Comments on: Mom And Chatty Toddler Kicked Off Flight - Spot The Childfree Traveller…

By: Britgirl

Britgirl — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:31:16 +0000

Explosive Bombchelle - that is an excellent article you wrote. There should be a mandate that parents have consideration for other travellers and if they don’t take steps to at least demonstrate that they do they should pay a penalty. I too understand that sometimes you can try everything to calm a child and nothing works. But to sit there and do nothing, expecting everyone else to suck up because you either can’t be bothered or simply can’t control your child is so incondsiderate.

I for one am also adopting a zero-tolerance policy for bad parental attitude on airlines. I believe if enough of us do so (and I believe there are parents that also wish to have a peaceful flight) then airlines will have to take notice and do something.

By: Explosive Bombchelle

Explosive Bombchelle — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 03:15:00 +0000

Brightfeather, you are brilliant! After a few really bad experiences, including one where Northwest refused to give me the fee they collected for two kids traveling alone who I ended up taking care of (including the use of a barf bag), I plan on taking on a zero-tolerance policy myself.

My response to the incident that took place in February:
http://blondebombchelle.blogspot.com/2007/02/tantrum-at-30000-feet.html

By: Britgirl

Britgirl — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 23:03:26 +0000

Karyn - What I can’t get my head around is how can a parent simply sit there and do nothing to stop them? Sad, but I’ve seen this too many times.

By: Karyn

Karyn — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:34:04 +0000

Eight years ago, I was on a flight from Cleveland to London, when I was stricken with food poisoning about 2 hours into the flight. I excused myself from my window seat, in which I shared the row with an elderly couple, and moved me and my stuff to an empty row of seats in the back of the plane. I got up every so often to puke, and I had a migraine to boot.

Meanwhile, these little kids were kicking the back of the seats I was curled up in, and screaming at their mother, “Mum! What is wrong with this lady, mum?” *kick* *kick* Mum did nothing to stop them. I finally grabbed one of the kid’s arms when he thrust it through the seats into my back, and I gave him a death stare. He stopped.

I still think I should’ve thrown up on him.

By: Childfree Chick

Childfree Chick — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 08:23:47 +0000

I was so PROUD that this was Continental! I have almost 40k FF miles with them, I fly this airline exclusively to visit my family on the East coast.

I would like to take this flight attendant out to dinner….it would be MY PLEASURE!!!

By: Chris W.

Chris W. — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:49:28 +0000

Wow! This reminds me of our last flight from Chicago back to Phoenix. We had the misfortune in sitting near a couple with a 1 yr old that just cried and cried and wailed and screamed through more than half of the 4 and a half hour flight. My experience with kids and calming them down is admittedly very limited, but you’d think that maybe some parents should have low-dose Valium prescribed to their chyyy-uld. It’s either that, or practice better discipline… :/

By: rebecca

rebecca — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:09:33 +0000

Well said as usual.

By: Feh

Feh — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:07:04 +0000

Gleah. I adoped a zero tolerance policy when I had to spend a 9 hour flight with a three year old crawling all over me for the entirety of the flight with nothing more than “honey, please” type correction from the mother. I offered to let them have my aisle seat, I put everything but my book in the overhead compartment in a vain attempt to give them some space, I spent almost a half hour in the bathroom in the hopes that without ol’ Feh around, the kid might fall asleep…no dice, no rest, and no relaxation. Not like I can relax much with the “you’re going to die in this plane” mantra my brain likes to do, but it just solidified my belief that as soon as any plane leaves the gate, it is filled with a sedative gas which is gradually reduced near the end of the flight thusly allowing everyone to arrive at their destination relaxed and alert.

By: brightfeather

brightfeather — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:14:34 +0000

The last time I endured an onslaught by a little Napoleon and his mother on an airflight I was on my way to a wedding wearing a silk suit. After 3/4 of an hour off the wall behaviour, which demonstrated the mother’s inability to control her son she allowed him to drink her coffee. You guessed it — the kid dumped the coffee on my lap.

The other passengers close by and the flight attendants backed me up when I demanded the price of dry cleaning in advance from the mother. I spent about 15 minutes soaking the stain out of the skirt in the tiny wash basin but the skirt it was ruined.

The second flight attendant kindly brought me my flight bag and I donned another skirt that did not match the suit top. When I arrived at the airport my godchild whose wedding I was attending 2 hours later cried when she saw what I was wearing. We had a connecting flight to catch and I had chosen the silk suit with care so it matched the rest of the apparel in the wedding party.

Upon reaching our destination (her 2nd flight of the day and my 3rd) we immediately went to a ladies wear store and I bought a replacement suit that was not the best colour choice. Thus, I had a miserable trip, I ended up spending twice as much money on clothing as a I should have had to spend, and the wedding ceremony began 1/2 hour late.

It was then that I adopted my zero tolerance policy.

By: brightfeather

brightfeather — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:52:59 +0000

@ JSDarwen
Thank you for the compliment.

It was difficult to remain calm when there was an automatic following of canonizing “mom” supporters who were already campaigning to defend the Madonna with her child her, without even hearing the other side of the story.

Worse still was the fact that the credibility of woman leading the campaign TheSillyWagon was in question from the outset as she is the proprietor of a children’s store.

When challenged she could provide citations only to media articles which were based on the “testimony” of a single passenger, who referred to the mom by her first name, making it clear that she was not an objective “witness” at all.

The fact that TheSillyWagon became a nasty and insulting namecaller didn’t really surprise me either. I have met other mothers like her have lost all credibility by responding like harpies when I have objected to the behaviours of their out of control children.

I remain firm when it comes to my zero tolerance policy. I will no longer be held hostage by a toddler terrorists and their enablers on any public conveyance or in any public place.

By: JSDarwen

JSDarwen — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:15:10 +0000

Brightfeather’s responses were brilliant - a lot more calm and reasonable than I suspect I would have been.

My fiancee and I are going to Canada for a holiday next month. It’s the first time either of us has been outside of Europe and certainly the first time either of us has been on such a long flight. I’m certainly looking forward to the trip, but somewhat dreading the possibility of some fidgety child kicking the back of my seat. Fortunately my fiancee is a primary school teacher and has a finely-honed hard-stare that has been known to silence any child at 10 paces. I’m hoping she won’t have to use it, it can be a deadly weapon.