Pantagraph.com | WTF | Mom says she, toddler kicked off plane

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Smapdi wrote on Jul 23, 2007 11:08 AM:

" Ah, yes... the heartland's compassion, tolerance, understanding and family values shining through! And to whomever had the idea that maybe a terrorist plot would center around an annoying child... that has to be the single most paranoid and preposterous thing I think I've ever read. "

I believe... wrote on Jul 21, 2007 6:04 PM:

" I do believe the airline did the right thing!!! Who wants to sit in a plane or anywhere else for that matter with a out of control child?? I have children, older then this child and I have yet been asked to leave anywhere because my child was misbehaving. I will take my children anywhere, because they behave. Yes, kids will be kids but they're not disciplined right if your child get's you kick off or out of somewhere. Correct them at home and you won't have to do it in public!!! "

bbmac wrote on Jul 21, 2007 1:40 PM:

" some of these post are disturbing....Kids are kids, don't expect too much. You can pin all of this on "bad" parenting but that's probably not the case here. The flight attendant was probably pretending to be more important than what she really is. I doubt anyone really cares what she thought or said. She has probably been canned by now....See ya loser...pay the lady(mom) on your way out...thank you. "

nonfollower wrote on Jul 21, 2007 10:14 AM:

" Since many posters here seem to be rude and intolerant of children being themselves, and agreeing that they should be "kept quiet or removed", from now on when I'm in a store or restaurant and your cell phone rings, I'm going to tell you to shut up or have you thrown out! "

comment wrote on Jul 21, 2007 8:53 AM:

" I think there is much more to this story. I was told that they could not hold the doors open for 1 minute or they would be fined so I missed my flight. Now they are going to turn the plane around for a baby saying bye bye plane. I don't think so! And was the flight attendant the pilot? The baby could have been moved to another spot. There are a few things left out here. Sorry! I would say this didn't happen like this at least. "

United and Continental wrote on Jul 21, 2007 1:46 AM:

" have both just become my two favorite carriers. I believe I will ask for them by name at my travel agents' the next time. "

Parent & Teacher wrote on Jul 21, 2007 1:07 AM:

" As a 1st gr. teacher and mother of 2 ages 2 & 4, I discipline my students/children. However, there are times when they're difficult and loud, especially when they're not completely verbal. People need more love and compassion for parents who try their best. I agree with those who can't stand the site of parents who allow kids to act wild in public. Children CAN be controlled- BE CONSISTENT WITH RULES. There's no excuse for adults to allow children above toddler age to be disruptive and obnoxious in public. Previously, I was a pre-school teacher who successfully taught 3-5 year olds to behave appropriately, and now I'm also able to control my 4 year old son when he misbehaves. However, my 2 year old daughter's behavior isn't always predictable. Developmentally, she's at that stage. My son was the same way, but now he's fine in public. Please understand that toddlers are just beginning to learn about themselves and the world. They will eventually learn to be respectful and considerate, if they are TAUGHT . "

It if Walks Like a Brat, Screams Like a Brat, It's a Brat wrote on Jul 20, 2007 11:06 PM:

" It was priceless seeing this woman's cherub on national Television behaving so BADLY that even the mother and 3 anchors could not control him, even while trying to bribe him with every available toy until one of them finally walked off the set with him. The parents made the choice to put their child in the limelight on national T.V. - a photo is worth a thousand words. I'm sick of parents dragging tired and screaming kids everywhere as if they were still single. We all have to pay for it - when my kids needed naps, I stayed home and gave them naps. Period! Being a parent is about making decisions for the well-being of the child, not exerting your supposed rights at the expense of everyone around you. "

WTF!!!!!!!! wrote on Jul 20, 2007 1:05 PM:

" When reading most comments people are very rude when it comes to babies. You cannot control a baby under the age of 2 when it comes to crying. It would not be fair to ban children from flying. AS a mother of three my kids would have a hard time on a plane for more then an hour. See our kids play outside all day and are active. They don't just sit around on there fat a$$ and plan video games and watch cartoons. As adults people need to be more considerate and understanding when it comes to babies and toddlers on a plane. It can be hard sometimes as a parent to figure out what is wrong with a child that can only cry and laugh at that age. Grow up people. We would like to see how great your kids are in the store or on a plane!!!!!! "

it hapens in our town wrote on Jul 20, 2007 12:07 PM:

" People are too judgemental on how others raise their kids. When my son was 2 1/2 we were in a toy store looking for a b-day present. He couldn't keep his hands off the noisy toys on the bottom shelf. I told him NO several times and took the toy away, then he swept the toys on the floor. When I smacked his hand, told him that was bad, and put him in the cart, a lady at the end of the aisle said "I am going to report you to a manager".....for what? I made a quick selection and we left with an emergency binky in his mouth (so he wouldn't scream). I bet the stewardess has no children...all mothers know that children are in there for 9 months to install the buttons they push the rest of their lives. "

Dusty wrote on Jul 20, 2007 10:01 AM:

" i have an 8mo old and we had a similar experience about a month ago. we got on our flight from chicago to springfield on united and our flight attendant looked at us as we got on and told me that i had better keep his as quiet as possible during our flight. he was sleeping in my arms as i walked on the plane. i will never fly united again nor will i let anyone i know fly them. "

Marissa wrote on Jul 17, 2007 12:11 AM:

" To:Father if Two... Thanks for pointing what would be obvious too anyone who has had kids. Kids that young have just started talking. When they recognize something and realize they know the word as well, they get excited. Repeatedly saying bye bye is not a big deal, it is not bad parenting. You cannot at this age make a child be quiet. If she had spanked him she'd have been in trouble with half the people on the plane plus social services. Bendryl is a drug. Despite what some people think it is not supposed to be used to sedate your child. My son who is 23months old would have been talking non stop too, especially about something that has wheels and an engine. You people who don't want to hear it turn up your Ipods. Half of you have them anyway. And stop talking about "controlling your kids" like there is a switch to make them not talk. If she had tried to force him to stop talking he would have started screaming. Which do you prefer? it's just sad that we are so spoiled and so ME Freaking Me that we can't think of anyone else. "

Question? wrote on Jul 16, 2007 6:44 PM:

" Always 2 sides to a story.. Where are all the people on the plane? Where are their interviews? I don't hear anyone speaking up on behalf of this mother and child? I am a mother.. a mother of 3 and I can't imagine this child simply saying "bye bye plane" the cause of her being taken off... hmmm Makes ya wonder what is missing??? "

kathy wrote on Jul 16, 2007 2:44 PM:

" I really don't mind children on planes I fly overseas with children several times a month. You know what bothers me most of all about planes are the obnoxious people who carry on luggage that is larger than they know they shouldn't and they could care less about anyone else. Have they been raised properly. Duffel bags and shopping bags and larger than pilot sized carry ons. They then proceed to stand in the aisle holding everyone up while they arrange and then rearrange all of their junk while everyone else stands behind them. If I don't want to hear someone talk there are headphones, all kinds of shows on monitors of flights that are longer than several hours(sorry, but I don't consider one or two hour flights more than just a bus stop) lap tops and other types of electronic devices that people bring on. I do know, being a more than once in a while flier, that when you have someone taken off a flight, you then stand a very good chance of missing your connecting flight. Then its really bye bye plane. "

Sorry but... wrote on Jul 16, 2007 11:13 AM:

" Allowing your child to talk isn't a lack of discipline. Just because you choose to be childless doesn't mean that everyone around you should keep their children silent. Yes, kids should be properly controlled in any public place, but thinking this child, or his mother, was in the wrong because he was talking is out of line. Faimlies should have their own separate flights? There are probably people who also wish for the snorers/talkers/smelly people/non-english speaking folks to have their own flights. It's just not practical. The point is, there is always someone who is going to be irritating to someone else. Whether you don't like kids, are a redneck, are sensitive to smells, don't like talking to strangers, whatever. Suck it up people. We all have to spend time together in some public place, like each other or not. A plane is a public place. Buying a seat on it doesn't give you the same comforts as home, and no one promised you that it would. All it gives you is the right to be on the plane. Same as the Mom and her talking baby. "

Bye Bye BABY! wrote on Jul 16, 2007 8:09 AM:

" The bottom line is that having a child is a CHOICE and just because someone makes that choice doesn't give them the RIGHT to aggravate everyone around them with poorly controlled and undisciplined children. I don't want to hear any parents whining about how difficult it is to travel with their children. They CHOSE to have them!! Why is it everyone else's responsibility to be tolerant and considerate?! I fly frequently and can't remember the last time my flying experience wasn't made miserable by a screaming baby or a child whose parents can't control it. I'm paying the same ticket price as the parent beside me with the screaming, kicking child, but MY behavior isn't ruining her flight. I've long maintained that parents with children should be restricted to their own flights. "

Ed wrote on Jul 15, 2007 5:20 PM:

" My daughter is a flight attendant, and contrary to several posters above, they do not hold limitless power. Their function is passenger safety, one FA for each 50 passengers per the FAA; nevertheless their jobs hang from a thread over each complaint of spilled coke from some clueless rube that believes it's 1950 and they're flying PanAm first class using their $249 discount ticket. Yes, please complain over anything trivial. They will get fired as FA slots are unionized and airlines love the cost structure of employing entry-level FA's, especially reservists. You'll guarantee a fresh crop of FA's each and every flight that you can further complain about. With assured turnover, you DO in fact get the idiot FA's as was the case here. Obviously, a loud child does not impact flight safety as long as they're seated and secure. It is very safe to say that the career of the FA on that flight has ended as it should. It is also safe to say that her position was created by someone bitching over not enough ice in their coke, or they were rudely asked to be seated when the seatbelt light was illuminated. "

what in the world wrote on Jul 15, 2007 8:43 AM:

" HAVE I LAPSED IN TO ANOTHER WORLD. YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL CERTIFIABLE. KIDS ARE KIDS WHAT DO YOU ALL WANT US TO DO BEAT THEM INTO SUBMISSION. BTW CYS WILL THEN BE ON OUR DOORSTEPS TO TAKE THEM AWAY. I HOPE SHE SUES THE PANTS OFF THE AIRLINE AND TAKES OVER. AND ALL OF YOU INTOLERANT, HATE MONGERS HAVE TO FLY ON HER AIRLINE ONCE BUT BEING A RESPONSIBLE PARENT WHO WON'T CAVE AND DRUG HER CHILD FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OTHERS. SHE WOULD PROBABLY TREAT YOU ALL BETTER THAN YOU ARE TREATING HER. USE THE LEGAL SYSTEM FOR GOOD FOR ONCE A LAWSUIT THAT MAKES SENSE FOR ONCE TRUE DISCRIMINATION "

Mom of two wrote on Jul 15, 2007 12:42 AM:

" Wow! I have two children, one girl, 23, with Pervasive Developmental Disorder NOS( a mild form of autism) and one boy, almost 5. I've had horrible experiences in public with my daughter. My son(normal, thank God!) is better behaved in public most of the time, but there are times when they are both acting out when I can feel the glares searing my soul. Kind people tell me that they're not being that bad, but now I know how some of you really feel. My daughter is now schizophrenic, too, and I cannot control her now, just as I could not when she was younger, though I have tried. If you walked in my shoes, you would know my pain and frustration. Kids under five can't be controlled and my "Special Olympics" daughter can't either! What happened to tolerance? "

tlum3 wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:19 PM:

" I've never heard a group of such ignorant individuals who have commented on this story. The story states that the child was just talking no louder than anyone else on the plane. He was not misbehaving in any way. For those who don't want/like children blah blah blah, don't use this as a forum to spread your distaste to kids. "

Gimme a Break wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:44 PM:

" Oh and by the way, do not ever, and I mean ever, get into a disagreement with a flight attendant. They have ALL of the power. They can ruin your life on a whim and from what I read and hear, they frequently do. It's their first and only shot at power, and they use it injudiciously. "

That Mom. wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:23 PM:

" Watch out people....I am flying with my two hellions who are 3 and 1 coming soon to an airport near you. Now that I know how you really feel....I will just try to hold my head high. Controlling two hellions like mine is not an easy job...sometimes I think my mom was right that I have to payback two-fold, and that is what I am doing. You have no idea what it is like, just remember, it is only a 3-hr flight for you but it is life for me. So cut me some slack, thanks. "

Irrational wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:40 PM:

" So, being terrified of something gives you rights over everyone else's normal behaviour in a public setting? If I'm in a park and am terrified of Dobermans, and someone walks by with a Doberman on a leash, that person should have to leave the park? If you are uncomfortable around someone who is mentally challenged, does that mean they shouldn't be allowed to sit near you at a concert, or in a restaurant? If you have an irrational fear of toddlers speaking at a toddler level, they shouldn't be allowed on the same public carrier as you? Sorry, but paying for a seat on a plane, train, or other conveyance doesn't make it your private space. We ALL have to adapt to the surroundings we are in despite our fears or personal issues. If we can't, then it is up to us to find another place to be. You people and your "me" attitudes are nauseating. "

Hit a Nerve, Didn't I? wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:29 PM:

" Wow, that was some big lash out there. All the more proof that you have some huge issues. Sorry you can't cope with a simple observation, but I still maintain, anyone who is going to freak out and think their plane is going to crash simply because a toddler on their flight says "Bye-Bye Plane", is having an unreasonable emotional response to the situation. Judging from your inability to recognise this fact, my guess is that your degree was found in a Cracker Jack box. "

Gimme a Break wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:47 PM:

" All real fathers know their children and know how to manage them. My children have never acted up and never will. You people who think that all children act up are deluding themselves. I really wish you could see my kids, now 11 and 14. They're absolutely perfect, and you know what, yo yo brains, they are not abnormal. There are thousands of decent kids out there - I see them every day. It's just amazing the extent to which you are willing to delude yourself into thinking your kicking, screaming, whiny kids are normal. Wow. "

To Justice: wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:33 PM:

" If you have to PAY MONEY to be there, it's not a public place. You are paying for a service, and your trip should be as pleasant as possible within certain parameters. Therefore, a paying customer should be able to enjoy a plane ride without some obnixous kid talking in a very high voice for 3 hours non-stop. That said. I don't believe a WORD that this mother says. I DO believe she got kicked off, but not for the reason that she says. Where are the other people on the plane that supposedly tried to speak up on her behalf??? I don't see them being interviewed on GMA... "

To "Unbelievable" wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:27 PM:

" I NEED to BE IN THERAPY?!?!?!??!?! If God wanted me to fly, she would've given me WINGS. BTW, Are you a psychologist or psychiatrist? Didn't think so. I have a degree in Psychology, and I'm working on my Masters. At least I know what I'm talking about when I say that "someone needs to be in therapy." Who are you to say that I have abnormal feelings? Judging by a lot of the feedback here, I'm no the only one who feels that way. But you know what? I'm not going to argue with you any more. Why? Because arguing with you is like competing in the Special Olympics. "

Jen wrote on Jul 14, 2007 6:21 PM:

" To "Unbelievable" and "Heh". What part of I am TERRIFIED to Fly do you NOT understand?? I only fly becasue I HAVE to; I don't see a possibility in DRIVING to HAWAII. My brother died this year , and I had to fly to the funeral. I never said the child was having a "premonition" or anything. What I was basically saying is that those people who have flight anxiety would not want to hear this child saying "bye bye plane" over and over and over and OVER again. A parent's inability to be a effective should not be tolerated in a small inclosed space at 35,000 feet. GO Flight Attendant to caring about the 200+ OTHER people on the plane. "

Childfree wrote on Jul 14, 2007 5:43 PM:

" I am childfree by choice as I actually knew from an early age that I didn't have the patience to deal with them. I hate going anywhere in public where children are not well behaved and I blame the parents 100% for this. I was taught to behave when I was a child and it was not difficult for my parents to achieve this. Parents need to stop thinking that everyone thinks their offspring is cute & adorable and face the facts!!! "

To babies and whinny children wrote on Jul 14, 2007 4:02 PM:

" Maybe next time you should be stowed with the cargo.. that way you don't have to hear children and we don't have to deal with jerks like you. Wow, I would LOVE to come to your house on Halloween. "

Babies and whiny children... wrote on Jul 14, 2007 11:38 AM:

" ...should just be stowed with all the cargo. Problem solved. "

heh wrote on Jul 14, 2007 10:36 AM:

" Some kids say bye bye to anything and everything. Anyone who is terrified by this would be, IMHO, the ones that need to grow up. "

Good Morning America wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:36 AM:

" As for the GMA interview, I probably would have done the same thing as she did. There are all those cameras on you and an interviewer waiting for an answer to a question. This show is broadcast very early in the day. A lot of preparation is required before a show goes to air, and you don't just walk in and do an interview. They would have had to be there likely 2 hrs before hand, and then wait around all that time for the interview to start. They WANTED the baby there for the interview, so this very young child, taken from his bed 2 or 3 hours earlier than usual, had to sit around for a few hours waiting, and had to be quiet and not touch anything, because this is a studio and not a playground, and then he is forced to sit there under hot lights and be perfectly still while the grown ups have a talk? There isn't a 19 month old on the planet who would have responded well to all of that. I'd venture a guess that many would have been much worse. "

Unbelievable... wrote on Jul 14, 2007 9:32 AM:

" You people honestly think that a baby saying "bye-bye plane" could be some kind of psychic prediction? If you are that freaked out over flying that this would actually scare you, then you need therapy, that baby does not need Benadryl. "

The Joker wrote on Jul 14, 2007 7:33 AM:

" ACHTUNG! Effective immediately, no children will be allowed to fly unless the parents can produce a doctor's certificate stating that the child is either mute or properly drugged. There will be no farting, barking or crappind dogs allowed. Smoking, talking, snoring, laughing, looking out the window, eating, drinking, breathing, and silent prayer will no longer be tolerated. When you board the aricraft, promptly find your seat, get in it, face forward and remain in that position for the duration of the trip. Children who violate these covenants will be place in a large animal carrier, and stowed in the cargo section. Adults who do not follow these rules will be subjected to ridicule and harrassment and ejected from the flight in which case the pilot may or may not land at his discretion. These regulations are in place for your safety and comfort, and the comfort of those around you. "

Tim wrote on Jul 14, 2007 5:25 AM:

" There are always two sides to a story. I would hate to see most of the posters here on a jury. "

Matt wrote on Jul 14, 2007 3:10 AM:

" I find noisy children on flights incredibly annoying. That having been said, assuming the mother's story is accurate (And I wouldn't be surprised if it is), this is completely ridiculous. Children that young just don't know any better, have very short attention spans, and are easily distracted. Short of making it illegal to fly with infants, which is a really bad idea, there's not much that can be done about it. "

Jen- wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:07 PM:

" Ok, let me interject a NON-combative comment: I honestly do not like to fly. In fact, I'm terrified of flying, but since my famly lives outside of the continental United States, I honestly cannot DRIVE to see them. If I heard ANYONE, evena smal child saying "bye, Bye Plane," I would literally freak out. Saying "Bye, Bye Plane" to me sounds like someone is saying goodbye to plane, as if it is going to crash. Now, if there were passengers on the flight who think the same way I do, the flight attendant is completely within her scope to tell the mother that she needs to keep her son quiet. Though I don't agree with the Benedryl comment, I can't say for sure that I believe that it was said. "

What has the world come to? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:34 PM:

" I cannot believe the nastiness of some of you people! We were all kids once, and most of us probably had kids as well (I'm hopeful that some of you never had a child, as I would feel very sorry for him/her if you did)!!! The flight attendant should be fired for this behavior. Telling a mother to drug her child for simply talking, or for any reason, is ludicrous. I hope the attendant gets fired in this case - it will be a sad day in America if she doesn't. "

Jennifer wrote on Jul 13, 2007 4:03 PM:

" To What If: I sincerely hope you are joking. Or, perhaps you are one of the 26 percenters who still believe that trash. "

Ree wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:56 PM:

" After reading all these comments, honestly, you folks have me quite upset. I will have to take a flight in two months with my toddler. She is a generally quite happy little girl, but from the comments I just read, it wouldn't matter if the child was well behaved, the mere presence of a small child is upsetting to them. I'd be thrilled if my little girl decided to say bye bye plane or got excited about the trip and getting on a plane. "

the other side? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:53 PM:

" i think that the airline will have a different story and more then likely stand behind their employees judgement. "bye bye plane" could scare passengers that have fears about flying, which would then create more problems. maybe if she explained the reason why she wanted to child to quite down it would not have gotten so hightened but the flight attendent was doing her job. ill be interested to know what the airline has to say. and i dont think the mom will recieve any money or compensation from the situation. its not the first time a child has been kicked off a plane. all she'll get is her 15 minutes. "

Jennifer wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:22 PM:

" Ok. I have to admit that some of my comments may have been harsh. I am a parent of three children and they are far from perfect. However, I think the mom should have taken into account that the boy was awakened three hours sooner than usual for the interview with Good Morning America. If she wanted him to be viewed in a different light, perhaps she shouldn't have done the interview with him on her lap. He is only 19 months old, but I still think she may need to consider discipline of some sort rather than allowing him to run over her. "

What if: wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:21 PM:

" What if a terrorist plot invoved distracting everyone with a child repeating the same thing over and over. Is it out of the realm of possibility to think they would use any means necessary? If we are all worried about safety..... "

Public place? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:19 PM:

" Isn't the smoking ban in public places because others don't think they should "put up" with other people's choices. It's your choice to have a child. Keep it quiet. Better yet, ban anyone under 5 from flying. "

Sox 05 wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:12 PM:

" To Justice: You are so far from the truth you will need a plane ride to get there. Recently we were on a plane with a screaming child behind us. It ruined a three and a half hour trip. I want to hear the other side of the story before I make an assumption like you did. "

amimissingsomething? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:05 PM:

" It's a kid talking, not screaming. People need to be a little more tolerant about children. You were once a child too. And this little child was not screaming, yelling or causing problems. If you can't handle that, that's what ear plugs are for. "

to pantagraph and mothman wrote on Jul 13, 2007 3:01 PM:

" I thought this site was going to be monitored to NOT make fun of someone or their spelling. this comment from mothman toward "Ben" was not needed, i cant believe you actually posted it, why? to hurt someones feeling. to mothman: I hope your perfect, if not, should I make fun of you for it, and have the whole world to see? "

Hoax wrote on Jul 13, 2007 2:28 PM:

" Until they find other passengers who witnessed this to interview, I would tend to believe it is a hoax or an exaggeration. "

Justice wrote on Jul 13, 2007 2:11 PM:

" A plane is a 'public' place. People who can not tolerate kids around should charter their own private planes for themselves. The flight attendent must have never seen smal children's normal behaviour, airline must compensate the family millions of dollars and send the flight attendent into training. "

Nuts wrote on Jul 13, 2007 2:01 PM:

" You people are nuts!! How easy do you think it is to keep a small child entertained with the attention span they have. Would you rather hear the child say "bye bye plane" or the mother saying, "shh shh shh" the whole trip. Then I guess that would be something else for you to blame the mother for. And lest I remind you that disciplining your child these days has become an awful hard task, given the fact that society interferes with it. I bet there was some person on there waiting for her to "discipline" her child so they could report her to authorities. You people should get a life! "

You have got to be kidding... wrote on Jul 13, 2007 1:43 PM:

" Since when is a talking child comparable to a barking, farting, crapping dog? I think you need to pull your head out of your you know what. I'd rather sit next to that barking, farting, crapping dog than you, after reading a comment like that. "

Jennifer wrote on Jul 13, 2007 1:33 PM:

" Did anyone see the interview on Good Morning America? The kid had to be removed because he's a B-R-A-T. His mom just sits there like he's supposed to act like that. Lady, he's NOT supposed to act like that. She is raising a spoiled brat and he will be one when he's an adult, too. "

Responsibilty wrote on Jul 13, 2007 12:50 PM:

" You are responsible for your kid. If you cant keep it shut keep it at home. THere are other people on flights who need the rest so that they can jump to work as soon as they reach their destination. If your child is still to develop cognitive skills Keep that little brat at home!!!! "

BP-SanDiego wrote on Jul 13, 2007 12:18 PM:

" This is why I always try to fly on Continental. They respect the rights of the majority of passengers and kick the knuckleheads off the plane. The flight attendant may have gone too far. But, I'll bet the mother thought everyone was enamored with kid and refused to try to quiet her down. It would have been different if the kid had an ear ache. But, some people just can't be told anything about how to control their kids. What if the someone had a barking, farting and crapping dog on the seat next to you. Tell me you won't be looking for the flight attendant to save you? "

father of 2 wrote on Jul 13, 2007 12:12 PM:

" I find it amusing to read all these "keep your kids quiet" comment and "spoiled little brat." You clearly aren't parents. Children under the age of 2-3 are generally little more than little animals. They are impulsive, curious, frustratingly cute, and innocent. They don't know any better until they develop cognative skills. People seem to think that parents can snap their fingers and the kids hop to and instantly obey like robots. There isn't a single child on this planet like that at 19 months. The fact that the child was chattering "bye bye plane," basically saying goodbye to the other planes in the area, is an innocent and developmentally required process. The most disgraceful thing that the stuardess did was ask that she medicate her child. You can ask to have the child quiet down, but medication is basically telling a parent how to do their job. That's just an insult that warrants termination from the company. "

Mothman wrote on Jul 13, 2007 12:08 PM:

" To Ben: You need to go back to grammer school. Your speelleng es aatroshus! "

Ben wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:56 AM:

" In reading this article it is a minder on how far the terriest have come a child can't talk on the plane but a terriest can. We can't hurt the terriest feelings now can we! where are the freedoms that was won, In the wars1#2 korea and vietum. don't we as americans have any freedoms? Were is the Aclu on behalf of this child who was told be druged to in order to be quite. "

to sad but true wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:50 AM:

" what if the mother HAS to work? you make it sound so easy, just stay home, what stay home and starve? If a person works its because they have to and need the money. I dont appreciate that, my husband and I both work full time, and we have two kids, and I can give them what they need and want. if i didnt work, then I couldnt do that. "

gwilliams wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:45 AM:

" Reading all these posts makes me realize how ignorant many of the people are. The baby was TALKING not throwing a tantrum or screaming. I would suggest that if you as an adult were talking and saying something I did not want to hear you too should be thrown off the plane. How absurd these posters are who side with the flight attendant. If you don't want to be on public transportation where people talk then you take a minivan to your destination. Article 1 in the constitution allows us freedom of speech, so "bye bye plane" is covered. "

gcc burger wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:30 AM:

" There's a design solution to this problem. Airplanes could be equipped with a booth arrangement similar to some trains. Parents would have to pay full price to bring their kids and sit in the booth that would spare other passengers of discomfort. "

Can anyone here read??? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 11:09 AM:

" Where do you all keep getting the idea that this kid was screaming? I have read just about every news article that I can find on this incident, and not one of them has said the kid was screaming. They have all said he was TALKING. Considering the fact that this flight had already been delayed by 11 hours, I think it is remarkable that this child was so well behaved. After that kind of delay, I'm pretty sure that most of you, from the sounds of your lack of tolerance, would have been indeed very badly behaved. Perhaps you should all be taking Adult Benadryl before boarding your flights. "

SAD BUT TRUE wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:40 AM:

" Hey parents shut your kids up. Quit letting the little munchkins run your life. I know that working moms are famous for this cause they feel bad for disciplining little johnny because they spend about 4 hours a day with him. lil Johnny is being raised by the sitter/T.V Stay home and raise you munchkins and quit letting a sitter/ T.V do it. Bottom line is don't put keeping up with the joneses above raising your kids properly. TEACH THEM MANNERS. "

rjarr wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:20 AM:

" This is a popular news story because the whole idea of kicked off because the child is talking or noisy is totally absurd. Unlike the couple a few months ago who were kicked off because their 2 or 3 yr old would not sit in a seat with a seatbelt on, this child was basically noisy. It is totally unreasonable to expect to instantly quiet a child. If it was expected when flying that you will be kicked off if your child is annoying, many people would not fly with children. But this totally arbitrary treatment Penland got is horrible as the story is presented. Who cares if the child's maturity is not up to other commenter's standard or if he's a brat. Being a brat is no reason to get kicked off a plane. It sucks to deal with that when travelling, but that standard is so arbitrary. "

Debbie wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:11 AM:

" So many of these comments are being made under the assumption that his child was behaving badly. A child under the age of 2 repeating the same phrase over for a short period of time does not constitue bad behaviour. If he was yelling, screaming, kicking up a fuss such as refusing to be buckled in, then I could see cause for some criticism. Bear in mind the flight attendant said this after she was done the safety speech - they hadn't even taken off yet. How long could that be, five minutes maybe? Lighten up people. You were all children once, and undoubtedly talked with a limited vocabulary like any other 19 month old. Children at that age will repeat actions and words. This is not being bad. What a selfish society this has become. "

To all Negatives Continued 2 wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:10 AM:

" To our luck the agent turned out to be an intelligent individual, who listened to both sides of the story, then took us off the plain. He then said that the crew members were out of line, and that he apologies to us on behalf of the airline, and he let us go home. Off course there were absolutely no apologies from the crew of the flight. Continental employs some of the most unfriendly attendants I have ever seen. It is actually notorious for practically harassing passengers, using the federal regulations as their cover. "

To all negatives wrote on Jul 13, 2007 10:09 AM:

" My family and I were actually traveling from San Fran to NY a couple of years ago, with two children of the age 4 and 1. My little one just needed a change of diapers, so my wife took the child, a bag with the baby stuff and went to the lavatory to change her. On the way back, imagine the situation, she is walking down the isle, baby in one hand, a bag full of stuff in the other. A flight attendant is rolling her cart with drinks towards my wife, while serving drinks, and to our luck she stops the cart right next to our seats and blocks the entrance. My wife stopped next to the cart and waited for the attendant to finish talking to the customer. As the attendant turned to her, she just asked this: "can you please move the cart so i could slide in?" (All that the attendant needed to do was to back the cart down about a foot, so she can get into her sit) Now from this moment on, I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. "

Grow up wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:42 AM:

" Have you ever been on a bus . . . train . . . trolly . . . the mall??? These are places that are referred to as "public" and if you don't like the public - then don't go there. There will be crying babies - people who don't shower (have you ever had a homeless person sit next to you at a coffee shop), loud cell phone talkers, and people like "Noisy" that are ignorant and don't have any sense about them every where you go. Grow up and deal with it - that is what being an Adult is about! And isn't this the stewardess' job???? If I told off every annoying person I dealt with at work I would have lost my job a long time ago. "

Self control wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:39 AM:

" The flying experience is hardly ever any fun anymore. If you don't have a kid kicking your seatback, a baby crying, or a fat person rolling over into your space, there are dozens of other unpleasant things going on around you. Everyone on the plane needs to exercise self control, and do all they can to avoid infringing on their neighbor's space. Thank goodness for the flight attendent who is willing to protect the other passengers from a rude and abusive mother. We were all kids once, but we all weren't spoiled, un-disciplined brats. I'll bet the Mom was just like the kid. Hop in your mini-van and drive where you're going next time. Don't subject the rest of us to your immaturity! "

concerned wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:36 AM:

" I have an 18 month old daughter. She's not allergic to benadryl, but it has the opposite effect on her. Our pediatrician has told us this is very common. Instead of getting sleepy, she bounces off the walls. Obviously the flight attendant had no idea of the can of worms she was opening up by suggesting that the mother drug her child. There's no excuse for the suggestion, and she should be fired. You can control children to a degree, but some children have a one track mind; derailing it can be more trouble than it's worth. It's better to ignore non-destructive behavior, because when they don't get attention for it, the child will find something else to do. A child saying 'Bye Bye Plane' is obviously happy to be able to recognize that the plane is leaving. Many children love hearing themselves talk. The flight attendant may’ve had any number of reasons for her thoughtless comments, but there's no excuse. If you take a job where you're going to be constantly around people, you'd better be able to handle a bad day. As they say 'If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. "

KSDallas wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:28 AM:

" This has NOTHING to do with disciplining a child. This was a 1 ans 1/2 year old BABY. This is pure and simply an abuse of power on the flight attendant's behalf. Babies are going to talk, cry and maybe even scream - especially when confined to an airplane seat for a couple of hours. Yes, mom probably could have found a way to get the baby to stop talking but she should not have to. What happened to living in America and freedom of speech? It is certainly not acceptable for a flight attendant to suggest that the lady drug her child and it is even worse to kick a young baby and his mother off of a plane in the middle of no-where. I hope mom gets some compensation but more so I hope they fire that flight attendant. Who does she think she is talking to people like that anyway?! "

Airline screwup.... wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:24 AM:

" Penland will make a lot of money on this for sure....and it will be settled out-of-court. "

michelle wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:19 AM:

" I have to say I agree with the flight attendant. If you can't get your kid to keep quiet, then you have to leave. It would be no different if an adult was screaming on the plane, why should it be different if it's a child? If I would have acted like that I would have been slapped and that would be the end of it. Sounds like that mother doesn't know how to raise a child. "

Discipline Your Child wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:16 AM:

" Hmm. . so perhaps she should have started spanking her 19 month old son. Yep, that's it. Spare the rod and spoil the baby! Are you people really serious or mentally deficient. . . nm, I suppose it would be impossible for you to answer. "

To be blunt.... wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:14 AM:

" I certainly don't applaud the actions of either party. First of all, the mother of the child certainly could learn to discipline her child (Penland, you WILL regret NOT disciplining your child). Secondly, not everyone can be a flight attendant as most people may think. Flight attendants are to be strict with the rules of the plane, yes, but they are there for SERVICE. It's their JOB to put up with people and all their annoying little ways as long as it does not detract from anyone's SAFETY (I doubt a childs' annoying, repeatitious phrase infringes upon safety rules). Don't like it? Can't handle it? Then you should NOT be a flight attendant. Does "character" mean anything to anyone these days? "

Rude attendant...... wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:14 AM:

" It is not uncommon to find rude attendants with an attitude. If the little boy was saying "bye-bye plane" what's wrong in it. Many young kids love to say bye-bye to moving cars, people, objects etc. If such small things could get on someone's nerves then the problem is with that person, not with the child or his mother. In a society where a young one is suggested to be drugged to make him or her behave, is an utterly primitive one or perhaps becoming one, lead by arrogance and selfishness. "

Limey wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:13 AM:

" Both I and my wife were brought up to be seen and not heard....at a very young age we were taught to be considerate of people around us and we would never have caused any degree of annoyance to cause this type of reaction by anyone, anywhere.There were simple very effective guidlines layed down by loving parents whenever we felt the need to playup and act out. These days far too many parents treat their children as the centre of their universes and disregard the fact that their behaviour might be any source of aggravation to anyone.We have seen it and experienced it too many times to believe that this stewardess was wrong.Children need discipline and when undisciplined children grow up and have their own children it seems they are still in need of the discipline they never had.Now you have a problem like this of not just one but two individuals that have no sense of control when sharing other peoples space.. "

frequent flyer wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:10 AM:

" personally, i can't stand when parents bring their pain in the butt kids on the plane that won't shut up. the parents don't usually do anything to help the situation either. a carrier would get my business if they only allowed 18 and up on their planes. "

Oakco wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:10 AM:

" Out of control babies mean the mother did not prepare as she should. Good for the flight staff, if the mother won't medicate, get the screaming baby off the plane. "

mad Marc wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:03 AM:

" very tired of small children who can't hold their tempers and the parents that act as if they have god given rite to go out in public with them. "

Frequent flier wrote on Jul 13, 2007 9:01 AM:

" I for one, and I am sure 1000's agree, would pay extra for a seat on a "child free" flight. The parent is responsible for the infant/child and has no right to disturb the 100 + other passengers. "

Cathy wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:56 AM:

" This story is all based on heresay, I get tired of "news stories" that waste my time, like this one, but so many do. Trying to make something out of nothing, must have been a slow day in the news room. "

Zilla wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:55 AM:

" Way to go Zorro! People are responsible for their children (at such a young age!) and yeah, surely there's more to the story. Really, it's a shame that parents these days don't discipline their children (too many people don't know HOW to do it without going to the extreme of abuse or the extreme of being too lenient). "

Jay Edgar wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:48 AM:

" BN Republican, "Spare the rod, spoil the child" is not about using a rod to strike a child for discpline, it is about using a rod as a MEASURING DEVICE, or holding standards for a child. "

give me a break wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:47 AM:

" perhaps the flight attendant should get into a different line of work like book shelver at a library. we were all young once. "

To Zorro wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:38 AM:

" AMEN to you! Children aren't raised anymore, they're let grow. No discipline. They grow up wit hthe feeling that whatever they want to do or say is fine. Then they turn into teen-agers and are still the same, with no consequence or responsibility for their actions. Not sure when the raising of a child turned from being handled by parents to a parental spectator sport of the parents. And we're left with a generation with a large percentage of young people, wanting to call themselves adults, but having no clue what responsibility and good behavior entails. I for one applaud the personnel on the plane. "

Jennifer wrote on Jul 13, 2007 8:29 AM:

" I just saw the video of the interview the mom did. That kid is a friggin whiny brat. Even for a two year old. I have three kids and they never acted like that- kicking, whining, etc. when I was trying to talk to people. However, I think what the flight attendant said was wrong. "

Wow.... wrote on Jul 13, 2007 7:29 AM:

" I cant make my wife be quiet, yet alone my children. "

Moss wrote on Jul 13, 2007 7:19 AM:

" C'Mon! There was only one half of the story in this and that was the mom's. The instant there was a kid in this everyone gets butt hurt. And to the person who said at that age you can't get a child to be quiet is full of it. My mom had a great way and that was by 4 fingers across my lips in a quick snap motion. If I made another sound I got the same thing. It cured my ADD too! These parents today are too weak and soft. I'm willing to bet this kid said it over and over and over and over and over to the point it was bugging the crap out of other people even though he had an audience from others. FYI to parents.....just because you have kids doesn't mean everybody's life has to stop for your rug rat. That's your burden, not ours "

I agree wrote on Jul 13, 2007 7:13 AM:

" there must be more to this story than what they are saying...the tv news said the flight attendant told the pilot that a passenger was threatening her and another passenger told the tv camera that she the mother in no way did such a thing so who knows. All this media attention I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't get free flights forever!!!! With all thats happened with 9-11 the airlines can't afford the negativity. "

Sympathize wrote on Jul 13, 2007 7:08 AM:

" I think the stewardess should have counted her blessings that the child was just saying "bye bye plane" and not squalling for 2 hours. That being said, I agree that there is probably more to this story than what was written. A solution to the "noise" problem would be to bring an Ipod, put your earphones on, and start using it when it's cleared to use electronic devices. "

BN Republican wrote on Jul 13, 2007 6:36 AM:

" As they say, spare the rod, spoil the child. "

What's not to believe? wrote on Jul 13, 2007 6:34 AM:

" We don't really know what happend. But it's very possible a flight attendant could've had a bad day, then used very poor judgment in getting into a battle of wit with a passenger, then lost, and got embarassed to the point where she lied to the pilot to get that passenger and kid off the plain. And maybe too overly concerned about the "bye bye plan " baby talk. Some other site had audio of another passenger backing-up the mother of the kid, by phone interview. "

To: To Noisy wrote on Jul 13, 2007 6:05 AM:

" With a response like noisy had, you can just believe he doesn't have kids. Duh! If you are not used to having little children around, they can be very annoying. However, if the facts stated are true, Mom could have found some way to entertain the child to get him to stop repeating the same thing over and over. How come he didn't do this from Atlanta to Houston, or did he? Maybe this woman had listened to this child for 4 hours. If that's the case, Mom was being very inconsiderate. "

to noisy wrote on Jul 12, 2007 10:48 PM:

" wow, you must be pretty selfish. are you married? do you have children? i would certainly hope not, considering the fact that you think all children should be kicked off of planes. if it bothers you that much, take the train or drive yourself to your next destination. then the only person there to annoy you would be yourself! have a safe trip! "

Pearl wrote on Jul 12, 2007 9:17 PM:

" People are getting too hard now-a-days, no patient, no kindness. One must bear/expect and be patient and understandable noise in public transports & public place. If you want noise free travel take your private jet and fly as you wish.......... What if new a new born (say 5 month) travelling and crying after takeoff?????? No one can control it...... Wing side seaters experience engine noice in some aircraft, are you going to takeout because distrabunce to passenger??? I would say crew action is unfair. "

If what the mom says is true... wrote on Jul 12, 2007 8:31 PM:

" the stewardess should be fired for the "baby Benadryl" suggestion. There are real cases of people being allergic to diphenhydramine,(I.E. Benadryl, I'm one of them).If the child would have taken the baby Benadryl and broke into hives,yeah..........that flight would've been REAL QUIET ! "

to zorro wrote on Jul 12, 2007 7:04 PM:

" I have to agree with zorro. There's no way that they turned the plane around b/c some child was saying bye bye plane. Did you notice that the whole article was based on what the mom said. you've only got one side of the story, i'm sure that they airlines would have a different story. "

Noisy wrote on Jul 12, 2007 6:56 PM:

" All kids ought to be kicked off of planes. They annoy everyone around them with their "cute" antics! "

MRS. wrote on Jul 12, 2007 6:24 PM:

" Pleas tell me why a child saying by by plane was a problem. I think for the little guy to continue saying it he must of had an audience that thought he was funny. To suggest drugging a child for anything other than when they are sick should be criminal. To put a baby off the plane with nothing to care for him with should also be criminal. If the Mom was bouncing the baby on her lap and saying by by plane back to the child that would be a different story. I had 7 children, raised11 and been around to help with hundreds more children and I have never met anyone that thought they could stop a child that age from talking. Geeze, thank God he could talk. "

Business Man wrote on Jul 12, 2007 5:50 PM:

" As a business traveler, I have the occasion to fly frequently. It's not usually a pleasant experience. The flight attendants are usually rude becasue they know that no passenger can complain. They will be charged with "interfering with a flight crew" and thrown off even if the plane has to make a non-scheduled stop. Kind of like the old days when Pa said "if you don't quiet down, you're going to walk home". Add to that lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, and airport security, and you have all the ingredients necessary for an unplesant couple of hours. People who fly spend a lot of money to be treated poorly, and there is not a thing they can do about it. I've tried. "

Zorro wrote on Jul 12, 2007 3:50 PM:

" I'll bet there is more to this story than Penland is saying. Running an airline is a customer satisfaction business. Penland is responsible for making her kid behave, wich BTW, many parents don't do! "

lulz wrote on Jul 12, 2007 3:49 PM:

" Don't forget the worst part: The flight attendant abused the fears and laws of flying in order to get her way. Claiming that the mother threatened her just to get the child off the plane? Talk about lowest of the low. Now maybe we should get extreme and ask how many flight attendant just cry wolf to get back at passengers or to get their way? (probably not many, but it seems it happens) "

I can't believe it... wrote on Jul 12, 2007 3:01 PM:

" I know that some children can get on peoples nerves...but come on...we were all little at one point. To ban a woman from a plane because her little boy was talking????? What's next..... "

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