Toddler tantrum grounds jet

This Is London ^ | 12 March 2003 | James Sturcke

[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."

[AppyPappy]

Yup. The parent/Gparents try negotiating with a two-year-old and then look at you with those pleading eyes that say "There is nothing I can do". I see it from single-moms with boys all the time. They think begging is an effective child-rearing method.

Give them an ultimatum. You get your child in line or we will give him a 7 day timeout at the orphanage. I bet mom suddenly finds her will to discipline.

[John O]

I felt like a Third World citizen

If they are from Italy then they should feel right at home.

There is the first world, these United States.
The second world, English speaking allies of these United States
The third world, non-english speaking allies of these United States.
and the fourth world, enemies of these United States

[GilesB]

I disagree. To those of us who fly on a weekly basis, this is a welcome departure. We have all been subjected to too many brats and too many wimpy parents for too many, too long flights. If a US airline made it a policy to kick parent of uncontrolled children (any children disturbing other passengers) off of a flight without refund or apology, THAT airline would get a CRUSH of business!!

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Like any two-year-old Marcello Ferrand is prone to the occasional tantrum.

I bet it is more than occasional.

[AppyPappy]

Do you ever notice that these parents are powerless to stand up to their child but they can stand up to a total stranger who dares to criticize their child's behavior?

[Calpernia]

There are some situations where you can 'let the child negotiate', ie., which shirt would you like to where or would you like egg salad or tuna for lunch. Things like that that teaches them about negotiating and give and take. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY and REAL LIFE situations...there is no discussion. No negotiations, no begging or pleading. This is where the adults lost control.

[Calpernia]

GOOD ONE! Absolutely.

[dead]

They are not desperate for our love apparently.

I really don't know how adults manage to become subservient to the whims of a two-year-old, or an eight-year-old, or a sixteen-year-old.

I'm the boss, and my kids know it. The wife's been a harder sell.

[cynicom]

Spank the kid. Whack the parents.

[homeschool mama]

**I think the point here is the child was incontrol of the situation, not the adults. **

Bingo.

[gridlock]

I wonder if the granparents expected the airplane to take off with their little darling cowering under his seat? Unless every passenger is buckled, that plane is not leaving the ground. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that they pushed off without having everybody buckled.

[Xenalyte]

Give them an ultimatum.

Choices and consequences always worked on us. The parents would say, "You're welcome to continue doing that, but should you choose to do so, the consequences will follow quickly." And they ALWAYS followed through.

Three kids, all degreed, no jail time, no rehab, no out-of-wedlock grandchildren. Seems to have worked.

[battlegearboat]

It appears that the Italian child had one too many espressos and had not had his wine ration before boarding the plane.

[Righty1]

Then one of the gay radical leftist stews would slap the cuffs on you for assault (if she didn't hose you down with pepper spray!) and the rest of the crew would assist the cops in hauling your ass off to terrorist court.

[Bob]

The "terrible two's" were a pleasure for us.

Same here but it's been quite a while. :=)

If you want to have some fun with first-time parents, just tell them that the term "terrible two's" refers to the fact that they last from age two to age twenty-two.

[BlueLancer]

"The wife's been a harder sell."

I know what you mean ... these older models are definitely more difficult to unload without taking a loss in the sale. I've tried, and I can't even get the Blue Book value for mine.

(Pause) ...

Oh, not that kind of "sell"?
(In my best Emily Latella voice) Never mind.

[templar]

I don't think it is illegal - from Milan to Heathrow.

Maybe not. I recall reading something in the paper a year or so ago about some EU court getting ready to order England to outlaw spanking. Don't know if it ever actually hapenend though, or if it would apply in this case if it did.

[hopespringseternal]

Any other discussions or actions (including a spank) feeds their tantrum.

Some people are just bad parents. There are lots of ways to get a toddler to mind, and spanking works well if done right. It amazes me that so many people can be outwitted and outwilled by a two year old.

But as dead noted, only an idiot seeks a toddler's permission when there is no real choice in the matter.

[AppyPappy]

I am AMAZED at the number of parents who refuse to discipline their kids at home and wonder why they act like primates on PCP at the grocery store. I swear to you I saw a father, A FATHER, tell his 8 year-old son that if he didn't come out of the pool, he was going to call the police. The son's response was to tell his friend "He's going to call mom". I would die.

[Calpernia]

Some people are just bad parents. There are lots of ways to get a toddler to mind, and spanking works well if done right. It amazes me that so many people can be outwitted and outwilled by a two year old. Hence, more supported needed for adult spay and neuter clinics :)