Georgia mother Kate Penland claims she and her baby were thrown off a Continental jet because of her 19-month-old son's incessantly babbling, "Bye Bye, Plane," pre-takeoff. She says the attendant said Penland had to shut the baby up, and suggested drugging the boy with Benadryl.
We've been on both sides of this one - trying to quiet our own baby on a packed cross-country flight to see the in-laws, circa Thanksgiving 2006, and wishing some stranger's kid would stop kicking our seat, circa . . . roughly our entire life up until that moment.(Although, even when we were childless, we still preferred the yammering kids to the drunk businessmen.)
Fact is, sometimes you have to leave the house even if you have a small child, and sometimes there is nothing even the best parent can do to keep a baby totally quiet. (Benadryl makes some kids hyper, and is not recommended by pediatricians for air travel.)
So it makes sense that Penland will do to the airline what breastfeeding mothers in similar situations have done: sued some sense into them.
Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 20)
61. Prople, people...I think everyone needs to stop and take a deep breath here. Remember, all we have here is this woman's side of the story, and before being so judgmental we should have all sides of the story, including from passengers around where the incident took place. Then and only then should this thread continue...
a voice of reason at 9:46PM on Jul 12th 2007
62. Anyone who has a child should not respond to this question, you apparently aren't able to be objective
jj at 9:48PM on Jul 12th 2007
63. I am a mother, but would never allow my child to be so damned annoying to others. Some parents should step up and take responsiblity to shut their kids up when they're asked, and to teach then that NO means NO.
We have so many parents that allow their kids to shriek loud enough to rival the decibals of a jet engine. Why do they do it? Because they're trying to get their attention, so it gets louder and louder. I the case of this toddler, all she had to do was acknowledge the attendant's request and try to quiet her child.
I "assume" this whole thing escalated because the mother was belligerant and it became a matter of who was more important in this situation. If any passenger is interfering with the duties of the attendant, they can be tossed off, period.
I don't understand why some parents think ignoring or inflicting their out of control children on others is all right.
Sure, the attendant could have handled it better, but maybe she was at the end of her rope with the endless chatter going on. Hey cut her some slack. Let's hold the Mother accountable, as we should.
PJELOFSON at 2:07AM on Jul 13th 2007
64. Let's see.............i bought a ticket, but i can't go. the child repeats himself, most likely for amusement. Maybe due to some unknown reason, perhaps medical. the stewardess wants nice quiet time instead of working to earn a living. Mother is incompetent......no personal items for the child. I don't know of any threats made by child regarding flight, but pilot agrees with stewardess. Hummmmmmmmmm sounds like we need to leave all children at home, so everyone can be relaxed on flights. Mother can then attend to child's needs. the only problem i see with this is........no one with children can fly, airlines go broke............er. Mother's can reassess her responsbilities to motherhood. stewardess's can go on welfare.........or worse yet........another profession. pilots can fly empty airplanes till the airlines finances are exhausted..........sounds good to me. oh, I'm almost 70, repeat myself many times daily, need to go to bath several times day and night, am happy to amuse myself whenever and however possible.......guess I can't fly anymore either......hummmmmmm what a dilemma.....and all this time I thought there were more pressing issues to resolve........like a war, hunger, prison overcrowding, better housing for millions, not to mention.........global warming. oh well, someone in Washington will come up with an answer to it all.....................someday. cheers
charlie at 3:17PM on Jul 16th 2007
65. Some of you obviously weren't hugged enough as children. You're so angry . . .
Erica at 7:24AM on Jul 13th 2007
66. i know if i was sat in the back as marvie suggested i would be protesting it not like parents traveling with small children have a disease so why treat them like that?? I mean i can see if the attendent asked her to move until the child calmed down but telling her "you need to shut your baby up" is just wrong and way outta place
dani at 10:12PM on Jul 12th 2007
67. OMG!! Sandra, Queen of Potty Mouth, has KIDS?!!!!!
Jean at 10:01PM on Jul 12th 2007
68. I agree and disagree with several of the points made. Yes the airline industry has gone downhill. I have dealt with a flight attendant that was on a power trip and point blankly told me that if I made a complaint she would have me removed from the plane. She was abusive to the entire crew and passengers. My only recourse was to wait until I arrived at my destination, and then file my complaint. Seven hours of the flight attendant from hell. My point is that in this post 9/11 era, there are some airline employees who feel that they have the power to do what they want, whenever they want. Customer service in no longer required. "Sit down, shut up and do as you are told, or you will not fly on this plane." If the flight attendant has a problem with small children, get in another line of work. As far as those of you who feel that families with small children should be placed in the back of the plane, wake up!! It's called discrimination and it is against the law. If you have a problem with sitting next to a child either suck it up, ask to upgrade, take another flight, or drive.
Pat at 2:28PM on Jul 13th 2007
69. The bottom line here, is we are all commenting on a strictly one-sided story. And you bet that parents are responsible for their children's behavior as well as their own.
As a former flight attendant (NOT stewardess), decisions to remove a passenger are not made lightly, nor is it the sole responsibility of the flight attendant. Also, threats are not taken lightly. AOL is also irresponsible for whipping up a frenzy over one person's unverified account of an incident.
Anyone who thinks being a flight attendant is easy, please walk several miles in those shoes, because no flight attendant ever just walked one mile.
tjinc at 10:07PM on Jul 12th 2007
70. I would have liked to have been there when that happened and I would have spoke up to that flight attendant and said "Excuse me, if you're going to kick off that toddler for bothering us, can you also please ask the man directly in front of me who smells terribly, the woman to my right who keeps crawling past me to go the bathroom, the people on the far left who are continually talking and laughing very loudly, and the elderly gentleman 3 rows up who is suffering from a persistent loud cough, to disboard? These people are bothering me much more than the chattering child. Thanks."
Jessica at 10:10PM on Jul 12th 2007
71. QUEENBEAD and all u others my god make u infertile
amen
aleeza at 10:39PM on Jul 12th 2007
72. We have became a country of law suits. What a shame. Get over it!!!!!!
Karen at 10:41PM on Jul 12th 2007
73. Right on Bittles!!! I agree, I am tired of having to endure other folks children. You made the decision to breed - I did not.
d colby at 10:58PM on Jul 12th 2007
74. One thing to consider is that everyone has rights, including the idiotic, inconsiderate, hopefully childless commentators that feel the children should be kept to the back of the plane. Yes, as a parent, I agree that it is MY responsibility to keep MY child entertained, it is also the airlines responsibility to treat everyone with respect. Suggesting that the woman should give her child Benadryl is not only distasteful but irresponsible. The situation could have been handled in a more appropriate manner. As for her safety speech, most of us have heard it before and many could probably repeat it even better than she could herself. Yes, it was important to hear but not grounds for dismissing the mother and child from the flight.
karen at 10:34AM on Jul 13th 2007
75. Are you people kidding me? Don't fly if you don't want to be around kids. Everyone has some place to go. We aren't going back to Rosa Parks just because some of you people have become so darn impatient! Get a grip, don't think you're all high and mighty to us parents. There are some things that are completely out of our hands. Toddlers are chatty! They're just learning to talk! As for the announcements, who the heck hasn't heard them 100 times before? If you don't know how to put your seat belt on and how to get off a plane. DON'T FLY!
ZapStar2 at 11:31PM on Jul 12th 2007