A Backlash Against Flying Families?

Column: Protect me from the grown-ups

By BETH J. HARPAZ, AP Travel Editor
Tue Jul 17, 2:13 PM ET



I'm starting to think there's a backlash against traveling families.

First there was the nursing mother who was told to get off the plane.
Then there was the mother who was stopped because her toddler had a
sippy cup full of water as they went through security. (Yeah, yeah, I
know it's against the rules.) Now the mother of a 19-month-old boy
says she and her son were kicked off a plane by a flight attendant who
didn't like the child saying "Bye, bye plane!"

Kate Penland, who lives in suburban Atlanta, said she and her son,
Garren, boarded the Continental Express plane last month in Houston on
a trip from Atlanta to Oklahoma City via Houston. Penland said that a
flight attendant who heard Garren say "Bye, bye plane," told her:
"It's not funny anymore. You need to shut your baby up."

When Penland asked the woman if she was kidding, she said the
stewardess replied, "You know, it's called baby Benadryl."

"And I said, 'Well, I'm not going to drug my child so you have a
pleasant flight,'" Penland told WSB-TV.

Penland said other passengers began speaking up on her behalf, and the
flight attendant announced they were turning around and that Penland
and Garren were going to be taken off the plane.

Here's a related item: A recent online survey by Maritz Research
claims that nearly three-fourths - 73 percent - of respondents believe
there should be a family section on airplanes. The survey did not
state whether those asking that families be segregated were people
without children, who never want to be around kids, or parents with
children who'd rather not deal with other adults.

Put me in the latter group. I would like a section of the airplane
segregated so that I don't have to deal with rude, loud and disgusting
grown-ups.

I would like to never have to overhear someone's self-indulgent cell
phone conversation from the moment they get on the plane to takeoff,
which, given the state of airplane delays these days, could be several
hours.

I would like to never hear a grown man curse at a flight attendant,
like I did once when the passenger was asked to put his seat back for
landing to comply with federal regulations.

I would like to never see a slob spill his coffee or food on the
person sitting next to him, as I have more than once.

And I would like to not have to bear witness to arguments between
couples who are apparently headed for divorce.

Sure, I have heard kids babbling, singing songs and playing games on
airplanes. Yes, I have heard them complaining or crying when their
ears hurt or they are bored. But that's OK. I don't mind. A world
without children and their sounds is not a world I want to live in.

And by the way, airlines could do a lot more to entertain kids - how
about making play packs available for various age groups? Or letting
kids borrow Game Boys for the flight? Or offering sugarless gum to
chew and pop-top water bottles to drink from to reduce pressure on the
ears?

I don't know about you but my choice of a seatmate is clear. I'll take
the toddler babbling "Bye bye, plane" over the self-involved diva
describing last night's party on her cell phone any day.

___

If you have a question, comment or a story to share, e-mail
.




Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The
information contained in the AP News report may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written
authority of The Associated Press.

"zorba" wrote in message
ups.com...
Column: Protect me from the grown-ups

If you want to fly, you're going to have to put up with most of it.

And by the way, airlines could do a lot more to entertain kids - how
about making play packs available for various age groups? Or letting
kids borrow Game Boys for the flight? Or offering sugarless gum to
chew and pop-top water bottles to drink from to reduce pressure on the
ears?

It's not up to the airlines to entertain your kids. That's your job. Extra
entertainment will mean more $$. If I'm to pay more, they should be
entertaining me.

I don't know about you but my choice of a seatmate is clear. I'll take
the toddler babbling "Bye bye, plane" over the self-involved diva
describing last night's party on her cell phone any day.

Then, that leaves WN. You can pick your own seat.

"Hilary" wrote in message
reen.net...
If you want to fly, you're going to have to put up with most of it.

And by the way, airlines could do a lot more to entertain kids - how
about making play packs available for various age groups? Or letting
kids borrow Game Boys for the flight? Or offering sugarless gum to
chew and pop-top water bottles to drink from to reduce pressure on the
ears?

It's not up to the airlines to entertain your kids. That's your job.
Extra
entertainment will mean more $$. If I'm to pay more, they should be
entertaining me.

Airlines like BA and DL used to provide things like playing cards or other
small games to children to help keep them occupied. (Trying to pack
enough games, books and snacks in hand luggage to keep children
entertained for a transatlantic flight plus 3-6 hrs waiting in airports is
a bit of a nightmare.)

Hilary

True. WN also gives the kids a small package. I have grandkids who fly.
Both of my sons request the last row of the plane (they figure its closest
to the lav's, and the kids will bother few people when they have to go.
They take DVD players with the kids movies, snacks, etc. The bottom line is,
kids are the parents responsibility. The airlines are not a flying day care
center.

zorba wrote:

Sure, I have heard kids babbling, singing songs and playing games on
airplanes. Yes, I have heard them complaining or crying when their
ears hurt or they are bored. But that's OK. I don't mind. A world
without children and their sounds is not a world I want to live in.

Onya, Breeder Brain. Good for you. Meanwhile, ever increasing numbers of
people have had enough of how you people do nothing to control the behaviour
of your kids. so yeah, it's a backlash. It's a backlash against parents who
never taught their kids to behave.

I don't want to "share" space with you and your kids. And I'm not alone.

--
ant
Don't try to reply to my email addy:
I'm borrowing that of the latest
scammer/spammer