I?ve been watching this story make its way across social media this weekend: ?Toddler Tantrum Gets Family Booted From JetBlue Flight. Is Flying Still Kid-Friendly??
I got upset reading posts on Facebook by my friends who do not have children, asking why parents cannot control their children on flights. I got upset about more talk of banning children from flights altogether. (Seriously?) And I got upset because the airline booted the family, the mother of which is a pediatrician, and caused them to have to spend another night in Turks & Caicos and spend $2,000 before getting home.
Then I watched the family on ?The Today Show? this morning. And now I feel the airline made the right call. According to the family during the interview, the 2-year-old toddler could not be restrained. She refused to get buckled into her seat and her parents asked the airlines to be patient and give them more time. They said by the time they had the situation under control, the airline had already made the call to remove them from the flight. They were angry and humiliated.
Why did I think the airline was correct in removing them? Because they could not control their child. The airline was right to remove them, just as much as they are right to remove drunk passengers. Tantrums are to be expected with 2 year olds; that?s why they call them the ?Terrible Twos.? But how is it that this child could not be restrained, even after the doors were closed and the warnings were being made? Should an entire plane full of people have to wait because of one child? And if the parents could not restrain her enough to get her to sit down, what would happen if there was a problem in the air or during landing?
Perhaps preparing the child for the flight beforehand by explaining what would be happening on board would have helped ease the child?s worry. The mother said her child was used to sitting in her lap on previous flights, so maybe talking to her daughter during the vacation about what was to happen on the way home would have prepared her? Having a bag full of tricks, such as the little girl?s favorite toys and new games she could only have for the flight would have helped? (Bribery? Maybe. But who hasn?t gone that route?) What about having some snacks available, and allowing them only once she was strapped into her seat? Turning getting buckled in into a game? Arriving early and boarding early to allow for time to get settled and calm?
I wasn?t there to witness this, and I?ve certainly had those moments when my kids were on the floor in full temper mode, but I don?t think JetBlue made the wrong call. They have a schedule to keep and two entire airports running off that schedule. They do not have 15 extra minutes to wait while a parent tries to calm a child, and they do have the right to assume if a child cannot be restrained for take off, the child may not be restrained during the flight and landing. I?m sorry the parents got bumped, and I sure hope it never happens to me. (Knock on wood.) I just don?t think the airline should be criticized for this one. Am I wrong to think so?
What do you think?
?Lissa Poirot
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