Three Year Old Girl Kicked Off Plane For Tantrum

[Earlybird]

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DS2 did this to me every time we took off and landed from NZ-UK last year. He was 23 months on the way out and 2 years 2 weeks on the way back. As I had paid for a seat they refused to give me a lap belt. Every time I literally pinned him down screaming, back arched, psychotic and got the seat belt done up he undid it. Getting them in is one thing. Keeping them in during take off is another. I had sweets, games, books the works but if they don't want to sit in the sit, they don't want to sit in the seat!

My heart goes out to the parents. This is the exact reason I won't be going home this year. I'm waiting until he's 4.

We have travelled with our children since they were a few weeks old- not regularly enough for them to be used to it, but maybe once a year.

The secret with mine was distraction and timing. We always timed our flights to coincide with their sleeping times whenever possible.

Our worst flight ever was a four one to Turkey taken at an unsuitable time (arriving around midnight) into a crowded airport and interminable queues for customs with our then 3 week old and 21 month old older children. Luckily they both slept through the flight- the arrival was the worst bit.

We made sure they had eaten before take-off to remove hunger as a cause of unhappiness. We had ready snacks to whip out at a moment's notice, milk all ready if no longer breastfed.

We travelled to LA from London (12 hour flight) when our two oldest were 2yr 0 months and 3 yrs 9 months. The trick that time was a fairly large number of small toys purchased expressly for the trip, and placed in a small toy suitcase. We whipped one of these out whenever trouble loomed. It worked a treat, especially if you can talk to your child and explain what's happening and why and why they need to be good.

Ours understood pretty well and went to sleep when they got bored, but again, it was an overnight flight. Also, on long flights, don't be afraid of getting up and walking to the end of the plane and back. It's recommended to prevent DVT anyway, and on large planes there is plenty of room for wandering.

Another option is drugging: Phenergan (sp?)which we mooted but never had to resort to, or even Calpol if makes them sleepy, which we did resort to on occasion.

Thanks for your tips Duchesse. I have tried the bribery option sometimes, and it does work, and have also tried explaining what's happening. Sometimes works too.

We are also flying back home to Oz at the end of March, so plan on drugging him for the London - Singapore leg. Walks up and down the aisles are good too, but friends of ours who flew recently back to London from Oz told me that the airline actively discouraged it. Not sure how that fits in with the whole DVT thing though..but you can't really walk when you have to buckle up!

These next two trips will be fun too as we'll be going with DS1's baby brother too....

I am glad other people have similar problems too, but hey, we hardly think it's "cute"!

DD is a seasoned long haul traveller - her first journey was at 3 months old. We usually travel every 4 months or so - a journey of at least 9 hours. I'm so glad/lucky never to experienced anything like this family (and some of you). Thank goodness - must be awful.

A thread after my own heart

DS1 & DS2 flew 18 flights in six months last year. There was never any question about them sitting in their seats. I am of the school which expects them to stay in their seats (for short flights) too. It's dangerous to walk around the cabin.

No sympathy for the parents in this situation. What do they do if she doesn't want to sit in her car seat? Lord who is controlling who here?

Kids just sometimes have to do as they are told for their own safety. It's a matter of boundaries imo.

Airline was also more than generous considering it must have caused further delay and inconvenience to all the other passengers whilst their bags were located and offloaded.

I regularly fly backwards and forwards to the UK with dd1(agednearly three) and dd2 aged one.

It's very hard work coping with the two of them on my own - the youngest has a tendancy to scream the whole flight (her ears hurt I think) and the oldest rarely stays sat still at the best of times, let alone while on something as exciting as an aeroplane(areoplane was her first word!)

I can get her sat down and strapped in, but she squirms out very easily, and it's quite hard to strap her back in whilst dealing with a crying baby.

The air stewardesses aren't particulary helpful, telling me off if she doesn't stay sat down.

Belgo - two children, one adult is very much different to one child, two adults though. We haven't flown much with our children. We took DS to Tenerife when he was 2 and he was great, although keeping him entertained through the outward flight was rather tiring. And then on the way back it was an early morning flight so I managed to get him to sleep across the seats with his head on my lap for an hour or two.

I have booked flights to Marseilles in the summer and to ensure we have decent flight times I have booked to go from B'ham rather than East Midlands which is much nearer - we have to drive right past East Midlands to get to Birmingham.

I think the parents are making a big thing about this, getting interviewed in the press etc. I don't really see that the airline had much choice.

blimey.

It's not nice, but it is easy to hold a 3 yr old down in a seat for take off. But if it means free flights anywhere perhaps I'll not bother next time.

Bozza - I can usually keep my dd sat down for at least take off and landing, and I reserve my strictest mother's voice for this (I scare myself with that voice ). Still felt like crying when I got told off by the air stewardess - I'd have much rathered that she had told off my dd. Still, we have yet to be chucked off a flight, so we can't be doing that badly. I do feel sorry for all the other passengers, we are always the noisiest family on the flight

Sounds like they could make a sequel to Snakes on a Plane out of this....

Yes belgo when you are in that position you don't need extra stress.

If this family are now boycotting Airtran, they will be my first preferred choice..anything to avoid getting on a lane with them!

I can see that one parent might find force hard, but two?

Think they were bloody lucky to get their money back, tbh.
And I have huge sympathy - and respect - for parents who KNOW that they would have difficulties getting thier children to sit down and therefore don't fly.

Hahve flown with ds and dd at the same age and both of them loathe seatbelts. Both of them also understand that we are quite capable of pinning them down to strap them in if their own safety and the consideration of others is an issue.
Every situation has its own factors but from what the news story says I don't think the airline had an alternative.
Am really baffled as to why favoured parent of the moment was not sitting with the child while auxiliary parent was banished to the solo seat.

Blimey it can't be that difficult for two parents to force one 3 year old into a seat can it. One of mine used to have horrible tantrums at 2/3 but I'm sure I could have got her into a plane seat with a combination of bribery, tone of voice and the good old "knee on torso" trick. I remember having to do that in the buggy a few times.

I can just imagine this wet couple telling the air hostess and pilot that they "just need another 20 minutes or so to reason with her so we don't cause her any long term trauma" .

I think that bit was quite unclear Marina. Did she mean "in front" as in the row in front or on the floor between the mother's legs and the seat in front? But you would never sit the 3yo on her own, would you?

I actually had a thread on here about the best seating arrangement for when we fly to France in the summer - we are going for 3 on one side and 1 across the aisle. I have few worries about DS, I think if I invest in a new pack of top trump cards that will see him through the 2.5 hour flight. It is just DD that is the unknown quantity.....

Oh, God, we're probably flying longhaul with a 2yo DS2 and a 4yo DS1 next year.

Note to self - drug them first

still, getting a child strapped up in a buggy or in a carseat is possible using force, but the belts in a plane ar so easy to get loose again, so you need to hold them the whole time as well.
Luckely never had problems with any of my dc, and sure chocolate would have worked if needed...

Airlines are very tough on children being in seats for take off and landing due to the fact they can be fined if they are not.
On returning from holiday last year DD2 (24 months) was sick several times on flight and was very distressed and had been sitting on my knee, when we were due to land I was told she had to be in her seat strapped in, which just made her more distressed (boy was I glad to get off that plane). Though I think everybody round about knew she wasn't just being a stroppy tot due to the lovely sicky smell surrounding us.

This the reason we shall be holidaying in the UK for the foreseeable future.

"Airlines are very tough on children being in seats for take off and landing due to the fact they can be fined if they are not." Not to mention the fact that an unsecured child could well have it's head smashed open on the overhead lockers if the plane drops suddenly due to turbulence or something. (not a view based on any professionbal or specialist knowledge, you understand...)
Honestly, those parents should shut up with their indignation, imo!

we were travelling back from the states and the plane hit some clear air turbulance.

We were warned and all told to put on our seat belts which dh and I both did. A group of Russian students just buggered about (in spite of their teachers shouting to them to sit down and put their belts on.

We hit an air pocked and the plane dropped like a brick. Unsecured items, like drinks literally it the roof!.

Within seconds the studens did as they were told!

Scary! Mine are always belted in, unless they need the loo

Blu, I wasn't saying they shouldn't be restrained I was just stating what airline staff told me while I was trying to restrain a vomitting child and they were apologising as she was vomitting more due to being distressed at being restrained while being sick.

I agree with duchesse

By duchesse on Tue 23-Jan-07 20:06:49
Well, the child needed to be in her seat for take-off. If her parents were incapable of getting into her seat, fair enough to remove them, I'd say. There is no reason for one three- year old to hold up an entire plane-load of people. Too many people out there still think their child's toddler-type behaviour is cute, while others of us see it as a stage to encourage them grow out of asap.