Posted on 01/23/2007 10:26:18 AM PST by Fawn
On Jan. 14, 3-year-old Elly Kulesza and her parents, Julie and Gerald, were kicked off an AirTran Airways flight from Florida to their Worcester, Mass., home because Elly would not stop crying.
Elly, who had been a model passenger on the flight to Florida four days earlier, began to cry uncontrollably once she got on the plane, throwing a temper tantrum on the floor.
AirTran employees demanded that the Kuleszas calm down their child. When Elly didn't stop crying, the crew banned the Kuleszas from flying for 24 hours. Later, AirTran offered an apology to the family along with a refund on their tickets.
"As we have an obligation to the 112 other passengers onboard the flight to operate the flight on time," AirTran said in a statement, "we had to make an operational decision to ask the Kulesza party to deplane so the flight could depart."
On "Good Morning America," the Kuleszas insisted that their toddler wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.
"I don't know what happened. No one can tell when something like this is going to happen. She had a great morning, but then she got on the plane and she started to cry," Julie Kulesza said.
"She's like the typical 3-year-old. She has her moments, but overall she's a very, very good child."
The Kuleszas said that unlike the AirTran crew, the passengers on the flight were sympathetic to their situation.
"I jokingly turned around and asked the three gentlemen behind me, 'Aren't you glad you got these seats?" Julie said. "Another passenger offered up a lollipop to try and calm her down."
Despite AirTran's apology and offer of a complimentary flight, the Kuleszas don't plan to fly with the airline anytime soon.
"We'll pass on that," Gerald Kulesza said. "After that, I told them I'd never fly with them again." PAGE 2 CONTINUED AT SITE
Actually, having inside info on AirTran,, they have some of the best A&P mechanics I have ever worked with.
Have no clue as to what goes on in in cabin during flight though. :-)
(And since building structural aircraft parts for 10 years, I quit flying.)
My twin daughters were the type of youngsters that did things over and over and over again even after being punished.
My son has never been that type of kid. He threw something off of his high chair, I told him no, and he never did it again. He ran out into the street one time when he was around 2. I picked him up, told him no, and took him inside. It never happened again. He had a tantrum at Toys R Us one time, I left before we bought anything. It never happened again.
My darling twin daughters were not like that. They ran into the street tons of times before they finally stopped when they were around 5. They threw food off of their high chairs and started giggling at each other numerous times. They would go outside and one of them would start stripping off their clothes, and the other would follow suit and they would run down the street naked and laughing. Then there was the real problems like getting unbuckled out of carseats.
The doctor's solution was time-outs, and I was doing it wrong if they weren't behaving. A psychologist recommended medication.
I ignored both of their recommendations. I didn't spank because when I tried it, it just made the situation worse. However, we did leave parks, sit in parked cars, made them walk home when they were fighting in a car (me following closely behind), and me just always trying to stay on top of my wild twins.
Finally, they started behaving. In fact, my wildest daughter got awarded at school for never getting in trouble at school for a whole year in 2nd grade.
I think some kids are just wild, and it takes a lot of time and patience to raise them into nice adults. My work isn't done because my kids are only 10 & 12.
It's not an unruly 3 year old I worry about. It's a wild 18 year old that I worry about.
I am only surprised that I haven't yet, in thread, read anyone suggesting a "breast feeding" would have instantly soothed the child. lol.
They really should have FED EXed that ugly baby! Joke!
That's it! :) Mothers were famous for "The Look!" Kids were famous for straightening up too when Mothers threw them that look as well. :)
You're precisely correct that parents of very young children should find alternate methods of traveling wherever they need to go. At the same time, if I'm on a flight that is cursed with a screaming, kicking, maniac of a child I'm going to contact the airline and have AMEX suspend ticket payment until a reasonable resolution is found.
Once one is in their seat, the belts clicked, and the wheels are up...one is essentially a prisoner until the plane lands. Airlines have a serious and crucial responsibility to ensure peace and tranquility for other paying customers. If I had to sleep or otherwise prepare for a business meeting, I would be furious about that kind of unnerving disturbance.
Another way to reduce the opportunity for airborne madness is to place a mandatory restriction on the number of children below six years of age that can be on a given flight depending upon the size of the aircraft. If there are fifteen or twenty youngsters, an uncomfortable flight is almost guaranteed.
~ Blue Jays ~
I concur with having experienced horrendous situations similar to what you have described. I eventually secured a refund from an airline that allowed an overweight person wearing a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops to board an airplane and sit next to me. There are minimum basic standards that must be observed when hundreds of people are jammed in close proximity for hours. Your post was excellent and painted a picture of what can happen in the unfriendly skies.
~ Blue Jays ~
The family should have been removed from the plane, stood up against wall and shot. The remaining passengers should have been forced to watch. Civil aviation and parenting are the beneficieries, thereby perfecting society.
Nobody threw tantrums on Aeroflot during Stalin's rule.
These threads are so depressing. My Dad did the "he just needs to be spanked more" thing with my son for YEARS. I could have spanked him all day long, and it wouldn't help at all. The only thing he has ever been afraid of is a cold shower. Turns out he's bipolar. (Now they will start shredding me for that, of course)
My middle daughter was a head banger. I tried EVERYTHING to get her to stop. She just had to grow out of it.
I wish some of these arrogant people could spend one day with a truly difficult child.
Not sure, but if your 3 year old is a tantrum thrower, my suggestion is to buy one to carry on the plane with you whether you think your child needs it or not.
I was on a nearly full plane once and behind me was your classic wailing plane baby. We couldn't go 5 minutes of quiet before the baby started crying and kicking chairs backs, etc.
In the process of raising two, one of whom had real colic, I had built up a fairly high tolerance to this kind of stuff. When she barfed on the floor it never phased me. However, I was seated next to a young man who couldn't be over 25 and may have still been in his teens. Every time the baby even made even the slightest noise, he would cringe.
When the plane landed, I said to him "let this flight be the best dang birth control lession you're ever going to get."
My funny plane story is in post 130.
LOL! Lesson learned, I bet!
That's what they make benedryl for, isn't it???
I'm sorry that you had these unfortunate experiences while flying, but they sure gave me a hearty giggle. You're hilarious! If you have more to relate, I think that you could write a book or at least a very funny screenplay. No kidding! Did you ever do stand up? :)
FREERIDER Life is Good Ping!
I saw one couple with 2 month twins on a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles.
I was surprised my girls did so well. They cried when they were hungry and we took care of that quickly and when the plane was landing. I have been blessed with two girls who are well behaved 90% of the time.
I had no choice. The army said it was time to go when the babies were 2 weeks old but I got it pushed back 6 weeks.
On a short flight, thankfully, from Dallas to San Antonio, I sat next to a large woman who came over into my seat. She also had her 3 year old son sitting on her lap. At least the kid behaved for most of the flight. She had no room to put down her tray and wanted two drinks. Just put her drinks down on my tray. What a long flight. Glad I had the aisle.
You've seen this commercial, no doubt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqKWXirsU
*I* tried that crap once... learned it from the little girl across the road. For my efforts I got a hiding and had one heck of a sore butt. Action/Response Feedback Loop.
ROFL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.