AirTran defends decision to remove family from plane after toddler's tantrum

[hermanntrude]

i have to say i'm on the side of the airline. If a parent can't control a kid, the plane can't take off, if the plane can't take off, delays are caused, money is lost, people are inconvenienced, etc etc. A one minute delay can sometimes cause 3 hour delays elsewhere. I'm sure it must have been very embarrassing for the parents but they got their money back, which is more than they were entitled to. I know usually if you are unloaded they dont have to give u a damn thing.

 

[selfactivated]

No worries, I know airline travel is a pain in the butt. I just feel for the airline people because I know what it's like to be the one who has to enforce rules. I can't tell you how many times I've had irate family members because I enforce rules at the hospital. I don't get to make those rules and I don't get to change them even if I disagree with them. It's really no different for flight crews.

I totally get the stewardess have to inforce rules LOL I was on the same end as the baby once myself LOL The stew was rude and condencending and instead of handing me my meds she was unbelievably unkind. The guy next to me told her off and the pilot came out to find out what the problem was and he talked to me, handed me my med case, got me water and gave me an extention belt. Im clostophobic and belts bring on flash backs (Ive worked through that one) I carry a note from my doc and its co signed by a judge. The Pilot looked at her and said.....Was THAT hard? We took off on time and I fell asleep.

Ive had stews that just exasperbate the problem and some that will help emmensley. I saw the child on TV she seemed bright and loving and her Nanna said she is a child that normally listens to grownups. I will always stand up for a little one but I wasnt on that plane and as a seasoned traveler Ive seen a great deal of situations, this one just didnt seem out of the ordinary to me and I think the grown ups around her had more of a problem than the little one did.

 

[hermanntrude]

I totally get the stewardess have to inforce rules LOL I was on the same end as the baby once myself LOL The stew was rude and condencending and instead of handing me my meds she was unbelievably unkind. The guy next to me told her off and the pilot came out to find out what the problem was and he talked to me, handed me my med case, got me water and gave me an extention belt. Im clostophobic and belts bring on flash backs (Ive worked through that one) I carry a note from my doc and its co signed by a judge. The Pilot looked at her and said.....Was THAT hard? We took off on time and I fell asleep.

Ive had stews that just exasperbate the problem and some that will help emmensley. I saw the child on TV she seemed bright and loving and her Nanna said she is a child that normally listens to grownups. I will always stand up for a little one but I wasnt on that plane and as a seasoned traveler Ive seen a great deal of situations, this one just didnt seem out of the ordinary to me and I think the grown ups around her had more of a problem than the little one did.

fair enough but what do you think should have happened? they should have stayed on the runway till the kid fell asleep?

 

[selfactivated]

fair enough but what do you think should have happened? they should have stayed on the runway till the kid fell asleep?

I dont know.......

 

[hermanntrude]

I think the only thing they could do was to offload the family and be polite about it. The girl's misbehaviour was causing immense trouble.

 

[selfactivated]

This was on MSN

http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=380665&GT1=9016


Here are four tips for getting children to behave on airplanes.

1. Bring the child's car seat along. The Federal Aviation Administration says children are safest on planes when strapped into their car seats, and "young kids are often more comfortable in a familiar seat," said Eileen Ogintz whose columns appear online at http://www.takingthekids.com. Seeing their own car seat on the plane may also make them more willing to climb in and buckle up, just like they do in the family car.

2. Bring small items you can use as entertainment, distraction and rewards.

"We'll stop in the magazine store and get one of those silly little books where the kids get a magic pen," said Pauline Frommer, the travel guidebook writer and daughter of travel guru Arthur Frommer. In addition, she buys gum as a special treat for her daughters to have in flight, and brings pipe cleaners along to play with.

Holly Hughes, author of "500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up," suggests reading a story or even strapping a doll in the seat belt first. "Everyone around you is anxious and kids are likely to pick up on that anxiety," she said. "Distraction is a big thing."

Michele Perry, director of communications for TripAdvisor and mother of a 3-year-old, says if toys don't work, "I have a Plan B, which I'm not proud of but it works: A lollipop."

- Expedia: Planning a trip? See today's travel deals

3. If the child is old enough to understand, explain in advance what's going to happen and stress the importance of following the rules. "Explain that the pilot and flight attendants need their help when preparing for take off," Ogintz said.

"The whole idea is the preparation before. Explain what's going to happen and make it something to look forward to," said Nancy Shankman. Her grown son, Peter Shankman, began traveling with his family from a very young age; today he runs AirTroductions.com, a Web site that allows people to choose their seat mates before boarding.

4. Finally, if rewards, explanations and distraction don't work, you may have to calmly say, "These are the rules, you have no choice," and restrain the child.

"I do feel that preparation for any kind of adventure is important," said Nancy Shankman, "but if that didn't work, I would have just strapped the kid in the seat."

Peter Shankman said that the opinion of about half of the moms weighing in on the subject on the AirTroductions Web site was, "'We would have had that kid down.' They blamed the parents." The other half felt bad for the parents, he said.

"A lot of this comes down to parenting," Perry said. At the end of the day, "I know I can get my daughter buckled in that seat."

 

[vinod1975]

Found on Google ...

You shouldn't have to point these things out, should you? But here they are, Steel Kaleidescopes airplane etiquette tips. You know if you're reading these, you probably don't need them. You're thinking, Oh My GOD, if I have to put up with suggested Rule 5 on One More Flight, I'm going to blow a gasket. But wouldn't it be nice if they ran these in the magazine in your seat back pocket? Or made a little video and played them before the movie?

You're Not the Flight DJ
If you're going to listen to music on your Walkman or MP3 player, keep the volume down. Not everyone enjoys 50 Cent and Nelly. The volume is louder than you think, especially if the headset is not snug to your ear.
​

USA Today has another list that includes how to deal with those obstacles to good behavior, the seat back and the armrest.

Seat backs: Part A The person in front of you. When you stand up or sit down in your seat, try not to grab the back of the seat in front of you. The person in that seat might be napping or drinking something spillable, and grabbing that seat back jostles them about.
Seat backs: Part B The person behind you. Despite what the airline ads say about "lots more room between seats," there's rarely enough space between rows. So don't push your seat all the way back in one fell swoop — or at all. If you must recline your seat, try to be considerate and aware of the person seated behind you. Look to see if their laptop is open or if they've got a project — such as a meal — on their tray top.
​

In this post on the Third Age blog, there are horror stories and high comedy as well as practical tips for dealing with badly behaved neighbors on the plane. (I've edited a little for brevity.)

I pulled back the pocket and to my delight I spied a rice paper Barf Bag, I gently but noisily retrieved the bag and with both hands began to open while making a deep clearing of my throat, I heard a deep inhaling of breath on each side of me and a withdrawal of my row partners arms retreating into their space, and I remained with both my arms resting on the comfortable armrest joining my seat while holding the Barf Bag most of the flight to Atlanta...
​

Honestly, I hate to fly. I hate the small space and the distasteful food and the stress of it all. Flying is uncomfortable and I'm not surprised when people behave badly, though I do wish they wouldn't. It's absolutely a situation designed to bring out the worst in people. I am perhaps naive, but I do think that if the airlines gave us all a bit more space and treated us a bit less like cargo, passengers would behave with a lot more manners. That ain't gonna happen until I have the dosh to fly first or business class every time, so in the meantime, hey, be nice, okay?