Southwest apologizes, reimburses San Jose mom tossed from a flight with cranky 2-year-old

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 10/31/9

[SmithL]

Follow-up to San Jose mom and cranky 2-year-old kicked off Southwest flight

[Soothesayer9]

Sounds like Bill Cosby’s “Little Jeffrey” skit.

Nightmare.

[DogBarkTree]

Good for them. If you cant control your little horror then dont subject other people to their bad behavior and your poor parenting.

[Red Badger]

I was on a 8 hour flight from Paris to Atlanta that had a crying toddler. It was about 4 hours of misery........

[modhom]

Root said Friday she accepts Southwest's apology, "and in the future we just hope that children are not separated from their luggage."

So just pack toddlers in the luggage compartment. Problem solved. :)

[luckystarmom]

Then, they should always offer to give money back if kids can’t handle the trip.

Our last trip, we were delayed by 6 hours. I was so glad my kids were older (12 & 14). We were going from San Jose to Dallas, and we got in at 2am. I felt so sorry for the little kids (and their parents) on that flight. Some of those parents were missing connections to other places. I can’t imagine having that happen with little kids.

[hopespringseternal]

My two year old’s behavior is not an issue. By that age, they are entirely capable of being controlled. They may be having a bad day, but the rest of the world need not participate in that bad day.

[GeronL]

I see a “Moms Fly Free” campaign coming from this.

[Natural Law]

"I was on a 8 hour flight from Paris to Atlanta that had a crying toddler.

I have no problem with crying infants or children crying when experiencing ear pain or discomfort associated with flight. That is why I invested in noise cancellation ear phones. What I don't condone is petulant, aggressive, "bratty" behavior that infringes on the comfort of everyone else or the parents who condone, tolerate, or reward it.

[Slings and Arrows]

Wimps. Should have sent her a roll of duct tape and instructions to apply it to Junior’s mouth if she ever flies with them again.

[Cold Heart]

The flip side, mom maybe did not want to go to jail for disciplining the child in public.

[Othniel]

Benardyl is often a parent's best friend....:)

[Ditter]

Crying infants don't bother me, I just feel bad for them and their parents because I have been there. It is the loud mouth obnoxious adults that I would like to put off of planes sometimes. We flew home from Las Vegas yesterday on Southwest and it was a pleasant ride.

[dinoparty]

Are you a parent? If so, please share your secrets in quieting a fussy 2-year old, as it sounds like you’ve never had this problem.

[DogBarkTree]

Spare the rod, spoil the child is no secret. It’s not your job to be your child’s friend.

[JimSEA]

It has been a very long time since my daughter was 2 or 3 and we used to fly very long legs in economy with her. The child needs to understand from daily behavior at home, there are consequences to her actions. Both good and not so good. I always found that anticipation of good consequences for good behavior did the most.

On our long flights overseas, I see a lot of parents of very young children. Most are really good kids. Nothing can really be done, however, about a sick infant beyond the mother's comforting the child and your patience with the noise. Otherwise, I suspect that a good kid on the airplane is good at home. The pain in the rear on the plane has learned that such behavior gets action and wanted attention.

[Cloverfarm]

Dramamine is good, too.

I’m surprised ANY parent would not give their kids a little something for motion sickness ;-)

[dbeall]

At the same time, a 2-year-old cannot communicate pain and fear or respond to it like older children. I would not refer to the child as a “horror.” But under the circumstances, I agree the airline acted appropriately. They even gave her a travel voucher.

[JoeMac]

You are so right! I can’t count the number of times in a shopping mall, a doctors office or some place somebodys ungovernable little brat is carrying on and the adult just basically lets the kid do it. Bloody annoying to no end.

[Publius6961]

Inconveniencing a planeload of passengers is acceptable, but inconveniencing a brat and his dysfunctional so-called mother is bad for business?

Can anyone explain that to me?