Another Mom Cries "Victim"

[Planogirl]

How can most passengers see if the child was contained the whole time or not? I can't ever see anyone except people right next to me so if those people commented that the child stayed on the Mom's lap then I'd wonder about this too. Did they? I did mention that my son was actually in his seat fighting his seatbelt but the only people who could see us were those across the aisle.

So why would they actually delay a flight and lose money as has been explained earlier if the kid was just screaming? I can't begin to count the number of flights where there has been at least one child screaming.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The mother in this particular incident along with many passengers on the plane who did not know the mother all state that the child was contained on the mother's lap the entire time but was crying loudly.

Stop interrupting our holier than thou rant with a trivial meaningless thing like the actual word of other passengers that have absolutely no vested interest in lying.

 

[Planogirl]

I only see a few ranting (and being snarky) and it's not those who wonder why the airline would do this. But of course there are always those who think that companies can't do anything right just as there are those who think that parents can't do anything right. This conversation is basically meaningless so good luck to those on both sides who plan to continue.

 

[Flight]

The airlines are putting any lap child at risk. A severe turbulence encounter or a crash - the strongest person will not be able to hold onto the child. My kids were always in a car seat. I don't know why the airlines allow it.

Screaming children might be an annoyance but certainly not a safety issue. A two year old running unrestrained up and down the aisles is.

An aircraft returning to the gate to kick off passengers and having to find and remove their luggage is a huge cost to the airlines. I would guess a decision that the airline tries not to make unless an extreme case.

An unmanageable child in flight. Dimeatapp perhaps?

 

[bookgirl]

The child was a lap baby, as allowed by airline rules. So, no, he didn't have to be "strapped into" his seat. The mother was seated in the window seat, holding the child, who was admittedly squirmy. But, NOT in the aisle...at least as she says it. The guy seated next to her (in the aisle seat) apparently confirms this.

There certainly is a mile wide difference in the two stories. Hmmmm.

Given that this child has traveled on airliner extensively practically since birth, I tend to believe the mom's story.

The chick was seven months pregnant. Exactly how much lap did she actually have? No wonder the kid was unhappy and squirmy and probably not really on her lap. She should have bought him a seat.

 

[NFLDERS]

Then you would have to ask how does anyone hold a two year old in their lap for an entire flight. I've done it, pregnant and not pregnant. I've seen overweight women do it too. It sucks any way but you get through it. BTW The woman was seven months pregnant not eight.

Our local news reported that the boy's nanny was with them too.

 

[Julia M]

Stop interrupting our holier than thou rant with a trivial meaningless thing like the actual word of other passengers that have absolutely no vested interest in lying.

What passengers could state was that the child wasn't running through the aisles. There is no way the majority of the passengers on that flight could have any idea if the child was sitting on the mother's lap.

 

[DopeyDame]

So are we to believe that a child seating in a car seat on the plane is not going to kick or scream? What does a child sitting on the parents lap have to do with a temper tantrum?

It has everything to do with the situation. A kid securely strapped into a carseat can kick, scream, yell, and be as loud and obnoxious as he wants, and still be safe - both for the kid and the other passengers. If an almost 2 year old was kicking and screaming while sitting on a pregnant moms lap, I'm guessing mom did not have the child securely restrained. THAT is why they were kicked off the plane. Not because the kid was loud.

 

[DopeyDame]

The airlines are putting any lap child at risk. A severe turbulence encounter or a crash - the strongest person will not be able to hold onto the child. My kids were always in a car seat. I don't know why the airlines allow it.

Screaming children might be an annoyance but certainly not a safety issue. A two year old running unrestrained up and down the aisles is.

An aircraft returning to the gate to kick off passengers and having to find and remove their luggage is a huge cost to the airlines. I would guess a decision that the airline tries not to make unless an extreme case.

An unmanageable child in flight. Dimeatapp perhaps?

Amen to this. As for why airlines (actually the FAA) allows it, it's because air travel is safer than car travel, and they are afraid that people will drive instead of fly if they have to pay for a ticket for a baby. frankly, I think that's idiotic logic, but it's their official position.

 

[LBIJim]

I've been on a lot of flights and have never seen a person with a crying baby kicked off of the plane. .

Because it doesn't happen. An airline does not return to the gate or divert during flight for a mere crying child. It has to be a much more serious reason.

So the annoyance of extra time in the cramped quarters of the plane, an additional landing and take off, and the resultant delay in getting to your destination is preferable to the annoyance of a crying baby that is a danger to no one? Wow.
.

Sure.....I said I know they'd never divert the flight because a kid was crying continuously, but I wouldn't mind if they did. Resultant delays are of little concern to me. I usually don't have anything planned in the hours after expected arrival, and if I do, they're expendable plans.

 

[declansdad]

Sure.....I said I know they'd never divert the flight because a kid was crying continuously, but I wouldn't mind if they did. Resultant delays are of little concern to me. I usually don't have anything planned in the hours after expected arrival, and if I do, they're expendable plans.

But many people do have tight schedules and a delay can cause havoc with their plans or connections.

 

[gwynne]

But many people do have tight schedules and a delay can cause havoc with their plans or connections.

Yes, airlines don't opt for a delay without a good reason because it does cause havoc for some passengers.
Airlines don't have to defend their policies and decisions to the public, which is why we don't hear the real detailed reason in these incidents.
I'm in the camp there is more to the story.