Last week a 2-year-old girl had a tantrum. Why is this headline news? Well, because, that 2-year-old girl and her family got thrown off a JetBlue flight as a result of her tantrum. Is this headline news because toddlers delaying flights is a real issue facing the airline industry, causing frequent disruptions and threatening the safety of flight crews? Well, according to this ABC News report, it has happened at least three times since 2007. Hmm. Is it headline news because stories like this garner hundreds of heated comments resulting in lots of page views for the news websites? Ding ding ding -- bingo.
In this most recent case, the Vieau Family was returning to Boston from the Turks & Caicos islands. With no other flight options that night, booking new airfares and an extra night in a hotel cost them $2,000. Turks & Caicos can be a pricey island, but because it's so safe and clean, it's very popular with families. When I flew home from there with my daughter, there were 15 babies on the plane. And you know what? One or two of them might have cried a little. Somehow we all survived.
That same ABC News Travel section had an article about alcohol on planes less than six months ago. In it, the author gives seven examples of passengers acting inappropriately on airplanes -- in some cases assaulting flight attendants -- and mentions that he "could go on and on." That article received a grand total of 17 comments, most agreeing with the author. I recall the series Airline on A&E a few years back, and while I don't remember any misbehaving toddlers or negligent parents, I think the drama, for most episodes, was a response to people drinking too much.
It's my guess that alcohol is the cause of frequent delays and threatens the safety of flight crews. Research by Britain's Civil Aviation Authority found that almost half of air rage incidents were connected to alcohol abuse. And yet there is never talk of banning booze on airplanes or at airports. (Thank goodness, since I do enjoy an inflight Bloody Mary once my children are safely ensconced in their toddler headphone and iPad coma.)
Here's what's really alarming about all the news headlines about babies on planes: It frightens new parents and may prevent them from seeing the world with their children. Truthfully, in all our flights, we've never had anyone be outwardly rude to us -- even on my solo flight to Florida where both kids threw up all over me. Our kind seat mate kept offering tissues, although there wasn't much I could do with them. I wrote about my first experience with a toddler on a plane over four years ago, and sadly the public's attitude seems to be getting worse.
The Internet is a far crueler place than most airplanes, and no one would dare to be as rude in person as they are behind the anonymity of a computer. But this piece in Jezebel fairly accurately details all the online vitriol towards those traveling with kids in tow.
And is it ironic that most of those most vocal against travel with babies claim their love of travel began in infancy?
Follow Corinne McDermott on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hvbabywilltrvl
Tanya Enberg: Does Having Kids Mean the Death of Travel?
I know lots of parents think "drugging" a child is bad, but there has to be medications that would take the edge off of things and make life easier for the child, parent and other passengers
I have flown across the country, by myself, with a 2 and a 3 year old. I packed snacks and toys for every 1/2 of the trip, bought tickets that overlapped with what would be "quiet time" and pre-emptivly apologized to my neighbors for any discomforts they might experience. I made a point of talking to them about safety and the captain and we looked at the emergency plans and talked about the plane rules.
I train my children before I do something involving adult situations, and then try very hard to minimize drama, maximize success, and make the experience an enjoyable one.
With all things that go smoothly, there is required a great amount of time and preparation to be invested.
This should have been your BIG CLUE that this kid was not just "crying a little." No pilot is going to turn a plane around and taxi BACK to the gate for a kid who is crying. This kid obviously was out of control. Refusing to sit in her seat (I don't understand why her parents didn't bring a car seat), screaming, etc.
It's a safety and liability issue. Siting on mommy's lap during takeoff is not an option. If that plane had to abort the takeoff they would have been scraping the kid off the ceiling or walls....not to mention other passengers could have been hurt when she went flying. It's also really difficult to listen to the safety instructions when a kid is SCREAMING.
Why should the other 100+ people on the plane be put at risk and/or have to listen to a SCREAMING kid all the way back to Boston (a 4 hour flight from Provo)? Those other passengers have rights too.
I understand that not all kids, even with good parenting have issues from time-to-time but that is the parents problem....it should not be the problem of the flight crew and 100+ other people.
I was thinking it would actually be good business to have designated "Disney" flights. I am pretty sure they could fill a charter to Orlando from major hubs such as Chicago, NY (including my least favourite airport, Newark) and it would be easy to make clear that these flights were family friendly.
Considering that I already pay extra for extra legroom, I would be willing to pay a bit more for kid-free flights and I don't think the airlines would have any difficulty filling these.
The last couple of years I have rediscovered the fun of traveling by train when I am not in a hurry. I have long enjoyed going back and forth to Chicago by train and traveling in the business car. Then, last spring I took the Amtrak to Denver. Had a sleeper (that includes surprisingly good meals), met some very nice and interesting people, and got to see the landscape I have missed in the past. Next up, a trip from coast to coast (east to west) in Canada and then south to California and return on the Zephyr. Yes, there are kids on trains but I haven't found the noise to be an issue. Guess they are more entertained on the train.
And, church. A notice in my church reads: "Parents ~ Please don't allow your children to run around inside the church. It is dangerous for everyone." The sign is ignored for the most part. I can't tell you how many times I and other parishioners have been blindsided and tripped!
An adorable little girl of maybe 3-years-old, was on the checkout line with her dad in a store. She was in the middle of a tantrum and her dad gently tapped her. She in turn, hauled off and belted him in the stomach! Ow!!! She was a stout little one! In response, he gave a half-hearted giggle.
Then, there's restaurants. Why do parents allow their toddlers to climb all over the seats in a restaurant? It's my guess, if the child falls and is injured, that parent will be the first to sue!
I remember seeing a sign in a laundromat a long time ago. It read: "If you can't control your children, LEAVE with them!" Wow!
Finally, to the parents who neglect doling out discipline I say this. Our government has created a fine line on this matter, to the point where you can no longer distinguish abuse from discipline. Take heart though, there IS a difference!
Most kids were talking or playing quietly and there was nothing anyone could complain about. But next to me, there was a mother with 3 kids - one about 4 and twins around 6 -7 years old who yelled, jumped around, banged on everything and were annoying all the other passengers, while their mother occasionally asked them to sit still and stop yelling, but they didn't mind her. I can tell you, I had a throbbing headache by the time I got out of there, and I'm not prone to migraines. There is a limit of what people should be forced to accept from other people's children. You had a child ? Wonder of wonders ! So what ? So did we, but we don't ask you to sit through their tantrums or bad manners.
You can't control them ? Then keep them at home, where you can fully benefit from their "socialization", without abusing everyone around you .
2-years old throwing a tantrum ? No problem. Get the parents to calm her down in time and she can board. Otherwise, she's not "planebroken" and shouldn't fly.
To those parents, please accept the fact that you chose to have children and are responsible for managing them. Stop giving attitude to others who don't want to have to deal with out-of-control children while their parents are having a mental vacation.
Small children and puppies don't yet have the antibodies bestowed by vaccinations, and thus are vulnerable to a whole host of nasty diseases. Yeah, take an unvaccinated baby to an airport. And then on a plane.
This is probably how the next pandemic will be spread; through people incubating contagion while traveling.
Feel free to expose your spawn to a global smorgasbord of disease. Darwin was right.
A question: these parents were out about $2000 because their child would not sit down, let them put a seatbelt on and stop screaming. The plane could not take off until she did. Say 50 people on that flight had connections to make. So, it's ok to delay the flight and make 50 people (or 10, or even 5) miss their connections all because one child can't behave?
I agree parents SHOULD take their kids on MOST vacations with them. However, if you know your child is prone to meltdowns you need to remember that the world doesn't revolve around you and your little darling....and stick to road trips until the child has the maturity to behave or until you have the maturity to take responsibility for your child and their behaviour.