My re-post from Lounge: I forgot to share this story after my last flight, AA ORD-LAX. I was seated at the rear of a 757, aisle seat, plane was about to depart. So far, with a totally full flight, I was amazingly the only person in my row. There were a couple of rowdy seat kickers and their mom behind me and a crying lot and their mom in front of me-- I was literally surrounded by kids on all sides.

Just before we pushed off, an AA FA and co-pilot came and sat in my row. I'm a fearful flyer, so if I have to have row-mates, I didn't mind them. They settled in and soon discovered the kickers behind us. The FA in the middle seat asked me if this has been going on the whole time. She said, &quot;Let me show you how it's done.&quot; She turned around to face the mom and two kids and told them, <b>&quot;If you continue to kick the backs of our seats, we're going to have a problem. If you don't, we'll be friends. Do you understand?&quot;</b> Now, she said it with a saccharine smile and a sugary tone, but it made all the difference. Bravo!! What chutzpah- I wish I had the courage.

She later explained the situation about AA employees' disgruntlement about top execs getting big bonuses and the impending meeting about it on Tuesday, 4/17. Wonder how that went. I love AA!

When they bring back (free) wine with meals on International flights, I will love them, too.

The story is cute. Of course, one has to be a flight attendant, with the official airline dress in order to TALK like that... Had you, lynnejoel, talked like that they would all make BIG FUN of you, ha ha ha

And as to Wally's remark, I have to agree... I like AA and have FF miles with them, but I have to admit that flying to Europe, they still have SOMETHING TO LEARN from the European airlines... Itseems like they treat those lon international flights like domestic flight... OK, so they serve food, big deal, but even that, it lacks he quality and flair that you're getting from any of their Europea rivals.

Flying AA to Europe, at least in coach, compared to say BA, or Swiss, or AirFrance -- is like grabbing a sandwitch at Subway, vs. having lunch at Olive Garden or Bakers Square...

You love AA? clearly you have not flown any European or Asian airline. Anything is better than AA!! I unfortunately live in a place where AA has a monopoly, so I have no choice.

It's called contempt of their passengers.

I actually flown MOST of the European airlines (though none of the Asian ones, I admit), enrique... And from my post it is clearly shown. Love AA? No, I just like them, but -- again -- as I indicated, their trans Atlantic flights, compared to European airlines -- are lacking.

My husband flies other carriers and still prefers AA.

We've always been shown exceptional customer service (99% of time!). Maybe because we're exceptionally nice, friendly people ?

Are you talking about &quot;American Airlines&quot;? Five Dollars and/or Euros for an &quot;adult beverage&quot;, selling cookies or chips for three dollars, to what has to be the most choice limited clients at that moment it time.

Sorry, I can't give them high marks after the last four flights (two national, two international).

I must agree that AA has to relearn much.

I have to agree with Lynnjoel. By doing so, I'm not knocking European or Asian airlines but I've had exceptional luck with their customer service.

Again economics. Free wine and such...The cost will be added to the ticket price. Business Class and First Class are great examples. Years ago, traveling FC I was always able to deplane with a bottle of red and a bottle of white! Considering the difference in ticket prices that 'free' wine may have cost me $100 a bottle.

Have flown mostly AA, with brief &quot;defections&quot; to Delta and Continental, in the last decade. Flew my first Southwest flights last month and was completely disoriented by how nice the personnel were - kept thinking each one was the flukey nice one you occasionally run across on AA or other airlines -- but they all were! It was so refreshing, and I fail to see how it costs them one more red cent than the coolness, even surliness, of employees of the other airlines.

One does NOT have to be an FA. My coworker once reached around the seat GRABBED the child's leg and said &quot;If you promise not to kick the seat I will let go&quot; She then let go, stood up and looked the mother in the eye and said &quot;it's YOUR job to stop that&quot; It stopped. (Personally I don't think mother did ANYTHING to stop it, I think the kid was terrified of my friend grabbing her leg again.)


(And I only fly AA if there are NO other options. I despise them LOL! Every airline has it's fans and detractors. The guys who used to run the BNA station pretty much turned me off for life!)

CarolA,
I would have beat your coworker down to a bloody pulp if he/she laid a hand on my child.

Then keep your child from kicking the seat I'm renting.

Carrybean, you do these things instead

- ask the parent to make the kid stop
- have the flight attendent intervene

Do you actually condone turning around, grabbing a child's leg and telling the kid &quot;I'm not going to let go unless you stop&quot;?

Frankandbeans,
I don't consider protecting ones self from being kicked &quot;laying a hand on&quot; a child. It's not like s/he hit the child.

Responsible parents do whatever it takes to get the children to stop bad behavior WITHOUT having to be asked by others. I can assure you that I would never have allowed any of my children to behave like that.

I'd ask an irresponsible parent nicely ONCE, then I'd take the matter into my own hands, using whatever resources were at my disposal to solve the problem.

I'd never just sit there and let anybody kick and possibly injure my back.

Completely agree with Mowmow. I, personally wouldn't grab a child's leg but it's the parents' responsibility to pay attention to what their child is doing &amp; I can't believe they wouldn't notice the kicking.

give me a break mowmow

grabbing a kid (who is not your own) and squeezing their leg and telling them you will not let go unless they promise to stop is not okay.

Again, as I said before you ask the parents to control the children then you involve the flight attendent.

If you feel you must grab somebody grab the parent not the kid.

As I said before if I'm behind you and you grab my kid I'm going to smack you upside the head.

frank hey now - lets just have the parents and the kickee fight it out in the aisles...not that would be some in-flight entertainment.

I was on a cross-country flight a couple years ago with a seat kicker right behind me. About 10 minutes into the flight I turned around and said something. The &quot;adult&quot; that was with the child (I'm guessing it was grandpa) got some kind of attitude and started mouthing off, telling me that the kid was NOT kicking my seat. I turned around in my seat and miraculously didn't have another kick for the rest of the flight. Seems grandpa might have needed a nice healthy spoonful of SHUT THE HELL UP!!! ;-)