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.
If they interview the other passengers and her story stands up then they should fly her in and have her sitting there when the stewardess is walked in and fired.
As long as they don’t boot Muslims off for praying on board a plane, theres no problem.
Bye, bye, Garren.
LOL...and she should teach her baby a new phrase for the occasion: "Bye, bye lady"
Gee! I’m a business flyer and I wouldn’t mind a little one saying bye bye plane. It’s the screamers, the food tossers and the seat kickers that do me in.
I wonder what the true story is here.
I’d bet dollars to doughnuts there is a helluva lot more to this story than “Ma” is telling.
I don’t know, but if the other passengers stick up for her even when she made the flight late I would certainly be tempted to believe them over the stewardess.
Well, there’s always the “PMS” defense, I guess...
In defense of the flight attendant (barely a lukewarm defense because I think she was horrid) it is possible that the flight attendant thought that the words, “Bye, bye plane” portended a crash, or would be construed as such by others. She was just thinking of the psychological comfort of other passengers — perhaps.
But, she really overstepped common sense. What did the young mom do, stranded for 24 hours without luggage, formula, etc.? I hope travelers’ aid came to her aid.
I think the other passengers were probably more upset at being delayed while the plane turned around.
All of the other issues aside, if you are a superstitious flyer, this is some bad juju.
Hehehe...
Agreed. We are becoming not only a society which is unfriendly to family but down right hostile.
“Penland thinks her 19-month-old son, Garren, has a bubbly personality”
I’m sure she thinks that.
As for the baby Benedryl - I support the liberal usage on planes. To think - one dose and all the other passengers coul have had a pleasant flight AND she would have been on it.
Maybe the mom and baby were some of these “radical Christians” the thoughtful and incisive Rosie ODonnell was talking about on that balanced, non partisan “View” show.
I love sarcasm.
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Similar to the woman with the sippy cup. Totally different story once the tape came out.
Bye bye, stewardess.
I’m only hostile to families who won’t control their seat-kicking, screaming, thing-throwing ankle-biters.
If children are well-behaved, I have no problem with them and their family. I smile on that.
If children are sh!theads, though . . . well, odds are so are the parents.
One way or the other, there’s more to this story than what’s in this article.
Agreed.
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Maybe you could take the Benedryl instead of doping up the baby with it.
If the other passengers back the lady’s story the stewardess is toast and Continental Airlines will be writing a check to the Mom.
Whatever happened to those fun-loving flight attendants?
Right there, that's evidence that the mom doesn't care if her kid causes an unpleasant flight.
They found husbands and allowed the next crop of pretty young things to become stewardesses.
We could dope up the rest of the plane so the brat can run free.
Or, parents could be considerate of the other passengers on the plane and control their children or dope them up if necessary. You chose to take the kid on a flight, you be responsible for him.
It all started when Stewardesses became Flight Attendants.
Probably exactly what the mom and other passengers are saying. I used to work for an airline and overheard flight attendants say rude things to passengers. Obviously, this one wasn't very child-friendly.
Benedryl is safe and it's more socially acceptable than duct tape.
That doping up a child is an answer to you makes me think you don’t have children.
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.
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