Location: Palm Beach, FL/Hungary 2MM AA EXP, CO GOLD, Kempinski PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 218
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gandhi90s
From the tone of the OP it's possible that some hyperbole may be involved. Just my opinion.
No hyperbole. The First FA's overlooked the seat belt issue until about 20 minutes from landing when an economy class FA who knew of the situation got very cross about the issue with the children. Sadly, AA did not act until landing.
This is really a case of the parents not controlling their kids and not caring about the feelings of their fellow passengers. It happens all the time in many settings, unfortunately, this was one where you cannot remove yourself from the obnoxious behavior and bad parenting.
Not too much that the FA's can do about it. I agree that perhaps filing an assault charge might open the parents eyes to the situation. Perhaps this is extreme, but it would definitely get their attention and perhaps prevent a recurrence.
Programs: UA 1K, AA Exec Plat, Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 2,089
If the kids' misbehavior in fact represented a safety issue, might this be the kind of situation where the FA, with the captain's approval, could threaten to: a) have the police meet the plane if the parents don't try to control the kids and/or b) blacklist the parents from future AA travel? I realize that in either event AA risks losing these possibly high premium passengers, so its going these routes would be unlikely.
My point, exactly. If the parents were not going to listen to anyone, what else could/should the airline have done to ameliorate the situation in flight? I completely agree that the situation sucks, but I'm not sure how the airline is to be held responsible in this case?
A screaming or fidgety child is a nuisance and part of the joy of flight (sadly even in F). However a child jumping between seats and hitting people is a hazard.
I recognize that the FAs probably don't want to stir a hornet nest, but as they so frequently remind us, they exist for the safety of PAX--who are in harm's way when a child is romping through the seats. (Never mind the harm that might befall a child during turbulence, etc.).
An offer to re-seat the family in row 36 might have motivated the parents to action.
If the kids' misbehavior in fact represented a safety issue, might this be the kind of situation where the FA, with the captain's approval, could threaten to: a) have the police meet the plane if the parents don't try to control the kids and/or b) blacklist the parents from future AA travel? I realize that in either event AA risks losing these possibly high premium passengers, so its going these routes would be unlikely.
A month or so ago, I read on another forum about a group of adults and kids who flew AA from LAX to LIH (Kauai) where those 20 or so kids and parents acted the same way (a 6+ hour flight!). They had police meet them at the airport, but they were just reprimanded and released. Subsequently the group raised havoc at the resort they stayed at. When it came time to fly home, AA denied them boarding and they were left to find another way home---apparently they flew back on Hawaiian. I haven't heard how that flight went.
Definitely agree with the OP that it would be a terrible experience. Sounds like you (and AA) didn't have much choice about the unruly behavior. (Safety rules still should have been enforced, though.)
I've had flights where kids and adults will constantly kick my seat back. I will usually politely ask them to stop if it really does begin to bother me. (IME, adults tend to comply whereas the kids are still left to their ruckus.)
Unfortunately, there's always this risk with air travel. And you can't just get up and leave. In restaurants with screaming kids all over the place, I can at least request to be re-seated or worst cast, just leave the restaurant and take my business elsewhere.
If it had been me, the New York attitude in me would have come gushing out towards the idiotic parents. I would have made it my life mission at that point in time to get those parents to accept responsibility for their little monsters.
Just what I was thinking, After it got considerably out of hand, one could stand in front of the parents' seat and yell at thatm. Not loudly, but in their face. This would lead to action, and get the situation dealt with. "Are you going to control your brat, or am I going to stand her and ask you repeatedly?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCAorBust
An offer to re-seat the family in row 36 might have motivated the parents to action.
A brilliant idea- then let them scream for compensation and try to explain why they were "downgraded." Inasmuch as it probably wouldn't come to that, we don't have to feel sorry for the folks in row 35
Demand cash compensation from any U.S. airline and they'll go all 'Contract of Carriage' on you. To expect a refund for the presence of unruly children is naive. I can silence most children (and many of their parents) with a single look. Practice it.
Programs: BA (finally Silver), various other pittances
Posts: 197
Not my usual forum but thought to comment on a similar experience in CW, ORD-LHR. Same thing: utterly restless kids who have never been told 'No' who were out of their seats during takeoff and basically making the night flight a bit of a pain.
FA tried by having a quiet word with the father upon one of his trips to the bathroom but to no avail. Still they continued to run around, window blind up, down, up, down. Don't like this seat, let's see if this one is any different and so forth.
At the end of the day AA fulfilled their role in getting you to your destination safely (as did BA for me to LHR) but not in the comfort we would expect when paying these prices.
On a train or bus with unruly behaviour the driver / steward, in my experience, will comment in a way that they only know how. They also have the option of kicking passengers off.
Unfortunately the rules seem different when we fly as we expect this idyllic, utopic, serene environment (maybe we all believe the marketing too much?). In a fine restaurant sat next to a table of unruly kids we might comment if so annoyed but we probably wouldn't claim anything back from that restaurant...
I see both this and my recent experience as the parents fault. They are the cause of your (our) less than satisfactory trip and although I would dearly love a medium for getting miles / service recovery based on other passengers behaviour I know it's not going to happen.
As a lighter note how about;
Passenger who continually clears their throat? 10,000 miles
Passenger who really needs a shower? 15,000 miles
Passenger ahead of me who immediately reclines their seat (whilst still in an angled ascent) thereby hitting my knees? 15,000 miles plus I get to write something apt (rude) on their forehead.
Intimidating passenger, above their station, treats crew like crud? No miles but I get to prepare his/her dinner.
__________________
Happily hoping for an upgrade yet I remain sad (in this respect only!)
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 5,008
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm0754
hit my wife
Hit them back. Or the parents. Either way, you'll get the desired effect.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm0754
We do not want to infringe upon the rights of anyone, and we try to ensure you are not subjected to uncomfortable situations by other passengers... Frankly, children will be children and I am sorry that the parents in this case were unable to control the situation better. However, since it is not our role to "choose sides,"
That's BS. It is the role of the airline to choose sides. Sounds to me like it was a safety issue. That was a pretty obnoxious thing to write in a letter, and if there had been a true safety issue and the airline ended up in court, that wouldn't look good.
But sorry, I agree with the other posters that you really aren't owed compensation. What I would do, however, is forward a letter addressing the safety issues that the kids caused to the FAA (or is it DOT? can't remember) and note AA's lackadaisical attitude toward in-flight safety. It would have been so unfortunate if the plane hit an air pocket and those kids went flying.
