Learned here, it’s that both the Adults AND this Child had Individual Needs which were ALL Deserving of Consideration and of being handled Accordingly.
November 9, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Thank you Honey, maybe just a “family with children” section on a plane would do the trick too.
Yesterday my husband and me spent more than 2 hours on a packed ferry with hundreds of children. We saw them all, the screaming kids and the ones that didn’t dare to move an inch and everything in between. A family with 6 children had taken laptop, crayons etc, but still the mother lost it with a son and started to get physical. I think if there hadn’t been so many other people, she would have lashed out.
November 23, 2009 at 11:18 pm
What is our world coming to? A 2-year old, diaper-wearing toddler thrown off a plane for doing what toddlers are supposed to do? You Americans are crazy (apologies to Asterix).
I was on a 13-hour flight once where someone else’s child puked on me during during severe turbulence, not to mention his inaccesent crying because of air eardrum sensitivty to cabin air pressure changes, for the flight duration. So what, that’s what children do. I think the real children in case are the nay-sayers who lack the maturity to handle such matters. In such cases, let go of your selfish anal retentiveness, put yourself in that child’s shoes (or diapers), exhibit some understanding/maturity, offer assistence and get a life.