Brat Free Airlines

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Way to go AirTran! I think they did the right thing.

Airline defends removing family from flight
AirTran Airways backs decision to boot parents, toddler for temper tantrum
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:06 p.m. CT Jan 23, 2007
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.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16773655/?GT1=8921 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16773655/?GT1=8921)

[OUDoc]

You can physically make a 3 year old sit down. Guess those parents didn't think of that.
Maybe the kid was drunk.

[sooner_born_1960]

I think I should train our toddler to act like that. Then I could book a flight I have no intention of taking, get kicked off, reimbursed, and free tickets out of the deal.

[sooner n houston]

Wow, learn how to be a parent!

I love how the parents thought the other 112 people and crew should just be happy to wait while they "hold her, console her".

[sanantoniosooner]

I love that the parents think they are the victim.

I took my kid out of a restaurant when I first caught wind of where it was going. We sat on a curb in the parking lot and had a discussion and we've never had that problem again. Of course, my kids know a "discussion' is as far as they want it to go.

[fadada1]

sounds like they should spank that child. when will the ACLU get involved in this one?

[sanantoniosooner]

sounds like they should spank that child. when will the ACLU get involved in this one?
The parents need spanked first.

[Beef]

The parents need spanked first.
Especially if the mom was hawt.

[sooner_born_1960]

Especially if the mom was hawt.
Dammit. That was my first thought, also. You beat me to it.

[BeetDigger]

Dammit. That was my first thought, also. You beat me to it.


Beat you to a spanking reply - heh.

[sooner n houston]

Only on the SO!!! :D

[tbl]

I fly Airtrain pretty much exclusively on my business travels, and I've been very happy with them.

As a father to a girl that will be 3 on Saturday, I can guarantee you this would never happen. My daughter is a strong willed child too. Very strong willed.

"she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn't get in her seat"

That's not to say she obeys all the time... but the fits are a thing of the past and any time she disobeys, she knows there's a something coming back to her. With me, those are very few and far between (though she does tend to have MUCH more flexibility with Mom).

Loser parents make me angry... especially weak Dads.

[sanantoniosooner]

Loser parents make me angry... especially weak Dads.
exactly.

I know two guys with 4 daughters that are tough as steel and treat their girls right.

I know two other guys with 3 & 4 daughters that come home from work and put their keys and their testicles on the counter.

Respect lost.

[C&CDean]

I'm reasonably sure that if I were on that airplane anywhere close to these people that the flight wouldn't be delayed.

[soonerinabilene]

apparently the little kid has an inner-ear disorder, and they were flying her to a specialist doctor to have surgery done. the family was on GMA yesterday. the reason why she was freaking out was because their flight wasnt a non-stop, she had just got off of a plane, and her ear disorder caused her to have tremendous pain, and she didnt want to get on a plane again yet. at least thats the way the family explained it.

[Czar Soonerov]

I'm pretty sure a 3 yr old could fit in the overhead compartment.

[Boomer_Sooner_sax]

I applaud Air Tran. More people need to stand up to misbehavior, whether it is from a toddler or an adult. These people aren't the victim, it is the 112 people that were delayed because the parents have no authority and let their kid run their lives. If I were Air Tran and they told me they weren't going to fly with us anymore, I would tell them not to let the door hit them in the @$$ on the way out!

[BeetDigger]

apparently the little kid has an inner-ear disorder, and they were flying her to a specialist doctor to have surgery done. the family was on GMA yesterday. the reason why she was freaking out was because their flight wasnt a non-stop, she had just got off of a plane, and her ear disorder caused her to have tremendous pain, and she didnt want to get on a plane again yet. at least thats the way the family explained it.


As a parent who has had to fly his child to see a specialist for a condition, I can understand the parents situation. As a parent, there is nothing more important than your children (at least to responsible parents anyway). When you are flying for your child's health, all you think about is that child. I think a bit more compassion for the parents and the child, especially considering the circumstances, is warranted here.

That said, I think that the family NOT flying right away was the best thing for them if the child was experiencing pain and it allowed 112 other innocent by standers to get on their way.

My understanding is that the flight was delayed 15 minutes at the point they asked the parents to get off the plane. Anymore, I think a 15 minute delay is basically "On Time" given the service of the airlines. I have waited way more than 15 minutes in the past due to Airline and Airline employee screwups. Perhaps in those instances they should dock the offending employee a day's wage. I know that I have waited due to "mechanical issues" on a plane's first flight of the day. One would think that they would check out the mechanics of the plane more than 30 minutes prior to takeoff.

[Scott D]

From what I could tell on what I saw from the parents today, they seemed more ****ed about not being able to get on another flight for 24 hours than anything. The airline made an offer to them and they turned it down, so we can expect to hear about the lawsuit in the near future.

oh, and not to be mean about it, but what kind of inner ear issue makes a 3 year old constantly climb all over her mother's back and off of the back of the couch during an interview with the parents about the issue.

[Widescreen]

Agreed. Even if there is some medical issue here, it doesn't explain the climbing and hitting. No way an airline employee should be disciplined over this (unless she's HAWT).

[C&CDean]

These people are nothing but money-grubbing yankee liberal P'sOS who should have been spayed and neutered before being allowed to procreate. And the media who is spreading their "story" are even worse. **** them. **** their little she-devil pup. A little car wreck or accident that would remove this entire ****ed up "family" from the gene pool would be the best solution here.

And who wants to bet that when this little **** is a teenager and all knocked up and drugged out the "family" is going "well Airtrans did cause her dire and irreversible mental stress therefore we're suing again...." Meh. Bullets. Three of them.

[BajaOklahoma]

apparently the little kid has an inner-ear disorder, and they were flying her to a specialist doctor to have surgery done. the family was on GMA yesterday. the reason why she was freaking out was because their flight wasnt a non-stop, she had just got off of a plane, and her ear disorder caused her to have tremendous pain, and she didnt want to get on a plane again yet. at least thats the way the family explained it.

Hmmmm, it's usually middle ear stuff that causes issues with flying. My mother has difficulty with her ears when she flies. So we either get a direct flight (she usually has to drive down to Dallas from OKC for them) or we drive.
Medical issues are not an excuse for bad behavior or poor parenting. I can show you lots of good parents who deal with more than these parents could dream of, yet their kids are wonderful to be around.

[soonerbrat]

:mad:

[OUDoc]

:mad:
Quit hitting people or you'll always be treated like that.

[proud gonzo]

what kind of inner ear issue makes a 3 year old constantly climb all over her mother's back and off of the back of the couch during an interview with the parents about the issue.the kind caused by having retarded parents.

[MamaMia]

apparently the little kid has an inner-ear disorder, and they were flying her to a specialist doctor to have surgery done. the family was on GMA yesterday. the reason why she was freaking out was because their flight wasnt a non-stop, she had just got off of a plane, and her ear disorder caused her to have tremendous pain, and she didnt want to get on a plane again yet. at least thats the way the family explained it.
Why would the parents take their daughter on a flight they knew would cause her pain, after the first flight experience? They could have rented a car. Better yet, why are mom and dad touring the television circuit right after their child had surgery? :confused:

[LoyalFan]

Well, IF the child has already experienced pain on a previous flight, I can understand her behavior...to a point. That being said, parents AWARE of her problem cannot reasonably expect the crew and other passengers to tolerate such behavior. Even a short delay can cause another passenger to miss a subsequent connecting flight, perhaps occasioning some serious problems.
(What LoyalFan REALLY means is...SLAP THE CRAP OUTTA PATER, MATER, AND THE LITTLE BEYONCE!)

With Malice Toward A Surprisingly Large Number Of Folks.

LF

[tbl]

I just hope Airtran doesn't cave on this and end up apologizing or even worse give them some sort of settlement.

[Fugue]

:mad:

heh