Toddler gets family thrown off flight

[Army_Brat84]

Hurray for AirTran Apparently, this couple from Mass. could not control their 3-year-old daughter, who was crying and refusing to take her seat on a flight from Florida to Mass. So what does the crew do? They remove the family, refund the price of their three tickets (which I would have done for the other passengers and NOT them), and offered them round-trip tickets to anywhere the carrier flies. The parents are upset claiming that they were not given the opportunity to calm the child down and that they will not be flying the carrier again. Good, as no one else will have to deal with that on their flight. Having flown recently, I can say that I hate flying. First, I am a little afraid that an Islamofascist may get on my plane because we REFUSE to check all men of Middle Eastern complexion in the name of political correctness. Second, I had to deal with a flight full of loud kids and it drove me nuts as I should not have to put up with that when paying several hundred dollars to fly. As for the child in question, I could have solved that quick. First, I would have explained to her that she was to be on her best behavior or there would be consequences BEFORE BOARDING THE PLANE. If she started with the tantrum, I would have said "Quiet down now, or else" very sternly. If she still was screaming and not sitting down a minute after the warning, it would be spank time in the bathroom of the aircraft. The problem it seems is that no one wants to take responsibility for their kids and be courteous to others. When paying the amount of money that you do to fly and not getting much for it, a person should not have to deal with things like this. That's just my two cents and to the California lawmaker who would try and claim spanking a three-year-old is a crime, mind your own damn business and kiss my --- (fill in blanks)

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,246000,00.html

Dan

[revwardoc]

On a flight back from England, my wife and I had the misfortune of being in the Crying Infants section; a 6 hour flight filled with the screams and tantrums of kids ranging in age from a few weeks to about 5. IT WAS HORRIBLE!!!!

They should've strapped the kid to a wing or stuffed her in the baggage compartment...or a wheelwell.

[Army_Brat84]

I will say this that while I don't have kids yet, mine would never behave that way. Also, I have no problem with a baby crying as I can understand a baby with no other way of communicating and being scared or hungry, etc., but a 3-year-old should be taught better. I feel for you revwardoc SIX HOURS, all I can say is earplugs.

[QM3steve]

Having been in flight with my own infant, I have to sympathisize with Rev. My daughter was great. Totally asleep from Orlando to Albany. One thing that parents don't realize is that infants can't "equalize" their ears like adults. This may be the cause of some of the crying.
On the other hand, yes ...parents should be in control of their children!

[39mto39g]

Crying babies, crying toddlers, tantrums and the like are a part of every parents child upbringing experience. However. people should not have to deal with that on a flight that they can not get off of . The airlines should inform the parents that this would not be tolerated and have the parent and child board first. If there is any kind of disturbance from the child they should be taken off the flight before it leaves. Just as if someone lite up a cigarette before the flight left. I quite flying, cause the airlines are to afraid to check all Muslims. They are afraid, so I don't fly. make me no difference. when the airline check all Muslims I'll fly again. Profiling, YES, I don't care,
Babies crying is another reason not to fly.
I can really understand why some parents drown there kid ,the babies , or infant crying has got to be the most un nerving sound that there is.

[Army_Brat84]

I must correct my initial post. According to my aunt who watched the story on Good Morning America, the child apparently had had an ear infection (according to another article on the story an ear surgery) and had experienced ear pain during landing (pressure). Having had my fair share of ear infections as a kid, I understand that they are painful, but the child still sprawled on the floor and hit her mom. However, the fact that she may have been ill and had a bad experience a few days before softens me somewhat.

[Seascamp]

I reckon little ones are designed yelp when feeling pain and if they don?t know how to clear their ears due to changes in pressurization, they are going to sing out and keep singing out, comes with the territory.

Not a lot can be done, even for the best behaved little ones that are feeling pain. On the other hand, if still on the ground and a little one is all buzzed and can?t or won?t be controlled, then that is a different matter and the parent owns that situation. As a matter of safety, it?s very bad ju ju to have a little one ricocheting around the cabin during a take-off or landing or during turbulence. That is a major airline concern and they will act on that situation, real quick.

A while back some Moslems on Haj to Mecca decided to brew-up some tea and lit a small charcoal burner in the passenger cabin. Plane rolls down the runway, burner tips over, oxygen rich cabin bursts into flame and not even the pilot and co-pilot got out alive, and the plane never left the ground. Saudi Air changed the Haj passenger rules, just then, and took tons of heat from the Mullahs for the change. Maybe some rules come down as simple tough darts, that's the way it is kind of thing.

Scamp

[Tina]

When my dad was still in the service my mom had to fly with me from Cali to Indiana. I was well behaved. Maybe cause I new what would come to me when we were done flighting if I hadn't.
Don't know.. I think the way kids act has a lot to do with how the parents treat their kids and discipline their kids..

[Stick]

Originally posted by Army_Brat84 remove the family, refund the price of their three tickets, and offered them round-trip tickets to anywhere the carrier flies.

Sounds to me that the airline made a more than generous offer. Air Tran goes to a lot of great places and because of one misbehaving kid they can go to and fromany of those destinations with the tickets already paid for. Too bad the grandkids behave as well as they do or I just might have to get on an airplane with the most rotten one of the bunch along with Joanne and the parents of the kid. Think about that now, five round trip tickets anywhere you want, paid for. Hmmmmm?

[revwardoc]

Air Tran is now my airline of choice. Next time they're faced with this type of situation, though, I think the best thing to do is to taser the little brat.