Posted on 01/23/2007 7:35:25 PM PST by don'tspeak4me
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Flight attendants often deal with obnoxious passengers who won't listen to instructions by kicking them off the plane. But a Massachusetts couple think AirTran Airways went overboard by treating their crying 3-year-old daughter in much the same way.
Julie and Gerry Kulesza and daughter Elly were removed from the flight when the girl refused to take her seat before takeoff, airline officials said Tuesday. But her parents said they just needed a little more time to calm her down.
The Kuleszas planned to fly home to Boston on Jan. 14 from Fort Myers after a four-day visit with the girl's paternal grandparents. She was removed because "she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn't get in her seat" during boarding, AirTran spokeswoman Judy Graham-Weaver said.
AirTran officials say they were only following Federal Aviation Administration rules that children age 2 and above must have their own seat and be wearing a seatbelt upon takeoff.
"The flight was already delayed 15 minutes and in fairness to the other 112 passengers on the plane, the crew made an operational decision to remove the family," Graham-Weaver said.
But Julie Kulesza said: "We weren't giving an opportunity to hold her, console her or anything."
"Elly was sitting in front of our seat crying," she said in a phone interview. "The attendant motioned to a seat and asked if we purchased it for her."
They had paid for the seat. Gerry Kulesza said another attendant then approached the family and told him: "You need to get her in control and in her seat."
The couple told the attendants they were trying. Julie Kulesza said she asked the attendants if Elly could sit on her lap, but they said no.
The family flew home the next day.
The Orlando-based carrier reimbursed the family $595.80, the cost of the three tickets, and offered them three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies, Graham-Weaver said.
But that's too little, too late for the Kuleszas. The father said they would never fly AirTran again.
If it was my little darlin' I'd have made her walk home.
It seems there are some out of control parents out there that expect world to revolve around them and their out of control kids.
The sad part is that the twit parents are from Massholeachusetts so they probably don't even think their little brat was acting up.
That was my first take... but it's not clear aftr two re-readings.
Either way, if the child would not stay in the seat, wherever it was, the flight needed to takeoff and therefore the child and family removed.
I won't judge either the child or the family because there is not enough information.
Say wha-huh?
I agree. Sometimes children do get scared and take a long time to get calmed down. However an airline waiting to take off is not the place to find out just how long this might take. Depart the plane, calm your child in a nice quiet place. Then call friends and family to let them know you are taking a later flight.
I grew up in the 50s and 60s. A very different time I guess. Because, simply, it only took a look from my Dad or Mom to shut you up and straighten up immediately. My Dad only had to spank me one time as I ever remember. I was about 9 or 10. I still remember it and never forgot that I DID NOT want to travel that path again. He did not beat me or was he brutal. But, the lesson learned then is a lesson I carry with me today. My parents, grandparents, etc. practiced corporal punishment. However, no one in my family has committed mass murder or mayhem because of the ass whoopings.
Maybe our nanny government would be better served by allowing STRANGERS to spank the little brats when their idiot parents get so "confused" that they can't discipline their own spawn.
I read it the same way, they were seated behind the child instead of sitting with their child.
Idiot parents alert. AirTran should put them on a No-Fly list.
I've always been of the opinion that all you need to properly care for small children are bubble wrap, velcro, and duct tape. For some reason I've never been asked to babysit by any of my friends.
Mark
Parents like this make me want to puke...and then they make me want to open a can of whoop ass on them!
Years ago he was crossing the Bay Bridge in Maryland, a very long and high bridge. His kids were acting up, so he told his children that the next kid who said a word would be spanked. Needless to say, within seconds one of his kids had to test him. So he stopped the car on the bridge, took the offending child out of the car and spanked him. Within seconds he had stopped traffic and people were honking their horns. When he was through with the spanking, he looked up and realized that almost every person that he could see was giving him signs of approval, e.g waving, giving a thunbs up, etc... . Additionally, miles later when he stopped for gas he heard the person infront of him in line paying for gas tell attendant of the event and give his approval of what had happened.
LOLOL! When I hear that "OK?", I just want to screech!!! They just needed time to calm the kid down?? Sheesh!
Those parents need a copy of the new book on child behavior. I think it is entitled -- "NO"!
I wonder what happened on the flight the family took.
Good, I hate when folks give opportunities to hold kids.
Dirty little buggers.
To the airline: Goodonya!
To the parents: Boo hoo sux to you!
I've had far, far too many flites ruined by obnoxious brats whose parents will not keep them under control. If this kid behaves like a brat in public, that is the fault of the parents.
What happened here is Natural Consequences: raise a brat, get kicked off the plane. And Natural Justice for all those others on the plane, air crew and passengers alike.
We need to see more of this: in cafes, in supermarkets, on buses, in trains, on planes -- anywhere that a shrieking howling brat can make anyone else's lives miserable.
(Yes, I'm a parent and my kids do not misbehave like this because they are not permitted to.)
Extraordinarily generous on the part of Air-Tran. My kids are all responsible and delightful young ladies, 17, 20 and 21. Yes, they had their tantrum time. And, yes, they learned a "Spock pinch" was a signal to knock it off . . . immediately. Even a mild whimper of protest brought added punishment later. I once overheard the middle girl explain this to the oldest.
Too fickin' bad boo hoo. She sounds like a brat who prolly sleeps with her folks and rules the roost......
SAUNDERS: There ought not to be a law on spanking
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