You'd rather fly with him 
than him 
?
Posted on 07/12/2007 9:10:39 AM PDT by Abathar
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.
Nope - but plan on it soon.
And they’ll be taking baby benedryl every time we step on a plane. It’s the responsible thing to do.
Your comments make me think that you don’t care about what discomfort your children cause.
A toddler saying bye bye plane is hardly out of control.
If you don’t like flying with children buy a first class ticket or drive in your car.
Its not all about you.
I just wonder, that’s all.
Man oh MAN, I love those outfits!
Hey Allegra, would not that top have made a GREAT Laugh-In dress?
Actually medications are to be taken for medicinal purposes not so you can get baby krunked up for a flight.
I’d also say that a kid saying, assuming in a normal kid-voice, “Bye bye plane” is perfectly okay.
If he’s shrieking it, though, I’m reaching for the Benadryl bottle for him, or the tequila one for me.
Yep. I flew about 15 times a year and would truly love having a kid just saying “bye, by plane” - as opposed to the more often unregulated wild things screaming, yelling, and throwing stuff for 3+ hours while idiot parents sit without acting.
Since I have no children, I’m aware that I’m opening myself up to flames, but I’m the oldest of three. I remember very clearly traveling with Mom and the other two.
You can’t control an infant always, but a toddler is eminently controllable. Mom did it all the time.
We used to be a society that was family first. Now everyone has to bend over backwards for the convenience and sensibilities of the single adult.
It is a wonder that airlines/aircraft manufacturers have never developed a quiet room area (enclosed in plexiglass or some such transparent material) with a few seats at the back of every airplane. I know space is at a premium, but given the irritation and nuisance caused by babies and children who won’t calm or quiet down during flights, you would think the airlines would create some kind of quiet area for the convenience and comfort of their customers and crews.
I’d love to have Penland’s case. The airline would be stupid to not try to settle this to her satisfaction asap.
More and more stories of Hitlerish flight attendants getting power mad over babies are coming out each day. This one takes the cake.
That's my honest opinion. Flame away.
LOL! Airplanes should have cones of silence for children like in Get Smart.
“Its not all about you.”
ding ding ding! We have a winner!
It’s not all about you or your child either. I’m not shrieking, crying or kicking seats. There isn’t the slightest chance that I’ll do any of those things. There is a VERY strong chance that your child will. Why should I have to pay more or drive because you can’t control your child and refuse to take preventative measures? Why don’t you drive so your child won’t annoy the other 150 passengers on the plane?
Kids will be kids and sometimes they just won’t do what you want. The act up, they cry, they spit up. However, flat out REFUSING to use Benedryl as an option to help prevent it is irresponsible in my opinion.
I can't imagine being a flight attendant. For what it's worth, I think they do a pretty amazing job given the work and security conditions.
You'd rather fly with him than him ?
“I wonder what the true story is here.”
I believe the story is exactly like mom has told it.
A few flight attendants, even though there are very few, have attitudes similar to some TSA employees, security guards, and police. They’re “in charge,” and they intend to show you who’s boss. It’s pretty sad.
I know, because I worked with a few....and I was with a major airline. I also experienced a male flight attendant with another airline, US Airways, who threatened to throw me off the plane. I was the very last passenger boarding the plane, flying space-available, and attempted to put my luggage in an empty overheard bin in first class. When he told me I couldn’t, I complied, and put it in coach. Once I sat down, he asked me who I thought I was trying to do that, and threatened to throw me off the plane. True story! That *&^%$#!
“I’d bet dollars to doughnuts there is a helluva lot more to this story than “Ma” is telling.”
Not if the other passengers back her version. If she’s telling the truth, she should be compensated for her trouble and the attendant fired. I work in commercial aviation, and while there are plenty of problem passengers, there are more problem employees than you think. We had it out with an FBO; one of their employees was found laying out on a taxiway. We thought the guy had collapsed. When approached he said, “he was just trying to get some sleep in peace”.
Every employer has idiots. Airlines are no exception.
Oh no - I suffer no illusions, I know kids will melt down at the most inopportune moment. The difference is when i was growing up, we were hauled off immediately. Nowadays many parents just let it go and continue with what mom and dad need to do.
I was in a store with an INFANT crying - that awful blood curdling screaming. Not only did mom continue to shop, but went to another store, with child screaming the whole time. There is NO excuse for that other than bad parenting.
I will say I will NOT change my mind about the use of Benedryl for plane rides, even long car rides. It makes the trip more pleasant for everyone involved.
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