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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

because airport security tampered with my babyharness and did not tell me?

246 replies

Ionama · 12/08/2010 23:31

On a recent attempt to go on holiday, I took off my Baby Bojorn harness and put it thru the xray, I put it on the way I had taken it off and plugged my baby back into the strap I had opened. 5 minutes later may baby fell out of the carrier resulting in a serious injury and I have come to find that 2 side buttons of the harness had been undone. The trip ended up being a 5 day stay in hospital for my baby (and us). No-one told me to come while they 'inspected' my carrier and it was simply in the tray with my hand bag etc. Am I being unreasonable in wanting them to inform parents if/when they do this?.. so that another child's safety is never again compromised..? I am still very much in shock and recovery from my baby's injury... :(

OP posts:
BrightLightBrightLight · 12/08/2010 23:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LucyLouLou · 12/08/2010 23:34

OMG! That's horrible. How is your LO now? What did they say at the time? And no, YANBU. I would write to them and ask for this to be done. It could be argued that you should've checked it yourself, but a word of courtesy from them to say they have altered it (I wouldn't say 'tampered' was the right word) would've been nice.

Lougle · 12/08/2010 23:35

That sounds horrifying Sad

But I do think YABU. It is your responsibility as a parent to ensure that any equipment you use is safe for use each and every time you use it.

So, while I see why you didn't check it, if it was out of your sight for even a moment, you should check that it is ready for use before using it.

I am sure you always will from now on.

LesbianMummy1 · 12/08/2010 23:35

yanbu I would be furious I hope your dc is ok now.

Ewe · 12/08/2010 23:36

You poor thing, hope baby is ok now.

I agree, you should definitely complain, they should tell you if they have fiddled with stuff. I also think that it's best to assume that they don't know what they're doing with stuff and check and check again when something as important as a harness has been in the hands of security guards.

stealthpony · 12/08/2010 23:36

Your poor baby! I really hope you're all recovering from such a horrible thing to happen.

Don't get me started on airports....They seem to enjoy tampering with your things and not telling you. I'd always check baby stuff like I had OCD though.

Vallhala · 12/08/2010 23:38

They were foolish but you should have checked, just as you would check a car seat you'd loaned to someone else before putting your DC in it. I suppose in all reasonableness (is that a word?) they may have needed to open the harness to ensure that it wasn't hiding illegal items or somesuch. Perhaps a case of only doing their job and doing it properly, for heaven forbid that they didn't?

That said, what happened to your babe is awful and I'm genuinely sorry. :( I hope that baby (and you) are now fully recovered from it with no lasting effects.

Portofino · 12/08/2010 23:42

I am very sorry for your baby's injury and the shock you must have gone through, but security staff are thinking about other things. That is what they are paid for. Sorry, but it is your responsibility to check that your baby harness is safe, not theirs. I KNOW this sounds harsh.....

LesbianMummy1 · 12/08/2010 23:43

just realised this is your first thread what an interesting one to start

PueriSimilisCanis · 12/08/2010 23:44

I am very sorry that your baby has been hurt but YABU

Dumbledorina · 12/08/2010 23:51

YANBU Ionama - yes, in theory you should check all items, but if you had been carrying baby in it immediately prior to going thru security, you wouldn't expect to have to recheck it on the other side. I don't expect to have to check the brakes on my car after leaving it in a car park!

I do think the airport need to be contacted, if only to raise awareness of the consequences of their actions amongst security staff.

I do hope your baby is on the road to recovery now.

TheCrackFox · 12/08/2010 23:53

YANBU - they should have mentioned. It wouldn't have crossed my mind that this could happen.

I hope your baby is OK now. x

Lougle · 13/08/2010 00:00

Don't you check a carseat when you put your child in it, Dumbledorina? Even if it is subconsciously, you fasten the belt, tighten it and then you notice if it felt 'wiggley' or firm.

The OP was wrong to put her child in the harness without checking it was secure. Full stop.

It's a lesson learned, but we all have to learn them. Either by our own mistakes or someone elses.

Original poster
Ionama · 13/08/2010 00:05

Thank you. Yes it is HORRIBLE. Hopefully my LO is going to be OK. I am praying constantly. He sustained a fractured skull and small blood loss between his epi-dermal and sub-dura membranes. He had an Xray and a CT scan and was under observation in case the blood resulted in seizures. He was dis-charged with no abnormal obs and no seizures. It is a very serious injury although he seems to have made it thru miraculously with all faculties intact, but of course it is still early days yet. Its his HEAD and BRAIN we are talking about. I have a seven year old too and I always check and double check any strap or safety device I put my children in, with this carrier the two buttons that seem to have been undone I HAVE NEVER UNDONE as you do not need to ever do so, to lift your baby in and out. That is the reason why I did not check those, along with the fact that it is an open device that you can't see more of if you unbutton the buttons and most importantly no one called me over, as they do when they open your luggage, and ask you to witness as they check and open things and ask you questions. They seem to have opened one part of it, without me present and not informed me. Of course I feel horrible as a mother, the most horrible as any mother could ever feel, but I still don't think I am BU in my wonder at WHY they did not inform me they had inspected it. Of course I am wanting to bring this up with them, but just thought I'd ask other mums here what they think and also if anyone has had any experiences that are relevent to this..?

OP posts:
Lougle · 13/08/2010 00:30

Actually, this is a bit odd now. If it went through the x-ray machine, you would have seen it go in, and then come out. The staff don't touch it. You put your stuff in a tray, it passes through the machine, you walk alongside it through the scanner, and then the tray comes out and you take your stuff.

SpeedyGonzalez · 13/08/2010 00:35

Ionama, I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect that they wouldn't manhandle your possessions without your knowledge. I thought they had a legal obligation to only touch your possessions in your presence and with your express permission.

And, frankly, only an idiot or someone wanting to do harm would undo the the straps/ buttons and not tell the parent. I will give the security officer the benefit of the doubt and say they must be an idiot.

I am so sorry to hear that your baby was injured so badly, that is utterly horrific. You should definitely contact the airport authorities and make a serious complaint.

I will now make sure I keep a close eye on my sling when I travel.

Poor you and your family Sad.

solo · 13/08/2010 00:43

YANBU, But! something I try never to do is assume that anything is the way you left it if someone else has touched it.

Hope your LO will be Ok soon.

LesbianMummy1 · 13/08/2010 07:57

sorry going to sound a right cow now but I am sure this is not true as surely this would have happened at the airport as you say within 5 minutes so the airport would already know they would have had to log a serious accident with the health and safety people within 48 hours and they would have called you an ambulance you would not have walked to a hospital. All seems very odd especially for a first ever post. Biscuit

lal123 · 13/08/2010 08:03

Surely you would have noticed them inspecting your harness as they would have had to take it out of the tray after it had been through XRay?? Did this happen on your outgoing or return leg of the trip? Seems odd to me

LesbianMummy1 · 13/08/2010 08:05

lal123 glad it not just me who now finds this odd did not want to appear a complete cow but just seems more and more unrealistic

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 13/08/2010 08:08

How long was the carrier out of sight, OP?

SirBoobAlot · 13/08/2010 08:24

Sounds horrible, but I think YABU. You should have checked it all over, even if its not something you never undo. If someone else has been handling it, and its been out of your sight, you should be checking it.

Hope your LO makes a full recovery soon.

usernamechanged345 · 13/08/2010 08:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sapphireblue · 13/08/2010 08:43

sorry to sound sceptical, but I don't see how they would have picked it up and inspected it without you noticing tbh.........it goes in one end of an enclosed tunnel and comes out the otherside where you pick it up again........?

Really dreadful thing to happend and I hope your baby is ok.

Decorhate · 13/08/2010 08:43

I also find it hard to see how this could have happened without the OP noticing. Ime security staff always ask before checking bags, buggies, etc. If it was just in the tray straight out of the xray machine how could anyone have tampered with it?