Airline Boots Toddler After Tantrum. Is This Fair?
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. (Time Magazine)
****** Frankly I don't know whether to sympathize with the family or agree with the airline's explanation. What do you think?
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Labels: Trivia
posted by The Malaysian. at 1/24/2007 03:39:00 PM
4 Comments:
Hmmm, it seems like a lot of considerations have to be included:
If the toddler is ok to be hold at the mother's lap, can I have my handbag place on my lap when the airplane take off? On the other hand, what could be the worst scenario can happen if the toddler is hold on the lap? What are the rationale behind such rules and regulation?
Is it ok to give more time to the parent? Or consideration/arrangement for the coordination of airplane, air control tower and such should be thought as well?
Not an easy say, not that familiar with airport system anyway. But at least the carrier did not "telan" the money, hehe.
If it were my child, I'd give her two tight slaps and the parents, four each! The airline was correct in its decision as it's priority should be the safety AND comfort of its 112 passengers, not trying to please the unreasonable parents of a child that could do with a good spanking. It was generous too as, not only did it reimburse the family, it also gave them free flights. The child, as well as the parents, could do with some disciplining... with a rotan!
I am sure the airline people on board have given enough time to the couple to get the brat all tied up in the seat.
I am sure there was a concern of delays which may affect connecting flights of some passengers which may inconvenience them , extra costs etcetc.
The rule for all infants above 2 to be all seated is for safety reason. do crew members want to compromise on that?
My 2 cents - The airline is spot on. I have a 4 yr old who travels quite a bit with me and the missues over the last 2 1/2 years. We play the rules and have had no problems. I have seen on flights, on a regular basis, some parents expecting special privelages like this. Its actually for the child's own safety. Also the other 112 fare paying passengers have every right to reach their destination in reasonable time. The parents should have been pacifying the kid from check in time.
Ravi
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