Boo-Hoo...the media seems to be picking up the banner of this
family who couldn't control their kid on a plane. After 15 minutes of what I'm sure was a LOVELY show that the 3 year old was putting on for the passengers, AirTran kicked them off the plane.
I have to say, I support AirTran on this one. I've seen this crap, and yes, this is crap, all too often at restaurants, airports, train stations, malls, libraries and museums. Kids out of control and the parents not taking care of the situation. She's three years old she's crying, this is what you do so you don't get kicked off the plane:
1.) Pick up child. (Yes, you can do this. 3 year olds, unless they are marine mammals or horses are very portable.)
2.) Place child in seat. (Again, this can be done, seats have flat open surfaces that can accept the posterior of an individual.)
3.) Strap in child to seat.
4.) Fly home. Vow never to take child on plane again if she EVER pulls a stunt like that. Ground child. Perhaps even speak...in a loud voice...to make sure the point is made. (This can also be done, it's called discipline for bad behavior.)
112 other people paid for their seats to fly to Boston here. Because two parents could not control their child the plane was delaying its departure. After 15 minutes the crew did the right thing. They thought of the rest of the people on the plane rather than the family that can't sit quietly.
So, kudos to Air Tran and a big EFF-U to the media for taking the side of the family. Those of us who do not have children and have no intention of being inconvenienced by the poor parenting skills of others, salute you AirTran and will consider you for our next flight in hopes of it being brat-free.
(Yes, I totally know this makes me sound like a heartless curmudgeon. But you know what, when I was little I only had to do something like that once to learn the hard way that acting like that was unacceptable. I see kids who have not learned how to behave in public too often these days and when I'm on the Metro on a weekday evening, I don't want a temper tantrum. I want to go the hell home in peace and quiet. I'm tired, I've worked at my job for 9 hours. I don't want to hear anything. Just the rumble of the train as it whisks me to my car. The same goes for people who yak on their cell phone so loudly that the entire car can hear them. Those people should be shot on sight and their corpses hung from cell towers as a lesson to all who may transgress the bounds of cell-phone etiquette.)
Posts
