Toddler's Temper Ousts Family From Plane

[scammermom]

Toddler's Temper Ousts Family From Plane
By JIM ELLIS, Associated Press Writer
3 hours ago

ORLANDO, Fla. - AirTran Airways on Tuesday defended its decision to remove a Massachusetts couple from a flight after their crying 3-year-old daughter refused to take her seat before takeoff.

AirTran officials said they followed Federal Aviation Administration rules that children age 2 and above must have their own seat and be wearing a seat belt upon takeoff.

"The flight was already delayed 15 minutes and in fairness to the other 112 passengers on the plane, the crew made an operational decision to remove the family," AirTran spokeswoman Judy Graham-Weaver said.

Julie and Gerry Kulesza, who were headed home to Boston on Jan. 14 from Fort Myers, said they just needed a little more time to calm their daughter, Elly.

"We weren't given an opportunity to hold her, console her or anything," Julie Kulesza said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

The Kuleszas said they told a flight attendant they had paid for their daughter's seat, but asked whether she could sit in her mother's lap. The request was denied.

She was removed because "she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn't get in her seat" during boarding, Graham-Weaver said.

The Orlando-based carrier reimbursed the family $595.80, the cost of the three tickets, and the Kuleszas flew home the next day.

They also were offered three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies, Graham-Weaver said.

The father said his family would never fly AirTran again.

 

[sammielynn]

I totally believe in what the Airline did. How long should a plane full of adults have to wait on one toddler???

 

[scammermom]

The article said the flight had already been delayed 15 minutes and I'm sure they boarded at least 15 - 20 minutes before that. The parents said they didn't have enough time. If they couldn't get the child under control, it wasn't happening soon. I feel for them but I feel more for the people on the flight. I do feel that AirTran did all they could and they needed to go.

 

[dis-happy]

It sounds to me more like an issue of bad parenting, or in the very least, bad planning. If they had brought a carseat with a 5 point harness they could have strapped the child down (when my then 3 year old hated going to pre-school we would have to physically place him into the carseat and click the straps in place). I'm a bit sorry that AirTran felt the need to back down on this issue.

 

[CarolA]

I feel no sympathy for these parents. They want an entire AIRPLANE to wait of the child??? GET OVER IT! AirTran should have charged them for the time the delay cost the airline not given them a free ticket! AirTran owes them nothing and should probably be VERY grateful that some other airline gets the family who thinks the world revolves around the kid next time!

The fact that the child was allowed to HIT the parents says VOLUMES. Can you see this child as a teen! Watch out Boston!

 

[WildGrits]

WOW

The 3 year old runs the show.

Their life is only going to get tougher.

 

[Pixiedust34]

I'd be upset if I missed a connecting flight due to that family. Air Tran did the right thing, and IMHO the family was lucky that they got some compensation. Maybe the child was sick or something, but you can't expect a plane full of people to wait forever for her to settle down.

 

[CarolA]

Keep in mind that if the child had just been SCREAMING, AirTran proably would have taken off with the child screaming. However, the LAW says the child has to be PROPERLY secured prior to push back..... Mom and Dad seem to assume that LAW doesn't apply to their darling.....

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I saw this on AOL when I went to check mail and thought "Good for Airtran!" I have a 2 yr old and a 3 yr old. While it would be mortifying to be ousted from the plane, I would be mad at my CHILD not Airtran.

I wonder if these people sit in their driveway with the car running for an hour when she refuses to get into her carseat? Or if Mom lets her ride in her lap in the car??

Spare me. Strap her in or get off the plane. Way to go Airtran.

 

[ransom]

Geez, you people are brutal!

And I totally agree with you!

 

[Pinnie]

Way TO GO Air Tran. I only wish they didn't refund the money to the parents. I would be totally honked off if I missed my connection due to the lack of parenting on the part of those 1. They expected the plane to WAIT? What kind of entitlement society are we turning into?

I hope and pray I never cross paths with that child when she is a teenager. She has mommy and daddy wimped out already.

pinnie

 

[Jestocost]

Here's a link to a more detailed story from the Worcester (MA) newspaper. The family is from Boston.

3-year-old unnerves airline

It paints a more sympathetic picture of the family and includes an "apology" from AirTran:

AirTran, meanwhile, has apparently had a change of heart. After the airline received a phone call Thursday from yours truly, an AirTran customer service rep called the Kuleszas, apologized profusely for the incident and refunded them the $595 cost of their tickets.

“We do believe the situation could have been handled differently,” said AirTran spokeswoman Judy Graham-Weaver. “We will use this case as a means to train our agents on dealing with this type of situation on our flights … While there are FAA regulations that mandate all passengers have to be securely fastened in their seat belts before a plane can depart, we need to work with our customers in situations like this to help them — and that is what we will focus on.”

It's tough to say exactly what happened, but I still tend to side with the airline on this one.

 

[boomhauer]

I feel bad for the family, but the airline was right. It's not just the 112 passengers on that plane - It's the other planes all over the place they're holding up by not taking off.

Had that little girl sat on her parents lap and gotten hurt, then we'd be reading about a lawsuit filed by the family.

I have no problem with Air Tran refunding the money, but they shouldn't have apologized. They did nothing wrong.

It's a tough call. We have a 6 year old (and twins on the way - YIKES!), so I know how kids can be. However, as I said, we're not just talking about the inconvenience of these passengers. If one plane gets delayed, then hundres more from all other destinations do as well. Should this have happened because of one screaming child?

I don't know. I'm sure the employees could have handled it differently, but there intentions weren't wrong.

 

[keishashadow]

...and to think i get angry when i've got a kid kicking my seat the whole flight

 

[NYBlue1]

For AIRTRAN to be issuing apoligies and offering compensations of new tickets something was not handled correctly, I dont know many that would do that. Its possible this child has a medical issue that was not so cut and dry to lable the kid a brat and the parents aweful. Many forms of autism and sensory disorder just require a minute to calm the child or for the parents to be able to hold the child. Have a heart people and thank god your children dont have this problem or your children in the future dont.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Wow, hitting and climbing under the seats

Who can't control their child enough to simply have them sit in a seat! Go AirTran!

 

[tjmw2727]

I saw the family on GMA - she is a typical 3yo - no issues, at least according to the parents. The mom said she did fine on the way from Boston to FL but had some discomfort in her ears during the landing. When they tried to board the plane the girl became upset and did not want to board the plane. The mom thinks it was the memory of the ear pain that set her off. It seemed like a 3yo temper tantrum but instead of picking her up and putting her in the airplane seat the parents wanted "time to calm her down respectfully" and said she would have eventually cooperated. They are claiming they were not treated with respect.

While I wouldn't have wanted a screaming toddler in the flight there is no reason an enitre aircraft should be held up so you can calm your child down. Where is the respect for your fellow passengers and flight crew? I think airtran did the right thing - either the parents put her in the seat so the plane can take off or remove the child and calm her down in the terminal and take another flight.

I side with airtran!

TJ

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Its [sic] possible this child has a medical issue that was not so cut and dry to lable [sic] the kid a brat and the parents aweful [sic].

Apparently this was not the case (medical issue).

Even if there had been a medical issue, this is totally irrelevant. The family should not have been allowed to delay the flight further because they couldn't get their child under control.

Good for AirTran (except the part about giving the parents free tickets; this was ridiculous).

 

[ro80]

That is totally unacceptable behavior for a 3 year old. They think they have problems now, wait until they turn 18 and 20 (like mine). Not one of us are perfect parents but these parents need to get this one under control before it's too late. And as another poster said, AirTran went above and beyond to give a refund on top of it all !

 

[Tissa]

For AIRTRAN to be issuing apoligies and offering compensations of new tickets something was not handled correctly, I dont know many that would do that. Its possible this child has a medical issue that was not so cut and dry to lable the kid a brat and the parents aweful. Many forms of autism and sensory disorder just require a minute to calm the child or for the parents to be able to hold the child. Have a heart people and thank god your children dont have this problem or your children in the future dont.

I have an autistic son and when he gets upset it takes more than a few minutes to calm him down. The fear of that happening and us getting kicked off the plane is why we drive everywhere. I would not expect everyone to wait on us, that is our problem not the airlines.

I also wouldn't feel the need to alert the media if it did happen to us.