Mom And Chatty Toddler Kicked Off Flight

[StrawberryFields]

Mom and chatty toddler kicked off flight

Woman says flight attendant's anger over child's talking got them booted

Updated: 6:03 p.m. MT July 12, 2007

ATLANTA - A woman said she and her toddler son were kicked off a plane after she refused a flight attendant's request to medicate her son to get him to quiet down and stop saying "Bye bye, plane."

Kate Penland, of suburban Atlanta, said she and her 19-month-old son, Garren, were flying from Atlanta to Oklahoma last month on a Continental Express flight that made a stop in Houston.

As the plane was taxiing in Houston en route to Oklahoma, "he started saying 'Bye, bye plane,' Penland told WSB-TV in Atlanta. The flight attendant objected, she said.

"At the end of her speech, she leaned over the gentleman beside me and said, 'It's not funny anymore. You need to shut your baby up,'" Penland told WSB-TV in Atlanta.

When Penland asked the woman if she was joking, she said the stewardess replied, "You know, it's called baby Benadryl."

"And I said, 'Well, I'm not going to drug my child so you have a pleasant flight,'" Penland told the TV station.

Penland said other passengers began speaking up on her behalf, and the flight attendant announced they were turning around and that Penland and Garren were going to be taken off the plane.

Penland and her son were let off the plane and did not complete the trip to Oklahoma, said Kristy Nicholas, spokeswoman for Express Jet Airlines, which flies as Continental Express on behalf of Continental Airlines

Attempts by the Associated Press to reach Penland under a telephone listing that matched her last name were unsuccessful.

"I was crying, I was upset and I was thinking, 'What am I going to do? I don't have anything with me, I don't have any more diapers for the baby, no juice, no milk," Penland told WSB.

Nicholas said, "We received Ms. Penland's letter expressing her concerns and intend to investigate its contents."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19735896/?gt1=10150

[sixpacktr]

This woman is totally selfish (not the stew, but the mother). Drug the kid up!!

As someone that has flown a lot over my career, the worst 2 things are:

1. Babies that won't shut up and the parents that are oblivious to the whole thing and,

2. People that feel we ALL need to share in their cell phone conversations!

Benadryl won't hurt the kid, makes for a much more pleasant flight for everyone, including the kid because they sleep. Her comment "I'm not drugging the kid so that you can have a pleasant flight" is ludicrous! MY needs come before 100 other people's needs! What a jerk...

22 years ago we flew from the US to Japan to live. My daughter was a year and a half old. We asked the doc how to help her have a pleasant flight and NOT BOTHER OTHER PEOPLE! The doc said, "give her Dimetapp". We were a little dumbfounded, but he told us she would sleep, and that the flight would actually be easier on her as well.

No one has concern for anyone else anymore except themselves...

[Gwen]

i have to disagree with you six. the mother could have come up with a better response and the comment was rude. that i can support. but she had just been told to "shut her kid up".......i thought the stewardess job was to be professional and handle things with tact and decorum. she failed miserably first. excuse the mothers agitated response? no, but i can understand it. if the child were distraut and freaking out about flying i could see drugging your child (for their psycological health) but just cause. there are a lot of things the mother could do as well as the other passengers to help. i didn't see the situation and maybe she was ignoring her child (if so, could be why he kept saying it, wanted to be heard); but she also may have been trying to handle it. to be so judgemental over such a small amt of information is a bit rash.

i'd sue the airlines (starting with a letter and call of complaint to customer service to see if they would rectify the situation without being so drastic), that was not grounds for kicking someone off a plane, she paid her money to be there like everyone else. there are a lot more rude and annoying adults than a small child saying the same thing over and over.

there are somethings i don't think a parent should be required to do. if you choose to fine, but required, no. drugging your child for travel is one of them. i don't drug my children unless they are sick and need drugs. only by being exposed to the situation will they learn to behave in them.

[StrawberryFields]

I think that the flight attendant was over the top. The safety of the flight wasn't in question. Why does she have the ability to turn a taxing plane around? I thing this woman should be fired for suggesting this woman drug her child to be quiet. I would liek just two minites with the flight attendant, I wonder what she did herself in order to distract the child. Maybe she could have offered the child a book?

There are currently 82 pages of comments about this incident. I only read the first page but I did quite like this comment.

''Amalg, YOU are annoying. You were a child once and probably way worse than this baby. Saying "bye bye plane" is hardly the same as an out of control, screaming child due to the by-product of someone similar to you.

Do you fly on planes? Do you stink? Do you wear too much cologne? Does your fat behind spill over into your neighbors seat? Do you snore? I'm guessing "yes" to all my questions, and THAT makes you a million times more annoying than any child who is excited on a flight.

Yeah, I'm sure that flight attendant who makes $15k a year wasn't nasty at ALL. ''

Take a LOOK

http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.a...aram=HIPDelay=1

[pushka]

Wow! I haven't read the article from the link, but I think that was really unfair, to send her and her son off the plane...poor kiddie!!

[sixpacktr]

Remember, we are getting the slanted input from this "distraught" mother who wouldn't shut her kid up. If the kid was quietly saying "bye bye plane" I am sure that none of this would have happened, and if it did, then yes, the stew was out of order. My guess is that this kid was SCREAMING it at the top of his lungs and mom was thinking that the rest of the plane just thought her kid was ADORABLE! The tip off is when the stew said: it is no longer cute, tell your kid to shut up. I would wager money that this stew had told her already in many subtle ways to calm the kid down, but dorkus mom was so sure that EVERYONE thought her kid was ADORABLE that it took a blunt statement to get it thru her thick skull...

Here's a clue, guys:

1. When your kid screams on a plane, he is NOT adorable.

2. When he runs up and down the aisle and bumps into you when you are trying to sleep, he is NOT adorable.

3. When he is kicking the back of your seat, he is NOT adorable.

4. When he pitches a fit on the plane because he cannot do whatever he pleases, he is NOT adorable.

5. When you sit there like a slug a a couch, and refuse to do anything to him because it may harm his tender psyche, YOU ARE NOT A PARENT, but instead a DNA DONOR.

6. Trying to teach a 2 year by reasoning is idiotic. Spank his little butt and tell him to shut up. The stew shouldn't have to do YOUR job.

I do not think your kid is adorable. I too paid good money to get to my destination, and why do you subject me to the monster you are raising??

My kids were taught to behave, and they knew that I didn't give a fat frog's behind what others thought: if they acted up and bothered others, I would discipline them then and there. Today, parents try to talk to a 2 year old and tell him why it is bad. DO THAT AT HOME! That is where discipline should be taught, and then reinforced when they are "out in the world" and think that you won't "embarrass" yourself.

[StrawberryFields]

We don't know that the child was SCREAMING do we? :)

[sixpacktr]

Again, I stated it as my GUESS.

But again, as someone that has flown all over the place, kids are allowed a lot of leeway by the stews. But some people are so thick skulled that they just don't think there is a problem.

My BET is that he was screaming (or yelling it, whichever).

[Gwen]

anyone with children knows shut up is a bad word and we should be mature enough to find a better way to handle the situation.

i have seen many unruly children and i too get annoyed but i have never spoken to another parent that way. there are adult ways to handle the situation. and i have involved myself in the taming of others unruley children before without confrontation.

the stewardess is the professional. she is held to a higher standard than the passengers. she should have known better even if the mother was stupid. even in the worst of circumstances it is no reason to delay many flights by turning around and kicking them off. the offense was not worthy of that action. not to mention just speaking the way she did gives the other passengers permisson to begin acting rudely as well, then you could have a much bigger situation. her job is to set the tone (she is in a service profession) not get her pantys in a wad.

many ppl in this world (who should know better) behave in dumb ways, that does not give us a liscense to go around being ugly to ppl.

the bottom line is none of us were there. we don't know what the kid was doing. just cause you may have seen stewardess give a lot of leeway and have had problems doesn't mean this stewardess wasn't pms'ing and snapy for no reason. maybe the situation was exactly as you called it. still doesn't change that the stewardess was out of line. there are a thousand better ways for this situation to be handled. sorry you have had so many bad experiances six, but you can't assume and pass judgement on this mother like that. you weren't there, and even if you were, you don't know the whole story.

my problem was with the judgmental tone of your comment. if you want to say, i've had many horrible experiances and think some childrens behavior is worthy of that action, fine. if more companies would insist parents be parents or they are not welcome to use their services it would be better for the country as a whole, fine. if flights should have some children free ones avaliable (like the peanut free); fine. i may disagree but no problems there.

my kids are very well behaved, but as all children do they have their moments, some in public. i've had ppl who know nothing of the circumstances give me that judgmental look, like they are dying to tell me off and how to raise my kids. in the most unhelpful way to the situation as possible. i don't like it, it's not ok. i've also had ppl assist in the situation, give me the benifit of the doubt and take action respectfully. i have no problems with that and at times have been very greatfull for it. we shouldn't pass judgment on others so casualy.

[StrawberryFields]

Again, I stated it as my GUESS.

But again, as someone that has flown all over the place, kids are allowed a lot of leeway by the stews. But some people are so thick skulled that they just don't think there is a problem.

My BET is that he was screaming (or yelling it, whichever).

Let's just analyze this for a minute ok?

The child was saying "bye bye plane" I would imagine the child was also waving at the plane... fair enough?

This child was under 2 years old. I would imagine him looking out the window and waving as he said 'bye bye plane" We know that the the plane had not yet taken flight. We know that other passengers were in support of the mother.

How long would the child have been saying that?

How long would he have been able to see another plane in order to say 'bye bye plane"?

The child was called a "Chatty Toddler". What a sad nation we have become if we can not allow a child under two be a little excited and chatty for just a few minutes.

[sixpacktr]

anyone with children knows shut up is a bad word and we should be mature enough to find a better way to handle the situation.

my problem was with the judgmental tone of your comment. we shouldn't pass judgment on others so casualy.

Almom,

You're not going to push for me to be kicked off, right?? :)

As for shut up, I don't think it is a bad word. A##$%*& is a bad word, as are several other. Shut up isn't bad to me. Sorry...

As for judgemental tone, I could say the same about the way people assume the mother was all holy and light and the stew as PMSing, etc. We weren't there. I totally agree. I gave it as my OPINION that the kid was yelling (screaming), the mom was oblivious, and that many passengers had had it. Also, I consider the source. A distraught mom. WSB TV out of Atlanta, which is always looking for some bad guy big corporate type (I watched Fox 5 in ATL), so I take it as VERY slanted to show how bad this stew was and the kid and mom are next to the Madonna statue in holiness.

Sorry, I've flown too much, and the examples of kids behaving on planes are few at best.

My jaded perspective, perhaps, but kids should be taught to be respectful of others, and that certain behaviors are not acceptable in public. That is sorely lacking today.

[Gwen]

lol, i'm not pushing for anyone to get kicked off. mods, yall saw that right? :)

personally i figure it was a bad decison on both parts, the mother and the stewardess. i just figure when someone is paid to be something they can't afford to have a bad day and if they do they need to own up to it and take the consequences. i don't think it was all one persons fault or the other. i don't recall saying i thought the mother was holy in any way (nor is the stewardess). but if i have to side i side with the mother, even if she is a bad mom. if these were two ppl in a public park having a problem i might see it differently. but one of the ppl were being paid to represent a company, she was obligated to be above the rest.

and just for the record i agree that parents need to teach their chrildren more respect and about proper public behavior and others personal space and common decency, etc. no objections with that at all.

[Gabelma]

<div class='quotemain'>

anyone with children knows shut up is a bad word and we should be mature enough to find a better way to handle the situation.

my problem was with the judgmental tone of your comment. we shouldn't pass judgment on others so casualy.

Almom,

You're not going to push for me to be kicked off, right?? :)

As for shut up, I don't think it is a bad word. A##$%*& is a bad word, as are several other. Shut up isn't bad to me. Sorry...

As for judgemental tone, I could say the same about the way people assume the mother was all holy and light and the stew as PMSing, etc. We weren't there. I totally agree. I gave it as my OPINION that the kid was yelling (screaming), the mom was oblivious, and that many passengers had had it. Also, I consider the source. A distraught mom. WSB TV out of Atlanta, which is always looking for some bad guy big corporate type (I watched Fox 5 in ATL), so I take it as VERY slanted to show how bad this stew was and the kid and mom are next to the Madonna statue in holiness.

Sorry, I've flown too much, and the examples of kids behaving on planes are few at best.

My jaded perspective, perhaps, but kids should be taught to be respectful of others, and that certain behaviors are not acceptable in public. That is sorely lacking today.

If the parent and child aren't used to flying you can't expect their behaviour to great and practised or to automatically know what to do. Or representative of how they would be at home. And no I would not drug a child on a flight - in fact Doctors here advise against it and will not prescribe - especially a flight over 4 hours as it can cause a lot of serious problems

I have flown and used the train a lot and as a child, Mum and a single person- my daughter screamed her head off on one flight and even threw up on the gentleman sitting next to me she was a year old and we couldn't do anything to stop it, I guess the gentleman next to me took the same attitude as myself and the people around me were wonderful. Turned out my daughter had a nasty dose of food poisoning. On the return flight I had a miscarriage and was in full blown labour - again people were amazing I am sure I was not great to be sitting near that time. Remember as a child my brother laughing his head off during a particularly bad episode of turbulance - the adults around him were panicking bet it got on their nerves to him it was like a fairground ride.

But then I have sat next to people with BO, people who were legless (drunk), sat in carrriages and a flight with a bunch of Welsh Rugby players singing rather interesting songs, kids who played up etc If you want it nice pay the extra and fly first class, if not you takes what you get - never forget the guy I sat next to who farted and perspired and panicked the whole 6 hours. He was a nice guy just terrified. Then there are the people who think its OK to put a chair reclined backwards into your lap for the whole 11 hours

Charley

[Dr T]

Mom and Chatty Toddler Kicked Off Flight

They could have waited until they landed before they kicked them off the plane. Did they give them parachutes at least?

[Heather]

Stop it! It tickles!

[Elphaba]

I have a really hard time believing the pilots would agree to turn the flight around just for a toddler who is babbling. I think there must be more to the stotry.

I actually side with Six on this one. Listening to noisy kids on a flight is excruciating, and I too have lost patience with parents who do nothing to stop it. I am very assertive about that now. If it's bothering me I tell them so, and most of the time it's as if the parents didn't even realize the child was being noisey.

I absolutely detest when I go to a movie, dinner or theatre and people bring their babies and toddlers. If I'm in line for a movie and I see someone with a baby, I will ask them if they're seeing the same pic as I am, and if they are I will get my money back.

I had to see Phantom of the Opera three times before I actually "heard" it.

When my children were babies we simply did not take them to public places where they're screeching, laughing, and crying would cause other people discomfort. I think it is rude and disrespectful.

I really am a witch, aren't I?

Elphie

[Maureen]

I have a really hard time believing the pilots would agree to turn the flight around just for a toddler who is babbling. I think there must be more to the stotry.

Exactly. I can't believe that a flight attendant had that much authority to have the plane change course.

M.

[Gabelma]

I have a really hard time believing the pilots would agree to turn the flight around just for a toddler who is babbling. I think there must be more to the stotry.

I actually side with Six on this one. Listening to noisy kids on a flight is excruciating, and I too have lost patience with parents who do nothing to stop it. I am very assertive about that now. If it's bothering me I tell them so, and most of the time it's as if the parents didn't even realize the child was being noisey.

I absolutely detest when I go to a movie, dinner or theatre and people bring their babies and toddlers. If I'm in line for a movie and I see someone with a baby, I will ask them if they're seeing the same pic as I am, and if they are I will get my money back.

I had to see Phantom of the Opera three times before I actually "heard" it.

When my children were babies we simply did not take them to public places where they're screeching, laughing, and crying would cause other people discomfort. I think it is rude and disrespectful.

I really am a witch, aren't I?

Elphie

Actually no I think it might be a society thing i n comparison to rest of Europe Britain is seen as pretty child unfriendly but I have to say I found the American society very stressful and quite rude to a parent with a small child in comparison to what I am used to. I needed to carry so much more in my changing bag - here I can leave and if I need to get nappies(Diapers) and wipes free in a store, there is no doubt a restaurant will have a high chair. Here I can breastfeed my baby where I want and you may get some tuts bt its mostly accepted. Maybe its just me but I felt very watched and very claustrophobic when I was out with Ellie.

I personally think both my children at very young ages were very good because they came everywhere with me I still conduct business meetings with a baby in a sling. A baby carried a lot, kept at the centre of daily life and kept as close as possible has no need to cry so doesn't cry a lot. My daughter for a 4 year old is very well behaved and my son is no bother to take anywhere both my kids are very portable.

Charley

[Elphaba]

I needed to carry so much more in my changing bag - here I can leave and if I need to get nappies(Diapers) and wipes free in a store, there is no doubt a restaurant will have a high chair.

You're right. I can't imagine that happening here, and I'm in Utah! You get your diapers and wipes free? Wow...I think that is cool.

Here I can breastfeed my baby where I want and you may get some tuts bt its mostly accepted. Maybe its just me but I felt very watched and very claustrophobic when I was out with Ellie.

I am all in favor of mothers nursing their baby whenever he/she needs it, no matter where they are. I think Americans aversion to this is unfortunate.

I personally think both my children at very young ages were very good because they came everywhere with me I still conduct business meetings with a baby in a sling. A baby carried a lot, kept at the centre of daily life and kept as close as possible has no need to cry so doesn't cry a lot. My daughter for a 4 year old is very well behaved and my son is no bother to take anywhere both my kids are very portable.

You sound like a great mother.

Elphie

[shanstress70]

I'm flabbergasted that someone would even consider giving a child medication to 'shut him up'. Medicine is for a medical problem... not childhood. This woman paid good money for a flight. Yes, I get annoyed when there are babies crying or noisy small children, but that's life and there's nothing we can do about it. If this child was saying, "Bye bye plane", I really can't imagine her screaming it. To those who think the stewardess was in the right, do you guys medicate your child for a road trip? What about medicate a small child so he sleeps the whole time and you can go to an adult movie without paying a sitter? Same thing. Whatever makes your life a bit easier, I guess.

I will tell you that last month I was on a business trip... on the flight back home I was so tired and just wanted to relax. But these two guys behind me worked together, obviously, and were talking SO LOUDLY the ENTIRE 4 hours. I heard things about their wives, coworkers, children, etc. that I'd rather not know. THAT was annoying. They're big enough to know how annoying that is... a child doesn't. I can not imagine the stewardess asking grown men to get off the plane bc they are talking too loud.

[Elphaba]

But these two guys behind me worked together, obviously, and were talking SO LOUDLY the ENTIRE 4 hours. I heard things about their wives, coworkers, children, etc. that I'd rather not know. THAT was annoying. They're big enough to know how annoying that is... a child doesn't. I can not imagine the stewardess asking grown men to get off the plane bc they are talking too loud.

Excellent point. Did you ask them to keep it down? I would have.

Elphie

[shanstress70]

<div class='quotemain'>But these two guys behind me worked together, obviously, and were talking SO LOUDLY the ENTIRE 4 hours. I heard things about their wives, coworkers, children, etc. that I'd rather not know. THAT was annoying. They're big enough to know how annoying that is... a child doesn't. I can not imagine the stewardess asking grown men to get off the plane bc they are talking too loud.

Excellent point. Did you ask them to keep it down? I would have.

Elphie

No, I'm SO non-confrontational when I don't have a message board to hide behind! Maybe that's why I like them so much.

[Elphaba]

No, I'm SO non-confrontational when I don't have a message board to hide behind! Maybe that's why I like them so much.

There are some situations you just can't control. I have extremely sensitive ears, and I've learned to wear earplugs wherever I go.

When I go to a movie, I have to go with my daughter, and we have to sit in a certain spot, with me next to the wall and I have to wear earplugs.

Yes, I am a freak.

Elphie

[shanstress70]

Yes you are a freak. :)

[Gabelma]

<div class='quotemain'>But these two guys behind me worked together, obviously, and were talking SO LOUDLY the ENTIRE 4 hours. I heard things about their wives, coworkers, children, etc. that I'd rather not know. THAT was annoying. They're big enough to know how annoying that is... a child doesn't. I can not imagine the stewardess asking grown men to get off the plane bc they are talking too loud.

Excellent point. Did you ask them to keep it down? I would have.

Elphie

OK this is my huge soapbox lol

For me it depends on the guys and their level of drunkness - but I would also have asked the Mum with a chatty/screaming toddler or baby if she wants some help, have to say every flight I have been on the Steward/esses have offered when my babies or toddler get to that stage. If I go the long way round to LAX by the time I get on the Chicago to Los Angeles flight I have already been flying for 6+ hours and chances are kids have stood in 3 hours worth of ques at Chicago, I just assume the parent ignoring baby is tired and harrassed and needing to block out, or maybe terrified of flying etc 10 minutes with someone else nursing or playing with baby or toddler can make a huge difference. Was it Harold B Lee who helped a Mum with a fractcious child and discovered the Mom was having a threatened miscarriage in an airport que? As a result she didn't miscarry, he helped reduce her stress levels - here if I even get the bus with a baby and fractious toddler, someone will help with my bags and get my daughter on the bus for me, if I got to take a buggy (stroller) up some steps there are generally 5 kind people offering to help. In Chieko Okazaki's book Lighten Up she had a bit about judging a woman who was trying to put on her makeup whilst driving - her intial thought was to wonder why she hadn't done that before, but like she says she didn't know if that woman had managed to look after 5 kids, making lunch, getting them dressed and out the door before hastily getting herself ready.

That was something else I noticed is that difference in Southern California, wonder if its because of this obsession that everyone else is going to hurt your child. I have noticed it starting to happen here too but not to same extent find it sad though. When I went for dinner a few weeks ago a group of old ladies &gents had great fun playing pass the baby with my son - he intiated the kisses and cuddles and loved it, they had a great time telling each other and me about my grandkids and how they handled their children - I even ignored the old gentleman who thought my son was teething so rubbed whiskey on his gums... I don't like the way our society is going because people won't accept the help anymore through fear, I wonder between that a families living so far apart if thats why post natel depression rates are so high

Charley

I personally think both my children at very young ages were very good because they came everywhere with me I still conduct business meetings with a baby in a sling. A baby carried a lot, kept at the centre of daily life and kept as close as possible has no need to cry so doesn't cry a lot. My daughter for a 4 year old is very well behaved and my son is no bother to take anywhere both my kids are very portable.

You sound like a great mother.

Elphie

I seem to be doing OK so far my kids are doing great - I read a book called the continuum concept when I was at college and it stuck with me that the way people in primitive tribes parent has a lot to teach us - when Iw as in labour with Ellie got a blessing that said to always go with my instincts as they were from Heavenly Father but here in civilised society we tend to lose sight of them.

Charley