Fly the Friendly and Quiet Skies
I was tickled to death to see that FINALLY an Airline put someone in their place like this:
“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,” Graham-Weaver said.
But Julie Kulesza said: “We weren’t given an opportunity to hold her, console her or anything.”
“Elly was sitting in front of our seat crying,” she said in a phone interview. “The attendant motioned to a seat and asked if we purchased it for her.”
They had paid for the seat. Gerry Kulesza said another attendant then approached the family and told him: “You need to get her in control and in her seat.”
The couple told the attendants they were trying. Julie Kulesza said she asked the attendants if Elly could sit on her lap, but they said no.
The family flew home the next day.
The Orlando-based carrier reimbursed the family $595.80, the cost of the three tickets, and offered them three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies, Graham-Weaver said.
But that’s too little, too late for the Kuleszas. The father said they would never fly AirTran again.That’s honestly music to my ears, because that’s precisely what made me want to fly AirTran and only AirTran.
Why should all other passengers be discounted to accommodate one couple and their brat?
I’m wondering how many passengers on that same flight would have the same recollection of what actually happened on that particular flight?
Perhaps if the parents had to actually DRIVE home with that child, they’d have more initiative to get her under control.
Furthermore, why didn’t one of the parents take the child’s seat so that the child could sit next to a parent?
I think the Kulesza’s Got exactly what they deserved.
Though I do have to wonder, what WOULD SuperNanny have done in this situation?
Care to guess?
Look who’s blogging about AirTran:
Rice Daddies - A MUST read letter to AirTran
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Parenting
10 opinions for Fly the Friendly and Quiet Skies
homemome3
Jan 26, 2007 at 6:59 am
I was wondering the same thing, it could’ve easily been fixed if one parent let her sit by them. Ugh.
Gayla
Jan 26, 2007 at 9:02 am
I guess you just don’t think about those kinds of things unless you’re a GOOD parent LOL
I certainly hope there’s not a lawyer out there stupid enough to try and make a case out of this one!
Swanson Dad
Jan 26, 2007 at 10:43 pm
I just get a little worried about this situation because right now its the airlines, whats next a restraunt… movie theater? Soon it is going to be non trendy to have children. I think in this society that we get focused on ourselves and forget to put ourselves in the eyes of the younger generation. I think that the parents were being pressured to get their child under control only made the matter worse. I think all parents have been there with a young child and you can only feel sympathy for this family and the humiliation that was ensued from being removed from a plane.
Christa
Jan 27, 2007 at 11:23 am
My kids will not do their chores no matter how many times I ask them!My daughter tries to make fun charts but as soon as her 8 year old sister does not follow through they give up! i sick of doing all the work around here while my husband is at work till 6 o’clock!What do I do to get them to do their chores without being asked to do so? I need your help! A.S.A.P
Swanson Dad
Jan 27, 2007 at 12:39 pm
come up with a reward point system. They get 1 point for helping 20 points may equal a happy meal or a small toy or a favorite movie. For non compliance use the time out corner and be consistent. It will be hard for the first day or 2 but if you can get a system and routine down your life is going to be so much easier. Good Luck
Dav
Jan 30, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask people to be under control during the flight. Children sometimes need more guidance than the rest of us. It’s culturally inappropriate for *me* to correct someone else’s child; it’s the parent’s responsibility. But a child’s wail can penetrate anything. I spent one memorable twelve hour flight next to a kidney-kicking, shrieking, tantruming six year old. His mother was across the aisle, watching soap operas and oh-so-helpless. Completely unacceptable.
Gracie
Mar 17, 2007 at 12:59 pm
i agree completely that the airline did the right thing. the parents should spend the refund money on remedial parenting classes. if they can’t get the kid into the seat and quieted down before the plane even takes off, odds are they’d be inflicting her tantrum on the other passengers for the rest of the flight. if they can’t even manage their toddler’s behavior in public places, they’ll be in for a lot of fun when she’s an adolescent.
distance learning business course
Mar 25, 2007 at 7:02 am
distance learning business course…
Relevant search results and links for distance learning business course…
ellen
Mar 30, 2007 at 4:21 pm
My daughter acted up in a grocery store. I left the cart and removed her and went home. Never happened again. Same thing in a restaurant, once, asked for the food to be packed and took it home. No eating out for two months. Never happened again. It’s not easy but if you’re consistent with expectations kids, parents and the people around you sure are happier
Ashley
May 1, 2008 at 8:14 am
I don’t know about this one - part of me cringes at the thought of being crammed in a plane with someone’s screaming kid while the parent does nothing..but there’s another part of me that remembers vividly a period when my baby had a certain affinity for shrieking in public places - usually at about a 90 second interval (just long enough for the rest of the resteraunt to relax their shoulders so that he could see them jump all over again). He did it anywhere and everywhere and it was a happy noise for him - he was just a baby you know? And I didn’t have any control over it. For the average parent it’s embarrassing and stressful enough to try and wrangle a child who’s got an audience - but for the airline to publicly humiliate them like this seems really cruel. Children are a part of society. They shouldn’t be banned from public places even if they tax the nerves. I have to wonder if they would have thrown off a grown child traveling with his/her unruly, loud elderly parent? Me thinks not.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: