Did this airline do the right thing?

[UnquietDad]

Offered for discussion:

Toddler's temper ousts family from plane

By JIM ELLIS, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jan 23, 12:54 PM ET

ORLANDO, Fla. - AirTran Airways on Tuesday defended its decision to remove a Massachusetts couple from a flight after their crying 3-year-old daughter refused to take her seat before takeoff.

AirTran officials said they followed Federal Aviation Administration rules that children age 2 and above must have their own seat and be wearing a seat belt 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," AirTran spokeswoman Judy Graham-Weaver said.

Julie and Gerry Kulesza, who were headed home to Boston on Jan. 14 from Fort Myers, said they just needed a little more time to calm their daughter, Elly.

"We weren't given an opportunity to hold her, console her or anything," Julie Kulesza said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

The Kuleszas said they told a flight attendant they had paid for their daughter's seat, but asked whether she could sit in her mother's lap. The request was denied.

She was removed because "she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn't get in her seat" during boarding, Graham-Weaver said.

The Orlando-based carrier reimbursed the family $595.80, the cost of the three tickets, and the Kuleszas flew home the next day.

They also were offered three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies, Graham-Weaver said.

The father said his family would never fly AirTran again.

discussion already underway

Yes, I definitely think the airline did the correct thing. The airlines run on a tight schedule and if they do not take off in their allocated time slot they lose a lot of money not to mention time b/c they will take off later and land later obviously. As a passenger, I would absolutely not want to be delayed because some parent was unable to control their child. That's completely unacceptable unless the child has some serious emotional/psychological illness, in which case the situation is understandable but the airline still did the right thing. They couldn't take off without the child strapped in its own seat so the airline was totally correct and the parents are unreasonable to think otherwise, altho I'm sure it was a pain (not to mention very embarrasing) to not be allowed to travel under those circumstances but it's their own fault and no one but them should suffer as a result of it. I'm totally behind the airline. Just my opinion!

Sounds as though the parents were in the seats behind the child? I would have sat beside her and TBH would probably have smacked her if she continued to carry on! Shoot me now. If smacking was a no-no and she continued to delay the flight, then they were right to take them off the plane.

I have slapped my DS in those circumstances! Shoot me now folks!

We fly a lot and he knows full well he has to sit with seatbelt on for take off and landing. He is usually very good - is 5 now so no issues now but when he was 2/3 it could be an issue sometimes. Usually distraction works - would always have books to read and sweets or something for him but do remember once having to slap him on the hand to get him to put the belt on.

sorry, i didn't realise there was already a thread.

We need a Merge facility!