What AA should have done has been mentioned numerous times in this thread. If you won't bother to read the thread, you really shouldn't bother posting.
Okay, how about this: the parents of the little brats become servants to the OP until their brats learn to behave.
I do believe compensation is due: from the parents of the children in question. I would love to see a lawsuit in which pax in a situation such as this sue parents of out of control children for at least part of the value of their tickets. I think it would send the exact right message to parents everywhere.
The only potential fault of the airline is not recognizing a big problem prior to takeoff and allowing the pax with the kids to remain on the plane. However, I think it highly unlikely that something like this could have been anticipated, and would say the only obligation of the airline would be to provide the names of the pax in question (might take a subpoena, not a lawyer, not sure how this works).
I do believe compensation is due: from the parents of the children in question. I would love to see a lawsuit in which pax in a situation such as this sue parents of out of control children for at least part of the value of their tickets. I think it would send the exact right message to parents everywhere.
You would spend a lot of time and money and suffer a lot of aggravation, and no court would rule in your favor.
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I realize I'm just a lowly gold and don't fly as much as ya'll ExPlats but I don't get the conversation about DYKWIA and insisting on using their Blackberrys when they aren't suppose to. Every flight I've been on when after pull back from the gate that someone disregards the initial announcement then I've seen a follow up reminder to turn the thing off. And if they don't after that follow up announcement then I've seen one of three things happen: 1) The flight attendant comes to the particular seat in question 2) The captain announces the particular seat in question over the intercom 3) the flight stops and the offending person quickly gets the message (only had that happen twice)
Speaking only for myself, but the howls and screams of a distressed child sets my nerves on edge and leaves me frazzled. It is one of the worst sounds in the world to me. I can't imagine having the luxurious experience of flying in F or J across the Pacific or Atlantic (rather than lowly Y) and dealing with that for hours. But those howls are a completely different animal from out of control kids being parented by either in denial or oblivious selfish parents.
I realize I'm just a lowly gold and don't fly as much as ya'll ExPlats but I don't get the conversation about DYKWIA and insisting on using their Blackberrys when they aren't suppose to. Every flight I've been on when after pull back from the gate that someone disregards the initial announcement then I've seen a follow up reminder to turn the thing off. And if they don't after that follow up announcement then I've seen one of three things happen: 1) The flight attendant comes to the particular seat in question 2) The captain announces the particular seat in question over the intercom 3) the flight stops and the offending person quickly gets the message (only had that happen twice)
Speaking only for myself, but the howls and screams of a distressed child sets my nerves on edge and leaves me frazzled. It is one of the worst sounds in the world to me. I can't imagine having the luxurious experience of flying in F or J across the Pacific or Atlantic (rather than lowly Y) and dealing with that for hours. But those howls are a completely different animal from out of control kids being parented by either in denial or oblivious selfish parents.
Distressed children get my sympathy. Out of control children with no parental discipline make me angry--mostly at their inadequate parents.
You would spend a lot of time and money and suffer a lot of aggravation, and no court would rule in your favor.
Yes, obviously not a practical solution. A much more practical one, IMO, is to quietly call the kids aside and teach them some "adult" words to share with mommy and daddy after the flight.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stu52
ummmm...just as a frame of reference, suppose there was a very abusive adult on board that had to be physically restrained by the FA's. Would anyone receive any form of compensation if the flight was not diverted? If not, then how is this different from two relatively harmless children "spoliing" the experience in F?
In your hypothetical, the crew took steps to resolve the situation.
In the situation being discussed here, the crew did nothing.
What AA should have done has been mentioned numerous times in this thread. If you won't bother to read the thread, you really shouldn't bother posting.
Ok, if you read my later oost I started to look at this situation more as a safety issue rather than loud, obnoxious children and their really stupid parents ruining the flight experience for all other paxs. There is a difference between children being very loud (albeit extremely annoying) versus running up and down the aisles, particularly if the seat belt sign is on.
Now assuming that the little brats were conducting themselves in a manner that could pose a danger to themselves or others, it then becomes the job of the FAs to cease that behavior. If in this case the parents refuse to obey the FAs' request, then it falls on the shoulders of the Captain, who is ultimately responsible for the safety of the a/c and its paxs. If the parents are so dense that even a Captain's warning does not get through to them, then it is on to the next step, having the authorities meet the a/c upon arrival to have the paxs taken into custody.
Finally, if I had been the OP in this situation my correspondence to AA would have been along the lines that these children were more of a safety issue, which the crew failed to properly respond to, than they ruining my F class flight. Still, I probably would not expect dollar compensation but would rather than AA address the situation with the flight crew involved.
Whatever happened to the 'No children under 12 in F' rule?
Good question. That rule exists to prevent situations like this. Generally by the time kids are 12 or 13, they've chilled out enough not to be brats. Notice I said generally.
Good question. That rule exists to prevent situations like this. Generally by the time kids are 12 or 13, they've chilled out enough not to be brats. Notice I said generally.
There is no rule. Anyone who pays gets in, INCLUDING the people who cant control their alcohol intake.
FYI - My worst flight ever in International Business was sitting next to a 70 year old + man who a) wouldnt stop talking and b) couldnt keep his food on his plate. Should we ban them too???
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goin-2-AA
Whatever happened to the 'No children under 12 in F' rule?
Quote:
Originally Posted by cxn
There is no rule. Anyone who pays gets in, INCLUDING the people who cant control their alcohol intake.
FYI - My worst flight ever in International Business was sitting next to a 70 year old + man who a) wouldnt stop talking and b) couldnt keep his food on his plate. Should we ban them too???
Not this again. As a general rule of thumb, I've found the kids up front to be well-behaved and quiet. The parents are usually well-prepared and observant. The exceptions are rare, but due to the stereotype of kids on airplanes, they are the ones that people remember.
On the other hand, I'm tired of dealing with people who drink too much, smell, feel it necessary to brag to all of their co-workers that they got an upgrade because they are silver elite or refuse to stop talking to me even though I am clearly reading a book.
I have never had a child push past me while boarding the plane and say obnoxiously, "Excuse meeeeee...., I'm in First Class," even though all the rest of us are, too. Kids usually don't think their laptops get precedence over all space on the seats, or that their jackets belong in the overhead.
Hey, I'm all for taking action against rowdy kids, which is what should have happened with the OP. But you can't go after one group without going after the others.
If you want to guarantee that you'll have a nice flight and can control who you sit with, you should get a private jet.
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I wonder if one could be prosecuted for threatening to bind children in their assigned seats with duct tape? actually attempting to do so would certainly be a criminal offense but what about just making the threat in the presence of the negligent parents?
