Was Southwest Airline correct in kicking off a mother and her
screaming 2-year-old?
THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
“Was Southwest Airline correct in kicking off a mother and her screaming 2-year-old?” Yes: 8 No: 4
? Karen Anderson: “Yes. If the child was so loud the safety instructions could not be heard, he needed to deplane. Mom’s excuse about his ears hurting doesn’t hold water. They were on the ground.”
? Bert Berson: “Yes. A continuallly screaming child can make any plane trip unbearable. (Written on a plane with no screaming children.)
? Chris Bryant: “Yes, you can’t always keep a child from screaming, however, that is no reason to make all the other passengers suffer. I have taken more than a few red-eyes with screaming kids making for an absolutely miserable trip.”
? David Cohen: “Yes. Parents have a responsibility to control their children and instruct them in proper public behavior. Saying their kids will calm down after takeoff is somewhat like a politician’s promise. Sounds good but may not happen.”
? Dennis Kennedy: “Yes, on that flight, but put her on another flight after she and the child have settled down.”
? Julian Mancias: “Yes. Some disruption on a plane is understandable and acceptable. However, in this case the crying and the disruption was excessive.”
? Linda McNulty: “No, that flight attendant should be reprimanded along with the laptop addicted pilots.”
? Henry Miller: “Absolutely! But let’s be careful here. The airlines might see this as another way to add an extra charge, if you want to fly on a ‘no screaming’ flight.”
? Lisa Pampuch: “No. What if the wailing starts after takeoff? Should the plane divert to drop off toddlers having temper tantrums in mid-flight? I endured a transatlantic flight next to a deodorant-deprived man with no sense of where his personal space ended and mine began. I’ve endured flights with crying infants, kids kicking my seatback, loud neighbors, and overperfumed passengers. I didn’t expect them to be booted off either.”
? John Quick: “Probably so. There is a real difference between a normal ‘fussy’ baby and one that is completely out of control It is similar to allowing a drunk passenger on board (not allowed). There is a nuisance value/cost associated with this decision. The airline has an obligation to make the journey as pleasant as possible for everyone.”
? Emily Shem-Tov: “No, it doesn’t sound like they tried to help or even engage the mother, just kicked her off without warning. While it’s hard to sit next to someone’s screaming kid, it’s hard to fly with kids and a little help and understanding can go a long way.”
? Steve Staloch: “No. The Passenger’s Bill of Rights does not address spoiled 2-year-olds doing what 2-year-olds do or their coddling mothers, and I’m OK with a little screaming if it helps keeps the pilots awake.”
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