Posted on 03/12/2003 7:54:53 AM PST by eyespysomething
Toddler tantrum grounds jet By James Sturcke, Evening Standard 12 March 2003 Like any two-year-old Marcello Ferrand is prone to the occasional tantrum.
So when an aircraft crew tried to make him wear a seatbelt he panicked and sat under the seat - the kind of scene any parent will recognise.
However, for the staff of a British Airways flight from Milan to Heathrow it demanded immediate action - which resulted in the police being called and Marcello, along with his grandparents, being hauled off the plane.
The airline's ground staff then refused to let the elderly couple and Marcello, who lives in Kensal Rise, travel on a later flight. They then had to pay £300 for tickets with Alitalia to get home.
Marcello's grandmother Mariella DeNatale, 70, said the cabin crew had completely overreacted and had been responsible for scaring the toddler in the first place.
She said: "The police came aboard, checked our passports and then took us to a waiting car. I have flown all over the world and never had an experience like this. I felt like a Third World citizen."
The Airbus A319 with about 100 passengers was further delayed while the family's luggage was removed. It arrived at Heathrow 45 minutes behind schedule. Ms DeNatale, a former fashion editor for Vogue in Italy, added: "We were treated like rubbish. The captain told us he was not prepared to take us to London. It was a very bad experience. I will never buy another ticket with BA."
The scene took place as the aircraft was taxiing to the runway on Sunday morning carrying Ms DeNatale, her husband Peter Van Schalwyk and Marcello.
The couple boarded the 11.45am flight with their grandson, who had been staying at their Milan home. Marcello went to Milan with his mother, Margherita Gardella, 39,
deputy fashion editor of Harpers & Queen, who was attending fashion shows. Ms Gardella then flew to France for Paris Fashion Week, leaving the grandparents to bring Marcello back.
Mr Van Schalwyk, 64, a retired advertising director, said: " Marcello was in the seat between Mariella and myself. We had trouble getting him to put on his seatbelt. Three cabin staff crowded round him. They were quite aggressive. When one appeared with a special child seatbelt, Marcello took fright and hid under the seat. He was scared. He cried a bit but he was not screaming madly or anything. It's not like he was Dennis the Menace taking the plane apart."
Marcello's father, Nick Ferrand, 41, who owns an architect and interior design firm, said: "I was waiting in arrivals at Heathrow for over 90 minutes and no one told me anything. As a dad you fear the worse.
"Of course two-year-olds have tantrums but Marcello doesn't have any more than any child his age. Eventually I was informed they had been removed from the flight. I know airlines have to be careful but throwing an elderly couple and a two-year-old off the flight was ridiculous." A British Airways spokeswoman said: "It is absolutely imperative for all passengers to be wearing a seatbelt during take-off, landing and when the fasten seatbelt light is turned on. This is for their safety.
"The captain was called and reinforced the importance of being strapped in the chair. After speaking with the accompanying adults he made the decision to off-load the family."
"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....
If you want on or off this list, please let me know!
He needs to be picked up, put in the chair, and buckled.
This shouldn't be complicated.
Rather than just criticising, I have a solution - GIVE THE BRAT A SPANKING! My daughter who is about to turn four, has gotten spankings and she is the HAPPIEST well behaved kid in town. The "terrible two's" were a pleasure for us. She continues to be a pleasure.
Ok. everyone involved has a DIFFERENT NAME?
What's up with that... *sigh*
I think that is illegal there. Anyone know for sure?
Gee that's an effective way to get the kid to pipe down and sit in his seat -- NOT. The better approach is not to spoil the kid in the first place, and to teach him what is expected when he rides on airplane before he gets on board.
And the airlines wonder why they are going bankrupt. They have got to get their act straight. Non refundable, non transferable tickets, harsh treatment, incompetant employees, and yet they complain when they make no money.
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.