Family Ousted from AirTran Flight

[tombarnes]

What Do You Think?

A family was removed from an AirTran flight from Orlando to Boston yestersay after their child refused to sit in the seat provided. The mother requsted that the child be allowed to sit in her lap- a violation of safety regulations. When it became apparent that the parents could not- or would not- control their child, they were asked to leave the plane. What I find appalling is that these passengers were offered three free round-trip tickets! Why would they deserve them? It was clearly their own responsibility to control their child and they did not do so, to the detriment of the other 100+ passengers on the flight.

The Virginian Pilot

[Charlotteman]

I found myself in a similar crappy situation once at the old Kingdome in Seattle. I was at a baseball game and a family of four was beside me. One of the children, age 5-6 was essentially out of control. He was flailing around, swinging his arms, repeatedly coming close to hitting me in the face.

I politely asked his parents to sit on either side of him, so I could enjoy the game. They meakly asked their son if he would sit between them. He said "no" and they ignored me as that kid went ballistics inning after inning (Hyperactive Disorder?)

That was a miserable afternoon, and I can empathize with those folks on the airliner. Flying is stressful enough, without having an out of control youngster disrupting whatever calmness might have exsisted in the plane at one time. If their parents can't/won't control the behavior of their kids, then I agree with ejecting them.

[tamias6]

I would have to side with ejecting the family and there out of control kid from the flight. There is nothing like a screaming kid in an enclose space to induce the same dsiconfort one endures when undergoing a spinal tap other than the spinal tap itself. That in mind I can think of many other places besides airlines where weak parents and the out of control screaming monsters need to be catapalted out the door by a size twelve.

[Snowguy716]

The child was 3 years old.. give me a break. I know how annoying it is having a screaming baby on a plane that is kicking your seat... but the child is 3 years old and has no idea of right and wrong...

What.. should hte parents have beaten the child into submission?

The mother requested that the kid sit in her lap, where hte child would have felt safer.. but that is a safety violation and couldn't be done, so the child kept on throwing a tantrum.

Yes, they should have been kicked off hte flight, but I think it is completely justified that they received complimentary tickets to reimburse them.

Unless you can prove to me that the child was physically too big to sit in the mother's lap, I'm not going to buy the whole "The parents are just irresponsible and the kid just doesn't know how to behave because in MY day, I would have listened because I was an angel and every child now days is Satan incarnate and every parent is inept."

Flying anywhere in this world is like a trip through fascism.

[Charlotteman]

Yeah I think it ultimately has to be 100 passengers and their sanity over the out of control kid. Even if he was only 3 years old, he shouldn't be allowed to make the trip miserable for everyone. Whatever the solution is I don't know, since I'm not a child expert:)

The family should have been grateful for the free tickets, which I think was pretty darn generous of the airline to give them.

How everyone can win in a situation like this I have no idea~~

[tombarnes]

I still think the airline was waaay too generous on this one.

[dtown]

I dont think they deserved any free tickets.

I hate when your at a restaurant and a little kid is screaming and yelling, so it has to be twice as worse on an air plane.

[Pillsbury]

Unless you can prove to me that the child was physically too big to sit in the mother's lap, I'm not going to buy the whole "The parents are just irresponsible and the kid just doesn't know how to behave because in MY day, I would have listened because I was an angel and every child now days is Satan incarnate and every parent is inept."

[Charlotte_native]

Parents who can't control their kids in one situation likely don't try in many others. Parents like this should deal with the consequences of how they rear their children, the rest of us shouldn't. I've watched too many parents ignore their children in public and act like the rest of us should also.

[Charlotteman]

I don't understand how the boy's parents didn't think in advance that the child might not handle the flight well. There is the option of seeing a doctor who could perscribe a one-time only medication to relax the child so he could make the flight okay. Nothing wrong about that at all. Plenty of adults who suffer from anxiety take benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax etc) before they board a plane.

It may sound like an unusual thing to medicate a small child that has to sit still for hours. But on a plane, up in the air, a disturbance like that boy exhibited is unacceptable. A plane flight should be seen by his parents as important enough to make sure this little fellow is under the best control possible.

[Snowguy716]

I think this is a different situation, because they are travelling in an airplane.

Sure, if parents bring their kids to a movie theater or restaurant and the kid has a fit, the parents should take the kid out of the place at once... if the restaurant/theater asks them to leave, they should do so immediately and should not expect a refund.

If you are travelling somewhere, it is different.. it's not just a bad choice of bringing the kid on the flight. It is necessary for hte child to accompany the parents when travelling... and we can't just ask every parent with young children to forego flying and drive everywhere because it's annoying to other passengers.

You can't just hold the parents responsible for the kids behavior based on assumptions that they're bad parents because flying is very different than a child throwing a tantrum because the parent says no when he asks for candy. Flying is stressful for everyone, and especially for small children because of the ear popping, all the security, all the people, and confined spaces...

We need to accept that some 3 year olds might not like it and they might freak out. Yes, it's annoying, and the airline did the right thing by taking them off the flight.. but I think it was also right that they offered them tickets.

What are the parents supposed to do? Wait in Florida until they can teach the kid to settle down and keep purchasing new tickets every time the kid screams and the uptight airlines throw them off the flight? That is totally unreasonable. You've purchased a ticket from an airline that caters to the public. A no-issue, quiet, comfortable flight is definitely a bonus in this day and age.

I mean, please.. I think you're thinking a little too much of yourselves and not of anyone else in this case. Or you haven't spent any time around small children. Please, do yourself a favor and buy some ear plugs. Or if you want a quieter environment... upgrade to first class.

[Inkdaub]

The airline was right to kick them off the plane. I don't care that the kid was 3 years old. The kid wasn't the only person on the flight. The world doesn't always revolve around the 3 yeard old kid except in the 3 year old kid's mind. That's why you don't let the kid run the show. Other people are in the world which is a shock to many parents I know.

They spent plenty of time trying to sweet talk the kid into the seat. No luck. The kid can't sit in the lap...that's a safety violation. The kid isn't supposed to sit in the lap in the car either...safety violation once again.

I'm disappointed the airline offered the free roundtrip tix, though. The original fare refund is good but the extras...no.

[Snowguy716]

A refund and a transfer to a later flight probably would have been best.. a round trip ticket is a bit too much.

[sunshine]

The parents should have spank the kid.

[Snowguy716]

Don't start with that. I can just imagine the response on the flight after that one. They certainly would have been kicked off hte flight.

[dpbaker]

The parents should have spank the kid.

[suburban george3]

They got their money refunded and three free roundtrip tickets anywhere AirTran flies? That just aint right. IMO, AirTran was only obligated to fly them home on a later flight when their child had calmed down. Evidently, some upper-level at AirTran was afraid that they'd lose their business and wanted to keep it at all costs.

While, I don't have kids, I know it can be tough to keep the lil' rugrats under control. I don't think "spanking" the child would have resolved the situation.

[dgreco]

They got their money refunded and three free roundtrip tickets anywhere AirTran flies? That just aint right. IMO, AirTran was only obligated to fly them home on a later flight when their child had calmed down. Evidently, some upper-level at AirTran was afraid that they'd lose their business and wanted to keep it at all costs.

While, I don't have kids, I know it can be tough to keep the lil' rugrats under control. I don't think "spanking" the child would have resolved the situation.

[MadVlad]

Kids need to behave, whether they realize it or not. If the parents couldn't figure out a way to control the child, then they don't fly, simple as that. I don't find it necessary for the airline to give them free tickets, but whatever, I really don't care if they do or not. They did, so the family should be thankful that they actually got a free flight out of the deal.

[Charlotteman]

I'm agreeing with most folks here. I think the airline company was extremely generous in giving the family new tickets. I don't think the family necessarily deserved the free tickets, but it was still nice of the airline company to do it.

Spanking a 3 year old child on a plane????????????????????? Give me a break. If it was up to me, "spanking" would be considered assault, which it is, and the legal process should take care of parents that physically abuse their kids. If I saw a parent hitting a kid ANYWHERE I would immediately take action against it. If I saw it happen on a plane I would be so flabbergasted I don't know what in the hell I would do. But I wouldn't sit there watching a child being hit. Even if some people choose to call it "spanking".

[rnc]

The airline should have bumped them to another, later flight but I think giving them free tickets was unneccessary.

For all the people who are complaining about parents, lighten up. I'm sure your children were all perfect or if you don't have children, I'm sure they will be if you choose to have them. The kid was 3! Flying can be scary to a 3 year old, maybe something happened that freaked him out. You can't really reason with a 3 year old. I wasn't there, I'm not going to label the parents as unattentive, lazy, inconsiderate...

Also, I'm sure spanking the kid really would have helped in that situation. He's already distressed, let's hit him! Great parenting advice.

[Snowguy716]

^^^

I agree 100%. Thank you for putting that so much better than I did.

[runawayjim]

The airline should have bumped them to another, later flight but I think giving them free tickets was unneccessary.

For all the people who are complaining about parents, lighten up. I'm sure your children were all perfect or if you don't have children, I'm sure they will be if you choose to have them. The kid was 3! Flying can be scary to a 3 year old, maybe something happened that freaked him out. You can't really reason with a 3 year old. I wasn't there, I'm not going to label the parents as unattentive, lazy, inconsiderate...

Also, I'm sure spanking the kid really would have helped in that situation. He's already distressed, let's hit him! Great parenting advice.

[Charlotteman]

Discipline is crucial, but hitting another human being of any age, and for any reason (besides self defense) is immoral and wrong.

Want a kid who's going to grow up to be dysfunctional as hell? if so beat him black and blue for every wrong. And it'll teach him all he needs to continue the cycle of physical abuse with his own children.

hitting a child=hitting an adult. Either one is totally unacceptable to me.

[Miesian Corners]

The airline should have bumped them to another, later flight but I think giving them free tickets was unneccessary.

For all the people who are complaining about parents, lighten up. I'm sure your children were all perfect or if you don't have children, I'm sure they will be if you choose to have them. The kid was 3! Flying can be scary to a 3 year old, maybe something happened that freaked him out. You can't really reason with a 3 year old. I wasn't there, I'm not going to label the parents as unattentive, lazy, inconsiderate...