Still Traveling

By Hegelian

July 13, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this

Foolishness— most toddlers learning the english language say something to that effect— maybe we should drug each little kids upon entering the plane so as to not cause any fear to any other passenger or stewardess (ohh—sorry—flight attendant).

By Agree

July 13, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this

While I agree that the attendant overstepped her boundaries, a lawsuit will not change what happened. Just get over it.

By me again

July 13, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this

Yes, the flight attendant overstepped her bounds, especially stating ‘this is MY plane’. She should be FIRED! Her advocating that the mother drug her baby to keep him quiet should result in a criminal charge. Yes, she should have taken her story to the media because no action had been taken on her complaint in over a month. I bet they’ll take action now.

By Mark Seiberg

July 13, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this

This story is absolutely rediculous. As a former airline employee, I’ve seen my fair share of unruly toddlers as well as out-of-control flight attendants. After it became clear to the FA that the toddler wasn’t bothering other passengers and he obviously was posing no security threat to the airplane, she should have taken her seat and let the flight continue. The FA inconvenienced the 50 other passengers on the flight just so they all knew she was in charge. At a time when airlines are attempting to recover from years of poor customer service, this incidents puts a huge blemish on their efforts.

By Leslie

July 13, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this

That was extremely uncalled for!! Customer Service really has taken a nose dive these days.

By JK

July 13, 2007 9:21 AM | Link to this

The kid was so bad on GMA that they took him off the show during the interview! No wonder they kicked them off the plane.

By DeDe

July 13, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

Being in public with my 3 young nephews has changed my perspective on this. I’ve realized that our society in general is NOT child friendly. We have wildly unrealistic expectations of kids and of age approrpriate behaviors, and tend to either throw up our hands in defeat or reach for harsh punitive discipline or medication. All because adults don’t know how to talk to kids, listen, model positive behaviors, and view children as our greatest resource to be nourished and gently brought up. Heaven forbid an adult preoccupied with their adult ‘stuff’ be distracted by the simple chatter of a child! Really sad…..

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

I don’t think there was any insinuation that this toddler was making a terrorist threat. He was saying bye bye plane like when I ask my 15 month old grandson if he wants to go “Bye bye in the car?” his response in always either “Bye bye car” or “yea, yea, yea”. Kids are repetitive. That Continental ExpressJet flight attendant was just intolerant of this child and maybe he/she shouldn’t really be in a service industry. As a comparison, my daughter and grandson flew from Raleigh Durham to Atlanta on Airtran on Wed night. Their flight was cancelled, the next flight departed late arriving well after midnight. My grandson was not quiet on the flight. He didn’t cry but he did squeal a bit. The flight attendants treated my daughter with respect. As all passenger should be treated.

By gene

July 13, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

I guess PMS occurs in female flight attendents too!

The whole security thing is out of hand. If the airlines, and our society, are going to survive we the public have got to get over our fear of everything that goes bump in the night.

Obviously this was an overreaction to something that was harmless. If the flight attendent is that paranoid about some “omen” coming out of the mouth of a babe then she should be put on desk duty or find another line of work.

A lawsuit seems appropriate here.

By Bob

July 13, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

I’d rather see the fat sweaty guy who thinks my rib cage is an arm rest thrown off the plane.

By Jacenda

July 13, 2007 9:32 AM | Link to this

Common knowledge: Toddlers can be annoying. In many cases, I will side with the fact that a lot of parents these days do not properly keep their kids under control, especially in public. In this case, I have to side with the mom. Let me first say, that I love kids. With that being said, I fly often and neary every flight I am on has at least obnoxious kid. Whether it is a baby crying or a six year old kicking the back of your seat, or not using “indoor voices”. When you fly, it should be expected. The rest of the world deals with it, so I am not sure what the excuse for a flight attendant that should be used to it to make this big fuss would be.

By Evan

July 13, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this

If the child is uncontrolable and a behavior problem ; I agree totally.

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this

Even a tantrum in a toddler would not be grounds for getting them booted from the plane. (They call it the terrible twos for a reason and we were all that age once.) Sounds like the thirty-something flight attendant had a personal tantrum which should not be tolerated. When I heard about this yesterday I called ExpressJet to “express” my disapproval of the flight attendant’s actions. The airline even called the police! Contintinental ExpressJet should have bent over backwards to accomodate this young mother after she was kicked off the plane. ExpressJet will ultimately lose money in the cost of poor public relations.

By Golly

July 13, 2007 9:38 AM | Link to this

This STEWARDESS shouldn’t be in her current profession at all. There are some of us who really shouldn’t be in contact with customers. I know, I’m one of them. This woman should be immediately fired and made to apologize publicly to the child and his mother and sent off to do small office work. I’m as disgusted as anyone else about the litigious nature of our society, but I stand behind the poor customer and her suit all the way. Take ‘em for all they’re worth, honey!

By laura

July 13, 2007 9:42 AM | Link to this

Well, if this is truly what happened, then I say the flight attendant overreacted. But there are two sides to every story, and it’s been my experience that in these kinds of situations parents sometimes exaggerate or stretch the truth in order to gain sympathy and make themselves look better. I would be more inclined to believe the mother if several other passengers on the plane came forward and verified her story. All we have right now is what she says happened and how she says other passengers reacted to her plight.

By Mama

July 13, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

I would record ehr name, ask the passenger to be witnesses, and then go ahead with the suit - cause this IS NOT acceptable. We as a passenger are already being refused food and drinks, pullows and blankets, stuck in inconvenient sits (so airlines could put more people in the airplane)… But tolerating b*** unruly flight attendants attacking our children…C’MON!

By angrymeatball

July 13, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this

I saw this mother and son on Good Morning America this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary for a two-year-old. The kid was fidgity, but nothing more - very typical. Sounds to me like the STEWARDESS has a major ego problem and is a control freak. SHE should be kicked out the industry. Maybe she was mad because she gained a pound and took it out on the little guy and mom.

By angrymeatball

July 13, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this

I saw this mother and son on Good Morning America this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary for a two-year-old. The kid was fidgity, but nothing more - very typical. Sounds to me like the STEWARDESS has a major ego problem and is a control freak. SHE should be kicked out the industry. Maybe she was mad because she gained a pound and took it out on the little guy and mom.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this

There’s nothing more annoying that being next to a mother that won’t control her brat. I’m sure you think your little offspring is the cutest thing around, but I don’t want to say “hi” to him/her or play with the toy that they just slobbered all over. I’m glad they kicked her off. Maybe it will send a message that parents should learn to keep control over their kids. I know if I stepped out of line when I was growing up my parents would discipline me. Parents should teach their kids how to act in public. It’s not cute.. it’s just annoying.

By Shopper Girl

July 13, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this

Some how I think the kid was doing more than just saying “bye bye plane.” Every parent thinks their child is an angel and would never do anything wrong….so I think there is more to this story than what this woman is saying.

By Sara

July 13, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

I’m the last person who wants to sit by a crying toddler but this is not the case. The attendant appears to be nothing more than an old fashion b**, plain and simple. I want to be safe in the skies, we all do but the airlines have too much power now. They go from being so lax they allow terrorist to take over planes and kills thousands while they have their heads in the clouds with lax security to something like this? If you utter one defensive word to an airline employee now they can have you arreested without due cause. What ever happened to good plain commion sense? The airline employee should be fired!

By go mom

July 13, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

I’m proud of the mom for sticking up for herself and her child. The flight attendant had no right to make the request in the first place. But turning the confrontation into a p** contest was for her own pride. If she isn’t fired, she should be reprimanded. The company should offer free flights to the family or some other compensation. I hope it doesn’t go to the lawsuit, but I don’t blame the woman at all.

By Vanilla Ice Cream

July 13, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

That’s the most craziest thing i’ve heard of since the runaway bride, that did’nt really run away he’s a baby who’s learning to talk get a grip!

By Mark

July 13, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

There’s nothing more annoying that being next to a mother that won’t control her brat. I’m sure you think your little offspring is the cutest thing around, but I don’t want to say “hi” to him/her or play with the toy that they just slobbered all over. I’m glad they kicked her off. Maybe it will send a message that parents should learn to keep control over their kids. I know if I stepped out of line when I was growing up my parents would discipline me. Parents should teach their kids how to act in public. It’s not cute.. it’s just annoying.

By joyce

July 13, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

An attendant that arrogant shouldn’t be on the payroll. The mother could have made an effort to pacify the child and probably would have after getting settled in. I think she deserves compensation for the inconvenience of having to await yet another flight with out extra food stuff for the child plus the humiliation of the entire episode. Hope the airlines gets rid of Miss Hotsy who probably has some kind of personal relation with a higher up to think she had that much authority.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

There’s nothing more annoying that being next to a mother that won’t control her brat. I’m sure you think your little offspring is the cutest thing around, but I don’t want to say “hi” to him/her or play with the toy that they just slobbered all over. I’m glad they kicked her off. Maybe it will send a message that parents should learn to keep control over their kids. I know if I stepped out of line when I was growing up my parents would discipline me. Parents should teach their kids how to act in public. It’s not cute.. it’s just annoying.

By Laura

July 13, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

I don’t know what is more annoying. The flight attendant with the lousy customer service and ego problem or the guy that commented in this blog that “he guessed female flight attendants got p.m.s. too.” What a jerk! The FA should be let go and the jerk should think before he writes.

By Law Suit

July 13, 2007 9:51 AM | Link to this

Why is a law suit the answer to everything. The airline will take the heat for this but apparently you need the money.

By Jim

July 13, 2007 9:52 AM | Link to this

There are so many problems here it’s ridiculous.

First of all, I, like many passengers, don’t really enjoy being in an enclosed space with someones screaming young’un. However, I raised two of them, so I know you just can’t help it, so I try to help if I can. If your kid is fascinated by the strap on my carry on, he can gnaw on it all day long if it keeps him quiet:-)

Then we have the flight attendant. I agree she didn’t make it a “terrorist” thing, which is good, but when she suggested the whole baby Benadryl thing, she went way, way over the line. Once it became clear that the main thing agitating the other passengers was the flight attendant, not the child, she should have sat down and shut up.

Then we have the pilot. As pilot in command, he has the final decision as to who’s kicked off. Sadly, this is one of the downsides of the whole “locked cockpit” thing. There’s no way for him to know that he’s got a Nazi for a flight attendant. In his shoes, I still would have wanted to know why they wanted me to kick a baby off my flight.

Then we have whoever escorted them off the plane. I’ve seen people walked off an aircraft before, and you can usually tell the other passengers are welcoming the fact that the person won’t be traveling with them. Given that the other passengers were apparently not upset, I’d say someone should have questioned this. They should have at least tried to placate the family after they were taken off the plane.

Now we come to customer service. When that letter landed on someone’s desk, they definitely should have kicked it up high enough for someone to fix it. An apology and a free ticket, and they would have been off the hook.

I am not a fan of lawsuits, but I would probably be filing one for this, and would hope that both the flight attendant and the customer service rep who got the letter (if they can find them) lose their jobs.

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

First, if this toddler had any concept of what he was saying he would have retorted…”bye bye customers”. Secondly, if this CONTINENTAL employee is that insecure and paranoid, then she needs to find another line of work. Hint…there is a nail salon on every corner in Houston.

By loisefit7

July 13, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

Talk about absurd. Hopefully that loser fight attendent will soon be looking for a job that is NOT in customer service. She also might want to rethink EVER becoming a mother. If its too late and she already has kids, they have my sympathy!

By Amber

July 13, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

I think there are two sides to this story and we have really only heard one. Although I agree that the child appears to be a brate, I feel like there must be more to this incident than just a baby saying bye-bye. How did the mother react? Did she do anything to anger the FA? We are quick to jump to the mother’s defense when we haven’t heard both sides of this story.

By Steve

July 13, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

Anyone looking for a job as a flight attendant? I know of an opening…

By Rocky

July 13, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

Having raise three wonderful children, two of whom are still in their teens. I can say this, toddlers can be annoying at times, especially if they are not controlled by their parents. What seems repetitively cute to a parent can be very annoying to others, even parents. Children need to learn to respect others and it’s never to early to start. We would have far less law suits if parents would teach there children today rather then let them just run without controll.

By Rogers Hornsby

July 13, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

Once again the press put something out there with one side of the story and asks us what we think. It’s a shame but most people take it for granted that everything the press says is exactly as it is printed. If a story doesnt have the spin on it that would make it sell then it is not printed. Just like a writer trying too sell a Novel, it needs to be pumped up. What a shame. Both sides should be on every story before it is printed so the people can make a true judgement of what actually happened. Thanks in advance if this is printed.

By InTownGal

July 13, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

My husband is a pilot and often talks about unruly passengers, and their unruly kids. I can’t believe the entitlement behavior that people display while on a plane, deal w/ my screaming child, deal w/ my snoring, get me another drink, pajama wearing fools, and just the oveall up yours mentality gets me. Flying airplanes is a business, and these professionals job is to get you from point A to B safely, not but up w/ passengers bull. You are not in a five-star resort when you get on a plane, rather, a glorified grayhound bus in the sky. If this child is so well-behaved why did they had to yank him off GMA? I think the lady is just trying to justify herself by going to the media, and looking for a quick dime. If the FA is found to have behaved the way the lady stated, then that is inappropriate as well. Although, I see nothing wrong w/ giving a child a little Benedryl to help them sleep thru a flight and ease ear pain which often happens to small children during a flight. It is safe and efficacious. Both parties are CRAZY!

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this

According to ABC News, there was an “11 hour delay at the Houston airport” and other passengers sided with the young mother:

“He wasn’t any louder than the adult passengers on the plane,” said passenger Stacey Watts.

Watts sat just a few rows back from the Georgia mother [Kate Penland] and heard the entire conversation.

“Katie was in shock at that point,” Watts explained. “You could tell. She was in row 3 and I was in row 6. She just kept saying, ‘I don’t know what you expect me to do. I don’t know what you expect me to do.’”

Suddenly eyewitnesses say the flight attendant announced they were returning to the gate and Penland would be removed from the plane.

Houston police received a report of a disturbance on a plane, but it appears when the officer got there, he didn’t find any crime. In fact, Penland wasn’t arrested charged or even given a ticket.”

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=5472927

By hellooooo

July 13, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

to reply to laura, above, there were multiple passengers, apparently, who were backing the mom’s story, both on the plane and afterwards. so that should answer that for you. This is a far different incident than the one a while back where the kid wouldn’t get in the seat and be buckled in and the plane had to remain on the ground, and the parents apparently couldn’t or wouldn’t “force” the child into a seat. in that incident, the child was causing the plane to be delayed for safety reasons — granted that probably wasn’t the child’s intent, but that WAS the result — and the refusal of a parent of a small child to take control of the child, to me, was the biggest part of the story. I’ve been told the child was hysterical — well excuse me, when a child gets hysterical, shouldn’t the parent take the child in hand (or in arms, as it were) and calm it down; and if the child remains hysterical, shouldn’t the parent voluntarily remove the child from the area, allowing others to go on their way?

in this case the child was causing no safety issue, merely being a bit annoying, as someone said, a typical 19-month old kid… the stew in this case should be perhaps given an unpaid suspension of some period of time, made to publicly apologize, and be given some laughing my butt off here sensitivity training (to children)…hey… if she’d made a racial or ethnic slur, that’s what they’d do!!!!!

Children have rights too!!! (i’m being tongue-in-cheek here kids, don’t get upset!!!)

By Trae

July 13, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

As is usually the case these days, the mainstream media only tells the side of the story that will get them noticed. One of the most annoying things is a crying baby in a restaurant, plane, movie theater (WHY IS A BABY IN AN R RATED MOVIE ANYWAY???). I’ve witnessed more then one occasion where the parent seems oblivious to the behavior of the child, and just lets it go so they don’t have to interrupt what THEY are doing in order to properly discipline their kids. They don’t get that they are adversely affecting MY TIME and if children can’t behave, don’t bring them.

While the FA might have been a bit overbearing in this case, it should not be overlooked that it’s quite possible the kid was doing more then what we are being led to believe.

By Trae

July 13, 2007 9:58 AM | Link to this

As is usually the case these days, the mainstream media only tells the side of the story that will get them noticed. One of the most annoying things is a crying baby in a restaurant, plane, movie theater (WHY IS A BABY IN AN R RATED MOVIE ANYWAY???). I’ve witnessed more then one occasion where the parent seems oblivious to the behavior of the child, and just lets it go so they don’t have to interrupt what THEY are doing in order to properly discipline their kids. They don’t get that they are adversely affecting MY TIME and if children can’t behave, don’t bring them.

While the FA might have been a bit overbearing in this case, it should not be overlooked that it’s quite possible the kid was doing more then what we are being led to believe.

By everyoneneedstochill

July 13, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this

Obviously this flight attendant was having a REALLY bad day and let her emotions get the best of her. As someone who flies frequently, I’m surprised that doesn’t happen more often, given the crap flight attendants, and anyone else who deals with the mass public, has to put up with. I’ve flown a lot this summer, and it has been the worst for unruly children whose parents have no parenting skills other than expecting some electronic audio/visual device to baby sit their child. Common courtesy and social graces are things of the past these days, what with everyone tethered to iPods, cell phones, games and computers. When people have to actually deal with people on a human level, they don’t know how any more. I’m not excusing the flight attendant’s outburst, just offering an explanation. Everyone has a breaking point.

The flight attendant over-reacted. But she is human, also. Cut her some slack. A law suit is also an over-reaction. The mother is using this unfortunate incident to get her 15 minutes of fame. Instead of dragging the kid around to all the morning shows for attention, she should spend some quality time with her child.

By Leigh

July 13, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this

Most young parents of small children think that everything their child does is cute.Speaking as a former Sunday School teacher , it’s not cute after awhile. I love children and I’m a mother, but stop allowing all focus to be on you and your child. The person sitting close to you could be flying for the first time and they don’t need the extra aggravation.Everyone wants to blame someone else for their problems.A lawsuit is ridiculous.

By mary

July 13, 2007 10:03 AM | Link to this

This flight attendant is my hero.

This is a mother who takes a 20 month old on a plane trip and by her own admission, brings NO extra diapers, no snacks, no toys, no juice for him. You know she’s one of those mothers who lets her child run and scream out of control, and anybody who doesn’t like that is a monster who hates children.

Parents, if you can’t control your children on an airplane or in public, then drive or stay home. Don’t subject the rest of us to your “precious little darlings.” Just because YOU think they can do no wrong doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t begging the stewardess to throw them off the plane.

By Bulldog

July 13, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this

Here is a case where a women from Buford wants all the money she can get plus all the attention that goes with it. Does anyboby really care what happen to her.

By Bulldog

July 13, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this

Here is a case where a women from Buford wants all the money she can get plus all the attention that goes with it. Does anyboby really care what happen to her.

By Bulldog

July 13, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

Here is a case where a women from Buford wants all the money she can get plus all the attention that goes with it. Does anyboby really care what happen to her.

By Col

July 13, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

I read about this and saw it on the news. Yes, there are two sides to this story. However, I have been on flights with kids totally out of control and the parents think it is cute behavior. I am a firm believer no matter how young your child is, discipline is something that is taught and I do think that yes, kids are going to be kids and you can’t expect them to act like adults, but I do think that teaching a child at an early age to speak in an inside tone, knowing how to act in public can prevent alot of this from happening. On another note, we need to know the entire story before we actually judge the flight attendent’s behavior and the mom’s.

Training a child how to act in public will go along way.

By Jay

July 13, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

“We as a passenger are already being refused food and drinks, pullows and blankets, stuck in inconvenient sits(so airlines could put more people in the airplane)…”

You aren’t being refused anything. If you want food, drinks, pillows and blankets, you’ll have to pay more for your tickets. Believe it or not, all of those things cost money. Passengers, as a whole, have decided they would rather fly cheaply than comfortably. Major airlines are merely reacting to the popularity of low-cost carriers.

By Koala

July 13, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

I totally agree with Mark. Kids and planes are a terrible mix. Oh, and try taking a flight to Australia — 15hrs non stop — with a bunch of parents ignoring the fact that their kids are annoying the other passengers by crawling over their seats, running up and down the aisles all night while you’re trying to get some sleep before you hit Melbourne.

Let your kids be out of control in the sanctity of your house — not on my plane trip please! And that goes for all of you moms in Target, Kroger, Publix….

By Bulldog

July 13, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

Here is a case where a women from Buford wants all the money she can get plus all the attention that goes with it. Does anyboby really care what happen to her.

By Mantiess

July 13, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

I think flight attendants need to remember that they are here to serve the passengers, not the other way around. Unfortunately, since 9/11 flight attendants have taken their jobs too seriously. They are NOT firefighters, cops or even soldiers-they are servers. And as servers, when you reached a point of intolerance in your job - it’s time to quit.

By Bulldog

July 13, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

Here is a case where a women from Buford wants all the money she can get plus all the attention that goes with it. Does anyboby really care what happen to her?

By cheri

July 13, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

I’ve travelled with my kids, and always tried to bring a few things to amuse them or read them a story. Mothers have to realize they need to take a responsibilty to TRY to keep their child manageable on a plane..

By Paul

July 13, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

The flight attendent really overstepped her authority. It’s not her plane, it’s the airlines. She definately needs to be fired.

On the other hand, the mother needs to learn to control her kid. I have been on flights where whiney kids made the flight pure hell.

Parents today have no control over their kids and so no one has any patience with spoiled brats. Keep your brats off the plane…drive your car and then only you have listen to them.

By Dan

July 13, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

I find it hard to believe that we have the whole story. Despite the fact that other passengers are reported to have agreed with the mother doesn’t mean others did not. If in fact it happened as reported, in other words a child simply talking and not misbahaving or throwing a tantrum, not only should the FA be fired but the pilot as well. Since he/she is in charge of all that happens on the plane. I find it hard to believe that a FA has the authority to turn around a plane in such a situation. When you consider ticking off passengers, fuel and additional gate/ground fees for such and excersise it would make zero sense for them to do that unless absolutely necessary

By Patty

July 13, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

I saw the complete story on GMA this morning. For those of you who think this story is only the mother’s word against all else, they had taped interviews with other passengers from that flight and each one supported the mother’s claims. Persons in customer service (such as a flight attendant) are NOT allowed to have bad days in public.

By ladivaboricua

July 13, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

Instead of giving the baby benadryl, I say the stewardess should have taken her valium! I am just glad it wasn’t me, this would have been a whole different headline. MOM BOOTS STEWARDESS OFF PLANE, CAPTAIN GIVES HER A HAND!

By Koala

July 13, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

MARY, you completely hit the nail on the head! That is the best post I’ve read today. Here here!!!!! Geesh….

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

After an 11-hour delay at the airport it is understandable that this young mother had run out of diapers, milk, juice and snacks. I am sure the the toddler had long since tired of the few toys they may have had in a carry on bag. All of us could learn to be more tolerant, children are part of our society, they are our little lambs, Mary.

By vwoolf

July 13, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this

Some time after 9/11, someone gave flight attendants the power of God.

On a flight I took about a year ago, I could not hear what a passenger said, but I could certainly hear the FA say, “I can kick you off of this flight.” It’s interesting that we teachers have never been given this kind of power.

By Trae

July 13, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this

A lawsuit is ridiculous. There are some restaurants which don’t allow children after a certain time. There should be some flights like that as well…like if it’s over a 4hr flight, you have to store your kid in the overhead compartment. HA!

By Jessie

July 13, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this

This is ridiculous. I have 3 children and 4 grandchildren and definitely understand how children can be irritating on planes. Yes, there are some parents that should attempt to teach their children “public behavior” versus “private behavior”, but a child saying “bye bye plane” is not a reason to throw someone off a plane. This flight attendant obviously wasn’t practicing using her people skills, because you NEVER tell a mom “that is not cute”. Maybe if she would have approached the mom, in a more appropriate manner, maybe she may have apologized and tried to distract the child from the “bye bye plane” repetition. I am not saying it would have worked, because some people don’t want to inconvenience their children by attempting to modify their behavior, but drugging your child is not the answer.

By Curiuos

July 13, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this

Only one side of what actually happened on that flight has been heard. I’m sure the FA would have a much different take on what took place. Let’s hear from the FA.

By GaLiberal

July 13, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this

This is just another example of where too much authority is given to people that don’t need it and you don’t have any rights to challenge that authority. In the name of terrorism, we’ve given to seemingly everyone. Pilots the right to carry guns and use deadly force. Flight attendants can throw people off of airplanes for “interfering with a flight crew”. The FBI shows up and next thing you’re on a no-fly list or a suspected terrorist list or some other secrete list which you can’t appeal. TSA implements new and ever-more draconian restrictions on air travel without impunity. Cops threaten to charge some kids that opened fire hyrants with a terrorist act of tampering with a utility. All in the name of terrorism. Yes, I’ve been on planes with screaming/crying kids and it’s not pleasant. But, that’s no reason to throw someone off a plane. We need to get back to some balance before we go completely off the cliff and lose what little freedoms we have left.

By Mort

July 13, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this

“Bye-bye, plane” — they must’ve thought it was a terrorist threat! Maybe the kid had a bomb in his diaper!

By HB

July 13, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this

Penland should have slapped the bit**s head off. Forget lawsuits. Just give the flight attendant a chin check. That should cool her down.

By Bruce

July 13, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

The Airline and Flight Crew were absolutely correct in removing the annoying child/parent from the plane. When we pay for a ticket, we should not have to be subjected to unruly passangers. The kid and his Mother sounld like a couple of Brats.

By mander

July 13, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

Have y’all read the article on wsbtv.com this a.m. about this kid? The mom was on Good Morning America today. While Kate Penland (mom) explained her child was well-behaved on the Continental Express flight, the boy kicked, wiggled and squirmed out of her arms.

He got so unruling during his mom’s chat that a co-anchor had to take him off the set.

Apparently he climbed up on a coffee table and rifled through Diane Sawyer’s scripts!!!

I’m sorry - but the mom has shot herself in the foot now…on national tv!!!

By InTownGal

July 13, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

To Mantiess: Your quote, “I think flight attendants need to remember that they are here to serve the passengers, not the other way around… They are NOT firefighters, cops or even soldiers-they are servers.” Actually they are not just there to serve you your diet coke, but are trained to get your butt off the plane safely in the event of an emergency. So no, they are NOT servers.

By Tonya Pegel

July 13, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

I think that flight attendant was having a real F@#$ UP day and had NO right to take it out on a toddler who was saying 3 words over and over. I do no have any kids, but this is what toddlers do. DUMB A@# B##@@# Attendant. This is definitely a case. Because the airline did bend over backward to accomadate this young mother, they may have lost the ability to keep this airline afloat.

By AMEN

July 13, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

I agree 100% with KOALA. You go MARY!!! Your post is the best of the best.

If you can’t control your children, stay out of public places. I don’t want my flight, dinner, movie, etc. ruined because you can’t control your child!!!!!!!!!

By Sarah

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

If anyone needed to medicated, it was that Flight Attendant. Get over yourself! And what about when someone on a flight really does threaten you? You think the pilot is going to take you seriously after you “cried wolf” about a 2 year old child.

By Bill Millar

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

“We’ve come a long way baby from the days when We’re ready when you are” as a slogan for airlines to this. First the “Stew” (who doesn’t deserve to be call a Flight Attendant as this title infers knowledge, concern and compassion for passengers)should understand that it is well proven that pediatric doses of Bendaryl actually acts as a stimulent, not a depressant, to children. Second I assume that she may be looking for a new job soon and she would make a great press secretary for Bush, as they both act stupidly!

By Awah

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

If anyone needed to be medicated, it was that Flight Attendant. Get over yourself! And what about when someone on a flight really does threaten you? You think any pilot is going to take you seriously after you “cried wolf” about a 2 year old child.

By Dan

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

Oh well if it was on GMA it must be true. (that is like a televised people magazine) Don’t get me wrong my gut feel is the truth is closer to the moms story. but just because all of the interviews they aired were pro mom doesn’t mean all of the ones they taped were or all the passengers agreed. I want to see a poll of all passengers within a few rows. If they don’t care than no body should

By Horton

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

If I were on a plane with my 19-month-old, after about three “bye-bye plane” comments, I’d tell him to be quiet. I have a feeling this young mother thought everyone around her found it cute and didn’t tell him to sit quietly. Of course it helps to bring something with you to keep him occupied (duh!).

Just because you think your kid is the most adorable thing in the world, it does not mean the rest of us do. And yes, I have kids…well-behaved ones who would not be allowed to cause a disruption on a plane.

Regarding the flight attendant, she was wrong and needs to find another line of work. Hello…you are a waitress in the sky…get over yourself.

A lawsuit is ridiculous, though.

By Red Forman

July 13, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

Bye-bye Stewardess

By Cass

July 13, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

I can see both sides. If the child repeated the same phrase over and over and over (through the safety instructions, etc.), that would wear on my nerves, too. However, telling the mother to “shut your baby up” and suggesting that she give him drugs was crossing the line. I think the flight attendant should have said something more along the lines of, “Could you please try to have him quiet down now, so that the other passengers can have a pleasant flight,” and maybe offered to get him some juice or something. By the same token, I wouldn’t have let my child continue to perseverate on a phrase like that; I realize (and have since he was an infant) that not everyone thinks he is as cute and clever as I do.

BTW, this is another example of how the legal system is being abused, if indeed a lawsuit is filed. Both parties made mistakes in the way it was handled. If I am inconvenienced by a bad-tempered clerk at a store with poor judgment, do I get to file a lawsuit, too? Reimbursement for any expenses incurred by the delay would be about all to which this mom is entitled, IMO

By Jessie

July 13, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this

This is ridiculous. I have 3 children and 4 grandchildren and definitely understand how children can be irritating on planes. Yes, there are some parents that should attempt to teach their children “public behavior” versus “private behavior”, but a child saying “bye bye plane” is not a reason to throw someone off a plane. This flight attendant obviously wasn’t practicing using her people skills, because you NEVER tell a mom “that is not cute”. Maybe if she would have approached the mom, in a more appropriate manner, maybe she may have apologized and tried to distract the child from the “bye bye plane” repetition. I am not saying it would have worked, because some people don’t want to inconvenience their children by attempting to modify their behavior, but drugging your child is not the answer.

By Nikki

July 13, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

I’m sorry, I have 4 kids, and I love children to death… EVERYBODY’S CHILDREN. But I also believe there are 2 sides to every story, and who (besides the other passengers) know what really transpired on that plane.

There are a lot of parents that refuse to “discipline” their kids. Let’s talk to some other people on the plane and see what really happened, before we get all emotional over what could possibly be just “A Bad Child”.

By FA

July 13, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

Mantiess, it’s attitudes like yours that have turned flight attendants into people who aren’t really interested in “serving” your ignorant a$$. If you are ever on a flight that has an emergency or you have a medical condition, you better hope there’s a flight attendant there to wait on YOUR table.

By Larry

July 13, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

Just your typical, selfish baby-boomer soccer mom who has no interest whatsoever in protecting the public from her “precious angel” brat who she is either unable and/or unwilling to control. If you can’t control your child in public, don’t bring it with you.

By Pat

July 13, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

Bravo to the flight attendant!! Give her a raise and a promotion!! Passengers should not have to suffer ill-mannered children and their oblivious parents!

By Jean

July 13, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this

I could deal with a small child that is apparently learning to talk as opposed to when I flew to Seoul, South Korea in 1997 with a 4 or 5 year old kicking the back of my seat the entire trip over the the Pacific Ocean and no one stopped him. Then in 2005 I had the pleasure of hearing a baby cry and his sister kicking my seat from Atlanta to Amsterdam. Yes, I could definitely would have appreciated Attilla the Attendant on that flight offering Benadryl to the parents

By Dan

July 13, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

Intowngal, do you know any flight attendents? I assume you do since i believe in an earlier post you said your husband is a pilot. Now I know what the politically correct line is, and what the unions want you to hear. But no itntelligent person can believe that the FA’s main purpose is to get you off the plane safely in the event of an emergency. Nor would any intelligent person rely on that. and even if it were true the FA in no way should have the authority to turn around a plane

By Tom

July 13, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

If the flight attendant lied to the pilot about a matter of in-flight security, she should be fired immediately. Pilots and flight attendants are given great latitude by the FAA to deny boarding, remove passengers, or even abort a flight if they believe such measures are required for flight security and safety. Such a system only works when those who abuse it receive the severest possible penalty.

By Nikki

July 13, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this

Vwoolf… what school is it that you teach at again? so I’ll know not to send my kids there, because unlike this flight attendant, you went to school (I guess) and chose a profession where you’re supposed deal with children all day by choice.

By Mantiess

July 13, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

Hey InTownGal and FA - serve me my coke and shut up. When exactly was the last time a FA helped anyone off a plane safely…like 1971? Don’t make more of your job than it really is. You are a SERVER in the air and that’s all. It’s the pilots and air traffic control that get us their safely. Be honest with yourself!

By Kraig

July 13, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

To the one’s that complain that a parent won’t keep the child from talking too loud. You are the same people that think you are the only one in a room when you talk on your cell phone LOUDLY and distrub everyone else. GET OVER IT. A child is that, a child, they need love and support and a toy to keep them occupied. Not a loud talking person on a cell phone who thinks you have to yell on the phone around everyone.

By Bill McDonald

July 13, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

If the incident is as reported. the flight attendent should be terminated, the victim should recieve an apology and substantial compensation from the airline, and the airline should be fined by the FAA or other govermental authority. Commercial aviation as a group failed miserably in the area of customer relations.

Bill McDonald

By KIM

July 13, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

iD YOU CANNOT HANDLE DEALING WITH CHILDREN ON A PLANE TEHN YOU SHOULD NOT BE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. hOW DARE YOU TELL SOMEONE THEY SHOULD GIVE THE CHILD DRUGS TO SHUT THEM UP, THEN TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY TO LIE TO THE PILOT AND SAY THE PASSANGER THREATENED HER. DONT YOU THINK THERE ARE ENOUGH WITNESSES TO PROVE OTHERWISE. DUMMY ! YOU SHOULD BE FIRED.

By Jadde99

July 13, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

Ok, let me say this. I have spent countless hours on a plane - several of which had screaming children on them (“Screaming” not just Talking). And to agree with “Jessie’s” comment above, yes they can be annoying. But there is a simple soultion to not having to endure an annoying child on a plane (even more simple than baby Benadryl). Wanna know what it is?? CHARTER A D@MN PRIVATE PLANE!!!!

When dealing with the public, you have to endure all that comes with it. This is a prime example of some low level flight attendant (whose JOB description is to deal with the public) trying to use what “little” power she does have to get her way. I hope that disgusting woman gets fired and that she gets what is coming to her.

If she doesn’t wanna work with the public…. GO FIND A DESK!!

By LC

July 13, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this

To “Agree” (9:19 AM) — The lawsuit will surely be for more than just the embarrassment of the incident (which in itself, may be hard to “get over” after being the brunt of public humiliation). It will likely be grounded more in the hardship and expense caused by having to wait A FULL EXTRA DAY just to get to her destination — especially after the initial 11-hour delay she had just endured. The additional burden cost her for food, room for the night, provisions for her child (remember, she ran out of diapers during the initial delay), possibly having to pay for an entirely new flight, and don’t forget she was going to visit her father… That’s lost time with a loved one which, depending on facts we don’t have, could be particularly dear time missed!

“Get over it” is not useful advice to anyone who was treated this poorly, and then — adding insult to injury — forced to shell out lots of cash, suffer major inconvenience and missed opportunities to be with loved ones, and probably worry and hardship from going through all of this stress with a 19-month-old child on her hip.

I ask you, if you were in this woman’s shoes — wrongfully ejected from an airplane (a “common carrier,” which by the way, has a legal duty to live up to a higher standard of treatment than just anyone) and generally treated like dirt just because your baby was acting like, well, a BABY… How would you feel? And what if instead you were not going to visit family, but were on a business trip? What about missed business opportunities then? And lost income? Whoever you are, I seriously doubt you’d say to yourself “get over it” and move on.

By Jeff

July 13, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

I too was on this flight and the mother’s attitude is what got her kicked off. The FA asked her to get her kid settled so that the plane could taxi. While the Saftey instructions were being given the boy kept saying bye-bye bye-bye. The FA again asked for her to settle the kid down and at this time she made a ‘drinking’ motion. This made the mom go into near hysterics that someone would suggest that she drug her baby. SHE WOULD NOT SHUT UP!!! That is when the FA spoke with the flight deck and announced that the plane was returning to the gate.

By Jack

July 13, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

The AJC only printed ONE side of the story and everyone reacts as if God had written it on stone tablets.

Did they bother to interview the flight attendant? Other passengers?

No, they just love the sensationalism of the BAD flight attendant being mean to the perfect mother and the cute little baby.

What are the facts? NONE of us know because the AJC is acting like the National Inquirer.

They report _hit and the public decides.

God help us.

By B. D. Tuckman

July 13, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

It would be nice for people to make their kids s.t.f.u. in all settings, not just airplanes.

Thanks for playing along at home.

PS. Don’t bring your little underage bundle of joy to any film rated above a “G,” you morons.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

People with children: Keep your snotty nosed little spawns at home until they learn how to act in public. Noone wants to hear your “angel”!!

By Dan

July 13, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

good point Mary, mother who admitidly doesn’t have all the necessities for a child is a good indication of her apparently skewed perception. (I am embarrassed I didn’t pick up on that sooner

By Syd

July 13, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

How quickly we all jump to conclusions. We’ve only heard one side, the mom’s. My guess it the truth is in the middle somewhere. Sure the FA could have handled it differantly. However, I’m sure the mom could have handled it better too.

Now a couple more questions. Why in the world was she taking a 19 mo old on a plane?? She was only asking for trouble. Back in the day (when parents were parents, not buddies), rarely would children fly. We got in the car and drove. Personally, I can’t wait for airlines to offer “childfree flights”. I would gladly pay a premium. While they are at it, please keep them out of the Crown Room.

Want to take them to dinner? Then go to Chuch E Cheese or somewhere like that. Not a nice restaurant or even you local restaurant/bar.

And a few more items. Lets cut out this stupid thing called “time-out”. That is for wussies. It is called “punishment”. And why do parents always ask their child to sit-down/be quiet/stop etc and follow it with “please”. Parents…stop asking your children to behave and start “telling” them!! They are going to grow up to be wimpy, ill-behaved, spoiled nimwits!!!

By Chris

July 13, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

This is rediculous. That is why we don’t go to too many restaurants anymore. Parents need to control their children. I do not believe for one minute that the flight attendant told her to medicate her child. I think is is just a snivveling woman that won’t parent her child and take steps to follow instructions and provide a quiet environment to others. I am glad that places are making parents accountable for disruptive children. But I am sure if she cries about it enough, someone will pay her money to go away. I have been in restaurants with my newborn and there have been children older then her that were more out of control then she was. Parents need to parent and be held accountable.

By Jeff

July 13, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this

After seeing the GMA interview I now agree with the airline. Doing the interview with her son was the worst possible choice she could have made!

By ispeakthedrewth

July 13, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

Next time leave the little mongrel at home. Most adults are SICK of having to tolerate other people’s out of control kids in public places. Put a muzzle on the curtain climber or leave it at home.

By Staceye

July 13, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

There are places called a restroom on board each flight…I suggest parents of bratty kids take their crying, screaming, annoying ones in there to calm them down. No one thinks that your litle angel is so cute when they are unruley.There is nothing worse than being on a red eye and trying to sleep and have to deal with that kid that the parents can not control. Your child will only do what you allow. If you take the, “he’s only 2” approach…then what will you do when he is 6 and still doing it? You can’t start breaking habits that you have allowed for four years. Nip it in the bud when it first happens! That is how you teach your kids good behavior. The same way a child learns his name by being called by it since birth…hearing yes and no when he does something or potty training is a learned behavior. Might I also suggest keep the babies on bottles as much as possible on flights, the constant sucking and swallowing keep their ears from popping. I agree the flight attendant was out of line to have them booted off…but I am not mad at her for suggesting benedryl….heck makes me want to carry some and slip it to the brats on board when their clueless parents aren’t looking.

By matt

July 13, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

I saw a very similar incident a few months ago (on ASA) where a passenger was kicked off for an innocent complaint - I agree that the airplane should be safe, but because you don’t like that someone called your airline out for being an hour late taking off doesn’t give you any right to kick them off.

If this is the “new face of Delta” then maybe a merger wasn’t such a bad idea.

By Rachel

July 13, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

To all of you blaming the mother for not having enough diapers, food, juice, toys, etc….they had been delayed for 11 HOURS!! No one would have packed enough in their carry-on to last that long. A carry-on only holds so much and the child had probably long since tired of the toys she had brought along. I’m sure that she didn’t have access to her actual lugguge during the delay where she probably had other things for him. No matter how well you plan things can always happen that are beyond your control. I agree that there may be more to the story than we have heard but there have been other passengers speaking up for the mother and none so far for the FA. Too many people just automatically assume when they see children that they are going to misbehave and are completely intolerant of ANY noise that they make.

Many flight attendants these days have forgotten that they are in CUSTOMER SERVICE and have become totally rude and dictatorial. Recently I was on a plane and shortly before take off the FA instructed us to “Lower the window shades for safety reasons”. When one passenger inquired as to why we needed to do so the FA replied “Because I said so”. I really don’t understand how having the shades up posed any safety risk and her response was completely unacceptable.

By matt

July 13, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

I saw a very similar incident a few months ago (on ASA) where a passenger was kicked off for an innocent complaint - I agree that the airplane should be safe, but because you don’t like that someone called your airline out for being an hour late taking off doesn’t give you any right to kick them off.

If this is the “new face of Delta” then maybe a merger wasn’t such a bad idea.

By Syd

July 13, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

LC,

You’re right, the mom should not just “get over” it. She should learn from it and learn how to be a parent. Next time she should drive!! Children that age should not be on planes. My sister and her husband just drove to New York b/c their kids don’t do well on planes. They do things like repeatedly say “bye bye plane”. The world does not revolve around moms and their little “angles”. Time for parents to be parents!

By Joy

July 13, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

I don’t have children, but the Flight attendant defiantly over stepped her position and boundaries by how she suggested a drug to quiet the baby… Poor flight attendant was interrupted by a baby…baby’s talk… it’s going to happen! What are you going to do? Drug every child that gets on board a plane. I don’t think there’s a charge to for suggesting a baby take Benadryl, but should the Attendant should be at least fired for her conduct as a Flight Attendant. If she were a star employee and a mature person… such a suggestion wouldn’t have left her mouth.

By Joy

July 13, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this

I don’t have children, but the Flight attendant defiantly over stepped her position and boundaries by how she suggested a drug to quiet the baby… Poor flight attendant was interrupted by a baby…baby’s talk… it’s going to happen! What are you going to do? Drug every child that gets on board a plane. I don’t think there’s a charge to for suggesting a baby take Benadryl, but should the Attendant should be at least fired for her conduct as a Flight Attendant. If she were a star employee and a mature person… such a suggestion wouldn’t have left her mouth.

By Larry

July 13, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

That flight attendant should be fired because she obviously went too far and wanted to flex her authority. I also believe crying children should be taken to the restroom and that includes restaurants and movie theatres as well.

By Larry

July 13, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

That flight attendant should be fired because she obviously went too far and wanted to flex her authority. I also believe crying children should be taken to the restroom and that includes restaurants and movie theatres as well.

By Dollbaby

July 13, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

So everyone want to just on the side of this young mom. Did you see GMA, did you see how bratty he was? He couldn’t or wouldn’t sit still nor could she control him. What’s the difference int he way he acted on the plane or on GMA? How we gorgotten that we as adult need to raise our children or the court system will. It not cute when a monster like that is carrying on and throwing a fit. It’s clear she can’t control her child. So why shoiuld everyone else suffer? I say leave the flight attendant alone!!! Some of the same people siding with the mom would be the same people asking the flight attendant “can’t you do anything to shout that kid up”? I’m 55 and we knew how to act in public and we turned out find. We’re finding out there was nothing wrong in the way our parents raised us. It was less crime, less jails and less prisons. Maybe the mom need some parenting skills. I SAY GREAT JOB FLIGHT ATTENDANT…..

By J.D.

July 13, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

It’s stories like this that make me miss Paris Hilton’s escapades.

By Jeff

July 13, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this

I am sorry to say im sick of out of control kids and parents who don’t discipline. I’m glad you have children, but they are your responsibility and I shouldn’t have to suffer through a flight I paid for with some child kicking my seat, crying, and generally annoying everyone around. Why should everyone else be forced to deal with your unbehaved child. Since you understand and know how to talk to them, maybe you should just drive so they only annoy you. After all, your the one who made the decision to have a child.

By Nicole

July 13, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this

I’m not advocating throwing babies off planes. I have personally endured hours of a screaming baby in the seat next to me as well as “cutesy baby Mom thinks everyone wants to play peek-a-boo with” in the seat in front of me. But babies are babies and they really and these things happen. This is why I figured out a long time ago to fly with noise canceling headphones, they block the noise and no one tries to converse with you. However, this article is clearly a one-sided story. That child did not get kicked off for saying Bye-Bye plane one time. Also, although it was improper for the flight attendant to suggest it, the mother should have had benydryl with her. In a normal dose, it is not dangerous, just makes the child drowsy. If a child is stressed out, I don’t think it is wrong at all to give them something that will calm them down and make them sleep. It seems to me to be the ethical thing to do; most people would give their dog or cat the courtesy of being sedated for a stressful situation.

By Chris

July 13, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this

I think that all travelers on this play should request the firing of the FA. Kids are kids. Like someone else said above. Get a different job. I travel alot for my work and I have had my share of small kids behind me chattering away. But kids are kids. The FA was probably mad at the boyfriend for some reason and took it out on the travelers. SHAME!!!

By southside girl

July 13, 2007 11:01 AM | Link to this

Wow, Patty….for real? Persons in customer service are NOT allowed to have a bad day? Then, I guess we will be replacing them with robots. Impossible for them to have human feelings like, for instance, compassion………..

Geesh……what an ignorant statement!

By InTownGal

July 13, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

Dan & Mantiess, Yes, I know plenty of flight attendants being my husband is in the industry as a pilot. No, they are not just servers, but there to keep the plane safe, secure, and react to any medical emergencies. Your diet coke IS secondary to the above. And they do have the authority to inform the flight deck of any event that could warrent getting that plane back to the gate.

Also, you can kiss my intelligent, two degree, professional A$$ you sexist pig over this little comment of yours, “But no itntelligent person can believe that the FA’s main purpose is to get you off the plane safely in the event of an emergency. Nor would any intelligent person rely on that. and even if it were true the FA in no way should have the authority to turn around a plane”

You are the unintelligent one. I hope you choke on your next diet coke your “server” gives you on your next flight.

By Good point

July 13, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

The mom should get over it yes… but who’s to tell anyone how to be a parent. Every family and situation is different. Driving might be a necessary option in this ladies future… if this is normal for her child to act this way. The airline should refund her ticket for the poor service she received but that’s all I think she should receive under the circumstances.

By Boclive

July 13, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this

It’s not the lost luggage, flight delays, or the lack of security from the airlines and the FAA that makes flying commercial in the US suck more than any other mode of travel - it is the absolutely sucky service from flight attendants that hate their jobs. For all the flight attendants that so despise the passengers you so marginally serve, thanks for nothing, and, uh, buh-bye. See the rest of ya’ll on Amtrak.

By Linda C. Schaffer

July 13, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

The attendant should be fired. Future training of attendants should give examples of how they are expected to respond to “situations” like this. Psycological testing of flight attendants??? The woman should be given a several free tickets on Continental and an apology. Lawsuit? Not unless Continental doesn’t respond.

By Proud Father

July 13, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

It really disgusts me to read half of these blogs. Every single one of these so called adults were at one time 2yrs old and Im sure that you acted the same way.

It is also disgusting to read statistics on how many children are on all this so called hyper activity medication such as ridilin. That is such bullshi*.

As a proud father of a 3yr old and 2yr old daughter, i dare any one to do to me what that flight attendant did to that lady because it would be on like donkey kong. I would go to jail, no doubt about it, people in todays wimpy world would view it as assault and battery.

You so called adults, get a life.. I pray that this piece of shi* flight attendant gets fired. Let children be children and quit thinking that a 2yr old should have the personality and behavior of a 18yr old..

One more thing… hitting or spanking a child in todays world will get you put in jail through DFACS..

I served 8yrs in the US Marine Corps and I discipline my daughters but I do it with love, compassion and sternness. However they still will be 2yr olds, and I will let them be children. Watch who you say something to about their child because it might be a “wimpy” ex Marine who is the father.

By tg

July 13, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

“I’ve realized that our society in general is NOT child friendly.”

After having extensively traveled internationally I can tell you this is not a worldwide issue, it is a USA issue. I have never seen children in other countries behave the way children in the US do! Kids in other countries are expected to behave and are not spoiled beyond belief like most here in the states. So yes, most childless people in the states are not child friendly due to the way children act because of their PARENTS.

Now as for being on topic, no this is absolutely ridiculous that this child and mother were kicked off the plane.

By Syd

July 13, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

No one is blaming the child. The child was acting normal. We are blaming the mom. She was the one not doing her job.

By reluctant

July 13, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

I think the flight attendant definitely overstepped her bounds and should be fired. This is a case of a flight attendant on a power trip plain and simple. All children can be disruptive, and a two year old who is tired can be especially unpleasant to be around (believe me, I have one), but what the flight attendant said and did was completely ridiculous and unacceptable. First of all, repeatedly saying “bye-bye plane” is hardly being disruptive and if the other passengers didn’t have a problem with the child nothing should have been said to the mother. Second of all, the child was asleep before they got back to the gate to let the two off - why go through all the trouble of putting the two off the plane if the child is sleeping? And you know something is wrong when the flight attendant has to lie and say the mom threatened her in order to get them kicked off.

True, a lawsuit isn’t going to change what happened, but it may make the airline employees think twice about how they treat their customers.

And just for the record, for those who obviously didn’t watch, the little boy didn’t exactly get tossed or yanked off GMA and he wasn’t being bad – he was being 2. Why is it that people have such unrealistic expectations of children?

By Mark

July 13, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

Kudos to the flight attendant. If you choose to have spawns, then keep them away from us who chose wisely not to burden OUR lives with kids.

By Crystal

July 13, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

As a mother of two, I do believe that the passenger and her child were not treated fairly at all!!! I do not believe in drugging a child, just because it has learned to talk. I do believe that the flight attendant that caused this issue should be charged for all expenses and emotional trauma the mother and child had to put up with, in having to even deal with a servent. As customer care goes, the mother and child should have received way more respect. The flight attendant should work in a morgue if she wants quiet.

By Wendy

July 13, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

Absolutely fire the flight attendant!! As the mother of a 5 month old who has flown twice, this is way out of line. I was in Atlanta and was treated almost “special” (a good special!) by the Altanta airport personnel and the flight crew. I had a super experience - children are customers and to be treated this way is completely wrong. 11 hours in an airport, who wouldn’t be p** off, adults normally b*tch and moan and this is just this kid’s way of blowing off steam.

By USSR

July 13, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Normally, I’d say that there isn’t enough information here to pass judgment. However, when you learn that other passengers sided with the mom, then there’s evidently a problem on the carrier’s side.

The problem is that the customer is no longer a valued asset to companies. They fail to realize that it’s our hard-earned money that keeps them in business, and thus, we expect to be treated right.

Chemical restraint, in most states, is against the law when dealing with a child. Benadryl, or any other OTC medication, is to be given if the child is sick, not because they’re “unruly”.

This story is just typical for corporate America. Screw the consumer, we’re expendable.

By Joy

July 13, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

The mom should get over it yes… but parenting can be rather difficut. Every family and situation is different. Driving might be a necessary option in this ladies future… if this is normal for her child to act this way. The airline should refund her ticket for the poor service she received but that’s all I think she should receive under the circumstances.

By jml

July 13, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this

Not had time to read all the comments but I would have to applaud the attendant if I were a passenger. We’re all sick of your whiney brats in restaurants, planes and especially at the Dr’s office. What happened to people actually hiring a sitter for these brats? Yes, I have kids, 3 in fact that are now teens and I never ever let them interupt someone’s lunch/dinner and if I had a Dr. appt., I hired a sitter. It may be I’m so angry right now because of the 3 kids flying helicopters while I was sick as H3ll yesterday at the Dr. and they’re mother never said ONE word to the heathens!

By jay

July 13, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this

Sounds like the mom needs Nanny 911. While I don’t agree with the FA, I think the mom counld certainly use some counseling. First of all, you have to plan ahead for a small child. It’s not their fault you had no juice, fomular,etc. What if you were delayed for other reasons, what would you have done. The childs behavior on GMA spoke volums. When will parents get it through their heads, other people do not want to be annoyed by your child when they have paid to attend an event or to travel. P

By azcat225

July 13, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Two observations—-First, the only references I’ve seen or heard of so far to the other passengers’ reactions are that they all, repeat all, were on the mother’s side. It seems like there would have been at least one or two supporting the FA if this had really been a case of an out-of-control child. Second, I am literally stunned at the bile and anger of some of the posters here regarding children and airline travel. I travel, too, and have had my share of unpleasant interactions with kids. But the level of anger and venom of some of these posts is almost frightening. She was supposed to drive to TX or OK, so the others could fly in blissful peace?!? To quote a previous post, if that is so incredibly important to you, charter your own plane. Just more evidence that the social contract between us all is falling apart.

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Actually, it’s probably corporate America’s fault that this Buford family(along with a lot of other folks) are forced to work/reside a long distance from loved ones. Otherwise, who really needs these fying buses? (unless we’re desperate) Personally, a more enjoyable PLANNED family vacation is in our own vehicle on our own time.

By JJ

July 13, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this

I’ve seen so many cases of kids crying very loudly, beating car keys on glass tables - some kids are out of control and the parents don’t do anything to stop the behavior. Sometimes you can understand but sometimes it seems like the parent is being walked all over by their child. Do kids get disciplined anymore?

By Ima Looser

July 13, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

The flight attendent clearly saved the life of every man, woman, and child on that plane.

The same flight attendant evacuated a plane when a toddler made an obvious terrorist threat “I made a stinky” (an obvious reference to manufacturing a ‘dirty bomb’).

She saved another plane from attack after forcibly subduing another toddler who attempted to stab her repeatedly with a pacifier coated with a biological agent (closely resembling spit).

I just pray that the Flight Attendent has a contraception failure and gets to bring a cranky toddler onto a plane. Then she can taste a big steaming platelful of the same sewer-sludge that she dished out to that mother.

By jim

July 13, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

The flight attendant was clearly out of order. I don’t fly much but when I do I definitely notice that the flight attendants can be very aggressive. I pretty much remain silent, don’t ask for anything, and play the meek, mild-mannered passenger. Post-9/11 flight attendants and other airline personnel have been given the green light to do or say anything they want. Flight attendants will tell you that they are on board to protect passengers first and serve them and be friendly last.

By Marianne

July 13, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this

The flight attendent on that plane must have a little Ceasar complex. Removing a mother and her toddler from the plane for saying bye bye plane is the most ridiculas thing I’ve ever heard. She needs to be fired immediately.

By Debbie

July 13, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

Ok, looks like many of you did not read the entire article. Several passengers came to her defense, both on and off the ground. The airline chose to ignore these. Passengers even told the airlines that the lady never said the things that the stewardess told the pilot that made them turn back. So yes, she should sue the airline and call everyone that was around her as witnesses.

If the airlines do not want children flying, they should say so. Telling me to drug my child is not an option.

By Cindy

July 13, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

As the mother of 2 toddlers, I find this deplorable. If someone would have told me to medicate my children for TALKING, I would have gotten escorted off of the the flight for much more than this lady did. Also, if anyone has ever attempted to tell a 2 year old NOT to say something, you know that more than likely that will be the only thing he wants to say. It’s not a matter of discipline or control, it’s a matter of being TWO YEARS OLD.

Since we are only getting one side of the story, I will put up a half-hearted defense for the FA. She was probably as stressed out after an 11-hour delay as the passengers. However, the nature of her job is to control her stress and put on a happy face for the public. If a 2 year old causes her to lose her cool, imagine how she would be in a REALLY stressful situation.

By Marianne

July 13, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

The flight attendent on that plane must have a little Ceasar complex. Removing a mother and her toddler from the plane for saying bye bye plane is the most ridiculas thing I’ve ever heard. She needs to be fired immediately.

By Marianne

July 13, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

The flight attendent on that plane must have a little Ceasar complex. Removing a mother and her toddler from the plane for saying bye bye plane is the most ridiculas thing I’ve ever heard. She needs to be fired immediately.

By Missy

July 13, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

I have an eight month old son and we’ve been flying since he was three months. We give him Infants Tylenol to help with the pressure on his ears and we always bring toys and lots of diapers and formula. Our son never screams or acts up on the plane - he plays with his toys. The flight attendants and passengers always comment on his pleasant and playful (quiet) behavior.

We have been on the plane and some kids are so disorderly and belligerent. I support the flight attendant and pilot in this matter. People who cannot or choose not to control their children should not be allow to disrupt the flight experience for other passengers. Again, she displayed her inability to control him. Perhaps, he is ADD, autistic or have a learning disability and maybe his mom does too for thinking its okay to allow such behavior.

By RS

July 13, 2007 11:20 AM | Link to this

Children should be seen and not heard. Good riddance to the little problem causer. Parents should learn to control their kids.

By GTGRAD

July 13, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

I say way to go. Kick the little retard off the plane. Little kids are so annoying to everyone but their parents.

By Ted

July 13, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

I bet half the ones on here blasting the mom are same kind of self centered azzholes who hog the fast lanes on the road yaking on their cell phones, going too slow and driving careless. Or worse yet in public where I have the blow by blow details of their boring lives. I’d rather hear a kid talking for a few minutes than some blabber mouth idiot with an unlimited call plan on a cell phone who is so insecure with the thought of being lone for twenty seconds so they have to call someone and just talk, about nothing at all….just talk. Get a handle on your insecuirty.

By Syd

July 13, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

Azcat225….The social contract, as you call it, is falling apart because of moms like this. She was simply being selfish. Who in there right mind flies with a 19 mo old? My guess is she didn’t do a single thing to quiet her kid b/c she was thinking it was cute. I promise you those around her weren’t thinking the kid was cute. Kids are only cute with they are quiet and still!

By Mel

July 13, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

This flight “attendant” should be fired and forced to pay damages to this mom. What a #$%$ b***! Get out of the profession and work for the IRS or a collection agency—that’s more your style.

By LC

July 13, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

Syd,

I’m not saying parents shouldn’t make an effort to keep their children “under control.” As a parent of a 2-year-old, I have been in situations where he is disturbing others, and my reaction is to remove him from the situation where removal is practicable and/or possible. But think about this: the child here, whether he’s generally calm or not, was on a plane after sitting in an airport for 11 hours! Most kids that age can’t handle ANYTHING for more than a few hours, much less having to stay under control in a public place, then on a cramped airplane. And the mother apparently was on a lay-over, so she couldn’t simply go home and try again another time.

Besides, we have all been stuck in airports, and rarely does anyone volunteer to lose the cost of their flight and shell out more for an overnight stay just because their child is tired, hungry, or generally fed up. Whether the mother did enough to try to keep the child from being a nuisance is debatable… Whether the child actually was a nuisance is debatable. But she certainly should not have been expected to forego her entire trip just because her child was found annoying by some people on the plane.

As for driving versus flying… That’s a great solution, if you can do it. What do we know about this situation? Does this woman know how to drive? Does she own a car? How far a drive would it be? How much time does she have available for the visit? What are the circumstances surrounding her visit to her father? Maybe driving itself would be more expensive than flying… Maybe she doesn’t have a drivers license…

We are Americans, and as such we have a constitutionally protected right to travel. That is a FUNDAMENTAL right! Barring some real emergency or safety reason, it should not be impeded simply because the flight attendant (or for that matter, other passengers) don’t like the sound of the child’s voice. I understand that the tickets we buy to fly on a private airline are revocable for cause, but (and I’m no expert) I have to believe that “cause” must be pretty great. Just because it’s a “private” airline, doesn’t mean it’s not also a “public” carrier. It openly serves the public, it’s subsidized by out tax dollars… It has a much greater duty to the public than many people realize!

I’m glad to hear your sister had such success on her drive to New York. But for many people today, public transportation — even with unruly kids — is the best, if not the only, option.

By JHF

July 13, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

The blame should be placed where it belongs - on the Islamo-fascist terrorists who created this everyday whole ugly scene at every airport in the world - standing in line, remove your shoes, can’t even take a g******* bottle of water on a 11-hour flight. It is the terrorists’ fault airline personnel get a little cranky, and passengers are scared to death to even look cross-eyed at the flight and TSA gestapo. All the terrorists (has there been a single execution of even one of these scum yet?) should be taken up in a special flight and escorted overboard, without parachutes, while the plane is over Mecca. Then we could go back to enjoying the flight, instead of dreading it.

By evonne

July 13, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this

Okay, I have read most of the comments, and I agree with most.

I to have had to deal with bad a* kids, on the plane, and it is very annoying. I also agree that parents should have more control over their children. Young parents these days, do nothing to control these bad a* kids, and it makes me very angry. I also saw this morning on GMA, that LITTLE BOY, and he was a HANDFUL, which leads me to believe, the mother hasn’t gotten into that backside enough. I am tired of this new thing TIME OUT!!!!

Now I do feel that the flight attendant was WAY OUT OF LINE!!!! - and if someone would have suggested to me to drug my child (my children are grown now), I WOULD HAVE COME UNGLUED, the nerve of that flight attendant!!!!!

By Cosmo

July 13, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this

I saw the interview on GMA and that child is a hellion - the mother obviously lied about what happened. I would have kicked them off also.

By Syd for President

July 13, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

Syd, All I can say is right on, buddy. When I was a kid, we went on car trips. We had the money to fly, but my parents were sensible enough to understand that it is unfair to inflict noisy kids on paying passengers. I, too, am sick of kids in the Crown Room. It’s a bar, for the love of God. Keep the brats out. And, I will gladly pay a premium for kid-free flights.

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

To poster “Mark”. Have you ever heard of this saying? “Imagine a world without men. No crime and lots of happy fat women.” …..oh yeah, and no kids. :P

By Drug Safety Physician

July 13, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

As a medical physican who specializes in drug safety, I can tell you that giving “Benadryl” or any other sedating medication to a child is not a benign act. Medications should be administered only when indicated by health care guidance. This includes OTC products. Medications, such as Benadryl, are used for treating an illness, only when the benefit can outweigh the risk involved and only if taken as directed. These medications are not to be used to sedate children under any circumstances. Any health provider that would suggest these as sedatives in children may be vulnerable to a malpractice claim if there was a poor health outcome. Benadryl toxicity (e.g., dilated pupils, flushed face, hallucinations, ataxic gait, urinary retention) has been reported in pediatric patients. Drugging a child aboard an airline is a bad idea. The flight attendant might have ended up doing CPR. Unfortunately, I have had the responsibility to investigate pediatric deaths from medication misuse. Trust me, a babbling child is a joy in comparison.

By Brad

July 13, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

I am disgusted at all of the talk about lawsuits. Crap happens and we are inconvenienced from time to time, that does not mean you should sue. I think all of these sue happy people should do us all a favor and remove themselves from the gene pool. Get over it, its life and it’s not always fair.

As for the child, the flight attendant did handle the situation wrong, but parents do need to be PARENTS. Some of us do not want to listen to the repetition of the same phrase uttered over and over again. The mother has a responsibility to society to control this behavior.

Maybe someone on the Jet should sue the mother for bringing the child on the plane yielding the plane to have to turn around and inconvenience them. Considering that her child was ‘raping’ the ears of other passengers by forcing unwanted sounds into their ears. Last time I checked rape was more serious than embarrassment and bad customer service.

Having children means sacrifice, some things you have to miss out on now that you have a child. DRIVE NEXT TIME!

By CustServSup

July 13, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this

In my career (in customer service, btw) I do a lot of flying to meetings, conventions, etc. FYI, I don’t have kids, and don’t find them particularly charming.

That said, however, there is a big difference between a little annoying and being out-of-control. If this child, after a fight delay of 11 hours (and we all know how much fun THAT is) was simply being a little noisy before take-off, then the FA has no excuse for her attitude and should not be in customer service. Barney Fife trained by way of Abu Ghraib is no way to develop good public relations.

And for those folks who talk about kids not being as cute as the parents think they are, I have news for you….you’re not as cute as you think you are either. Frankly, I’ve been a lot more disturbed on flights by loud mouthed adults who think everything they said is a gem of wisdom or wit than I have been by any kid.

By Jason

July 13, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this

The lawsuit is good. It will force airlines to reign in their abusive stewardesses.

The stewardess should be fired. The stewardess should be investigated for child abuse for advocating drugging the chlid. The stewardess should have her own children taken away if she has any because she obviously doesn’t know anything about kids.

By tag

July 13, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

Although I think the FA overreacted, many of us travelers are weary, tired and cranky. Unparented children add to the frustration. Too many people are leaving the maternity wards and heading directly to the airport. I didn’t jet around the country until I was twelve. My parents thought it was a good idea not to expose an infant to flight trauma and germs.

By sharon

July 13, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

Sounds whinny to me. Need to hear the other flight attendents side. Parents need to understand that not all people think their children are as ‘cute’ as they do. Anyone remember the old saying “Children should be seen and not heard”? What’s the lawsuit for? Being embarrassed? Please, no one knew about it until she went public, she embarrassed herself. What did she lose? A day in Oklahoma City? So what, deal with it and keep the kid quiet.

By John Davis

July 13, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this

After watching the Today show and 19 month old Garron twist,scream,cry,crawl and distrupt Diane Sawyer’s interview with the mother and father, I have sympathy for the airline attendent and fellow passengers.

By Aine

July 13, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this

I think it’s fair to say Flight Attendants tolerate kids travelling on a daily basis. He’s not the first kid she’d probably with, nor will he be the last. So something must have triggered it. Let’s hear her side of the story.

By Alan Cheney

July 13, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this

If ExpressJet tries to sweep this anti-family incident under the rug, it will only become worse for their PR. Go to the Wikipedia entry for ExpressJet and see how someone keeps trying to remove mention of the incident from the press coverage section.

Fire this anti-family, anti-customer employee, apologize and move on.

By gg

July 13, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this

We have only heard one side of this story - which the media is also exploiting. We will not know the actual truth until other passengers/witnesses in that plane come forward and corroborate the situation (not referred to anecdotally)

I am the mother of two small children and am also a frequent business traveler. I am sympathetic to both sides of this story. I can say with certainty that we did travel by air when they were small (younger than 4 years)because travel delays are frequent. We preferred to pay for our relatives to travel to our location. It was easier for everyone concerned.

To pursue litagation for this situation is without merit. Get over it and chalk it up to experience.

By Syd for President

July 13, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

Adult Only Flights, people!! And, under no circumstances should a child EVER be allowed in first class.

By Alan Cheney

July 13, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

If ExpressJet tries to sweep this anti-family incident under the rug, it will only become worse for their PR. Go to the Wikipedia entry for ExpressJet and see how someone keeps trying to remove mention of the incident from the press coverage section.

Fire this anti-family, anti-customer employee, apologize and move on.

By jm

July 13, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

Bye bye Flight Attendant

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

After watching the interview on GMA, it is obvious this mother has no control of her child, so it doesn’t surprise me that the child was being disruptive. Watch the GMA clip and you’ll see what I mean. I’d like to hear both sides of the story instead of all the emphasis being put on the on one side.

By georgia 74

July 13, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

The position of flight attendant should be eliminated. As a group they are the rudest people ever put on this Earth. I’ve seen it a hundred times, I’d like to know what they think they are there for. Sue,fire,anything,this lady deserves some justice.

By Digimon

July 13, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

I think children and plane rides are two things that just don’t mix when there are 100 other people that have to deal with a bratty kid. If you want to travel with your child, you should have to check them underneath in a carrier just like you do pets. That way they don’t bother everyone else. Childeren don’t need to be in public if the parents can’t control them!

By Mad Father

July 13, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

I cannot believe the blogs that I have read. People like these that have blogged on here are the reason our sick world allows abortion. We need a huge religious revival in this country. I am a father who agrees that children should be disciplined, have boundaries and rules but it is what it is and reality is children will be children.

I bet that if this mother would have spanked her child then all the people on this blog would be screaming what a child abusing hateful mother she is and DFACS would be taken the child away from her.

This flight attendant should be sued and fired. Their is absolutly nothing this child did to deserve for the mother and her child to be kicked off the flight.

Everyone of you child hating, snob, arrogant people will have to answer for your actions, thoughts and feelings at the pearly gates when you die.

All of these arrogant, mean, child hating people that blogged on here needs to remember that they too were 2yrs old at one time. How would they feel if their parents and the world around them would have treated kids the way they do know.

I am a loving christian man but say something to me about my parenting skills or something about my children and watch how fast the devil comes out. I will take my children to nice restaurants, on planes or anywhere I want to and dare someone to something to me in a negative manner about my kids.

Parents that medicate their children dont deserve to be parents.. Children were not medicated back in the 1950, 60s, or 70s. Damn let children be children…..

By CA

July 13, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

Ahh, the American way - sue, sue, sue…

There has only been one side presented so far and only one person’s recollection of what transpired. I have read people say since other passengers were supporting the Mom her version must be the truth. But no passengers were really indentified - just this Penland saying she was supported.

I have seen some power mad flight attendents and I have also seen parents let their kids run totally wild without doing ONE thing to correct them.

I question anyone’s motives when the first words out of their mouths is we are going to sue and the next words are Which network wants us now.

I seriously doubt that a pilot would go back to the gate without asking some questions to both the attendant and to passengers before making that decision. They HATE to give up their place in line.

I just hope they enjoy their 5 minutes of fame.

By Elaine

July 13, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

This is a 19 month old child and if a flight attendant can’t deal with children then she should get another job. This is an embarrassment and she should be fired!

By ADD

July 13, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

SHE MUST FORGOT TO GIVE HIM HIS RITALIN BECAUSE THAT LIL RETARD REALLY NEEDS CONTROLLING. IT’S HER FAULT THAT HER FAT AZ FORGOT HIS FOOD AND DIAPERS…. I BET HER FAT AZ ATE GOOD.

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

To poster “Ted”, Thank you…

and to the rest of ya….I just sit quietly and read my Bible and God takes care of the rest. Blessings, I’m out…

By evonne

July 13, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

Also footnote:

from evonne again:

This morning in looking at GMA, I couldn’t help but think, I can see why they were asked off the plane, but we are taking things a little too far, our concentration should be on safety, and the little bad a* was not a safety issue, but he was annoying, shame on the mother that has no control… I can remember traveling with my children very young, and I hever had any problem, i can remember one incident traveling from Chicago to LA, on a new years day, and the plane was not full, and my girls had such good behavior and cute, that the flight attendant took them to the cockpit where the pilots were, so they could see how a plane flew, that was in the good old days, when children behaved… When the plane would be landing, yes, the children (including my own at the time) would scream, due to the pressure that gets in your ears, we as adults wish we could scream at that time. (LOL). It is stressful enough just flying these days, I do blame the mother for not being more agressive with her child’s behavior if he was out of line, which heprobably was, from what I saw this morning on GMA (LOL)

She should have been embrassed!!!!! I remember once in a store many years ago, my little girl at the time wanted to act out…… I told her, that she was going to be in trouble, if she didn’t stop, well I pinched her little arm, and dared her to holler, well needless to say, no more acting out in stores…..

By Is there a song in here somewhere?

July 13, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

“Mammas don’t let your children grow up to be spoiled brats”. The issue is whether parents recognize a responsibility to control their children in public. Children should not be allowed to inconvenience others, because the parents don’t care about the rights of others. She didn’t attempt to control her child on GMA, I doubt she attempted control on the plane. “Teach you children well”.

By Ardvark

July 13, 2007 11:45 AM | Link to this

Check your kid underneath the plane with the animals! I don’t want to listen to it whine!

By yancyb

July 13, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this

Dollbaby you must be an infant because you spell the way I would imagine an infant would spell.

By VAN

July 13, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this

Sounds like the flight attendant is in the wrong line of work! What do they need to investigate< the attendant I hope. Sounds like somebody is going to get a whole bunch of frequent flier miles>

By LIL BIT

July 13, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

DID YALL SEE THAT LIL CREATURE ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA? SOMEBODY SHOULD CALL DFCS ON THE PARENTS….SHE SHOULD BE LOCKED UP FOR STARVING THE CHILD.

By bunnyfoofoo

July 13, 2007 11:50 AM | Link to this

I am curious as to the racial make up of the people involved….and that baby.

Some people of both races don’t liked mixed children.

I’m just saying….

By Linda

July 13, 2007 11:50 AM | Link to this

“they sat in an airplane that was 11 hours late” I’m sure this had something to do with the attitudes involved. Even if the airline employee was out of line, the mother should have gotten the child under control and QUIET! You can only take so much of someone else’s kids.

By LIL BIT

July 13, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this

DID YALL SEE THAT LIL CREATURE ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA? SOMEBODY SHOULD CALL DFCS ON THE PARENTS….SHE SHOULD BE LOCKED UP FOR STARVING THE CHILD.

By Concerned for Our Country

July 13, 2007 11:52 AM | Link to this

I’ve read many of the comments posted so far and keep seeing two persistent themes. 1) Sympathy and support for the mother in this scenario, and 2)ME ME ME Unfortnately, #1 is desperately in the minority. That says something very very disappointing about our society, today. When the majority of people in a society start thinking primarily of themselves and their own comfort, even at the expense of someone else’s comfort or convenience, then we are no longer a society or a culture. We have become a group of individuals who care only about getting what s/he wants without regard to what consequence their actions have on others! No nation or culture can continue to survive under such circumstances.

I’ve seen some people saying that this has all been presented in a one-sided fashion without any regard to the other side of the story. However, it was clearly stated in the original story that the airline was unavailable for comment. That means that the airline was contacted and asked for a response to the claims made in the story, but they refused to give any response. That tells me that they know they were in the wrong and don’t want to discus it OR They believe that no matter what they say, they will be seen as the evil ones by the majority of society so why bother commenting. And, that in itself is a sad commentary on our society: ‘No matter what, once people have seen or heard one side of a story they make up their minds about the whole thing from both sides without regard to the truth.’

Finally, if there were any question about who was in the wrong in this case: 1) the FA should have discussed the issue calmly with the pilot and co-pilot, 2) the other passengers should have spoken up in the defense of whichever one was in the right, 3) where was the Air Marshall in all of this? Supposedly, there is supposed to be at least one AM on every US flight these days, so why did this person not do his/her job? If there were actually a problem with what the child was saying or doing, then the AM is supposed to step in and take over the situation. Ultimately, it is not the pilot who has the final decision on whether to turn the plane around. The Control Tower has to give permission and the AM has the right to overrule both the pilot and the Control Tower. 4) Does this company not have cameras in their planes? If the mother actually threatened the FA, their should be at least an audio recording of it if not a video.

So, the ultimate issue here is not whether the child did something wrong or not. Nor, is it whether the FA did right or wrong. Face it, people are human, we do stupid things sometimes. The ultimate issue here is whether or not the guilty part will take responsibility for actions taken or continue to blame the other party.

I am not a fan of lawsuits, but in this case, with the airline refusing to respond to the complaints leveled against them, there may well be no other option for finding the truth of the matter. And, if it’s true that the FA and the airline were at fault, as their refusal to comment suggests, then they will pay for their mistake in the only denomination they understand. Additionally, such a move would, hopefully, forestall further such misbehavior by airlines and their employees. Such lawsuits can be a strong deterrent. I am in education and can tell you, from experience, that once a company in an industry has been sued over an issue (often even when the company wins) every company in the industry starts carefully considering every action and every employee. And, often, companies will institute policies that tell their employees that if they do anything that gets them sued, they are completely on their own. Thus, the majority of employees start to very carefully consider every action on their part in terms of whether it will cause a rational person to want to file a lawsuit over the issue. Sadly, when it comes to customer service, the primary issue driving it has become a matter of “Just how little service can we provide for the highest price without getting ourselves sued.”

I wish that everyone in every industry could go through the customer service training that I and my fellow educators are going through at right now. This trainer could make a rock give better customer service. If everyone cared about giving top value for their customers’ time and money like this trainer, there would never be another lawsuit over customer service issues.

By OD

July 13, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this

After watching GMA, they should have been kicked off.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

The story really doesn’t go into much detail about how bad the kid’s conduct was; HOWEVER, ANY PERSON who has an 11 hour flight delay has reason to be upset. Perhaps if the adults on the plane would have complained mightily and often enough, the flight attendant would have understood perspective. They need to provide the mother and child with lifeline air travel passes and fire the attendant.

By LINDA2

July 13, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

LINDA, THEY DIDN’T SIT ON THE PLANE FOR 11 HOURS. THERE ARE STORES IN THE AIRPORT, SHE COULD HAVE PURCHASED JUICE OR MILK. I’M SURE SHE COULD HAVE CAUGHT A TAXI TO CVS OR ECKERDS OR BORROWED DIAPERS FROM ANOTHER MOTHER. I HAVE GIVEN DIAPERS AND FORMULA TO OTHERS IN THE AIRPORT. POOR PLANNING ON HER PART. DID HER BIG AZ EAT?

By LINDA2

July 13, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

LINDA, THEY DIDN’T SIT ON THE PLANE FOR 11 HOURS. THERE ARE STORES IN THE AIRPORT, SHE COULD HAVE PURCHASED JUICE OR MILK. I’M SURE SHE COULD HAVE CAUGHT A TAXI TO CVS OR ECKERDS OR BORROWED DIAPERS FROM ANOTHER MOTHER. I HAVE GIVEN DIAPERS AND FORMULA TO OTHERS IN THE AIRPORT. POOR PLANNING ON HER PART. DID HER BIG AZ EAT?

By Keith

July 13, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this

The story really doesn’t go into much detail about how bad the kid’s conduct was; HOWEVER, ANY PERSON who has an 11 hour flight delay has reason to be upset. Perhaps if the adults on the plane would have complained mightily and often enough, the flight attendant would have understood perspective. They need to provide the mother and child with lifeline air travel passes and fire the attendant.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this

The story really doesn’t go into much detail about how bad the kid’s conduct was; HOWEVER, ANY PERSON who has an 11 hour flight delay has reason to be upset. Perhaps if the adults on the plane would have complained mightily and often enough, the flight attendant would have understood perspective. They need to provide the mother and child with lifeline air travel passes and fire the attendant.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this

The story really doesn’t go into much detail about how bad the kid’s conduct was; HOWEVER, ANY PERSON who has an 11 hour flight delay has reason to be upset. Perhaps if the adults on the plane would have complained mightily and often enough, the flight attendant would have understood perspective. They need to provide the mother and child with lifeline air travel passes and fire the attendant.

By jjones

July 13, 2007 12:02 PM | Link to this

Small children and air travel hardly ever go together well. A 20 month old is usually on the lap of the parent and it’s rare when they are NOT causing trouble.

Parents need to be responsible enough to control their children, I don’t see any room for debate on that point. They should understand and realize that if their children are disruptive, they should be asked to leave the plane, or yes, drug the child. Please, oh please drug that child!!!

I have seen responsible parents who bring toys, snacks, and other “supplies” when they travel and guess what, their kids are not all over the place or screaming their heads off. Could there be a connection there, you think?

I have to pay for my air fare just like everyone else, and I don’t want to be subjected to a wild child raising cain for hours on end. In this day and age of scaled down service, I refuse to be held hostage to the mood swings of a toddler. Just look at how wild this kid was on TV this morning!!!

Parents who believe that everyone should think their kids are cute, need a wake up call.

By TR

July 13, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this

If there was an Air Marshall on the plane, he should have shot the little brat! That might have given everyone some peace and quiet

By LUCY

July 13, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this

what was the monster doing for 11 hours while at the airport? why didn’t she feed him at the airport?

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

Wikipedia page: Continental Express Airlines.

“Bye Bye, Plane In June 2007, an incident on a Continental Express flight led to a passenger and her 19 month-old son being removed from the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. [1] According to eyewitness accounts, Kate Penland and her son were ordered off the flight from Atlanta to Oklahoma City by a flight attendant who felt the child was talking too much during takeoff preparations. The flight attendant claimed Ms. Penland threatened her in asking the pilot to return to the gate. This claim is refuted by another passenger on the flight[2], and Ms. Penland was not arrested, ticketed, or charged by Houston police who responded.

Kristy Nicholas, a spokesperson for ExpressJet, stated that the airline has received a complaint from Ms. Penland about the incident and is investigating.”

By Johnny

July 13, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this

I love, Love Love Love Children, What I dont Love is Parents Who Cant Control Their Children, I dont want to ride 2-6hrs beside anyone who cant tell there child to stop! There is Cute, and then there is annoying. To Those of you who have children.

CONTROLL YOUR KIDS AT ALL TIMES!!!!!

By Keith

July 13, 2007 12:06 PM | Link to this

In reference to not bringing additional diapers, etc. - - -

Maybe they were already used up. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, the mother didn’t anticipate an 11 hour delay.

Why isn’t the airline more accountable to the passengers for the inconvenience of being DELAYS, through no fault of their customers?

By Keith

July 13, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

In reference to not bringing additional diapers, etc. - - -

Maybe they were already used up. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, the mother didn’t anticipate an 11 hour delay.

Why isn’t the airline more accountable to the passengers for the inconvenience of being DELAYS, through no fault of their customers?

By delta d

July 13, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

I agree J. B. I am wondering also now. Not only does she not have control, but he is a large toddler.

By Ron

July 13, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

“While I agree that the attendant overstepped her boundaries, a lawsuit will not change what happened. Just get over it.”

By that rationale, no one should ever do anything because nothing ever changes the past…so much for justice. Why bother? Got robbed? Just get over it. Got mugged? Just get over it. Raped? etc.

By GEORGE

July 13, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this

**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!

THAT MOTHER IS TO BLAME, NOT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT!!! WHY DIDN’T THE B*** FEED HER SON? THEY SHOULD HAVE LOCKED HER U!!!**

By Melissa

July 13, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this

This happened to my parents bringing home a puppy. It was the first time the puppy had not been with it’s mother and it was “whimpering”, my mother wanted to sit her on her lap to calm her down but the stewardess said it had to be in the carrier under the seat. The puppy kept whinng and stewardess got madder and madder. She was given a pink slip and was almost kicked off the plane because she couldn’t “shut that dog up!” If they are that stressed out (stewardesses) then they need to get a different job! There job is to make EVERYONE on that flight as comfortable as possible. They ALL need Customer Relation training! It’s only gotten worse over the years!

By Linda

July 13, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this

To “get over it”: I think people “get over” too much. I’m sick and tired of people thinking they can treat anyone like yesterday’s trash. I’m glad to see a “real” person in the news instead of the Paris Hilton’s. I wish we could ALL get over that.

By Melissa

July 13, 2007 12:11 PM | Link to this

This happened to my parents bringing home a puppy. It was the first time the puppy had not been with it’s mother and it was “whimpering”, my mother wanted to sit her on her lap to calm her down but the stewardess said it had to be in the carrier under the seat. The puppy kept whinng and stewardess got madder and madder. She was given a pink slip and was almost kicked off the plane because she couldn’t “shut that dog up!” If they are that stressed out (stewardesses) then they need to get a different job! There job is to make EVERYONE on that flight as comfortable as possible. They ALL need Customer Relation training! It’s only gotten worse over the years!

By george

July 13, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

If the brats behavior on the plane was anything like what occured on Good Morning America, then the little bast* should have been kicked off the plane. Ihate sitting next to annoying and/or screaming kids on a flight.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Why should the attendant be punished because the mother is a bad parent?

By RHONDA

July 13, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

SOMEBODY TELL ME WHY SHE DIDN’T LEAVE THE AIRPORT (VIA TAXI) AND GO TO CVS OR ECKERD’S AND BUY SOME DIAPERS, WIPES, TOILETRIES AND FOOD FOR HERSELF AND HER SON? WHAT A FAT, LAZY B!!! THEY HAVE ATM MACHINES IN THE AIRPORT. DON’T MAKE EXCUSE FOR THE WOMAN. I DIDN’T RECALL HEARING SHE DIDN’T CLEAN HER AZ OR EAT!!!

By James

July 13, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

The FA and some of these bloggers need Benadryl.

By Ted

July 13, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this

Okay you jerks blasting the kid. I don’t want to sit next to women who have saggy boobs or three nipples or men who have ugly wives, they disgust me. I don’t want to sit next to anyone fat or too thin or anyone from any town or street other than my own or anywone who doesn’t look just like me or subscribe to my political way of thinking. I don’t want to be on a plane with anyonw with bad teeth, ugly hair or cheap clothes or who deosn’t drive an expensive car. Oh, it’s totally cool to allow Arab terrorist with box-cutter knives and shoe bombs on the planes. Oh yes, don’t get me started about about having to sit anywhere near a blonde. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

We should ban all kids from flights under the age of, say, 8 years old in order to control behavior on flights.

Then, we should ban all diabetics because, God forbid, if their blood sugar levels get out of whack, they’ll wig out. And you know what can happen on a plane when that happens. (Without allowing diabetics to travel, however, we eliminate that problem.)

What about big people? They shouldn’t be allowed on planes either. God knows I’ve had my share of fat folks sitting beside me taking up more than their share of arm space. And when I have a window seat and have to climb over some long-legged individual because there’s very little leg room - well, that annoys me.

And what about the passengers who didn’t bathe the night before? We should institute a device that measures bacteria to ensure comfort for all.

You get the picture. I don’t appreciate rowdy kids either, BUT, what is more disturbing is that unless incidents like this occur that bring exposure to normal airline methods of excessive delays, poor customer service will continue unabated; the airlines have no incentive to change.

I can tell you this. I wish it had been me that the stewardess crossed in such manner. Bet your bottom dollar, I’d found where the b*** lived.

By Disappointed

July 13, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this

The truth is their was no air marshall on the flight.. Listen up terrorist, the United States are idiots, just read these blogs from all of these high and mighty child haters.

All I can say is if I would have been that parent and that *itch of a flight attendant would have said and acted that way toward me about my child, she would of only been able to pray that a air marshall was on that flight because my reaction to her would not have been nice…….

By Jean

July 13, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this

I am retired after 35 years in social work and dealing with crying, unruly children. Why didn’t the flight attendant have toys or books to try to interest the child. As long as the other passengers weren’t complaining I think she was way out of line.

By Noelle

July 13, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

Assuming the story is true as it’s been reported — a toddler saying something repetitively during takeoff, not yelling or refusing to stay in the seat, as in previous such stories — then the flight attendant is wrong.

Yes, sometimes the child is out of control or the parents don’t know how to quiet them (like feeding a baby during takeoff so it doesn’t scream because its ears are hurting). But even the best-behaved children are not going to sit perfectly still and quiet in an airplane for the duration of a flight. They talk and they move around. There’s a huge difference between acting like a child and acting like a brat. It drives me crazy when people treat the former like the latter (which is what some of the commenters here are doing).

If the airline refuses to address the problem at all, as the reports say, then a lawsuit may be the way to go.

By Sam

July 13, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

People should stop jumping to conclusions (remember the boys at Duke, media???) Only Kate Penland’s story has been presented. Judgement should be deferred until all facts are in. With the limited info provided, it sounds like the mother did nothing to quiet the child during the safety briefing. How rude. I know adults are guilty of this too so maybe this will be a wake up call for all travelers.

By jmaynard

July 13, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

I will seek out to fly Express Jet when I can. Any airline that sends today’s parents off the plane with their misbehaving/loud/crying/whining babies and kids is the airline for me. I will be the one on the plane to complain loud and clear that my rights and comfort as a fare paying passenger are being ingfringed upon. No one willingly pays often over $1000 to fly for several hours listening to crying/loud babies and kids. And don’t get me started on the “250 + pound size of the side of a tobacco barn heffers” who try to get a little ham in my seat too! It will be a great day when babies and kids have their own sealed-off section and tickets are priced according to how much you weight! Express Jet keep up the good work and THANK YOU!

By george

July 13, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

Disappointed…if your child was acting like that I would hope the flight attendant would do something. Did you see the little a*******hole on TV today? That’s probably a small example of what occured on the plane.

By CECILY

July 13, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this

SOME OF YOU ARE SO STUPID AND DEFEND THESE LITTLE BAD AZ CREATURES WHO GROW UP AND CONTINUE TO BE DESTRUCTIVE LITTLE BAST**!!!

By Becky

July 13, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this

Maybe the mother wasn’t perfect like we’d all like her to be, but the Flight Attendant stepped over the line when she told the pilot that the mother had made a threat against her (that’s how she got the pilot to go back to the gate) and to tell her to give her child “baby benadryl.” Why is it when they finally were able to get on another carrier the next day to their destination and the baby actually threw a full fledged fit that that Flight Attendant didn’t “boot” them as well?

By Nikki

July 13, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this

To “Concerned for Our Country”,

Thanks for the Essay

By Sam

July 13, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

Just throw your hands in the air tell your kid you just don’t care how talking at the wrong time sticky hands and face grime peeeeeeve and just cause ills to other people subjected to your hands off parenting skills

By Dwayne

July 13, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

Thank god someone stood up to a parent who can’t control their child. If you can’t control your child, you should NOT be allowed on a plane.

By ppomeroy

July 13, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

jmaynard - well aren’t you perfect! I hope you are running for office. You’ve got my vote. Sieg Heil…

By AG

July 13, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

I hate being on a flight with a screaming child, as much as anyone…however, I think the Flight Attendant over-stepped her boundaries! She has no right—whatsoever to tell a parent to drug their child!!! And, on the other end of the spectrum, the child had been held up in the airport for 11 hours before getting on the plane!! Tell me how many kids would have misbehaved, rather than saying “bye, bye, plane” repeatedly?!

By Mark

July 13, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

Looks to me like that load that created this child would have been better off shot into a condom.

By MAD

July 13, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

Look you child hating morons. The child was not running up and down the aisle of the plane, he wasnt hitting or biting other passengers, he wasnt waving a fake gun around, he wasnt s** or peeing all over the seats or on passengers..ect…ect….ect…

I dont give a damn what part of the story has come out, this mother did not deserve to be kicked off the plane. Like one other blogger said why didnt the b*** sorry a* flight attendant go get some books or toys for the child, ohhhhhh thats right we dont live in a customer service world.

Warning: you high and mighty child haters, you better be careful who you say something to about their child, they may go to jail but you will go away in a ambulance.

Just because a 2yr old is not acting like a 18yr old or like a adult or so well behaved walking around as a poster child for some drug company that makes crap like ritenlin almost in a coma state, does NOT mean the parent or parents are poor crappy parents that do not care or discipline their child. For crap sakes the boy was only 18 months old.. give me a break…

THE MOTHER DID NOT DESERVE TO BE TAKEN OFF THE PLANE..PERIOD… I HOPE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT GETS SUED AND FIRED.. SHES JUST LUCKY IT WASNT ME SHE DID THAT TOO…..

By T

July 13, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

I recently sat on a plane with a mother holding a small child in her lap right next to me. The pair had obviously been traveling a while and this was their second flight. The child was tired (and so was the mother). While the child repeated things regularly and made a small fuss every now and then, but after a little while—it was just some noise and it was no big deal. It didn’t ruin my flight because let’s face it, no one gets on a plane for the pleasure of it! It was a mild annoyance, but I would have never asked her to leave the plane!!

By tony

July 13, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

http://www.wsbtv.com/video/13675551/index.html

here is the link for the interview this morning, the kid cant even act right for 3 mins on the interview let along a several hour plane ride….watch this is funny, they had to kick the kid off the stage…lol

By NOT A MOM BUT IRRATE!

July 13, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

WHAT THE BLEEP DID THE CHILD DO THAT MAKES YOU ALL SAY THE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE CONTROLLED THE CHILD? ALL THE CHILD SAID WAS “BYE BYE PLANE”. THE CHILD WASN’T LAYING ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING! YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU ALL HAVE CHILDREN… THEN YOU’LL KNOW - YOU CAN’T CONTROL ANOTHER LIVING BEING! YOU CAN COMFORT THEM AND TRY AND EASE THERE DISCOMFORT, BUT YOU PHYSICALLY CAN’T “MAKE” SOMEONE BE QUIET!

By NOT A MOM BUT IRRATE!

July 13, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

WHAT THE BLEEP DID THE CHILD DO THAT MAKES YOU ALL SAY THE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE CONTROLLED THE CHILD? ALL THE CHILD SAID WAS “BYE BYE PLANE”. THE CHILD WASN’T LAYING ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING! YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU ALL HAVE CHILDREN… THEN YOU’LL KNOW - YOU CAN’T CONTROL ANOTHER LIVING BEING! YOU CAN COMFORT THEM AND TRY AND EASE THERE DISCOMFORT, BUT YOU PHYSICALLY CAN’T “MAKE” SOMEONE BE QUIET!

By Nosey

July 13, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this

The only thing worse than a screaming kid on your flight is plane poop. Does the Parent not smell it?

By helpingpeoplefly

July 13, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

I would like to know how your small children would act after an 11 hour delay at an airport? Would they all be angels? I doubt it. I’m a corporate travel agent and I know how my “adult” clients act when they have a delay at the airport - not much better than an almost 2 year old!!

By Say it isn't so

July 13, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

Ya’ll gotta be kiddin be. This mess is national news. We are truely going to hell with gasoline draws on. ALL of us. I have been on flights that I just wanted to take the little banchie sitting and kicking me in my back during the entire flight and running up and down the plane. Locking themselves in rest rooms while the PARENT sits and acts as if it’s ok…Heck they drug their pets. Drug the kids. Make it a pleasant flight for all…and yes I do have kids…but they are VERY well behaved…Cause they know they’ll get a nice tongue lashing or a good spanking for misbehaving. Bet girlie doesn’t believe in disipling her kid. Nuf said

By helpingpeoplefly

July 13, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

I would like to know how your small children would act after an 11 hour delay at an airport? Would they all be angels? I doubt it. I’m a corporate travel agent and I know how my “adult” clients act when they have a delay at the airport - some not much better than an almost 2 year old!!

By Kan

July 13, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

It may have been unnecessary to kick them off the plane however, parents travelling with babies and small children should have their own plane for other families travelling with children. It is very annoying to be on a plane with a crying or loud child for hours. Some parents ignore their crying child and don’t bother to think about other passengers. Personlly, I don’t want to hear it. When I’m flying I’m thinking about my comfort. How about designated times to fly with babies. That way I can choose a flight without any children on it if I want to.

By Sam

July 13, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this

The people who says FA’s just push the cart:

Part of their job is to serve drinks and snacks but in the event anyone survives a crash it is also their job the evacuate the passengers off the aircraft.

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

I never blame the child for it’s actions because they don’t know any better. It’s the parents who are usually to blame unless there is something mentally wrong with the child. If you don’t have time to teach your children how to act in public or just don’t care, please don’t have children. If you are not going to discipline your children than don’t get mad if I say something to them. If you are not going to provide structure in your child’s life than don’t be shocked when they turn out to be an unruly young adult. Educate yourself before you bring a child into the world. Children are not tokens people!!

By Don Imus

July 13, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

She needs to keep the lil snotnosed brat quiet. Kids should not be allowed on airplanes till they are old enough to shut the h.ll up.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

After viewing the video, I’ve come to the conclusion that that brat could use a few slaps upside it’s head. The child is obviously an irritant. A simple case of bad parenting.

By JHF

July 13, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this

About having to wait for an 11-hour delay in the airport, it is not a case that you know in advance you are going to wait there for 11 hours, so you can take a little excursion downtown to go shopping at Walmart. No, this is an insane period of 11 hours, because the airline won’t tell you ANYTHING. They say, it may be a 30 minutes, then a half-hour later, they say, within 40 minutes, then after you wait another hour, they promise “very soon”, then after another hour, they say “It’s looks like we’ll leave within the next 20-30 minutes,” and so on. So the stewardess is not supposed to get so cranked up, she is supposed to be a professional, if she can’t handle the pressure, take some STEWARDESS-BENADRYL.

By DadMania

July 13, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this

I recently flew with my four year old daughter. The TSA agent wanted my four year old to say her name so she could verify the ticket. My daughter started crying because this woman was a stranger and needed me to pick her up and calm her down because she was so upset with this woman.

The TSA wouldn’t let us get through security saying that until my daughter said her name we wouldn’t be getting on the plane. She kept my daughter crying for over five minutes while letting others behind us pass through security.

Hello, she’s four years old and has been taught NOT to talk to strangers. I understand she is looking out to make sure I am not kidnapping a small child but when the child gets upset and jumps into her dads arms I think it is safe to say that I am not stealing the kid.

What a joke this woman was. Her education only allows her so much so I guess I should be glad she doesn’t have a more meaningful job.

By Sarah

July 13, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this

If that had been me I would’ve been in jail for kicking the flight attendants butt! I hope she gets fired—what she did was not cool.

By mel

July 13, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

Rhonda- um, let’s see, get a taxi at the airport to go to CVS. Hook up carseat in taxi, get taxi driver to wait at CVS (trusting said taxi driver to not drive off with the carseat, since the FAA requires kiddos to be in a carseat), unhook carseat from taxi, pay taxi driver, go back through security lines with toddler.. Gee, sounds like a friggin blast! And I ask because honestly I don’t know since I hate flying, but do they sell diapers at the airport? I assume they do, but in limited supply…

Anyway, I am eagerly anticipating Parenting Lessons from all of these perfect parents who can make a 19 month old not talk. I’d like to meet your now adult children, written references from when they were children who can vouch for them never misbehaving. Ever. I’d like the first lesson to be, “How To Teach A Child To Act In Public While Never Taking Them In Public”. I’ll be right here waiting on info on the classes! Thanks!

By ppomeroy

July 13, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

I saw GMA. The toddler was acting exactly like any two year-old who had to get up at 5:00 am, in a hotel room, to go and sit in front of a bunch of strangers on a TV set. I’m certain a few of you when you were two would have done much better, and I KNOW your children or grandchildren must have done much much much better… Get off the kid.

Unless that kid was trying to open the emergency door, their is no excuse for kicking him off the plane.

For those of you annoyed at toddlers on planes because they annoy you….I think your ugly face is annoying, either cover it up, or you get off the plane. You

You tell me the difference?

By slk

July 13, 2007 1:01 PM | Link to this

Continental has some of the rudest flight attendants followed by Air Tran. When we fly we have to put up with all kinds of inconveniences, people kicking your seat, chatty seat mates, and always a grumpy FA. Its the nature of the beast. I fly from ATL to Newark and back every other week and I have yet to get an FA who smiles and is pleasant. Maybe I need to change from the morning commuter flight to a night flight, because these FAs are surely not morning people.

By JM

July 13, 2007 1:03 PM | Link to this

Babies and small children should not be allowed to fly anyway. Or, they should be sedated and stored in the cargo hold. All they do is disturb others.

By toepro

July 13, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

The little B@stard kids needs some discipline!

By tony

July 13, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

** http://www.wsbtv.com/video/13675551/index.html

WILL YALL LOOK AND THE INTERVIEW!!

By Nikki

July 13, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this

Thank you Tony for the link… Can I just say OH MY GOD, the mom couldn’t even control this child long enough to make america feel sorry for her on TV. No while some of these posts have been really harsh… I certainly would have been past annoyed if I’d have had to sit next to them for a long ride, especially after an 11 hour lay-over, that had to be HELL!!!!!!!

By putnam

July 13, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

The FA should be fired and never allowed on a plane again. If drugging a child is her way of dealing with children, then she should never be allowed to breed - keep her a working drone, but not with customer contact.

I don’t like lawsuits either, but in today’s society the unfortunate reality is that in order for someone to take notice and get something done you must contact the media and file a lawsuit. I would have been on the phone with both AJC and my lawyer before I had left my seat on the airplane. And I’d have the FAs name and photo plastered all over the internet and wherever else I could manage to get it …

By Elaine

July 13, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

I just returned from a flight to N.Y. and on my trip up I was kicked in the back non-stop from the moment I sat down on the plane by a child about 18 mos. old. Due to flight delays we were on the plane almost 4 hours. After 3 hrs. I finally turned around and politely asked the mother to keep the child from kicking my seat as I was recovering from recent back surgery. She smiled and said “I have been trying”. The kicking continued until we landed. Needless to say I was in a great deal of pain from the constant kicking all because the mother refused to controll her child. A few kicks I could understand but non-stop??? If the child would not stop kicking why did the mother not position the child so that she kicked mommie instead of my seat? No, it was easier to let her kick someone else. I have flown with my granddaughter since she was 6 mos old and have always managed to entertain her with a book, toy, etc. so that she did not annoy other travelers. No medication just giving the child attention and love. Parents are going to sue?? Give me a break…you can sue for anything but winning is another issue. The parents are apparently attention/money seekers who need lesson in parenting. They could not even keep the child under control for five minutes for a television interview…that tells it all. Give the airline/flight attendants a break.
By the way the word stewardess has not been used in 30 years!!

By Falcon Warrior Princess

July 13, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this

I’m sure the kid was saying “Bye, Bye, Plane” to every plane they passed - blame it on the “Good Night Moon” book :) - but big deal. The FA over-reacted plain and simple. I’m not one to jump on the law suit bandwagon but I will this time. She had already waited 11 hours. She had to be out of diaper and other baby supplies. Now she has to find another flight, pay for it, possibly a hotel there and certainly more supplies. There may have been people on the other end waiting for her who may have spent time and money on food, transportation and possibly hotel rooms to wait for her. She’s got a legitimate suit - not for millions or anything - but she is due more than an apology.

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this

Good point ppomeroy!!!! What kind of mother makes their child get up that early just so they can be on TV!! It’s her fault not the childs.

By R

July 13, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this

To everyone who says that she couldn’t have expected an 11 hour delay and ran out of diapers and other supplies… HELLO?! Airports SELL everything. You can buy some more diapers, juice, even toys at pretty much every airport I’ve ever been to. Yes it’s more expensive, but if it will mean your kid doesn’t have to sit around in a dirty diaper and misbehave DEAL WITH IT.

By Tawny

July 13, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

There are always two sides to a story. Unfortunately, Flight Attendants are not able to speak to the media regarding an incident that happens at work because of contractual guidelines.
As a former Flight Attendant, we do work long hours and at the end of the day, we are not as patient as we were with the first flight of the day. I also know passengers have become less patient and more irate because of the entire process it takes to end up sitting in a seat on a plane. By the time they park, drag luggage in, go through ticketing, get searched and get on the plane, Flight Attendants are the only front line crew left to take all of that frustration out on. I was not there and have no idea what took place on this plane. I do know from my experience as a Flight Attendant, parents are not controlling their kids on a plane. They think because they are on vacation or their child is in an unfamiliar environment, it is okay to let them behave as they want. I have had many parents ring the flight attendant call button to ask me to make their child behave. “Can you make Timmy sit down”, “Can you tell Timmy to put on his seatbelt”, Can you tell Timmy to stop kicking the passenger seat in front of him”. I would always ask, “Did you tell him to stop?” and the response was always the same, “Yes, but he will not listen to me”. In a team friendly environment, many Captions (during their initial briefing) tell the lead Flight Attendant, they are in-charge of the cabin; they are the eyes and ears of what is going on in the back. Ultimately the Caption is in charge of the entire plane, and they make the final decision to turn a plane around and have a passenger removed. If this Flight Attendant lied, she should be reprimanded. But I will bet that on the plane that day, that this lady was not the nice lady she appeared to be on her “television circuit” (to bring credibility for the amount of money she is about to sue the airline over). Flight Attendants primary job is to insure the safety of the cabin. Customer service comes second. Customer service involves insuring everyone is comfortable; therefore not letting little Timmy make everyone’s flight miserable. Parents, control your kids on an airplane.

By KatyWatts

July 13, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

Yes, the FA probably did overstep her bounds but in an age when so many kids appear in public as spoiled brats, she probably had enough. Further, society as a whole, doesn’t have uncharacteristic expectations of children these days. They have EXPECTATIONS! Kids should behave and, most of the time, they don’t! Is an apology in order, yes. A lawsuit, no!

By Hudson

July 13, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

As a frequent flyer I hate be trapped with some child whose parent does not attempt to control him. I watched the mother on GMA this morning and it was obvious that she has no control over that child. He was unruly and had to be removed from the couch to complete the interview. She should have been removed from the plane!

By Lin

July 13, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

Maybe the airlines need more seating categories: Mothers w/children section, Leave Me Alone, I don’t want to be bothered” section, Overweight section, Too Thin-I can Share a Seat section, Talkers section,Sleepers section-you get the picture LOL

By Shawn

July 13, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

Ok, its simple…

The Kid was saying good bye to a plane and the “thing” that was giving pre flight instructions did not like children.

I have 3 kids, one of my little ones has Austim, He cannot help alot of his actions, however If someone ever does that to me I will be arrested and locked up for a long time. Knowing this I would not fly with him, however if all this kid did was say BYE BYE PLANE I say they should fire the “Thing” and make hr pay any award money this family wins in court.

Telling the mom to drug her kid, What a B*

By Mark

July 13, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

A child that age should already be toilet trained. Simply a case of bad parenting. A diaper shoved down it’s throat would be more appropiate.

By Mark

July 13, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

A child that age should already be toilet trained. Simply a case of bad parenting. A diaper shoved down it’s throat would be more appropiate.

By Trixie in Dixie

July 13, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

Yes, the FA could have expressed herself differently or better than she did, and yes, the airline could have responded to the complaint more quickly, but the fact remains that a child on a plane, unless asleep or absolutely quiet and motionless, is unpleasant to deal with.

Those who are saying “we were all two years old once” as if to imply that we all behaved this atrociously as toddlers are obviously not old enough to have been raised by parents who taught their children the difference between how to behave at home or outdoors playing, and how to behave in an enclosed public space, like a restaurant, movie theater, store, airplane, etc.

Of course you can allow children to be children, but since when do you have to take them everywhere you go anyway? When I was a kid, my parents used common sense and babysitters when they wanted to go to “grownup” places like restaurants or movies. I had a lot more fun with babysitters or Grandma than I would have if I had been forced to sit quietly in a place that held no interest for me as a toddler. Think about it. Nowadays, people drag their kids to bars, adult parties, R-rated movies, and Wal-mart at 3AM (no exaggeration)… that should be considered reckless endangerment or abuse. It’s no wonder the poor kids get cranky.

When I did go out with my parents, like shopping in a store, I was not allowed to run wild or yell or throw merchandise around. I see things in stores now, even nice upscale stores, that makes me grind my teeth. People have no consideration for anyone around them, or for the store property their little monsters destroy. My own mom still gets incensed when we go shopping now and small children are running around like wild animals. She and I both know that I never did it because I was taught from an early age that it was not acceptable behavior for civilized people, and she would not tolerate it. If and when I ever did something out of line, my mom simply said very seriously - “you are not going to —-; we can leave here right now, do you understand me?” and that was all I needed to change my tune.

And just for the record, my parents never used physical violence to control me - spanking, swatting, slapping, etc. were not needed. No, they are not new age hippie types - my dad was once a Marine, and my mom taught school for more than 40 years. Just good old-fashioned responsible and loving parents who raised a child to be a person, not an animal.

No wonder I loathe other people’s children in public places.

By MelP

July 13, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

This child is only 20 months old. Why are some people on here acting like he’s old enough to actually understand most of what is going on? He’s not Five or Ten. It can be very difficult to quiet a toddler that young sometimes despite your best efforts—because they can’t comprehend what you’re saying at times. What kind of “Discipline” are some of you suggesting she should have used?

By Nibs

July 13, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

I’m sorry, but there is nothing worse than being stuck on a plane near or around a toddler, especially one whose parent has no idea that their child’s Damien-esque exorcist behavior is annoying. Even worse is the parent who tries to cut corners by having good old Damien sit on his/her lap during the 4-hour flight - as if that child isn’t going to encroach on the space of the adjacent seat.

By azcat225

July 13, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

Syd: Back from lunch, saw your reply. What you seem to be conveniently ignoring is what I pointed out—-the only stmts given so far by the actual witnesses to the incident, other than the mother and the FA, are supportive of the mother. Show me stmts of support from other passengers who witnessed the entire incident that support the FA and I would be glad to reconsider. My wife and I have travelled with our kids since they were infants and have never had any problems with them. We carried toys, books, drinks, diapers, the whole nine yards; made sure they were drinking something during takeoffs and landing to keep their ears from hurting or popping, etc. Are there poor parents that take their kids on a flight? Absolutely. But let’s not do the Knee Jerk Reaction and apply it to every child and every sitation. Given the facts and statements reported so far about the incident itself (the GMA interview is totally irrelevant to what happened on the plane), the FA seems to have grossly overreacted in, again, THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION.

By Tawny

July 13, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this

There are always two sides to a story. Unfortunately, Flight Attendants are not able to speak to the media regarding an incident that happens at work because of contractual guidelines.
As a former Flight Attendant, we do work long hours and at the end of the day, we are not as patient as we were with the first flight of the day. I also know passengers have become less patient and more irate because of the entire process it takes to end up sitting in a seat on a plane. By the time they park, drag luggage in, go through ticketing, get searched and get on the plane, Flight Attendants are the only front line crew left to take all of that frustration out on. I was not there and have no idea what took place on this plane. I do know from my experience as a Flight Attendant, parents are not controlling their kids on a plane. They think because they are on vacation or their child is in an unfamiliar environment, it is okay to let them behave as they want. I have had many parents ring the flight attendant call button to ask me to make their child behave. “Can you make Timmy sit down”, “Can you tell Timmy to put on his seatbelt”, Can you tell Timmy to stop kicking the passenger seat in front of him”. I would always ask, “Did you tell him to stop?” and the response was always the same, “Yes, but he will not listen to me”. In a team friendly environment, many Captions (during their initial briefing) tell the lead Flight Attendant, they are in-charge of the cabin; they are the eyes and ears of what is going on in the back. Ultimately the Caption is in charge of the entire plane, and they make the final decision to turn a plane around and have a passenger removed. If this Flight Attendant lied, she should be reprimanded. But I will bet that on the plane that day, that this lady was not the nice lady she appeared to be on her “television circuit” (to bring credibility for the amount of money she is about to sue the airline over). Flight Attendants primary job is to insure the safety of the cabin. Customer service comes second. Customer service involves insuring everyone is comfortable; therefore not letting little Timmy make everyone’s flight miserable. Parents, control your kids on an airplane. Tawny

By SW

July 13, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this

I can’t believe the amount of stupid idiots in this world!! To all the child haters…yes, if you think children should be “seen, not heard” or that they are “raping” your ears by talking, then you are a child hater…I hope you all have a little “accident” and get to enjoy the other side of this argument! I think if you don’t like children you are the ones who should stay at home, not the other way around.

By Hume

July 13, 2007 1:32 PM | Link to this

I would welcome eagerly a child that was happy and spoke while on a plane. I just returned from Boston where both legs of my flight I was subjected to infants and toddlers in the row in front of, behind, and to the side of my seats. Both legs, all of the children screamed and cried and kicked my seat throughout the flights and the parents did little to stop the behavior. I’ve got a child of my own, but when he was young I didn’t take him on planes because it would be inconsiderate to others. Those days are gone, I guess….

By Phil

July 13, 2007 1:33 PM | Link to this

Ya know, even if the kid was bratty, even if he was loud, it doesn’t really matter. The FA lied to get the plane turned around, was obviously having a control-freak moment, and at the very least needs to be suspended, if not fired. The mother paid for the right to be on that plane. Unless there was a safety issue, that plane should have gone on its merry way and the FA should have kept her mouth shut. I hope the mother wins millions in addition to all the free travel she can get.

By Zeke

July 13, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this

If your child has behavioral issues, stay off of airplanes. Nobody else thinks your child is cute, just you.

By girlgaga

July 13, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this

My last flight, I was seated next to a man with a lap dog that yapped NONSTOP for the first two hours of the flight. I did not see the attendant addressing that nuisance. We’ll tolerate a dog but not a child?????? I spend as much on a ticket for my toddler as you do and that dog was flying for free!!!

By Doug

July 13, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this

To Mad Father, are you really telling me that if I am around your children and they are misbehaving and I politely ask you to control your children, then the Devil will come out???? I really hope this is not what you are saying because a) that is not very Christian like (you said it) and b) that is teaching your child a very poor lesson. Same goes for the ex-Marine who dares anyone to say anything about their kid, is this really how you teach them to behave (because you know they model their behavior after what they see in you)?

By Robin

July 13, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

Okay -

Yes, there are always 2 sides to every story.

The airline hasn’t given us their side. Why is that?

We have only heard from passengers who supported the mother and her story. Why is that?

Could it perhaps be because the storey we have heard is exactly what happened?

Look, this 19 month old BABY already flew from Atlanta that day. YOu know how long before your flight you have to get to the airport. So, this little guy had 1. Ridden in a carseat from Buford to Harsfield/Jackson Airport. 2. GOne through all the check in, drop baggage stuff 3. Waited in the gate for the plane 4. boarded plane in Atlanta 5. Endured the flight out of Atlanta 6. GOtten off plane 7. ENDURED a delay of 11 hours! 11 hours people!

And, for all those folks who have posted comments about ATMs being in the airport, the mom should have taken a taxi to a CVS to purchase diapers, etc., for baby,.blah, blah, blah. Well I am so glad you are financially able to get a taxi and make this unplanned shopping trip. I have been in situations where I only had JUST enough money. And, I mean JUST ENOUGH. No extra for a coke, a meal, etc. ANd, let’s also not forget all the requirements about liquids on an airplane. Could the mom even carry any liquids on the plane for the baby? Why didn’t the FA offer some water, something to the baby.

Maybe the Mom just didn’t have the money to hire a taxi. And, oh yeah, do taxi’s come with baby car seats? Or was the Mom supposed to buy a carseat at the airport for her child to ride in a taxe to the CVS? Oh, the airport didn’t sell carseats? Well, have some tolerance people.

I get irritated at people who continue to talk LOUDLY on their cell-phones in public, talk too loudly to others with them, smack gum, burp, fart, stink, wear clothes that are too short, too tight, so loose I can see their underwear. Hey, you really aren’t all that. But I tolerate it.

It is called tolerance people.

By Robin

July 13, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this

Okay -

Yes, there are always 2 sides to every story.

The airline hasn’t given us their side. Why is that?

We have only heard from passengers who supported the mother and her story. Why is that?

Could it perhaps be because the storey we have heard is exactly what happened?

Look, this 19 month old BABY already flew from Atlanta that day. YOu know how long before your flight you have to get to the airport. So, this little guy had 1. Ridden in a carseat from Buford to Harsfield/Jackson Airport. 2. GOne through all the check in, drop baggage stuff 3. Waited in the gate for the plane 4. boarded plane in Atlanta 5. Endured the flight out of Atlanta 6. GOtten off plane 7. ENDURED a delay of 11 hours! 11 hours people!

And, for all those folks who have posted comments about ATMs being in the airport, the mom should have taken a taxi to a CVS to purchase diapers, etc., for baby,.blah, blah, blah. Well I am so glad you are financially able to get a taxi and make this unplanned shopping trip. I have been in situations where I only had JUST enough money. And, I mean JUST ENOUGH. No extra for a coke, a meal, etc. ANd, let’s also not forget all the requirements about liquids on an airplane. Could the mom even carry any liquids on the plane for the baby? Why didn’t the FA offer some water, something to the baby.

Maybe the Mom just didn’t have the money to hire a taxi. And, oh yeah, do taxi’s come with baby car seats? Or was the Mom supposed to buy a carseat at the airport for her child to ride in a taxe to the CVS? Oh, the airport didn’t sell carseats? Well, have some tolerance people.

I get irritated at people who continue to talk LOUDLY on their cell-phones in public, talk too loudly to others with them, smack gum, burp, fart, stink, wear clothes that are too short, too tight, so loose I can see their underwear. Hey, you really aren’t all that. But I tolerate it.

It is called tolerance people.

By Something is wrong

July 13, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

I say it’s time to that stewardess as a mop to clean up after the baby leaves the plane. She WAY overstepped her boundaries…especially when she said “This is MY plane”. Show me the ownership papers, please. I thought it belonged to the airline.

Maybe she was having a “bad day”, but even that is no reason to get onto a little child for doing what comes naturally…saying “bye-bye”. Geeze.

By nochildrenallowed

July 13, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

Children not old enough to attend school, six, shoud not be allowed on any commercial flight. The infant in arms rule is ridiculous. A child’s not safe in a SUV going 20 MPH without a properly installed child seat but on a plane traveling 500 MPH your arms are good? Traveling is already a pain. Please keep your whinny little rug rat at home and while your at it you can stay there too.

By Lillian

July 13, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

This incident seems to have become a lightning rod for everyone’s experiences with other people’s children. However, you cannot apply your experience to this incident. I once worked as a security checker in the 1970’s. When people travel and are subjected to long flights or delays, they are stressed. I remember a woman who broke down and cried after coming in from a long international flight and couldn’t deal with another security check before continuing on a domestic flight. There was another time when an 11pm flight was delayed after the passengers were checked through security and put on board the plane - after six hours of sitting on a plane that wasn’t moving, officials had to take everybody off because adults were crying on the plane. The airline had avoided letting them off the plane because of the expense in putting them through another security check and delaying the flight longer. Knowing how people react to stress should be considered in this incident because the woman and her child had already been delayed for 11 hours, and the child’s mother was probably exhausted and unable to cope.

By noflyzone

July 13, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

We should all be considerate of each other at all times. The airline agencies should publicly define whats unacceptable behavior on airplanes and post them at the gates and even have them printed on the jacket of the tickets. Just because you paid for a ticket does not give you the right to ignore standard social manners and behaviors. If you have unruly kids or kids with behavioral conditions beyond your control you should be realistic: don’t fly, disclipline your child, consult your doctor as to what to do in this case. The interview on GMA showed us this parent selfishly ignores her child and allows this behavior to exist (where’s “The Nanny” when you need her), do you let your kids climb onto the coffee table? I don’t and it’s taught to them at an early age? Did you once hear her tell her child to stop? The FA didn’t handle this situation in the best way, we all have tough days. Compensate the Mother with one round trip with a stipulation that the child has to behave on future flights or they will be bumped from the flight. Suspend the FA 2 flights and have her attend an anger management or create a training program for FA on handling parents with unruly kids for extreme cases like this. Parents with unruly kids should not feel it’s an acceptable behavior without the consequences subject to being removed from a plane. If an adult can be refused boarding because of bad behavior or using verbally abusive language or the least assumed intoxication, parents have to be held liable and not excused for their kids bad behavior.

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

As a medical physican who specializes in drug safety, I can tell you that giving “Benadryl” or any other sedating medication to a child is not a benign act. Medications should be administered only when indicated by health care guidance. This includes OTC products. Medications, such as Benadryl, are used for treating an illness, only when the benefit can outweigh the risk involved and only if taken as directed. These medications are not to be used to sedate children under any circumstances. Any health provider that would suggest these as sedatives in children may be vulnerable to a malpractice claim if there was a poor health outcome. Benadryl toxicity (e.g., dilated pupils, flushed face, hallucinations, ataxic gait, urinary retention) has been reported in pediatric patients. Drugging a child aboard an airline is a bad idea. The flight attendant might have ended up doing CPR. Unfortunately, I have had the responsibility to investigate pediatric deaths from medication misuse. Trust me, a babbling child is a joy in comparison.

By FedUp

July 13, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

It’s obvious that “nochildrenallowed” has no children, and must have never been one him/herself. My child has just as much right on that airplane as you. In fact, I’d rather sit next to one of them than I would sit next to YOU.

Have a drink. Chill out. Get over yourself. When YOU pay for my baby/toddler/child to fly,then you have the right to complain.

I’d rather hear that child “talking” than I would hearing you gab on air-phone or click-click on your laptop.

By george

July 13, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

the video on WSB says it all folks…open your eyes. If I had behaved like that as a child, my mother or dad would have spanked my a**, and I would have deserved it. It is rather obvious the woman has NO CONTROL

By george

July 13, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

the video on WSB says it all folks…open your eyes. If I had behaved like that as a child, my mother or dad would have spanked my a**, and I would have deserved it. It is rather obvious the woman has NO CONTROL over the child.

By B******* Kids

July 13, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this

Ummm this kid is old enough for the mom to have lost that pregnacy weight! She needs to work out! No wonder the kids a little dip$hit. Fat Lazy Parents = Bad Kids!

By upinya

July 13, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this

nochildrenallowed: get back to work, the drive thru is backing up.

By P** OFF

July 13, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this

Where in the hell is all of the mothers and femanist at? I cannot believe that every women and parent in this world isnt outraged. This child is 18 months old, not 5yrs old, not 10yrs old not 16yrs old.. I think the United States deserved 9/11. I think we deserve much worse, how can you call osama bin laden?

If we in America can be this cold hearted about children then why do we deserve to live in a free world? I cannot believe so many people are saying the stuff they are about children and parents. All of you “perfect people” can kiss my *ss.

Everyone knows that in todays world you can no longer discipline a child without the risk of going to jail and have DFACS take your child away.

All I can say is that if anyone ever says anything to me negative about my children or does what this flight attendant did, then Ill be serving a death row stint in a maximum prison.

This lady nor her child did anything bad enough to warrant being treated so horribly and kicked off the plane.. Their is no justification for it. The child is a typical 18 month old. He wasnt acting like a lunitic that needed to be in a rubber room tied up.

Anybody that has a 18 month old that is the perfect dream, calm, well behaved, potty trained, never acts hyper, never talks alot, then get a media outlet to interview you and the kid because Ill kiss your *ss on public live tv if I can see it for myself….

By Constantine

July 13, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this

Wow. Where to start? First of all, I typically don’t advocate violence. A previous poster stated ,”…the Mom should have slapped the b*tch…”. I agree, but no where near a plane or airport. One must be very careful with the bogus ‘anti-terrorism laws’. The stewardess, yes stewardess, is clearly NOT a mother. I suspect this particular ‘sky slut’ was schooled/indoctrinated in typical compulsory government institutions her entire life where they trained her to ‘be all she can be’ and ‘abort any incovenient fetus’ and ‘the authorities are always right’, etc. Consider the source. Sue the airline. Stop flying. Dissent. It’s pretty simple. Oh yes, and forgive the stewardess. She has no clue how messed up her own mind really is.

By Fed Up

July 13, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this

No, when YOU pay for my ticket, then I do not have the right to complain. So long as I am paying my own way, I can complain as much as I want!

By Two Sides to EVERY Story

July 13, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this

Bratty toddler is removed from plane. So, bratty plane toddler and his moronic mother go on GMA to plead their case. Within minutes, the bratty toddler starts climbing on the coffee table and is removed from the GMA set. Do I sense a pattern here?

By bunnyfoofoo

July 13, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this

Everyone, it is OK.

Just heard that they took both the mother and stew out back and executed them.

Now, what else is their to bicker about?

Paris?

Bush?

Hilary?

The high price of rims?

By ted erler

July 13, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Wow! Just another example of of a waitress with a bad attitude who thinks that she is in a position of power bossing people around.

By CaneFF

July 13, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Some people need not breed. Some of you parents who are so intolerant of little children acting like “little children” should have used birth control.

Former sunday school teacher who doesn’t think kids are cute? Wow, glad you’re not at my church. Must be a “southern baptist”.

By Jeff East

July 13, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

Anyone who saw the mother and child on “Good Morning, America” would realize that the mother exerts no control over the child. He just kept whining and wiggling. Chris Cuomo came, played with him a few minutes, and took him off the set. I, too, don’t think the pilot would have put them off the plane without evaluating what happened and deciding it was necessary. What a brat that kid is! The mother lets him be a brat. She should lose her lawsuit.

By Reality Check

July 13, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Just watched the GMA video and it speaks for itself.

Bratty toddler is removed from plane. So, bratty toddler and his mother go on GMA to plead their case. Within minutes, bratty toddler starts wriggling out of control, whining, screaming, and eventually starts climbing on the coffee table. Mom of bratty toddler appears to be more concerned about getting her Andy Warhol 15 minutes of fame and continues with interview, overlooking bratty child as he crawls ALL OVER THE COFFEE TABLE. Bratty toddler is then removed from the GMA set.

Hmmm… Removed from a plane? Rem oved from the set of GMA? Do I sense a pattern here?

By Charles

July 13, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

I’m absolutely certain there is more to this story than just the mother’s version… especially having seen the child this morning on GMA. This is a classic case of someone steering a story to make themselves look favorable, it’s called “Spin.” I’ll reserves judgement on the Flight attendant until there are more facts… at least that’s what I believe a prudent person should do.

In addition…. I’m also willing to wager that every parent in this blog who has threatened physical harm to anyone who mentions how poorly their “angels” are behaving, has the most unruly children in the world, they know it, but just don’t want to admit it.

By amanda

July 13, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this

This is so ridiculous. As having an 11 month old myself and being around children of all ages I see no harm in what this child did. I could see if he was running up and down the aisle screaming at the top of his lungs “were going down”. But he wasnt he was just being a kid. Its so sad that people these days seem to have such a problem with kids. They are the best gift from God. What I think would be appropriate punishment is for the flight attendent to have to take a group of kids to an outing and see how well she can handle them. Kids have their own minds and personalities and we as adults cant always control them. Its the people with out kids that always have the problems. You cant expect non-parents to understand anything about children.

By WOW

July 13, 2007 2:03 PM | Link to this

Wow, I’m amazed at the crap you just typed here ‘P** Off’. America deserved 9/11???? Really, so all those people in the twin towers deserved to be punished because we no longer tolerate children well? Come on, give me a break. I only wish you were in one of those towers when it fell you sick b*******!
Then you comment that: ‘All I can say is that if anyone ever says anything to me negative about my children or does what this flight attendant did, then Ill be serving a death row stint in a maximum prison.’ I’m sure your kids will grow up to contribute to our exploding prison population with you as their example. Way to be a good parent and set an example for your kids!

By Eddie

July 13, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

If the FA truly said “It’s called Baby Benadryl,” then…….. I agree with her 100%. Look No one but you thinks that your child is cute or adorable, and since this woman couldn’t control her child, then at least have the decency to give him a sedative. Benadryl is great and non habit forming and everyone can have a great flight.

By GeezGuys

July 13, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

Robin you sound like a p*ss poor planner who thinks everyone else should tolerate her idiocy.

Just wait a couple of days to hear the airline’s story…I bet this dipwad and her rugrat wouldn’t sit in their seats or something to that effect. This blog is proof that America is full of dummies who hear a story and regurgitate opinions.

And for all you angry parents: DRIVE. Air travel is no fun for adults. If you subject your toddler to it you’re self-centered.

By mel

July 13, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this

What, pray tell, should Mom have done (aside from NOT bringing Kiddo on the GMA set) during the interview on live TV? Spanked him, so DFACS could be waiting for her off stage? Seriously, why do you people insist on reasoning with 2 year olds?! They are not developmentally capable of being reasoned with! (And yes, I realize that I am trying to reason with some people who are totally irrational about how a not yet 2 year old should act!)

Still waiting for info on those Parenting Classes.

By cutegirl

July 13, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

For all of you who are dragging 9/11 into this: I was in the towers on 9/11, and unless you were there (which I doubt you were, based on your responses), you have no idea how it was. Stop debasing a national tragedy with your ridiculous exaggerations.

By Cherry

July 13, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

The flight attendants had to think that while the child is causing so much noise, he could be distracting security measures & giving a terroist an opportunity to do their thing, because everyone is focus on the child yelling.

By CommonSenseRules

July 13, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this

Babies are babies, but, parents are still responsible, and theoretically, in charge. I used to fly multiple times per month for work. I once sat on the tarmac with a couple hundred other folks as a mother tried to “reason” with her 4 year-old as to why she was required to wear a seat belt!

There are distinctions among a squalling infant, an irascible pre-schooler who needs a parent to be an adult and not a play pal, and a chatty toddler whose parent hasn’t learned that not everyone thinks little Johnny’s shenanigans are adorable. Children learn limits and — to use the alleged witnessing passenger’s term, boundaries — from what parents will tolerate. Tossed off the plane for broken-record speech? Seems a bit over the top to me.

By Robin

July 13, 2007 2:21 PM | Link to this

GeezGuys

Have you ever gone on a trip with a 19 month old. With you as the only other person - no grandma, wife, older child, etc. with you. Just you and the baby?

Do you realize how hard it is to carry the baby and your ‘stuff’?

The plane was delayed 11 hours. The mom would not have been able to carry all the stuff her baby would need for the EXTRA half day.

Get real.

And, for the record, only having ‘just enough’ money, does not necessarily mean someone is a poor planner. That may just be the way things are.

Have a nice day!

By notrite

July 13, 2007 2:22 PM | Link to this

I think the flight attendant was right to remove the baby from the plane. It could hae been a terrorist and saying “bye-bye plane” might have signaled it’s intention to blow up the plane. Was the child and its mother Palestinian? They start training their children to be suicide bombers while they’re still in the womb, so this tot could have already had more than 2 years of training. As far as I’m concerned drugging the baby doesn’t go far enough. They should open a daycare in Guantanamo and give it a one-way ticket there.

By Mary

July 13, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

I’ll bet that flight attendant isn’t a parent - if she is, God help her children. Saying “bye,bye plane” isn’t misbehaving, it’s toddler behavior, and it’s nothing over which to get upset. It’s not as if the mom didn’t have “control” over her child; good parents pick their battles, and a little chatter is not a cause for punishment. Just because your parents punished (the root of which in punitive) you every time you acted in a way that was not pleasing to them doesn’t mean you were well disciplined (the root of which is disciple), which is to be taught every day what the right choices are so that wrong ones aren’t made.

By JHF

July 13, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

“By the way the word stewardess has not been used in 30 years!!” YES IT HAS BEEN. I used it in my previous post, that is today, July 14, 2007 or whatever day it is now. I used it SEVERAL times, TODAY.

We should also have the trained professional sociologist to tell us how to properly speak? As well as the trained professional Stewardesses to tell us how to properly act on a airplane, trained professional lawyers/legislators to prevent us from participating in our own leagl system (unless we have 10000000 dollars for their greedy hands) the trained professional educators to tell us how to create stupid adults, etc. In the Bad old days, I called them STEWARDESS, now they are “trained professionals - flight attendants.” You can’t change reality by renaming it. The stewardess, on the flight from US to Europe, starts out okay, but halfway through they start to get cranky. One time, they made us sit with our seat belts on the whole 9 hours, because they didn’t want to be bothered with people stretching and walking.

It’s too bad these “trained professionals” have created a divided society - old people are kept separate from young people - if I appraoch a child, I can see the mother thinking I’m a potential rapist /child molester - races/ethnic groups/language groups are separate.

Excuse me, I didn’t mean to stop worshipping at the GOD of separate but equal, whoops I mean DIVERSITY)

Men and women of different economic starta, professions and locations are separate but equal, everywhere there are trained professionals dividing us. So when we get on the airplane, all these divided groups have to sit next to each other. Heaven forbid, the mother give the kid a swat on the backside. There would be trained professionals to seize her kid and give it to foster parents and another group of trained professionals to put her in jail, and afterwards, a lifetime of probation - another non-trained simple human being and a lifetime addition to the criminal justice system, their reason for being and their yearly pay increases - creation of criminals.

By george

July 13, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this

God help this world if some of you people who cannot control a 2 year old are having kids. Lack of discipline and respect in the home are two key reasons why our prison population is exploding today. Too many parents were/are Dr Spock kids in the past.

By Tracy

July 13, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this

This is why I still breastfeed my toddler. (Bring on the comments - he’s allergic to milk and soy!) I can calm and feed him with nursing him. Remember you can’t take extra drinks and such with you on a plane past security anymore and you have to buy more at the expensive prices and you can only carry so much with a kid. People, some kids aren’t angels and can’t be controlled - control freaks get OVER it. You can’t beat a toddler into submission -who would want to kill the free spiritedness of a toddler?

I’m sure some of the comments above are from folks who don’t have children or have had easy children. Once you have a strong-willed child your life is changed FOREVER!!

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this

This blog has become more meanspirited by the minute as the day goes on. For the child haters out there …believe me if those of us who care about children could go through life avoiding you we would. Tolerance is the lesson to be learned, but I cannot tolerate hate.

By Tanya

July 13, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this

As a mother of 4 children, I find it appalling that some of you think you have more right to fly than I do. Why should the mother have had to drive from Georgia to Oklahoma just to keep from inconveniencing you? My husband and I are strong disciplinarians and we do not tolerate misbehavior from any of our children (and we have flown with them and been congratulated by the flight staff on their behavior), but the 19 month old is just that, and his behavior on GMA wasn’t even enough for the flight attendant to LIE and have them kicked off the plane.

BTW for those of you who want to question the mothers parenting skills because she said she had no diapers, etc. try reading something thoroughly before you comment. She had an 11 HOUR DELAY Your carry on luggage can only be so large. How many diapers, wipes, juices and snacks was she supposed to have been able to carry on. Oops, no juices per the new rules!!!

By Proof

July 13, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

I would at least like to hear the flight attendant’s story first before I cast judgment. I know certain people lie a lot so you never know.

By Nana57

July 13, 2007 2:35 PM | Link to this

Let’s hope that this flight attendent never have children!! If she did, sounds to me like they’d all turn out druggies or drunks!! I would sue that airlines.

By Jack

July 13, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this

Okay, i am going to be very serious about this. Anytime you talk about children I get real emotional because I love kids so much. As a father I truly agree that you need to discipline your children, teach them that boundaries do exsist and that their is consequences for their actions. However I have to definatly side with the mother on this one.

Even though the Good Morning America interview shows that child being difficult and hyper, I do not believe that is a reflection of the mother being a bad parent. I take alot of pride being a awesome father and one that disciplines with patience, love, and example. BUT as a father I know that 18 month olds are often strong willed, have a very low attention span, and often cannot sit still for long periods. With that said I believe that this 18 month old boy, from what I saw in the interview seems to be everything I just said. I know from experience that no matter what kind of parenting skills, methods, discipline you use it is very difficult to have a 18 month old be a laid back well behaved child. Girls at that age seem to be alot more calm and not as wild then boys are.

I will also have to say that I do not believe the mother and her son should have been kicked off the flight. I do believe the flight attendant was out of line and should be held accountable for her actions and what she said to the mother.

I do not believe that medication should be used just because your child is strong willed and a little hyper. I believe in our society alot of teachers, doctors and parents want to medicate to soon and use poor judgement as to the reason of wanting to put the child on medication. Most children grow out of the strong willed, short attention span, and hyper personality.

Adults in todays society needs to have to be more patient with other peoples children, more loving and alot less judgemental. When you go to church why do you think they have nurseries and childrens church? Because they know children cannot sit still and be quite for a hour long sermon.

I am a youth leader at my church and it breaks my heart to read all of these horrible blogs people have written about children. We in society need to learn to be more Christ like and live our lives in a biblical manner.

By george

July 13, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this

People who side against this mother are not “child haters”. I have two children and four grand children. They are permitted to “act like children”, but they ARE NOT permitted to misbehave. There is a difference. And, yes you can discipline a small child. Children learn at an early age what they can, and can’t, get away with. Anyone who watches the video from this morning can only conclude that the child has a serious behavior problem, and THE MOTHER HAS ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL.

By Becky

July 13, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this

Nobody said anyhting about this being a screaming, crying unruly child. He was talking! Not making threats, not crying and kicking the seat, not disrupting other passengers, just TALKING. And for anyone to suggest that a mother should drug her child to keep them quiet is irresponsible and WRONG. Sounds like the flight attendant needs a career change…

By Jean

July 13, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this

The Mother was woefully unprepared and has no one but herself to blame for this incident. After a delay of just a few hours, much less 11 hours, she should’ve rescheduled their flight and not subjected her toddler or her fellow passengers to an unruly child. A child, who as seen on GMA, could not even behave for a mere 5 minutes. The Mother needs to take parenting classe asap. I have no doubt that this is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that she’s been embarrassed by her childs behavior due to lack of discipline and her own inability to make correct decisions on his behalf.

By Reality Check

July 13, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this

Mel,

A simple, firm “NO” would have gone a long way. You don’t need to spank a child to discipline it. Get a clue.

By GeezGuys

July 13, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

Robin, if you’re flying by yourself with a child because you can’t get anyone else to go with you, and you don’t have extra money for emergencies, you’re an idiot. It’s called planning. Birth control, savings accounts, and the like are beyond your comprehension. You don’t just materialize as a full grown adult traveling solo with a kid and no extra money.

Maybe if you flash a little at the drive-thru your manager will give you a 25 cent per hour raise.

Have a nice day in the trailer park!

By shi

July 13, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

i cant read all the comments, but some people seem so selfish as to forget humanity. At 19 months you have a baby. B-A-B-Y. Other than putting a hand over the childs mouth whilst the attendant was talking brings me to the fact that maybe the attendant observed the parents not doing anything to hush the child. However, going to the extreme of turning back the flight and kicking mother and baby off - the full weight of any possible lawsuit should be brought to bear on the attendant and by extension the airline. Some of you get a grip on reality. It is this type of thinking that got us into Iraq with the whole world hating us.

By Jon

July 13, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this

To Mark, GTGrad, et. al.:

“wisely chosen not to be burdened with children”? I guess you think your parents are idiots, huh? How in H@#$ did you get here? All of you talking about discipline for children have obviously no experience with two year olds. Even the best parent who has ever lived, probably had occasions when their two year old misbehaved. Unbelievable!!

By Tanya

July 13, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

Jean - how do you know that the mother didn’t have a deadline to meet? It’s not up to you or anyone else to dictate when she came back to Georgia just for you convenience. As for the childs behavior on GMA, what would you have the mother do, spank him for wanting to play and not sit still??? I hope you don’t have children, and if you do, I hope you don’t have custody.

By Frank

July 13, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

Its stuff like this that makes the US the pathetic joke it is today. Get a grip you power tripping paranoid idiots. It makes me so very glad I dont live there, and will never again travel to such a place.

By Sam

July 13, 2007 2:52 PM | Link to this

I love how some people are taking a side based on so little information. Only one side has been presented. From what facts there are, the flight attendant should not have said the words “shut up” at all. She also should not have took it upon herself to recommend medication for the child. That is a parent’s decision alone.(if the mother is telling the truth) There are so many rude people (kids and adults) on planes I’m usually annoyed anyway. Almost no one has manners anymore. To the people who keep saying that the kid wasn’t being loud or obnoxious 1. How do you know for a fact? 2. the plane cannot take off until EVERYONE is settled in their seat. If the toddler was lap chld that was struggling and kicking like he was on GMA, of course they can’t take off. 3. Couldn’t an attempt have been made to quiet the child long enough for the flight attendant to get through the safety briefing? His speech development would not have been stunted by this. Sorry, but the let “kids be kids” thing doesn’t fly with me. Even if everything the mother says is true and the kid was merely parroting for five minutes, why was it necessary for her to try and get him quiet for that short time? I have a lot more patience for a crying, unhappy child than one whose parent allows him to talk incessantly, repeating the same thing over and over while someone else is trying work or talk. It’s called manners, not to talk while someone else is talking.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 2:52 PM | Link to this

This one-sided story is suspect. No witnesses have been quoted. If one has an unruly child, there is no reason to inflict those sins on a captive audience.

By Lucie

July 13, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this

A few questions - how long had the flight attendant been on duty, how long had it been since she had any kind of break or rest period, how long had she been employed by the airline, was the full complement of attendant personnel on board??? I’m not trying to find an excuse for unexcuseable behavior, just want to know the reason. The mother and baby should NEVER been taken off the plane, but there ARE ways of distracting even chatty toddlers. After bringing up 6 under 12 years of age - I can guarantee it.

By dm

July 13, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this

We’ve all been next to kids that were unruly in planes and other places and they drive us nuts and we want to go over and ask the parents to please take control of the situation….BUT…that is NOT the point here….throwing this child off the plane is completely uncalled for. We pay EXTREMELY well to fly on these planes, I travel with my business quite often and the customer service has gone to pot. The majority of the flight attendants DO act like they own the plane and as if the customers were unwelcomed visitors, not paying customers. I flew to CANCUN in Mar and the airline ticket personnel were the rudest I have ever seen anyone be, to me and several others. I saw them snap at three different customers as they came up in line and then told them if they wanted to report them to go right ahead.

In this case, the flight attendant should be fired without question and should never be allowed to work anywhere dealing with the public, especially not around children. The very idea of mentioning the child should be drugged is bad enough. If she wants to be in control, let her control a file room somewhere and stay away from people. I agreed with the reader above who said it’s a good thing it wasn’t her or the headlines would have read differently because if that attendant had told me to drug or to ‘shut up’ one of my grandchildren….well, the headlines would have read diffently….

The lawsuit probably would not have been filed if the airline had responded to the complaint in the first place, instead of saying they would ‘look into the matter’ and brushing the family off. It is their fault they are being sued because they have NO customer service.

It will be interesting to see how this one turns out.

By Troy

July 13, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this

If this level of nonsense in the name of ‘security’ People are going to start taking busses where ever they go.

That flight attendant should be required to take both sensitivity training AND a parenting course….”give the baby benadryl”….PLEASE!

By GetOverIt

July 13, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this

The kid was out of control. I imagine she lets him act like this in church or other events.
People like this are the ones that take their children to nice restaurants only to wear on others nerves when they should have gone to McDonalds.
Enough is enough…been there…done that…ain’t that hard. The mother should have quieted him down. Instead, she probably thought it was cute and he kept repeating it. The airline employee was RIGHT BY the kid (was she not)and heard it all and got disgusted with the mother…the one who can’t control him.
From what I read in print, “they sat in an airplane that was 11 hours late”. Does it say they hung around the airport??? I interpret it to say they were on the plane….driving someone crazy. I hope the GMA show sheds some light on how this child is way out of control of his parents. Good parents chose their battles….so right. I chose the battle that I was the boss in a loving, yet firm, way. Yes, you can keep a kid off a coffee table. It’s called getting their attention or effective parenting.
I have taken extensive parenting classes to the point of being asked to teach.
These parents need to wise up before it’s too late or they have him diagnosed as adhd or hyperactive and put on drugs to settle him down in school….just because they have no control and never have.

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

Hey Jack: If we were to live more biblical, women probably wouldn’t be allowed on an airplane in the first place. They’d be home taking care of the house,the kids and their husbands needs. GOOD IDEA CHRISTIAN!!

By Jason

July 13, 2007 3:02 PM | Link to this

It amazes me that so many of you are taking the mother’s word for what happened at face value.

This is likely a case of someone who’s child was doing more than just “talking”, the flight attendant probably asked her to control her child, the mother than reacted the same way many of you lunatics in this blog stated you would react (I’m looking at you Mr. Ex-Marine” 11:06am) and was then kicked off the plane. The mother now believes she has the opportunity to cash in thus GMA and a lawsuit.

I swear so many of you are just sheep, and will follow whatever is presented to you on television as fact. By the way there are weapons of mass destruction in Camden, NJ… lol

By Jon

July 13, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this

To Mark, GTGrad, et. al.:

“wisely chosen not to be burdened with children”? I guess you think your parents are idiots, huh? How in H@#$ did you get here? All of you talking about discipline for children have obviously no experience with two year olds. Even the best parent who has ever lived, probably had occasions when their two year old misbehaved. Unbelievable!!

By Just Wait...

July 13, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this

I can’t wait until they allow people to use their cell phones on flights. NOT.

By Lou

July 13, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this

Hopefully, this pathetic flight attendant doesn’t have children now or ever in the future, or she will be drugging her kids up to keep them quiet. What an absolute disgrace to customer service, to allow this individual to actually “serve” customers. Fire her immediately. There are others who actually believe in the words “customer service.”

By jm

July 13, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this

Why does Delta have to be brought up everytime something wrong goes w/an airline? Delta did not/does not have anything to do w/this. This is about continental.

By F.E.Tishman

July 13, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

Kudos to the flight attendant! Kids are annoying and shouldn’t be allowed on airplanes until they are old enough to keep their mouths shut.

By jm

July 13, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this

And before someone blasts me on this comment…I was referring to what Matt wrote…

By matt

July 13, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

I saw a very similar incident a few months ago (on ASA) where a passenger was kicked off for an innocent complaint - I agree that the airplane should be safe, but because you don’t like that someone called your airline out for being an hour late taking off doesn’t give you any right to kick them off.

If this is the “new face of Delta” then maybe a merger wasn’t such a bad idea.

By Noforreal

July 13, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

Hellz Naw. That little boy is bad as h*ll and never reprimanded. There is a time and a place.

If you don’t train him now, when do you?

He is at the age where he should understand that if MOMMY says “you’re gonna sit on this couch for the next three minutes while I interview and not make a sound”, that THAT’s exactly what should happen.

I don’t have those issues.

By URIdiots

July 13, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

First, Linda2, you’re a complete idiot to suggest someone leave an airport in a taxi to go fetch diapers at CVS. Yeah, a mom with a toddler wants to traipse through an unfamiliar airport, find a taxi, find a CVS and then have to haul child and carry-on and all her other stuff back through the airport security to get back to the gate. GET REAL!

Second, those of you referring to children as “spawn” or “little brats” or whatever….please remember that you are someone’s SPAWN, and probably your parents should have aborted you rather than put your hateful selves on this planet. If you don’t want kids, then that’s your choice, but don’t make rude and hateful comments about people who do choose to have them.

Thirdly, for those of you who think every place in this world should be adult-only - GET OFF YOUR NARCISSISTIC BUTTS AND GET A LIFE. Yes, there are some places where children don’t need to be, such as expensive fine-dining restaurants, R-rated movies, etc. I’m sure you’re as narcissistic as you are because your parents left you at home, beat the crap out of you for talking and never did anything as a family except for pizza.

Yeah, some people don’t know how to control their kids and their kids are brats, but don’t assume ALL children are brats just because they are children. If the world was meant to be “adult-only” then everyone would spring forth as mature adults.

By Jack

July 13, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this

To J.B. : where in the bible does it say that women should be barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen taking care of the husband? What bible are you reading? I will pray for you my friend….

To Jason: It does not matter that we only have one side of the story. Do you really believe that you as a mature adult should tell someone to drug their child with baby benadryl? Do you really think this mother was treated fairly by being kicked off of the flight? Did the 18 MONTH OLD child act like a raging danger to the flight crew, the flight or the attending passengers? NO.. Trust me if the 18 month old boy would have acted in a manner that bad, the airline would have already commented even though their is possible legal litigation to follow.

Here is the point. Just read these blogs and you can read the hatred in so many peoples hearts and it is truly sad. We are a hateful, mean, judgemental, discriminating world. We cannot even be compassionate and loving toward a 18 month old child. It is truly sad…… We really need a revival in this world. We need to learn to live our lives biblicially.

Just because a 18 MONTH OLD CHILD is strong willed, short attention span, and hyper does not make that child a unruly, undisciplined, spolied brat. And it does not make the parent a bad parent that has no parenting skills !!!

By chip

July 13, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this

Since when did airplanes become a FLIGHT ATTENDANT’S plane? Answer: NEVER HAS, NEVER WILL! THis flight attendant should be fired on the spot and if a lawsuit is filed she should have to pay. This lady obviously has a problem with toddlers. I have an one year old son, and if a flight attendant told me a I needed to drug my son to get him to “shut up”, then the captain of the plane would be coming back there so I can issue a verbal complaint about that flight attendant. This lady needs to be fired immediately or the airline needs to put her in a position where she has to work with kids under the age of 6 all day long.

By Terri

July 13, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this

My gosh, what kind of people think a 2 year old saying “bye bye plane” is an out of control child?? Apparently you don’t have children (and don’t need them either). The reason our world is so full of hatred today is because of people who are so stuffy they think it’s a nuisance to be friendly to someone. I myself say they should fire the flight attendant (I know her kind), and make her pay for the expenses she caused by delaying that flight!

By Caz

July 13, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this

Maybe I can get them to turn the plane around next time I get stuck next to the drunk who doesn’t stop blabbering from the time we leave the gate to the time we land. I’ll take a little kid any day!

By GeezGuys

July 13, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

My God, Jason @ 3:02, don’t you know that everything you read on the internet or see on TV is true?

Last time GMA was doing this crap, they were reporting AirTran kicked a kid off for crying. When someone other than the spoiled idiot parents got a word in, we found out that the kid wouldn’t sit in her seat. The plane couldn’t take off due to FAA regulations.

The account of one parent isn’t gospel, especially when pumped by the liars at GMA—-the morning show equivalent of the National Enquirer.

Yet listen to all these sheep running off at the mouth. These dummies get their news from the checkout stand magazines. Baa! Baa! Bad Stewardess! I know it all! Baaa!

By Sam

July 13, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

Hey, Jack. Take a peek outside the blinders. It’s not scary, I promise.

By humph

July 13, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this

Chip, Flight attendant’s ARE responsible for a safe cabin. She was taking preventative measures. The boy was acting out on the ground, and she wasn’t going to chance him partying it up in the aisle in the air…

while Mom looked around smiling telling everyone, “I’m sorry.” (see clip)

By aa

July 13, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

I actually thought the flight attendant was wrong at first, but the GMA just reassured me that that child has ADD or ADHD.. she has no control over him at 19 months.. a kid like that i would never take out..she needs to whip him or get him some real drugs

By Blog reader

July 13, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

“This is likely a case of someone who’s child was doing more than just “talking”, the flight attendant probably asked her to control her child, the mother than reacted the same way many of you lunatics in this blog stated you would react.’

(You sound like a real balanced easy going person yourself.) The fact of the matter is its her word and the other passengers’word against the flight attendent’s. Since none of us has the luxery of having a video camera, we can’t judge what happened or how noisy Jr was.

This is just another case of sound bite news. She’ll probably sue. The airline will settle, Ms. Cranky Flight attendent will get reprimanded or fired and we’ll never hear the rest of the story.

By Jason

July 13, 2007 3:40 PM | Link to this

To Jack:

Don’t get me wrong, if what the mother says happened truly happened then I agree without question the flight attendant overstepped their bounds… But what proof do we have that the incident took place as she described? There are countless examples of times where stories are fabricated to make the “victim(s)” look more sympathetic to the sheep…I mean public i.e. the Duke Lacrosse “rape victim”

So many people here are throwing stones at the flight attendant but NONE OF YOU WERE THERE I feel sorry for anyone that is on trial for their lives with any of you in the jury.

Here’s a free piece of advice for you Jack, in today’s society where so many people are out for a quick buck, trust nothing that you hear and only half of what you see.

By HB

July 13, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this

Wow, I bet this mom didn’t even try to discipline her child — because he was just talking!!! If his tone was no louder than adults around him (as stated by at least one witness), why should she tell him to be quiet? Because the FA finds what he’s saying obnoxious? She doesn’t think it’s cute? I found the guy a row ahead of me spewing over-the-top political comments last time I flew to be extremely obnoxious. Do you think she’d tell him to shut up or leave the plane?

A lot of people have expressed concern that we haven’t yet heard from the airline (they are welcome to speak up at any time, by the way, but have so far chosen not to comment). If there were not witnesses who had stated they heard the Benedryl comment and saw the FA make a drinking motion, I’d be concerned that we didn’t have all the facts. Since there does not seem to be a dispute over what she said, though, I find it very easy too believe the FA was just being a controlling jerk. If she doesn’t have the good sense not to say such a thing to a customer, she obviously has poor judgement and lacks professionalism. If the airline is smart, they’ll fire her, not to make the Mom happy, but to protect their own interests. This FA clearly cannot be trusted to represent the company well.

By I love this

July 13, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

I love when people want to get up on their soapbox about people being mean and hateful, but start their post of by calling someone an idiot……ummm, pot, meet mr kettle! Yeah, I’m talking to you ‘URIdiots’ at 3:22PM. Want to see hate, read your own posting!

By Something is not right here folks

July 13, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

If the child or Mom was not causing any problem, wouldn’t the pilots and passengers refuse to return to the gate after waiting 11 hours?

If I were a passenger on this flight and waited 11 hours for an hour flight, I would raise he!! if they went back to the gate just because a kid was babbling…

Where are these other passenger’s outrage?

By Opinionated One

July 13, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

You people who think that parents or anyone else can control a VERY tired 19 month old kid. You are FOOLS. (Mark, this means YOU. ) Besides, the kid didn’t so much bad stuff. The flight attendant was just a b*h. I hope the kid’s mom will sue, the airline and get tons of money. And fire the flight attendant. Remember the other passengers was OK with the kid. Be kind to other people, someday, you might need them to be kind to you.

By Ed

July 13, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this

I live in Texas and I have flown ExpressJet before. But, I have kids. And, I say, NEVER AGAIN! I will not fly ExpressJet ever, because of this incident. The ONLY way I might even consider changing my mind is if I hear that the idiot flight attendant has been FIRED! ‘Nuff said.

By Athene

July 13, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this

First there was the sippy cup incident in an airport where the security staff made a big deal about water in a child’s sippy cup and now this. Perhaps people with kids ought not to travel by air at all- just drive or take a boat. A lawsuit is justified here.

By WildChild

July 13, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this

Man my mom would have taken a little trip to the lavatory with me, and I would have returned quiet as a mouse. LOL.

And yes - I’m a well-adjusted adult.

By me again

July 13, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this

“This incident seems to have become a lightning rod for everyone’s experiences with other people’s children. However, you cannot apply your experience to this incident. “

This bore repeating…thank you Lillian.

With children, we should remember as adults that…we’ve been where they are, they have NOT been where WE are. Expecting children to act like adults, especially at the TODDLER stage, is unrealistic. We should be more tolerant.

Funny though, some of these so-called adults who are blogging are acting like children. Maybe THEY had bad parents?

By Robin

July 13, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this

GeezGuys

Hey, that was pretty funny. I needed a laugh this afternoon.

Wow, maybe if I flash my boss, she would give me a raise? you think?

Except, I am THE BOSS, and really have no desire to flash myself. Not even for a ‘25 cent per hour raise’.

Too bad your mother didn’t take birth control. If she had, we would not be subjected to your ignorance.

By Cece

July 13, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this

Ok all of the people that are angery with the FA and the airlines. Obviously have not seen the GMA tape. The kid was all over the place Diane Sawyer couldn’t even get through the interview. They had too take the kid out of the studio, because the Mother could not control him. Ok so they were in the airport for an 11 hour delay WHAT WAS HIS PROBLEM THIS MORNING?! The way he acted this morning and the the Mother reacted this morning is most likely the norm. The Mother needs to get that little boy in Check NOW. No one will put up with him when he starts to go to school. I can’t believe she would get on National TV and say how well behave he is. I guess some people will do anything for their 5 minutes of fame. But she should want to crawl under a rock after the GMA incident and try and get into some parenting classes.

For those saying we didn’t hear all the parties side of the story. I think that’s a mute point now because we have a oppurtunity to “SEE” all sides of this story. IN SUMMARY THE KID IS BAD!!

By Single Guy

July 13, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this

Are you sure this kid wasn’t a part of a terrorist cell? Afterall they pull out of line old ladies in wheelchairs to check, and old geezers with walkers too. You can’t be too sure.

Actually, having flown often for business and personal reasons, there is nothing worse than an out of control baby on a plane. I think parents should have to check them with their baggage like they do their pets, unless the baby and it’s carrier can fit in the overhead bins, and they soundproof the bins.

By JAS

July 13, 2007 3:52 PM | Link to this

It was uncalled for the child to be thrown off, but why sue them? If you dont like how you were treated take your buisness else where. People are way to sue happy anymore.

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this

JACK: First of all, we are not friends. Secondly, you do not need to pray for me. In fact, keep your biblical thoughts and prayers to yourself. The tooth fairy already prays for me and Santa Claus makes sure I don’t sin.

By Catlady

July 13, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

JAS,

That’s exactly what Judge Judy would say! And it’s a correct statement….don’t sue, just take your business elsewhere!

By jhf

July 13, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

Actually, I am not that concerned about this particular case, I wasn’t there, so I don’t what really happened. I do know anyone who wants me to drug my child needs to be locked up with the other drug-pushers.

I’m just taking this opportunity to vent about the mind-numbing crap day that a day on the airline has come to mean. I guesss there are a lot of other people out there who also have a lot of venting to do (and if you make a peep about anything on the airplane, you go to jail) so maybe the airlines and the TSA and all the other “trained professionals” in the airline industry and government regulation circus, the TSA, needs to start treating us like human beings, not as “customers to be delivered service” but as human beings.

By Jas

July 13, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this

But J.B.

Who is going to make sure that you do not spend eternity in Hell? You may give the place a bad name.

By JC

July 13, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

I am so sick of people with kids thinking that we all have to enjoy their bad behavior. A packed commuter plane is no place for a two year old, and as demonstrated on Good Morning America his mother cannot control him.

By Mom of 2

July 13, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this

I think we’ve only heard one side of this story. I have two children of my own (who are teens now) and we did a lot of flying with them as toddlers…even oversees a couple of times. I don’t believe that you’re asked to leave a plane simply because your child is sitting nicely saying “bye bye plane”. I saw him on GMA. The FA probably did have reason to believe that his behavior would become an issue in flight. We’ve all seen children like this…children running amok and not being controlled by their parents. Sometimes someone else needs to step in and take control of the situation, and that’s what the FA did. I do feel sorry for the mother. Not for being kicked off the plane, but because she HAS to be embarrassed about this morning….and because she’s really going to have her hands full when that “little angel” gets a little older!

By J.B.

July 13, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

JAS: Since I can’t live forever I know I won’t be spending eternity here in HELL and you are right….I have done my share to give this place a bad name.

By Danielle Thomas

July 13, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this

Completely out of line… If this is all true. that flight attendant & the Pilot(s) not only need to be immediately terminated but along with the airline who has apparently brushed this under the rug & backed these idiots sued out of their pants! Perhaps during the following bankruptcy they can put in place Customer service training. May they ALL be blessed with triplets!

By Greg

July 13, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this

You people are missing the obvious. There MUST be more to the story. Something was said by this woman to turn a plane around, the flight attendant wasn’t trying to lose her job and knew this will be a full investigation by asking for such. Having a small child, you CAN control their behavior w/o drugs, its called consequences. This country is full of wuss parenting and children that live w/o consequences day to day. After watching GMA, she is obviously way behind on discipline. The fact he was climbing on that furniture shows you who runs their home, and she lets him, so why wouldn’t he throw a fit or do as he pleases ona plane? The flight attendant may have over reacted, we can’t say for sure, we were not there, but the GMA we all can see shows a child that does as he pleases, and a mother who ignores it. ITS TIME PARENTS BEGIN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BACK FOR RAISING THEIR OWN CHILDREN, KIDS NEED PARENTAL DISCIPLINE, in the end it helps them far more than a spanking “scars” them!

By Peachy

July 13, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this

Please! What was the name of that airline again? I think I will fly exclusively on it. I am tired of screaming children EVERYWHERE. In stores they run around like wild animals and the parents keep saying…1000 times…Now, Muffy (or LeMuffylicious—your choice) you better behave or I’m going to spank you. And the parent says that 100 times and the child NEVER behaves. Trust me, tell’em the right way and they will act like they should. Otherwise, let’em stay home with somebody—Aunt Bertha, Uncle Johnny, Sister Tiffany, I don’t care….just not on MY plane.

And while we are at it…how about keeping the 300+ pounders in seating areas together. Put 3 of’em side by side and see how they like having each other rubbing all over each other. It’s disgusting. Let them buy two seats….maybe 3. Unless they pay for part of my seat, they are not sitting/leaning/flopping into my area.

By Charlene

July 13, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this

Throwing the mom and kid off the airplane was excessive. But kids that age are annoying, unreasonable, loud, lovely, etc. - the mom should have had her child under control. The kid’s parents see a way to make a quick buck and plan to sue the airline - good old American way to make money.

By Reality Check

July 13, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this

My dear Danielle Thomas,

I simply MUST disagree with you. After watching the GMA footage, I think the FA and the pilots should all get wicked phat raises for removing the little hellian from that aircraft. And the mother should have to pay the airline restitution for her week of slander. Perhaps you should watch the footage yourself. The mother is clearly oblivious…

By Amanda

July 13, 2007 4:18 PM | Link to this

That airiline attendant was way out of line. I work as a cashier in a retail store. Of all the customers that come in with their children quite a bit of them just let their kids run wild. We are not allowed to say anything (unless to prevent accidents) nor are we allowed to kick them out. The only thing we can really do is keep an eye on them and if they become a real problem inform management so he/she can make the judgement on wether or not they should be removed from the premesis. What would happen next time if it happened to be a 20 year old with the mental capacity of a 6 year old?

By Duluth

July 13, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

I personally would not want to be on a flight where a child is unruly and the parent can’t or won’t control the child. Should all the passengers have to settle for a miserable flight?

By GeezGuys

July 13, 2007 4:23 PM | Link to this

Robin, get in line with all the other bloggers who bluster about their huge houses, six-figure salaries, or careers in rocket science. Yeah, right, you’re the boss. Of the Grill and Potato Salad station.

And exactly what am I ignorant of? You’re the one parroting the flying nitwit with a GMA complex. I’m irritating to non-thinking losers like you, but ignorant? Nope.

Your fries are burning.

By GenXDen

July 13, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

The ONLY reason this woman is suing is because she found some sleazy lawyer willing to take her case.

That being said, I don’t agree with what the Flight Attendant did. I don’t have children of my own but was responsible for raising the children of my siblings (which is probably WHY I don’t have children of my own). There is not a sober toddler out there that isn’t going to act up or say things or squirm. It’s what they do. If the child was way out of line, then I can see some unease but the other passengers are siding with the passenger.

Is this worthy of a lawsuit? I personally don’t think so. Should the Flight Attendant be fired for inconveniencing everyone else on the plane and being the one to cause a scene just so everyone would know who was “in charge”? Certainly! But that should be the end of the story. How ‘bout we all band together and sue every yokel out there that creates frivolous lawsuits? We could eliminate poverty in this country!!!!! hahahahahaha.

By Commentator

July 13, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

I have two solutions:

1 The airline could bolt baby chairs to the wings of the planes and strap the brats into the chairs. That way the incompetent mommies and daddies could look out the window occasionally to see if their little precious is ok, kinda like they do now with the kid misbehaving inside the plane.

2 The parent could place one of those overhead oxygen masks on the kid and make them wear it for the duration of the flight. Hint: if the kid is turning blue you may wish to straighten out the air tube to ensure that our special little angel is getting enough air.

People should have to pass an IQ test prior to being allowed to bring a child into the world, because otherwise the child is everyone else’s problem to fix.

By BillPerk

July 13, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

Just because they can be cute is no reason folks should expect me to like having their kids inflicted on me. If you can control them then rent a car and drive.

By Keith

July 13, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

BYE BYE FLIGHT ATTENDANT.

p.s., Wal-Mart is always looking for a low I.Q. skank.

By Definitely a LAWSUIT

July 13, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this

Why a Lawsuit???? Because Big businesses will never change anything unless you do. This needs to never happen again and taking one of thier bonuses from a CEO he will make sure it will not. This is absolutely unacceptable, for those of you who do not like kids, get the heck over it, and realize they are just kids. It is hard to control kids today because the same people that say control them, say don’t spank them, or hollar at them. GET A LIFE

By jimbo

July 13, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this

I would have put the mother and the kid on the wing. Parents can and should have some control of their kids while in public. Frankly I’m tired of flights/movies/restaurants where an unruly kid shows his stuff while the parents look on and think the rest of us should think the kid is soooooo cute. Bah humbug!

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this

This whole ordeal would probably not be an issue before 9/11. Yes, terroists are to blame but more importantly the total government is at fault for allowing loopholes in the system. But, most of us have no control over the above much less horrible weather in the plains states in summer which is inevitable. HONESTLY! We do however have control over our reaction to situations. I pray (as do before each one) that on our upcoming Continental Express flight to visit family with my strong willed daughter goes smoothly. She has been traveling since she was 6 months old and only one screaming fit do to an earache. We were blessed that partular time to be next to a father who was very understandble. God does answer prayer. Also, there is a reason children with parents get boarded first… to go to the BACK of the plane!!!! My prayers go out to all parents with children that if they do run into unforseen circumstances that they are assisted by Christian like folks who try to show those mothers how to distract their children and perhaps they can learn as well and do this BEFORE it escalades. Meanwhile, we keep the intolerable pompous population happy and we all fly the “friendly skies”. We need to exercise our freedom in expressing our help in a calm manner toward those in distress just as we would if it were a REAL emergency. In doing so, we display a true American attitude toward conquering this fear of terror that has succumbed airline officials to the enemy. This type of American behavior can only look more favorable to our allied countries and the enemy as cowards. Like it or not young Americans life in these great United States does take a village and more than ever before. And finally, behold the power of prayer!

By Jack

July 13, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this

To Charlene: Give me a break, this lady did not plan this event nor did she plan on sueing anyone. What do you think she said okay I am going to get on a plane, let my child be out of control and when the flight attendant says something, i am going to sue? get real……

To Reality Check: I watched the gma footage..so what.. The boy is 18 MONTHS OLD, what is wrong with you. What do you people think the mother should have done? Make a scene, spank the boy and look like a abusive mother? look the boy is 18 months old and my 10 yr old daughter was strong willed, hyper and had a short attention span when she was 18 months old and believe me I physically held her in time out while she yelled and cried, I spank her with a belt on bare legs and I didnt ask her but one time to stop whinning or being hyper and the belt struck. THIS DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING OR MAKE HER BEHAVE ANY BETTER, it just made me a crappy mean unloving father with no patience. Now at 10 yrs old she is VERY well mannered, very respecful, makes good grades and does volunteer work at the church we go to. She was a typical 18 month old who was strong willed and hyper BUT she grew out of it..

So everyone who is making mean and hateful statements, you show your IGNORANCE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once again, this mother and her 18 month old son did not deserve what they got…..

By 59bulldawg

July 13, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this

Right on JC! Peachy you crack me up! The little crumb snatcher should have been booted … all you other biased indulgent people notwithstanding.

By Children Haters

July 13, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this

You show your child like behaviors on this blog, and then complain about a baby who is not fully developed acting like a kid. Hey DumbA!!, kids are kids, and a plane ride may be new to a child, or maybe they decide to have a bereakdown on the plane. Get the F over it, and if you do not like it only go where adults are allowed, by the way the playstation you are playing with at home, is for kids.

By not buying it

July 13, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this

Mama didn’t raise no fool and she certainly didn’t tolerate the kind of behavior that this toddler exhibits. This obviously has never been made to sit still or told to be quiet. It’s still appropriate to discipline and instill values of respect for other people. For those asking for parenting classes, read Dr. John Rosemund’s books and columns.

By not buying it

July 13, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this

Mama didn’t raise no fool and she certainly didn’t tolerate the kind of behavior that this toddler exhibits. This kid obviously has never been made to sit still or told to be quiet. It’s still appropriate to discipline and instill values of respect for other people. For those asking for parenting classes, read Dr. John Rosemund’s books and columns.

By Pat

July 13, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this

The mother should get over it. Maybe the attendant was making to much of it, but it doesn’t give someone the right to sue. Get another ticket from the airline for a trip somewhere else.That should be the end of it….

By Pat

July 13, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this

The mother should get over it. Maybe the attendant was making to much of it, but it doesn’t give someone the right to sue. Get another ticket from the airline for a trip somewhere else.That should be the end of it….

By jenn

July 13, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this

Oh, please…I would have kicked them off, too. Just like in a grocery store or wherever…if your child is acting up then you should be courteous enough to all those around you and leave. Nobody wants to hear your annoying child. Get over yourself.

By jenn

July 13, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this

Oh, please…I would have kicked them off, too. Just like in a grocery store or wherever…if your child is acting up then you should be courteous enough to all those around you and leave. Nobody wants to hear your annoying child. Get over yourself. And yes, I am a parent.

By Peter

July 13, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this

Mark you are a moron that should never breed. You have no concept of what it means to be a parent. Let me ask you a question, is having a child talk worse than having an adult sit next to you that won’t shut up? But you are not asking airlines to kick those people off. People who have problems with children on airplanes should drive!

By Jack

July 13, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

To Reality Check: I watched the gma footage..so what.. The boy is 18 MONTHS OLD, what is wrong with you. What do you people think the mother should have done? Make a scene, spank the boy and look like a abusive mother? look the boy is 18 months old and my 10 yr old daughter was strong willed, hyper and had a short attention span when she was 18 months old and believe me I physically held her in time out while she yelled and cried, I spank her with a belt on bare legs and I didnt ask her but one time to stop whinning or being hyper and the belt struck. THIS DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING OR MAKE HER BEHAVE ANY BETTER, it just made me a crappy mean unloving father with no patience. Now at 10 yrs old she is VERY well mannered, very respecful, makes good grades and does volunteer work at the church we go to. She was a typical 18 month old who was strong willed and hyper BUT she grew out of it..

So everyone who is making mean and hateful statements, you show your IGNORANCE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once again, this mother and her 18 month old son did not deserve what they got…..

By NBS

July 13, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

I am from Orlando..does anyone remember when Tigger “belted” the 13 year old wise guy kid and the parents we’re going to sue? It was all on tape and after it ran a few times, it was more and more apparent the incident wasn’t all as onesided as “daddy-kins” was saying.

By Gasper

July 13, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this

Mark, Why are you such a moron that you have to post your idiotic comments three times?

By George Jempty

July 13, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this

Toddlers who know no better cannot say “bye bye plane”, but the supposedly grown-up Anne Coulter can without impunity say that terrorists should strike targets on American soil (the New York Times building)?! What is this, 1984’s “Ministry of Truth”?

By dcn3260

July 13, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this

A lawsuit give me a break! But someone needs to tell that flight attendant that the plane is not “her plane it belongs to the company.”

By George Jempty

July 13, 2007 4:52 PM | Link to this

Toddlers who know no better cannot say “bye bye plane”, but the supposedly grown-up Anne Coulter can without impunity say that terrorists should strike targets on American soil (the New York Times building)?! What is this, 1984’s “Ministry of Truth”?

By justanothermom

July 13, 2007 4:55 PM | Link to this

For Mary and the rest of you clueless people - any child forced to sit in an airport for 11 hours will be somewhat obnoxious. OF course she was out of everything…she ran out and the rest was checked. She didn’t get her bags back. The truth is after 11 hours, most of you would be rude and hostile. This child is an innocent little person and to hear other moms tell me today that they fear flying now because of this jerk FA, is a shame. It is stressful enough without all of this crap. Most companies market to women 30-55, and most of those women are mothers. So how about a little consideration. I’m one of those moms who rocks their child and tries so hard to keep him well behaved, so until you’ve walked a mile…( as the saying goes) keep your opinions out of blogs. And let the woman and her son get to their destination.

By Nikki

July 13, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this

AMEN…. I LOVE THIS @3:42.

By No, Georgie

July 13, 2007 4:59 PM | Link to this

Sorry, but toddlers know exactly how far the limits are and constantly test it. Kate Penland has obviously not given any restraints to the child. She needs to go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1tTLbDlg8M But you are right about Ann Coulter, she needs her butt smacked too.

By K.J.S.

July 13, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this

This is ridiculous ! It sounds to me like this Flight Attendent has a problem dealing with the Public. I can only imagine how she speaks to adults. Children are so innocent,and fascinating at that age. They are not perfect,and neither is anybody else here on this Earth.She needs to be terminated, and find a job that has nothing to do with Customer Service. My guess would be that she also has other unresolved issues in her life. I hope that someday she has a child of her own. She would definitely be upset as the Mother of her own child, and take action. As we say in the South,don’t go messin’ with our Mama’s or our Kids ! In the meantime, I will pray for her.

By Parent Hater

July 13, 2007 5:09 PM | Link to this

I am not a child hater, I hate the parents instead because they are the ones who, in essence, tell their children they approve of them misbehaving by not correcting the behavior. If you want to have kids, fine, but you should at least have the common decency to teach them how to act. Too many bad parents give the rest of you a bad name and the good parents do not help themselves by defending the bad parents!

By Ima Loser

July 13, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this

The flight attendent clearly saved the life of every man, woman, and child on that plane.

The same flight attendant evacuated a plane when a toddler made an terrorist threat “I made a stinky” (an obvious reference to manufacturing a ‘dirty bomb’).

She saved another plane from attack after forcibly subduing another toddler who attempted to stab her repeatedly with a pacifier coated with a biological agent (closely resembling spit).

I just pray that the Flight Attendent has a contraception failure and gets to bring a cranky toddler onto a plane. Then she can taste a big steaming platelful of the same sewer-sludge that she dished out to that mother.

By No, Georgie

July 13, 2007 5:17 PM | Link to this

Ima, please stop top posting what you have already posted.

By queen

July 13, 2007 5:20 PM | Link to this

They also kicked him off the show this morning—was she complaining about that too. I cannot stand bad whining kids anyway. Teach that child how to act even at his age—it can be done. I have seen it done. A friend of mine visited me and brought all 7 of her kids(3 adopted) with her. I was nervous at first but not one child moved or talked without her consent. I told her to come back anytime and bring 7 more. They were polite and none of them wear fearful. SHe spoke in such a kind and loving manner to all of them. They ranged in age from 1 up to 14—wonderful kids. The problem with parents today is that no one wants to parent—think about that for a second and let it sink in.

By HB

July 13, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this

I cannot believe how many people are saying the GMA interview show this is a constantly misbehaving kid with a bad mother. He is 20 months old! He cannot be expected not to do things like climb on a coffee table. What should a parent do in such a situation?

1) physically stop the behavior immediately

Mom did this by picking him up and putting him on her lap.

2) tell him “no” and redirect his attention to an allowed activity

The child started crying when she stopped him from climbing on the table — very normal reaction for an under 2-year-old. Ideally, she would then talk to him about his misbehavior, put him on time out if he continued to misbehave after being told no, etc, but she was in the middle of a live TV interview!

It was a time-limited live segment. GMA was clearly prepared for the possibility that the little boy would fuss. I’m willing to bet they asked Mom beforehand to continue with the interview as best she could if he did. They also had someone ready to take him off the set if he got noisy. I’ve seen similar scenarios many times on this show where an anchor or crew member jumped in to carry an unhappy baby off set so an interview could continue. What exactly do you people who believe the interview was proof of bad parenting think Mom should have done in this situation?

By Getalife

July 13, 2007 5:34 PM | Link to this

I do agree that the FA went too far, but……in general parents either cannot or will not control their children in public. These are the children who disrupt church services, kick the back of your seat in planes, tear up your classroom during a parent teacher conference, touch and break things in stores, etc. Years ago, some friends and I were dining in a pricey NYC restaurant and seated at a table with a breathtaking NY skyline view. A woman approached our table with her darling brat, and asked if he could sit with us while we were waiting our dinner to be served, so that he could look out the window. And yes, children in other countries are more well behaved and trained by their parents. Mama in Buford, get over it!!

By Sam

July 13, 2007 5:36 PM | Link to this

She is suing for an apology. This is what she told Inside Edition.

There’s no denying little Garren can be a handful, just like any 20-month old baby. But Kate and her husband say the airline owes them an apology, and they say they’ll sue to get it if they have to.

an apology, mmmhmmm.

By Mrs. Wolinski

July 13, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this

I am asotinished that this happened. The toddler is 18 months old, and that is what baby’s do. He and his mother were probably looking out the windows of the airport, while waiting for their flight watching the planes land and take off. I’m sure he was just repeating his mother telling him to say “BYEBYE to the planes” How innocent! That airline stewart should of realized that. Why wasn’t a higher authority there to make her realize she was over reacting. What is this world coming to?

By girlscout

July 13, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this

You heard it hear first. I bet the next airline rule will be to eliminate the self seat selection on the internet sites and/or to charge seats to flying customers under age 2.

By Sam

July 13, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this

Too late girlscout. A lot international carriers are already charging 1/2 price for children under 2.

By Baja Joes

July 13, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this

Perhaps the flight attendant should have had some benadryl? If she can’t handle a 19 month old child God help the passengers if there is a real emergency! She needs recurrent customer training a.s.a.p.*

By erin

July 13, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this

With an 11-hour delay, I’m sure everyone was frazzled and from what I saw of the interview, the mom of this kid is definitely nowhere near in control of the kid, but that does NOT excuse what the flight attendant did.

I don’t hate kids and I do understand toddlers will be obnoxious sometimes, but there’s a real difference between an active kid and an out of control one and this particular kid really does seem out of control.

The mom who thinks it is cute never seems to be the one with a massive headache because someone else’s so-called little angel spends an entire flight kicking the back of the seat in front of him/her.

By Kristin

July 13, 2007 5:56 PM | Link to this

It is not true that children from countries other than the US are better behaved. Lets not generalize here. My friends from a northern european country have 3 darling children who are handfuls! They flew internationally and the dad said it was the worst experience of his life. But they were moving to Atlanta, what was there choice-drive? Even taking a transatlantic cruise on the QE2 would have been challenging. Kids have developmental stages and there are behaviors to be expected and addressed. The child on the plane was talking not crying screaming or throwing a tantrum. The mom could not take the child to a lavatory because the plane was about to take off (seatbelt sign turned on). On GMA, the mom was engaged in an interview with Diane Sawyer and the mom tried several times to redirect her son. In the interest of time, someone took the child off camera so the mom would not have divide her attention between child and interview. Perfect sense.

By whimps

July 13, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this

There are two sides to every story. We were all kids, but in different times. The flight attendant over-reacted and sure “mom” could have acted differently.But what is wrong with a child saying “bye-bye plane”? The todler is below the age two with little control over speech, bowels movements and other actions that some adults take for granted. Look at it as if you were either party. STOP DERIDING OTHERS.

By Judy

July 13, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this

Frankly, I hope more businesses start kicking annoying children out in the interest of the other paying patrons. I have just about had my fill of loud, unruly children whose parents never seem to correct them in public spaces. I don’t dislike children, but every restaurant on the planet is not Chucky Cheese. I’m sick of going out to eat, even late at night, only to have to have my quiet dinner shattered by some child who has had too much sugar and caffeine for their parents to even remotely keep them under control. And not so surprisingly, most of the parents just act like they don’t care if their little darlings are annoying anyone…. here’s a news flash for any parents reading this who recognize yourselves: everyone is not enamored by how cute or how smart or how social your child might be. In fact, some of us really prefer not to have our conversations or dinners interrupted by your little one testing their lungs, jumping up and down in their chair, running around and around and around the tables, loudly playing with their silverware or your keys or just throwing a tantrum. Especially if it is a prolonged outburst. Take ‘em outside until they can calm down, or even better, get YOUR dinner to go and take your child home where you can let them act any way they want.

Try taking an International flight for 10-15 hours with a kid like this. We do it every year and have had to deal with this behavior… kicking the back of our seats over and over for hours…. tantrums that a shrew would be proud to be credited with. I’d rather drink gasoline than be seated near a child on an airplane.

For the record, as many times as I have been in Europe, I have never seen a child there acting out in public like I see here in the US almost every single day…

By Becca

July 13, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this

Forget the lawsuit. She and her family should fly free for the rest of their lives. In years past, I used to look forward to and enjoy flying. FA’s were friendly, personable and helpful - the skies are no longer friendly. If there is one thing you can say for certain about a child is that you can never be certain of what they are going to do or how they will react to any given situation - whether it is on an airplane or on national TV. To interfere in the raising of another’s child by a stranger - and even suggest a parent pour drugs down a childs throat to keep them from talking on a flight is irreprehensible! Yes, it is all worth suing over - but in lieu of spending years in court and on attorneys, I would demand free flights - and the FA’s job that did something so thoughtless. Leaving a mother stranded with a baby!?? Good grief! God Bless to All!

By Dug

July 13, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this

Kudos to the flight attendant. Personally I am sick of people who can’t/won’t control their kids especially on an airline. It’s a contained space and there is no where to go. This has nothing to do with terrorism (please)and no the woman shouldn’t be able to sue. She should get her moneyback at best, although I understand she was flew out the next day. I personally hope to see more unruly kids/adults kicked off planes in the future. If you cant’ behave you shouldn’t be allowed to fly. Everyone else who paid their hundreds of dollars should not have to suffer poor parenting. Travelling is already stressful enough.

By Tired of Unruly Kids

July 13, 2007 6:19 PM | Link to this

While I don’t necessarily agree that the flight attendant made the right call, I still think that she should have tried a bit more to keep her child under control. The flight attendant was definitely having a power trip that afternoon. Although, if parents would take the time to keep their children under control, situations like that aren’t necessary.

By MOT

July 13, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this

No we haven’t heard both sides but I have NEVER seen any report on disruptive children that any eye witnesses came to the defense on camera like the ones in this story.

The fact that she had been delayed 11 hours, had an overtired child and when she said she tried distracting him from being cranky by pointing out one of the planes on the tarmac and he started saying bye bye plane is EXACTLY what an involved parent would do, it is a loving way to get a child to not head the direction he was: getting louder and crabbier. Why the stewardess had a problem with this, she needs to come forward and say. Especially since NO one else was bothered by it. The fact that she has not has me very curious.

For those who say the mom is doing this for her 15 minutes, NO…she tried resolving it with the airlines they chose to ignore it, everyone knows that going public will get some action from companies. She did what most people who have tried to work it out would do. If she only wanted attention and money, she would have kicked up a public fuss as soon as she deplaned.

I think she handled it with class. And yes the baby was being a baby on GMA, but I am suspicious about that too, I wonder like one poster said, that the show didn’t insist on making a display of the child. He could have easily been kept in the green room.

I challend the FA to come out and tell her convincing side of the story, AND to have passenger eye witnesses that corroborate hers.

I too have seen and heard other stories of truly bratty kids, and truly hands off indulgent parents, but this IS NOT one of those. Too many red flags point to the FA!!!!

It is too bad passengers didn’t speak up for her on the spot, or maybe they did and were ignored or threatened by the all powerful FA too??????

By Tired of Unruly Kids

July 13, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this

Sam —

For the record, for international travel, ALL children under the age of 2 are required to pay 10% taxes based on the lowest airfare for the cabin the accompanying adult has purchased. These taxes are based on the country of final destination. Airlines do charge 1/2 price for confirmed seats for children from 2-12. Per FAA regulation, seats are NOT required for children under the age of 2, however, parents do have the option of purchasing a confirmed seat for their infant for the same 1/2 price airfare.

By youlanda

July 13, 2007 7:08 PM | Link to this

jk u are a bee-otch

By You kids...

July 13, 2007 7:17 PM | Link to this

Kids are loud, obnoxious and noise machines. That’s why people take them to the movie theaters and on long plane trips - to make everyone else suffer.

It’s a conspiracy!

I bet the other people on that plane were freakin’ happy.

By shelly

July 13, 2007 7:27 PM | Link to this

the flight attendent should quit her job … ugh!

By Tommy

July 13, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this

…though most flight attendants are bhes- you can tell because they wear extra heavy make-up (go figure), the male ones, too, it’s a god*ed baby! So what?! Just get in the fat brats face and yell: “Shut up or the plane will crash!”…

By Tommy

July 13, 2007 7:37 PM | Link to this

…and by the way, some parents should ALWAYS think twice before taking there offspring to a public place. Just because some b*h got knocked up and gave birth to the insult in her stomach doesn’t mean the public has to be subjected to their loud, snot-nosed, putrid-reakin’ babies…especially, ESPECIALLY in a public place. Keep it at home!… They’re so much cuter in their home…

By Tim

July 13, 2007 7:37 PM | Link to this

Why do people sue over everything? I don’t know if the flight attendant was right or wrong but I will say that parents these days need to learn to control their kids more. They run around in public like crazy people and I would hate to be on an airplane sitting near a kid that can’t be quiet and can’t sit still. Drive next time.

By Me

July 13, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this

When I was a kid I was afraid to open my mouth in public until I was 7 or 8 years old. My Mama will tell you to this day the first word any of her kids learned was “No”.

By Troy

July 13, 2007 7:44 PM | Link to this

Seems to me the child was behaving appropiate for his age. At one time or another even the best behaved two year old have a tantrum. Excuse the child for being two years old.

By George

July 13, 2007 7:46 PM | Link to this

Face it people, there are 2 sides to every story and everything seems to be one sided at the moment. Before we have the FA booted, lets hear the whole story. If there was a missed flight, I can understand that passengers might be a little on the ill side and some may even go as far as agreeing with the mother in order to get back at the airline for their delay.
After watching the GMA segment, I think that the child needs to learn some discipline and the mother needs to learn to administer discipline.

By Tommy

July 13, 2007 8:05 PM | Link to this

…babies from Buford…BUFORD!, for christ’s sake….need we say more?… I say throw the inbred thing OFF the plane. I’m kidding, but not really…but a baby from Buford? That came out of a girl from Buford? This story will take a sordid turn: “Baby From Buford Downs Airliner, Mother High On Meth At the Time”…

By laurie g

July 13, 2007 8:09 PM | Link to this

I’d be curious to hear from the other passengers on just what happened. Are any of them coming forward?

I have a 9 and 12 year old and I look with compassion on parents who have a screaming child on a plane because I was once in their shoes. The child may be uncomfortable, or upset at being restrained. Sure I have been in situations where the parents seemed to be oblivious to their child’s misbehavior, but in a plane, there is not a lot you can do.

In the past 12 months I have run into more rude flight attendants than in the 5 years prior to that. Planes are more crowded, flights are closer together, and there is generally more hassle. I have also flown enough since 9/11 to realize that flight attendants’ jobs are not what they used to be. I guess I can understand if they’re cranky.

Still, the way this is being reported, it sounds as if this flight attendant abused her power. It also sounds like the family contacted the airline with a complaint, and it sounds as if the airline did nothing about it. In the current environment of corporate greed and obnoxious behavior, I can see why the family filed the lawsuit when they felt they were being blown off. I guess I can’t say I’d do anything different. I hope that they are not filing a lawsuit for the money, but instead are filing to make a point. Perhaps they will be big enough to donate any proceeds to a battered womens/childrens shelter.

By m b

July 13, 2007 8:20 PM | Link to this

let us wait for the rest of the booted baby story. frankly, your darling baby isn’t so cute for people who have paid for a seat. did this mom pay for or her angle? SUE? the good old american way.

By cw

July 13, 2007 8:22 PM | Link to this

I think the mom is a democrat. She thought t was a gov-ment aircraft and they would supply all her needs:diapers, juice, childcare, etc

By Mother of 1

July 13, 2007 8:23 PM | Link to this

as the mother of a 22 month old, i always feed my child and give him a little bit of benedryl before flying. he can be rather uncontrolable in enclosed places. although i do not agree with how the situation is handled, i can imgine how embarassed the mother was. the terrible two’s are really hard to deal with, especially in public. i hope the mother of this child will think twice about benedryl before taking another flight. i know i will.

By jojo

July 13, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this

It seems that the flight attendant overreacted — matbe, maybe not. But now the mother says they may sue. Who’s overreacting now? Get over it!

By catlady

July 13, 2007 8:29 PM | Link to this

I suspect that this will end up being a “Duke rape case” since we have heard only from one side. I don’t know if the attendant will ever be able to tell her part, however. And I am pretty darned sure that, however cute the surrounding passengers thought it was at the time (or so we hear), after 2 or 3 hours the cute would have worn off a great deal, and those same passengers would have wanted the two thrown off, while in mid-air!

Parents need to plan ahead for babies and toddlers while traveling. If you can’t keep their disruption to a minimum (through sedation, flying at night etc), find another way of traveling rather than inflicting them on a hundred or two weary souls who ALSO paid for their seats, not for the entertainment you are willing to provide.

By catlady

July 13, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this

BTW, where was dad during all this? Getting some much-needed “respite” from his “precocious” son?

In my experience, most of the children who are out of control before leaving the ground get MUCH WORSE in the air. Perhaps the attendant has had the same experience.

And it may not have been so much what the child was doing that got them put off, but the observation that mom was doing little/nothing to control the behavior, perhaps was encouraging it because it was “cute”, which was likely to get worse and inconvenience even more passengers. Attendants get an earful about this daily from angry passengers. I have even seen attendants have to dodge small children being allowed to roam the aisles.

The first airline that makes an enclosed family-friendly section gets all my business.

Also, airlines should provide “seat and a half” for the obese and a no perfume rule for everyone.

By The Truth

July 13, 2007 8:47 PM | Link to this

Re: comments above regarding donating the money if they win…If they win a lawsuit, they deserve to keep the money!! They have gone through enough humilliation, anguish and inconveniences.

By Jitney

July 13, 2007 8:55 PM | Link to this

What I don’t understand…Answers like this:

Leave your kids at home - we can’t afford a babysitter.

Leave them with your mom - oh she won’t take them any more.

If you can’t afford a babysitter you shouldn’t be out, in fact you shouldn’t even have a child.

By Happy Flier

July 13, 2007 8:57 PM | Link to this

I still say stuff the kid in the overhead bin, give him/her a binkey and shut the door.

By Frances J Turner

July 13, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this

My family recently took an airplane trip and the child behind my brother kicked the back of his seat all the way to Vegas. It was a child in front of us that decided to scream, off and on, as load as she could for no reason. Neither parent corrected the children on the entire trip. I do think that parents need to control their children.

By Mr. Wilson

July 13, 2007 9:00 PM | Link to this

Both young’un & soccer mom should have been thrown off the plane — without a parachute. And, “Garron,” what a stupid name! Yuppie scum needs to be wiped out.

By Baja Joes

July 13, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

While this incident is deplorable and it would seem the flight attendant over-reacted in the end it is self correcting in that word will get around the company about this flt. attndnt and if her co-workers believe the Mother no one will want to fly with the attendant and she will be shunned into other work!

By Bodi

July 16, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this

“And I am pretty darned sure that, however cute the surrounding passengers thought it was at the time (or so we hear), after 2 or 3 hours the cute would have worn off a great deal,”

The report stated that the child was asleep before they reached the terminal when the FA insisted they turn the plane around. Very few people have a problem with a sleeping child.

By Jess

July 16, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this

Wow, I didn’t know my 2yo was seriously irritating people by saying “hi” to them. Most of you people have serious problems

By anyone

July 16, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this

So based upon previous entries, I guess my husband and I shouldn’t fly w/our baby in Aug. who’ll be 4 1/2 months old, for fear of disgruntled passengers who HATE kids and would want to shove him into the overhead compartment. Serious how demented are you to make such horrible comments about kids?

Look, this mom is just like most moms I see around these days; completely self-absorbed and inconsiderate of others. Her precious little BRAT will grow up spoiled, rude and filled with an undeserving sense of entitlement. All because she doesn’t want to skip her manicures and facials and teach her kid how to behave in public. I would’ve been in SOO musch trouble if I acted the way he did, 18 months or not. That being said, they shouldn’t have been booted for what happened and the FA should be repremanded.

By getagrip, peeps

July 16, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this

Most people do not hate children, it’s the inept parenting that draws the criticism. People SHOULD have some patience and tolerance for little ones but parents need to understand that they need to respect other people too! Not everyone thinks your precious little crumb snatchers are as darling as you do. It sounds like Kate encouraged Garren to say, “bye-bye, airplane” which means she was talking over the FA doing her safety briefing too.

By jml

July 16, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

Jess, sit down to a quite dinner with your husband in a nice expensive restaurant & deal with someone else’s snotty kid leaning over saying “hi” for the eighteen time. Would you enjoy it?

By Horton

July 16, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

At 19 months of age, both my kids knew it was impolite to talk while others were speaking. Little Garron obviously hasn’t been taught good manners. If the FA is giving instructions, then we all need to shut up and listen. That includes kids.

By catlady

July 16, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this

anyone, for the comfort of your baby, yourselves, and the others on the plane I suggest you talk to your pediatrician a week or so prior to your August flight. Be sure the baby has no ear infection, congestion, etc. Be sure you have plenty of supplies. Consider flying at night or ask the dr about a safe sedative if your baby tends to be fussy. (If not for the baby, for the fellow passengers!)

Most little babies I have flown with were okay, especially if they were nursing. Nursing relieves the pressure on the eardrums. Talk to the attendant about the best place for changing diapers. Plan ahead!

By Scott

July 16, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

The mother should have kept her child quiet while the flight attendant was giving the safety instructions. I’m sure the mom thought her little angel was being “oh so cute” with his “bye bye plane”, but after saying it once or twice she should have taken control. How about some animal crackers or gold fish or a sippy cup with some juice for the little fella. Oh that’s right…the good mother didn’t have any food or diapers for her child. Nothing like a hungry child with wet or better yet, stinking drawers, sitting next to you on a flight. She needs to take a parenting class and start over. Make your child behave while in public and at home. I don’t have kids, but my neice and nephews know how to act when they are with me. I make them mind and be respectful of others and they still love me and love to come visit me in Atlanta.

By gregoryrasputin

July 16, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

I have flown for 35 years and I finally found the solution to unruly kids on airplanes- BOSE HEADPHONES, I will not fly w/o them. Maybe one of these days the airlines will wakeup and finally find a solution to crying and unruly kids on airplanes. Have a separate sound proof part of the cabin in the back where the parents have to put up with the kids and not the other passengers. Try 3-4 hours from coast to coast with crying babies in the seat behind you kicking your seat the whole way. You need Valium, Zanex and enough booze to numb your senses after one of those episodes. Thank God I do not have fly as much any more b/c it’s unbelievable how rude people are nowadays along with their kids and if say anything they think that you are rude.

By slimdog

July 16, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this

Although I am sympathetic to the woman for her inconvenience of being kicked off the plane, I do believe that she has problems controlling her child, and that was evident on the tv show. If a child is old enough to talk, they are old enough to be disciplined. I do not agree that they should be kicked off the plane because that inconvenienced all the passengers, but I do think that if she does not get a handle on the behavioral issues that her child has, this will not be the last of her inconveniences.

By jymbrc

July 16, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this

I have to say I am a bit appalled at some of these messages saying that the mother thought her child was “oh so cute” or that she needs parenting classes and what have you.

It has been clearly stated that they had been delayed 11 hours with only what was in the carry on. Mom did not have any diapers, juice, food etc, because after an 11 hour delay it had long since been used up. Everything else was sent ahead in the plane. Do you people just read the parts of a story that you want to read and skip the rest?

Next, after being delayed for 11 hours, if all the little guy was doing was saying “bye-bye plane ” then I’d say he was being pretty dang good! I have an autistic child, and let me tell you after an 11 hour delay, a repetitive “bye-bye plane” would have been the least of my worries of a child of that age. My child I just spoke of would have been in a full blown meltdown at that point. This mother does not need parenting classes and shame on those who said so. You know I had to take my kids shopping today, and had to go to about three different places. While in a shoe store, my special needs guy started saying “ha-ha” repetitively. I did feel that he was bothering people so I warned him to stop and when he did not I told him he would not be getting the reward we had agreed on earlier for good behavior. What resulted was a meltdown. And if you know anything about a meltdown, you know it is entirely different than a tantrum. They enter their own world, and try as you might you absolutely cannot get control over them. Now, I was in a situation where I knew I could remove him from the store immediately if something like this were to happen, and I did so. But sometimes you are in a situation where this just cannot be done. Were this such a case, I probably wouldn’t have tried to stop him knowing that it could make it much worse.

Now, I realize that this woman’s child is not autistic, however he is only 19 months old. I have a daughter only 7 months younger than him, and two boys. I’ve done 19 months old before, and let me tell you. There is nothing wrong with disciplining a child at that age, and I agree it should be done, but it is not always possible to get a child of this age to be quiet. This child is not a behavior problem. He was in an undesirable situation, and behaving far better than many other 19 month olds would have, both on the plane and on the set at GMA.

Children are a part of society. I do agree that parents need to discipline, but I also agree that there comes a certain point that we have to realize that children are just being children. In a world demanding that I be tolerant of lifestyles that I don’t agree with, I find it simply laughable that we can’t even be tolerant of a child.

By Sheri

July 16, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this

Wow, if they turned around the plane for a toddler saying “Bye bye plane” then I can only imagine what they would have done to my energetic 3-year-old - thrown him off the plane in mid-flight maybe. Toddlers aren’t adults and can’t be expected to act like adults. But they are part of life and obviously since adults won’t be here if not for being a child first - they are an essential part of life. I avoid taking my child to nice restaurants, but that is a luxury that I can do without for a while. However if one must travel, what is one to do? Parents have rights as do children. More power to this mom and her little one. Also, waking two hours early and being in hot lights would get me grumpy - how can anyone blame a toddler for being grumpy at a TV set? People get real.

By wesley

July 20, 2007 8:24 PM | Link to this

“bye bye plane”, repeated several times even with the most volume a 19 month old can muster, is enough to catalyze the hypersensitive reactions of the FA, Mary and some of the others I’ve read about?! wow—-i wonder how these thin-skinned “adults” would react to something truly annoying or to a real problem? i can surmise only that their lack of the de minimis coping skills required to comfortably tolerate such a circumstance (the toddler’s chatter), are so lacking that their immarturity is probably regularly on display and that it is they who annoy others in their lives. sounds like a good dose of Jesus might help.

By wesley

July 20, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this

correction: “bye bye plane”, repeated several times even with the most volume a 19 month old can muster, is enough to catalyze the hypersensitive reactions of the FA, Mary and some of the others I’ve read about?! wow—-i wonder how these thin-skinned “adults” would react to something truly annoying or to a real problem? i can surmise only that their supply of the de minimis coping skills required to comfortably tolerate such a circumstance (the toddler’s chatter), is so lacking that their immarturity is probably regularly on display and that it is they who annoy others in their lives. sounds like a good dose of Jesus might help.

By James

July 23, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

This has got to be a joke. “Uncontrollable?” First off, only bad parents don’t have control over their kids. Its called getting in their face and letting them know whats up. My mom did it, my sisters did it to me too. You just have to be dead serious, and tell them exactly what they need to know about disturbing people. When they are old enough to say “Bye Bye Plane,” they are old enough to be told to sit down and be quiet. Don’t abuse the child, but you are bigger than they are, and when you say “Look at me. You are going to sit here and be quiet or else we are going to have serious problems” they do it. Its not “scarring” and its intention is to be a little scary. But its a public place, and unless that noise is confined to the space you paid for, it doesn’t need to be made. That goes for everyone, not just kids. I paid for my ticket, parents and kids don’t have more rights than I do. Kick him off the plane if he didn’t let you get through safety instructions, you’d do the same with any adult.

By Nancy

July 26, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

MY SON IS 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS AUTISIM I know it will sound like I am taking this personally but I am tired of arrogant people like this flight attendant giving me looks and making remarks about “controlling” my child. So here it goes to ALL of those ignorant (I don’t like this word but just couldn’t resist) people.

One of the characteristics of autism is the repeativeness of words. This by the way is called “perseverate” for those uneducated people who think we should “control our brats”. My son can repeat a word or phrase a 100 times or more within 5 minutes. I am not saying this child has autism (and we don’t know that for sure) but you have no idea that those children you call “brats” could possibly be a special needs child. Hummm…maybe you will have a child with special needs one day. Better pause and think before you speak lady.

I would have loved to been the mother with my son on board. This flight attendant could not imagine how public I would have made this. First it would be discrimination against a child with special needs. Don’t ever ever ever do that. Then it would have been harrassment. Oh, and “drugging your child” oh no…I hope she likes hard chairs because her a_s would be sitting in a court room for a very long time.

OOPS I FORGOT…SHE MUST HAVE NEVER CRIED OR TALKED LOUD IN PUBLIC AS A CHILD. OOPS AGAIN LITTLE MS. PERFECT.

My personal venting is over. Much luck to this mother and her child.