Family kicked off flight due to temper tantrum

[spleisher]

Parents were complaining the crew did not give them an opportunity to console their child.

So I guess the proper response on the part of the airline should have been:

"Oh, you just let us know when you are ready to go. Don't worry about us, we'll just sit here and burn jet fuel. And the rest of the people in this plane don't have anywhere to be. The flight plan is of no consequence, nor is our taxi clearance. There are no people waiting for us at our destination for this aircraft, nor is this plane part of a schedule. Oh,and no other airplane needs this gate the rest of the day, so we'll just hang out here until you figure out how to control your child"

I found the story funny:


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070123/ap_on_re_us/flight_tantrum

[Barb-SAN]

"The Orlando-based carrier reimbursed the family $595.80, the cost of the three tickets, and the Kuleszas flew home the next day. They also were offered three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies, Graham-Weaver said.
The father said his family would never fly AirTran again".

Not only did they get to fly free for having an out-of-control child, but they got an offer of three more free roundtrip tickets? What next, they will sue the airlines? I'd say AirTran should be grateful to never see them again!!:lol:

[noflyingfan]

The family was on Good Morning America (or one of those shows) this morning, and I half heard the story from the other room. My favorite part was when the interviewer made the comment that the 3-year-old had behaved very well during the interview.

Yeah...'cause a 3-year-old would never behave just fine one day but throw a tantrum another day. :rolleyes:

But I wish this story said what kind of warnings the couple got before they were removed from the plane. It says takeoff was delayed, but after five minutes, did they say anything to the couple? After 10, did they say, you have five more minutes, if you can't get your kid to sit down you'll have to wait till tomorrow? Actually, the story doesn't even say the family was what was delaying the flight. Did the kid start getting antsy because they hadn't taken off yet, start screaming and the crew immediately kicked them off the plane with no warning at all? The story doesn't say.

So I'm not sure who to side with here. I do, however, want to side with the airline when I read that the parents asked if the child could sit in her mother's lap. Yeah, 'cause that's safe on takeoff. :rolleyes: They hit some turbulence on the way up, the kid hits her head and the family sues the airline for negligence.

Maybe this will be like the breast feeding thing and now people will protest by bringing their screaming kids onto planes all across the country.

[Barb-SAN]

Maybe this will be like the breast feeding thing and now people will protest by bringing their screaming kids onto planes all across the country.

Arrgggggg NOOOOOOOO... :shocked::cry: a new scam for free tickets, too!

[Barb-SAN]

There are already 179 links to this story on Google news....here's another with a few more details: http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=10716&z=3&p=. Interesting that all their luggage, baby seat, etc. went on to Boston without them. What about that bit about removing the luggage from the plane if the person gets off the plane, for whatever reason (terrorist-bomb-in-the-luggage prevention policy?).

The article does say that the airlines plans to use the incident to train their employees...so maybe there is more to the story than has been written so far.

[WillFlyToDisney]

Ok now as a Mom of 2 (about to be 3) and a frequent business traveler I have to say that if you can't control your child then you shouldn't be on a plane. I have had to endure more than my share of seatbacks being kicked and kids screeching thru the flight.

Personally I would have applauded (as I bet the other passengers did) when this family was escorted off of the plane.

I have ZERO sympathy for the family. This was an FAA guideline - not some arbitrary rule for AirTran to impose on poor helpless parents. I am a pretty laid back type of parent but my kids have rules that they know are not negotiable - the ones about safety and respect.

AirTran went above and beyond with the refund and the vouchers for free flights. I don't think the family deserved both - one or the other, yes.

Kelley

[Billyo]

They said they were already 15 minutes behind schedule, but I'm not even sure this was because of the kid. Still...

My daughter still gets ear infections and I wouldn't even think of putting her on a plane just a couple of weeks after she's had one.

It's also not that difficult to simply strap a 3 year old in their seat and try to console her after she's in. If she remains inconsolable, I'd have offered to be removed from the flight without being asked. Not just out of consideration for the airline and other passengers, but so as not to traumatize my daughter any further.

Sorry, but I blame the parents here. I know it's incredibly difficult and kids are unpredictable, but it's inconsiderate to expect others to be put off because of your kid. I'm thinking restaurants here, but especially on an airline!

[noflyingfan]

Barb, that story made me want to puke. Mostly as a former reporter, because I remember having to put things like this in stories.

"She's a beautiful little girl. She's every grandfather's dream," said Kulesza.
His feelings made it hard for him to believe that this little dream girl could single-handedly get her entire family kicked off an AirTran flight from Fort Myers to Boston.


One man's "little dream girl" is another man's "little demon from hell." That's the way most three-year-olds are. And then this...


"I don't know the others involved and I don't know what was going through their minds. I'm just proud of my son and his family," said Kulesza.


What is it, exactly, that he is proud of? The fact that they got off the plane when they were told to? Even if the airline is completely in the wrong, I just think "proud" is a really weird word to use.

[Barb-SAN]

.
Barb, that story made me want to puke. Mostly as a former reporter, because I remember having to put things like this in stories.
His feelings made it hard for him to believe that this little dream girl could single-handedly get her entire family kicked off an AirTran flight from Fort Myers to Boston.

What...they were supposed to kick the three year old off the plane and let the rest of the family fly on to Boston?? Duh....:rolleyes:

[aerobat]

Not only did they get to fly free for having an out-of-control child, but they got an offer of three more free roundtrip tickets? What next, they will sue the airlines? I'd say AirTran should be grateful to never see them again!!:lol:

I sense a coming rash of copycat crimes...:cry::shakehead

[noflyingfan]

I sense a coming rash of copycat crimes...:cry::shakehead

I'm not saying I have plans to do the same thing, but does anybody have a bratty kid I can borrow for a trip to the airport?

[EyesSkyward]

"The father said his family would never fly AirTran again."


I, on the other hand, am now more likely to fly AirTran. Bravo to them!

- Jeff

[AZO-FA]

:fuming:

I swear, the minute the majority of people set foot in an airport, they lose about 50 points of IQ.

I get idiots like this on flights all the time. And honestly, it is usually parents.

Parents getting mad their child cannot sit in the exit row.
Parents getting mad that they cannot sit in the exit row, either.
Parents getting mad when I won't let their child go to the lav during landing.
Parents letting their child mouth off to me when I ask them to adhere to rules.
Parents changing diapers on the seat next to them and then trying to give me the dirty diaper.
Parents letting their child climb all over everything and everyone.

I could go on...and on...and on...

[Barb-SAN]

Most of the news sources report the same story, but here's one with some additional tips about what to do with an out-of-control child to get him/her to calm down: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/story?id=2815486&page=1

[aerobat]

Parents changing diapers on the seat next to them and then trying to give me the dirty diaper.

I hope you are within your rights to refuse.
Eeeew. :blech:

[Barb-SAN]

:fuming:

I swear, the minute the majority of people set foot in an airport, they lose about 50 points of IQ.

I get idiots like this on flights all the time. And honestly, it is usually parents.

Parents getting mad their child cannot sit in the exit row.
Parents getting mad that they cannot sit in the exit row, either.
Parents getting mad when I won't let their child go to the lav during landing.
Parents letting their child mouth off to me when I ask them to adhere to rules.
Parents changing diapers on the seat next to them and then trying to give me the dirty diaper.
Parents letting their child climb all over everything and everyone.

I could go on...and on...and on...

It sounds like this is a really frustrating aspect of being an FA, AZO. It would certainly make life more pleasant for everyone if people were more considerate of one another, especially in the close confines of an airplane. It sounds like it is also a challenge to get some people to respect the authority of the FA's.

I also get annoyed when parents can't keep their kids from kicking the back of my seat....

[cshollingsworth]

There are already 179 links to this story on Google news....here's another with a few more details: http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=10716&z=3&p=. Interesting that all their luggage, baby seat, etc. went on to Boston without them. What about that bit about removing the luggage from the plane if the person gets off the plane, for whatever reason (terrorist-bomb-in-the-luggage prevention policy?).


Not sure if this applies or not, but once when Don and I had both checked in to our flight and checked our bags, we changed flights at the gate at the last minute because when we got there, they had a plane leaving that was non-stop. Our bags went on the other plane without us and we beat our bags back home and had to wait on them to get there about 1 1/2 later.

I was a little bit shocked that our checked bags stayed on the plane without us on it. Apparently, that is still happening.

[cshollingsworth]

:fuming:

I swear, the minute the majority of people set foot in an airport, they lose about 50 points of IQ.

I get idiots like this on flights all the time. And honestly, it is usually parents.

Parents getting mad their child cannot sit in the exit row.
Parents getting mad that they cannot sit in the exit row, either.
Parents getting mad when I won't let their child go to the lav during landing.
Parents letting their child mouth off to me when I ask them to adhere to rules.
Parents changing diapers on the seat next to them and then trying to give me the dirty diaper.
Parents letting their child climb all over everything and everyone.

I could go on...and on...and on...

I knew you were a woman after my own heart...what is it about "some" (and you guys please notice that I do say "some") parents will let their kids totally do whatever they want to do and never, ever, never, not one time say anything to the kid? I'll use a small example here...my husband has a 2 1/2 yr. old granddaughter (hmm...boy, does she sound like the one on AirTran). Of course, she's my step-granddaughter by marriage, but alas...when that kiddo visits us at our house...it is honestly like a major hurricane has hit. Everything in sight is picked up, touched, moved, closets rearraged, food smeared here and there. OK, now we could understand this if the little darling was visiting us without supervision, but she visits under the guidance of her parents. Or ah hem...should I say, the lack of guidance? I know kids get into "stuff." They do, but when you don't ever discipline them...man...they act like absolute little devils. My mom always taught me you don't act bratty...you don't go into someone's house and wreck it, you don't get in a store and pitch a fit because your parents won't buy you something, etc. If I ever did act that way, I got a major chewing and most often a good rear spanking to drive the point home. But now, I've kind of noticed that a lot of "new" parents (not saying all parents, just several that I've been around lately) let their kids do anything and everything. That just don't say "No" to them.

Like AZO, I could go on and on...:rolleyes:

[LeslieDEN]

Looks like most of the public agrees with the airline! Yay most of the public!

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO41085/
AirTran Airways says it's getting overwhelming support from the public for bumping a screaming toddler from a flight.

Airline spokesman Tad Hutcheson says the company's getting swamped with e-mails and phone calls, and 92 percent support the decision to get the tantrum-raising toddler off the plane. He says about eight percent are opposed.

[LeslieDEN]

Not to :deadhorse but I loved this story (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-floyd_30met.ART.State.Edition1.293ff32.html) in today's Dallas Morning News about how AirTran couldn't have paid for better publicity than it got when that couple did their ill-considered media blitz:How much would it cost an airline – heck, any business – to get public acclaim like this?

"I will make sure to fly AirTran always!"

"Give AirTran a standing ovation!"

"From now on, every business trip I take ... AirTran!"

The budget carrier got hundreds of accolades like these last week in news columns, letters to the editor and online postings. It didn't cost them a dime, but then, you can't buy publicity like that for any price.

All they had to do was eject an obstreperous toddler and her woebegone parents from a Florida-to-Boston flight. They didn't even realize what a gold mine of public support they had unearthed until the parents (unwisely, in retrospect) launched an indignant media crusade about their ordeal. ...

[Barb-SAN]

Great story, Leslie...thanks for posting it!

"It's too bad these parents didn't consider a third alternative, which would have been to ask to get off the plane and take a later flight, when their daughter was calmer. They would still have suffered an inconvenience, but they would have been spared the much more painful public embarrassment of being ordered off the plane....

I don't know who has the legal upper hand here. But maybe it would have been easier to do the polite thing in the first place"

Amen to that!:)