Family gets tossed off plane when child throws a temper tantrum.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:05 PM
#63
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Wow, I want to travel with GoTravel to meet all those friendly FAs. I don't even notice rude FAs anymore...I just take them for granted, and try to be extra appreciative of the nice ones. But I have seen a lot of variety, from good to uninterested to downright mean-spirited, in how they deal with children and families. Shouldn't that be part of their job training? Families pay for a lot of tickets, after all.
The article, by the way, doesn't say that the child was the cause of the 15-minute delay. Maybe I missed something, but I suspect they were already late for some other reason.
You can talk about discipline all you want, but the fact is that kids go through various stages, and one of those stages, around 3, often involves tantrums. We really have no idea what this child's behavior usually was.
We've never been removed from a plane. But I did have to spend about six hours straight singing "Thomas the Tank Engine" songs to our three-year-old on our flight to Scotland last year. I'm surprised I haven't seen any complaints about that on the board yet!
The article, by the way, doesn't say that the child was the cause of the 15-minute delay. Maybe I missed something, but I suspect they were already late for some other reason.
You can talk about discipline all you want, but the fact is that kids go through various stages, and one of those stages, around 3, often involves tantrums. We really have no idea what this child's behavior usually was.
We've never been removed from a plane. But I did have to spend about six hours straight singing "Thomas the Tank Engine" songs to our three-year-old on our flight to Scotland last year. I'm surprised I haven't seen any complaints about that on the board yet!
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:11 PM
#64
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We were on a flight two weeks ago and a small child (about 3-4 yrs at most) was running up and down the aisle as people tried to board and her mother was oblivious. When we were ready to take off she was still running around and the FA told the mother she had to sit down and be belted in and the Mother had the gall to say "but she doesn't want to". After uch back and forth between the FA and the mother the pilot finally came back and told them they were off the plane if she was not sitting and belted for take-off and she finally got her in the seat. During the rest of the flight she ran around the plane the whole flight (while FA's told her mother to keep her under control) and she just ignored them and her daughter and kept reading. It was ridiculous. Parents are being run by their kids it seems. And yes, I am a parent.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:14 PM
#65
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Babs, Flight attendants are no longer stewardesses and their job description has changed immensely since 9/11. The safety of all is their biggest priority. A toddler flying thru the air during takeoff is not good for anyone - especially the person that blocks their fall.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:18 PM
#66
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Regarding rude FA's, it's funny but I have never encountered one personally, yet I've seen them frequently reacting very rudely to other passengers around me. Funny thing though, it seems everytime I see that, it was the passenger who was acting rude first.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:29 PM
#67
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A change in the tone of voice and what we used to follow that with was "Do we need to go the bathroom". What's funny now is none of our kids ever remember getting a spanking or even being led to the bathroom except at home. I imagine if they would have tried a spanking or anything similiar somebody would have claimed child abuse. It's usually alot better being a grandparent these days. I can certainly appreciate the airlines problem there.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:39 PM
#68
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I read the article also and I think the airline was very nice to refund the tickest and offer free travel. So, 112 people were supposed to wait around for them to fasten the kid in and comfort here. I would think they would have been able to seat belt her in so the plane could take off and THEN calm her down or what ever. What if some people on that plane had to make connections in Boston, for maybe London, Paris or the like. So they should miss their plane so the parents could calm their child down? So that would take, five minutes, 20 minutes, and hour or more? They said they would never fly that airline again, and the airline is probalby saying YEA!!!!! It just sounds like more of the "it's all about me" group.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:48 PM
#69
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I've worked with 3-5 year olds for almost 25 years. The families I work with are all "high risk"--drugs, alcohol, physical/sexual abuse, etc. With this background I've probably seen more serious temper tantrums than most people.
The best thing the parents could have done for the child was to remove her from the situation. She needed to be somewhere quiet and calm where her behavior was not the cause for further stress. I suspect her tantrum had escalated beyond "the look" or any quiet comfort technique.
The best thing the parents could have done for the child was to remove her from the situation. She needed to be somewhere quiet and calm where her behavior was not the cause for further stress. I suspect her tantrum had escalated beyond "the look" or any quiet comfort technique.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:53 PM
#70
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"Regarding rude FA's, it's funny but I have never encountered one personally, yet I've seen them frequently reacting very rudely to other passengers around me. Funny thing though, it seems everytime I see that, it was the passenger who was acting rude first. "
Amen Patrick. Have you ever notice that a nice smile and greeting to a FA, whether young or old, male or female also goes a long way?
Amen Patrick. Have you ever notice that a nice smile and greeting to a FA, whether young or old, male or female also goes a long way?
Jan 23rd, 2007, 01:55 PM
#71
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Exactly, I have a tendancy to greet them with a smile and a nice comment. I see others grab one by the arm and say "get me a blanket, it's freezing in here". Yea, big difference in how rude they will seem to you after that!
Jan 23rd, 2007, 02:05 PM
#72
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This just in, the poor parents are on the evening lineup for Boston 6pm news. Poor things are angry and humiliated and refuse the 3 roundtrip tickets on business class. Poor kid dealing with her holier than thou take. And oh how they got their 15 minutes of fame.......scarey indeed!!!
Jan 23rd, 2007, 02:14 PM
#74
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What flight attendents? I seldom see any from the time I sit down in a plane until it is time to get off. On one memorable flight between Hawaii and California the flight was delayed five hours ... which was fortunate as I had my arms wrapped around the toilet at the airport with food poisoning. On the plane I tried to get a glass of gingerale for approximately four hours, without success! I'm sure there are "problem" children out there and I've often seen problem parents. But I've traveled extensively with my son; it takes much planning (his own backpack filled with games, books, items he has really wanted to have along with adjusting the travel times to his schedule of sleep) and no problems. I would be the first to ask that he (and me) be removed if there were to be a problem.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 02:16 PM
#77
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I'm with AirTran on this one. Actions have consequences, as my mother always told me. If you or your child are not seated and securely belted in when the flight is ready to take off, the consequence should be you don't fly, not that everyone else has to wait for your child.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 02:20 PM
#79
So what would the airline's policy be if the kid had the tantrum in mid-air? Shove the kid into the overhead bin and keep going? Make an emergency landing so that the other passengers don't have to listen to the tantrum?
Give me a break. This is life. Someone's kid might have a tantrum right next to me. It'll be over in 5 minutes. I don't expect them to get hauled off to a time-out.
Give me a break. This is life. Someone's kid might have a tantrum right next to me. It'll be over in 5 minutes. I don't expect them to get hauled off to a time-out.
Jan 23rd, 2007, 02:26 PM
#80
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Oh but Clark darling, if you were in the plane and it was behind schedule and you had a small window of time to make it to your connecting flight to take a picure of the Grand Canyon and skinnydip with Christy Brinkley - and the plane absolutely could not take off because all passengers were not securely fastened to their seats......oh???? ya think you'd still be rooting for the toddler andd her folks to wait a littlebit while they try to calm precious down?????
