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 6 of 20)
76. To number 64 the x (stewardess) And all you other child hateing sickos I dont believe i have ever witnessed such ignorance. If you would watch the news and learn a little about the story before you start commenting on it, you would have heard the gentleman siting in the seat next to the lady and several others say that she did not threatenthe attendent. quit running your damn stupid mouth untill you know what you are talking about . if you are americans im ashamed for you.
mack H at 11:36PM on Jul 12th 2007
77. I was on a plane for 13 hours with a screaming toddler and it was not a fun ride. I'm a teacher and love kids, but also need a break from them at times. I'm still waiting for the "all adult" flights. An in response to the restaurants with "no children" sections, many restaurants will grant you a seat away from children if you ask.
headcookie at 10:30AM on Jul 13th 2007
78. Ok I am dad of 2 year old. Toddlers have tendancy to repeat the same thing when they are excited. They are like God innocent and do not know what they are doing. Playful. The bitch airline hostess tried to drug the child. The bitch needs to be fired. She has no respect for infants or kids.
I am sure she should be unmarried whore. Who has no idea what the kids are. She should be fired period. I wish airline train these kind of bitches before they put on board.
frustated dad.
V at 11:59PM on Jul 12th 2007
79. Air travel today is such a PITA that many things set us off that may not have years ago.
Between TSA hassles, surly airline employees, PITA passengers, asinine rules, less space in the plane, cramped-ass seats, lost luggage, delays in a hot plane on the tarmac, fussy kids, stinky passengers, the overweight moose sitting on the next seat, the full overheads, having your nail clippers confiscated, not having your bloody quart-sized ziplock baggie... need I go on?
I absolutely will not fly anywhere less than 1,000 miles. I simply detest the entire experience associated with air travel. It's a wonder the airlines are still in business. They certainly aren't making any money from me.
Robert at 12:10AM on Jul 13th 2007
80. The whole airline industry has begun to blur the line between security and harrassment. I personally have had it with surley rude airline and security staff. I no longer fly Delta or Contentinal because of their staff's attitudes and treatment of other humans. Southwest is still family frendly.
cathy at 2:31PM on Jul 14th 2007
81. in the first place, we are not talking about a long flight here...from atlanta to oklahoma is a slide into homeplate...but if it were 8 thousand miles, the fact of the matter is this mom paid the same amount for her ticket as anyone on that aircraft and had a perfect right to expect to complete her trip.
As for the "discomfort" of the flight attendant (I wont even say other passengers as they stood up on the mother's side), I'm sorry, but that is a service sector job-I know, I have one. She needs to find another line of work as soon as this airline (please God) fires her behind.
This child was making happy chatter for goodness sake--he could have been screaming bloody murder!
When are people going to get a grip and realize that children are not some sort of exotic pet--they are EVERYONE'S past and the future of the world. With the intolerant, irresponsible, and just plain mean attitude of some segments of the "me-first" society we live it, God help us all when these youngsters grow up emulating the examples of adults they see around them!
hobbitnamedeliza at 12:46AM on Jul 17th 2007
82. I am so sick and tired of children running the freaking show in this country. God forbid anyone disciplines their kids these days -- you might accidentally hurt the poor kid's feelings. As someone who flies 9-10 times monthly, nothing stinks more than being seated next to a small child because 9 times out of 10, the parent doesn't have a clue (or the balls) to keep the kid under control. I ask when I check in for any flight to be seated in the exit row, because you're safe from the crying/screaming/kicking/barfing/hair pulling/poking and other lovely antics I've had to endure. I realize there's always a first time for everything -- flying included -- but I don't sign up for that so-called priviledge when I pay for a flight. If your kid can't be quiet and behave on a flight, I say leave 'em home until they can and spare everyone else on the plane the growing pains. It's not our moral responsibility to put up with disruptive kids. Period.
coastalgirl at 12:34AM on Jul 13th 2007
83. I agree the airline would be setting a dangerous precidence by asking people with children to sit in a specific area because there is the potential that their children might make noise. Are you going to ask all the people who wear offending perfume/cologne to sit together? What about the people who just refuse to leave you alone? What about the people who just offend you period for whatever reason. In this wonderful technological age, a pair of headphones and an Ipod go along way. Of course, you will get some objection from others in the form of "What if people can't afford these things"....try ear plugs which are of minimal cost at the drug store. As for restaurants, I have been in both situations. I have been the parent of a toddler who is having a meltdown (at which point I usually leave the restaurant until I can come back with a calmer child) and I have also been a patron in a restaurant without my children and have been sitting next to a child that was having a meltdown. You can leave, you can move or you can wait for it to pass. If people start pushing for regulation in this area it might be dangerous to "their" rights eventually.
Liz at 9:08PM on Jul 13th 2007
84. It's a sad commentary that a system that was put in place by Homeland Security for our safety, now can have innocent children judged and screened to be the threats that the world seems to be "let slipping though the cracks." It also seems passengers - even children now can be diagnosed and treated by airline personnel who do not have the training or education in medications, doses, or much less in their side effects. But most importantly, the most important thing lacking from this picture? the concern. . . what could have happened to the child 'with the baby benadryl'?. . .what happened with the customer care?. . and what happened to simple old fashioned judgement and common sense??
GB, M.D. at 12:43AM on Jul 13th 2007
85. I Am reading all these posts and Both sides have a point. I wasn't there, however I have an opinion. First off I used to feel like a lot of you. I hated the crying kids and the seat kickers. Then I had my own child. I just can not believe that most parents do not make some effort to keep their child under control a public. My son is well behaved thank goodness, but he knows he is in trouble if he does not behave. My opinion changed when I had my son. You do try to keep your child "under control" but sometimes they kick the seat...as do I when some asshole reclines all they way because they are too fat to fit in the sit infront of them. Kids do not puposely kick the seat, we all have to move around in the plane. As for those of you who think those of us with kids should fly...F..YOU.
Who do you think you are??? God??? You drive or take the train or the bus. Or we could have a singles section in the back of the plane for all you who get completely blasted on the airplanes. I am sick of traveling with the drunks. Unfortunately, I live in Vegas so on all my return flights I get the wonderful crowd who just likes to party when my kid is trying to sleep...how about we drop you out at 30,000 feet. The shoe fits both feet. You have got to be tolerant of others, If we can not be kind, patient and understanding our society is doomed.
greatmom at 12:43AM on Jul 13th 2007
86. I can't belief the blatant self-absorption in many of these posts. The idea of segregating families is discriminatory and revolting in my opinion. Children need to be around adults to properly develop. According to statements from fellow passengers the child was talking no louder than the adults and was engaging in developmentally appropriate behavior. And honestly, if you have flown more than once in your life, do you ever pay attention to the safety precautions? And even if you couldn't hear (which I find doubtful) there is a pamphlet that illustrates everything the flight attendant covers.
Kids are going to be kids. That does not mean they should be screaming or throwing a tantrum though (and this child did neither). Yes some kids are wild and give both children and their parents a bad name. This could be due to lack of parental control (with boundaries, limits, punishment, taking away of priveleges and choices) or temperment which is based on genetics. Most of the time though it seems poor behavior is due to boredom. Parents should be prepared with food, drinks, a change of clothes, diapers, medication (if honestly needed, not to shut a child up), games, paper, pencils, markers, activity sheets, books, etc. I remember when flight attendants used to see a bored child they would give him/her a set of wings, playing cards, stickers, coloring book, etc. Instead of snapping at the mother and child, perhaps the flight attendant could have offered a distraction. It seems like the flight attendant grossly overreacted, and maybe the mother could have been a little more prepared with toys and games, but she probably didn't realize the child was annoying anyone until it was too late.
AZpreschoolteacher at 12:47AM on Jul 13th 2007
87. I just want to say.... we dont have the whole story yet. BUT we have all been children at one point in our lives, know someone with children, or have them our selves. And NO you can not always keep a child happy or occupied or silent but hey this is the world of FREEDOM OF FREE SPEECH looks like this is a violation of our freedom of speech. Who said a child doesnt have that right? It does not apply to only adults. SO i think that there should definitely be a review of how People in general treat other people. What ever happened to customer service? Do we not live in a caring world anymore? Greed is taking over the mindset of all that live. I feel sorry for those of you who are so lonely and selfish that you would feel that children are a nuisance.
luciditi at 12:58AM on Jul 13th 2007
88. And one more thing, instead of being so negative, why don't you "catch" children being good? So next time a family is well behaved on a flight (or at a restaurant, party, sports game, etc.) let the child(ren)and parents know with a simple compliment. Parents love to hear those sort of things, and so do the kids. If the kids get a positive reaction to their behavior, they will be more likely to repeat it.
AZpreschoolteacher at 1:01AM on Jul 13th 2007
89. ...and then where shall we seat the Republicans, and the Democrats and the Michael Moore's of this world? Grow up.
Debbie at 1:05AM on Jul 13th 2007
90. I completely agree!
luciditi at 1:07AM on Jul 13th 2007