Mom Booted From Plane Over Baby's Babbling

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- A Georgia mother said she wants answers and action after she and her baby were kicked off a plane.

Kate Penland said she was glad to board the plane in Houston to visit her father in Oklahoma after an 11-hour delay. But she said a rude and aggressive flight attendant caused her to get to Oklahoma a day late.

Penland thinks her 19-month-old son, Garren, has a bubbly personality. But Penland said when they were aboard a Continental Express plane, a flight attendant became annoyed by Garren's personality when he kept saying three words.

"As we started taxiing, he started saying, 'Bye, bye plane,'" said Penland. "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.'"

In disbelief, Penland asked the woman if she was kidding. It was then, Penland said, the flight attendant went too far.

"She then said, '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 said.

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

"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," said Penland.

The mother said she later learned the flight attendant told the pilot that she had threatened her. Penland said that never happened.

Express Jet Airlines released a statement that said, "We received Ms. Penland's letter expressing her concerns and intend to investigate its contents."

A fellow passenger told Atlanta TV station WSB that none of the other passengers had problems with Garren and that Penland never threatened the flight attendant. Penland said she is considering legal action.

You just assumed that the stewardess went a little nuts, then you denigrated my opinion as knee jerk.

I’m just a little tired of your over reaction to anyone who expresses a different opinion than your “knee-jerk” opinions.

Aside from my my joking posts, my posts on this thread include the following statements:

#130 - If the story happened anything like it was reported in the article, the flight attendant was way out of line and should be reprimanded. If you have children, I doubt you would be very receptive (even if your child were behaving very badly) if someone leaned into your face and said “It’s not funny anymore, you need to shut your baby up.” Regardless of how somebody else is acting I would hope that I never respond with such rudeness. (emphasis added)

Note that I qualified the statement based on what was reported. Note also, that while I disagreed with the other poster's reaction to the story, I did not overreact or resort to any form of name-calling. I simply expressed my opinion based on what I had inferred from the article.

#154 - Given the description of the situation by other passengers, I would infer that the child was saying the words in a normal voice rather than shrieking the words. To assume the child was shrieking is about as kneejerk a reaction as assuming the flight attendant was just pissed off that the child was not listening attentively to her safety speech about the location of exits, floatation devices and emergency oxygen supply.

Again, I stated what I inferred from the information available. Also, I did not denigrate your opinion as kneejerk. I said that "to assume the child was shrieking is about as kneejerk a reaction as assuming the flight attendant was just pissed off that the child was not listening attentively to her safety speech about the location of exits, floatation devices and emergency oxygen supply." This was simply pointing out two possible equally kneejerk reactions to the story. If you want to infer from that that you have a kneejerk opinion that is your own business, but I did not criticize you or your opinion.

#162 - What is critical about pointing out a kneejerk reaction that is not supported by any information in the story. Based on the information available, one would infer from the story that the flight attendant over-reacted, and possibly lied about the situation in order to retaliate against the mother of the child.
According to the story, another passenger confirmed the mother's account to a tv news department, and none of the other passengers were complaining about the child. If there is more to this story (as you presume to be the case) then the airline will probably not discipline the flight attendant. If however the story at face value is accurate, then the flight attendant should probably consider another line of work where she doesn't have to interface much with the public.
I haven't condemned the flight attendant anywhere on this thread. I have simply pointed out the kneejerk reaction of many on the thread that assumed the child was unruly and screaming and out of control not only in the absense of any information to that effect in the story but in stark contradiction to the statement of at least one other party to the story.

Again, I cited the elements of the story upon which I based my inferences. Also, I again stated that many on the thread have concluded with no basis from anything in the story that the child was unruly, screaming, and disruptive. That may be the case, but there is nothing in the story to suggest so other than the possibility that "there must be more to this story". Based on the fact that several individuals have posted comments along the line of yours, but I have replied to only you and one other poster, it is surpising that you have so quickly been able to become "tired of (my) over reaction to anyone who expresses a different opinion than (my) “knee-jerk” opinions."

Absolutely check with the doctor, however every one of my friend’s pediatricians recommended Benedryl for their children on flights. I would try it at home first to see the reaction (for allergies and because the dye can make children hyper as it did for me) Taking your argument, you should refrain from giving them water as too much water can kill too.

Frankly i don’t foresee it as a problem since I don’t plan on taking my children on an airplane until they are old enough to handle it. An emergency may come up that will need flight, but frankly it’s not worth the aggrevation and inconvenience to others. My children, my responsiblity - I will do the utmost in my power to make sure others aren’t inconvienced by that, unlike most on this thread.

There’s more exaggeration on this thread than discussion

As for the baby Benedryl - I support the liberal usage on planes. To think - one dose and all the other passengers coul have had a pleasant flight AND she would have been on it.

Exaggeration AND overreaction. Hoodlum, do you not think suggesting medicating a kid is overreaction for "bye, bye, plane"? Especially since many of us have pointed out the potential negative side affects of benadryl.

Most parents try their darndest to get their kids to be well behaved on a plane. The first few times we flew with our daugther it was easier as she wasn't walking yet. I wore her in my sling or she slept in our laps and we made sure she had the pacifier in during take off in landing (something many don't think about). We looked into the Bendadryl thing before flying and determined the risk was not worth it.

This last time was a bit trickier - day time flight, 14 month old, active baby. Anytime she started to get fussy we tried to entertain her, let her walk up and down the aisle, offer her some milk in hopes of getting her to sleep, etc. It was tiring, but it worked. But I assure you, I wouldn't have been worried about a little repetitive "bye, bye plane."

You never just disagree with a poster, you make a statement that denigrates the poster. You must be one miserable old man (or woman).

Since you clearly can't be talking about anything I've posted on this thread you must be thinking about something from another thread or maybe you have me confused with someone else. I don't recall ever posting anything to you or reading any of your other posts in the nine years you've been posting on this Forum. As for denigrating another poster, I rarely ever do that and I try to reserve it only for those that really deserve it. As outrageous as some of the posts on this thread have been, nobody here has made a comment worthy of being denigrated (although one came dangerously close), so you'll have to wait for another day to see me denigrate somebody who disagrees with me.

bye, bye plane is fine. And frankly the benedryl would have done very little to stop the baby at that time since it would take to kick in. However I think the mother overreacted too. She should have just apologized. She helped escalate it.

Frankly, when you step on a plane, you should be prepared to have the child sit in the seat the entire time. You should consider yourself blessed that you were allowed to walk - although I will point out that some passengers find that almost as annoying as crying and it can be a security problem. Most flights I’m on don’t turn off the seat belt light at all. In and out of DC, no one is allowed out of their seat for any reason in the first 40 minutes. While planning to take a child on a flight do not count on being able to move from your seat.

You make a good point that the mother's reaction probably helped escalate the situation. The "I'm not going to drug my child so you can have a pleasant flight" comment did not help. It is very possible that had the mother reacted differently the situation would have been resolved without the removal from the plane. However, (and if and when you have children you will understand this) when someone gets in your face and says "you need to shut your baby up" the reaction is seldom reasoned, rational, and cheery. I guarantee you if a flight attendant said those words to my wife regarding either of our children as an infant or toddler, we would have had to make alternative flight arrangements too.

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