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Original poster

To think this father was an idiot (Aggressive woman on plane calmed by 8-year-old)

64 replies

LifeIsAMeatball · 29/04/2026 18:19

I sometimes wonder if I exist in another world of thinking! Just read this about a hero child on the BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr2mmv026go

For those that don’t like clicking links: A drunk woman became belligerent on a flight to the point the crew felt the plane might need to divert.

A father stepped in and offered to calm her down by sitting her between him and his child. She calmed down and the father is now lauding his son as a hero.

No doubt the child did a cracking job, but what parent thinks that sitting an angry, sweary woman (who’d already had a bottle of whisky confiscated) next to your child mid air is sensible parenting!

Phoenix is wearing a white cap with the Real Madrid logo on it, and is standing in front of a body of water.

Salford boy, 8, hailed a 'hero' after intervention on plane

Phoenix and his dad, James, spent more than three hours trying to stop their flight being diverted.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czr2mmv026go

OP posts:
Ohnoyoudont2 · 30/04/2026 01:54

He put his child next an aggro drunk? What an utter fuckwit.

notimagain · 29/04/2026 19:38

It would be interesting to hear the story as told by others on onboard.

Villanellesproudmum · 29/04/2026 19:31

LifeIsAMeatball · 29/04/2026 19:20

I know my son. He’d have been excellent too, I’m sure.

What the father didn’t know was the woman. How she’d react etc. Best case, your child is stuck next to a rambling drunk for over 3 hours. Medium case she falls into a drunken stupor and slobbers all over him or is sick. Worst she becomes violent or aggressive and needs extracting from her seat. I’d choose none of those options for my child.

I didn’t see where it says the mother was on the flight too, but don’t think it’s really relevant as the father is taking all the decision-making glory here.

Show quote history

Yep and you point out the obvious and I don’t disagree with potential scenarios from a drunken person from sight, your assessment was from not being there, difficult to judge without witnessing it.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 29/04/2026 19:25

The word ‘hero’ does some heavy lifting. It could have backfired massively. Sitting her by a random kid could have made things much worse for everyone.

suburberphobe · 29/04/2026 19:25

Who would want to fly with these kinds of people on board??!

Original poster
LifeIsAMeatball · 29/04/2026 19:20

Villanellesproudmum · 29/04/2026 19:01

I suspect the man knows his son better than anyone, and was best able to judge the situation involving the woman and risk assessed. His mum was also on the flight.

I know my son. He’d have been excellent too, I’m sure.

What the father didn’t know was the woman. How she’d react etc. Best case, your child is stuck next to a rambling drunk for over 3 hours. Medium case she falls into a drunken stupor and slobbers all over him or is sick. Worst she becomes violent or aggressive and needs extracting from her seat. I’d choose none of those options for my child.

I didn’t see where it says the mother was on the flight too, but don’t think it’s really relevant as the father is taking all the decision-making glory here.

OP posts:
SpaDaysForAll · 29/04/2026 19:05

She wouldn’t have got way that if she was a man.

Villanellesproudmum · 29/04/2026 19:01

I suspect the man knows his son better than anyone, and was best able to judge the situation involving the woman and risk assessed. His mum was also on the flight.

Original poster
LifeIsAMeatball · 29/04/2026 18:33

She had done enough to be arrested on landing. That would indicate to me she’d be too unpredictable to be sat in a middle seat with my child up against the window.

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 29/04/2026 18:32

Just because he did it well, and nothing went wrong, doesn’t make this a sensible thing to do to an 8 year old, imo, @TemporarilyCantDoMyself. 8 year olds are not buffers for drunken and aggressive people.

It could have gone really wrong, very quickly, and it would have been the father’s fault.

MyBraveFace · 29/04/2026 18:32

They shouldn't sell alcohol in airports and on planes, but of course, the revenue is more important to the airlines than passenger safety.

Ablondiebutagoody · 29/04/2026 18:30

I wouldn't say it was dangerous, just horrendous being sat next to her for 3 hours. I wouldn't do it.

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 29/04/2026 18:29

But if it hadn't worked the crew would have stepped back in. It was genius and it worked and the kid is being praised for his skill and diplomacy and patience. Wins all round surely?

Ace56 · 29/04/2026 18:28

Agree. Good idea to keep her distracted/try and talk to her but why didn’t he sit her on the aisle next to him, while he sat in the middle? Then his child (in the window seat) could have had the option to join in the conversation or to not be involved.
Sitting the woman right in the middle of them was basically forcing the poor child to talk to her! And at the worst subjecting him to her aggressive drunkenness.
Very odd behaviour from the dad.

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