LoveHateRelationship

I was on BA84 yesterday from YVR to LHR and we left about 45 minutes late. I was sitting in Y and saw that there was some commotion in J. Apparently the lady and her family was being asked to deplane because her kids wouldn't wear a seatbelt and she justified it with a doctor's note. The captain wouldn't have it so asked them to get off before he would push back. Needless to say the mom was freaking out and tried to convince her kids to wear their seatbelts but the crew said that the captain had already made up his mind and would like them to get off.

I think the captain did the right thing and good for him for standing his ground because a mom didn't want to be a parent.

Has anyone else heard of passengers not wanting to wear seatbelts before and using a doctors note to justify it?

missdimeaner

IMO a doctors note to not wear a seatbelt is a virtual unfit to fly letter.
Captain was absolutely right to offload the family. If the mum was trying to persuade her kids to wear them then obviously doesn't seem (on the surface of it) too much of an issue.

tinkicker

I'm trying to work out what medical condition is not made worse by being bounced off the ceiling of the aircraft a few times? Something like Butterfly Skin might warrant not being done in tight but not belted at all?

Flexible preferences

Sounds like the captain was having none of it.

subject2load

Captain's authority is absolute in such a scenario ; there can be no good reason to question his/her decision.

It's a strange 'Doctor's Note' indeed that says a child can/should fly without a seatbelt.

And I'd say missdimeaner has summed things up very succinctly in describing it as a "virtual unfit to fly letter"

LondonElite

What kind of an idiot doctor would provide such a stupid note? I'd also like to meet mom of the year.

corporate-wage-slave

Some people on the autistic spectrum may find it difficult to wear a seat belt. Others on that spectrum love to fly and find it no problem at all.

I don't think we have enough information here, so perhaps it is best to be equivocal, but no-one is going to be allowed to fly on BA without wearing a seat belt: it's also for the protection and safety of other passengers, should stuff happens.

botham

There should definitely be a like button on here.^

cuspidor

Absolutely the right decision. Children over 2 have to be in their own seat and a seatbelt used. I have witnessed a few occasions where this has proved difficult and the parent demanding an extension seat belt. I believe CAA regulations state over 2 they have to be secured by their own belt in their own seat.

An unsecured child in an accident cd become a deadly missle if thrown from the seat.

madfish

Once again CWS has hit the nail on the head. As the father as an autistic daughter we can face a lot of challenges with some everyday type activities. Fortunately we have never had an issue on a flight - apart from the fact she insists on having my window seat.

steve76

Coming back from Prague a few months ago there was a couple with a young child who refused to put a seat belt on the child because the child "didn't like it". They kicked up a real stink, telling the cabin crew that they had flown hundreds of flights (I'm not sure how that's relevant). To their credit the BA cabin crew were very assertive and very persistent - they weren't going to let them get away with it. They threatened to get the captain to offload them. In the end they gave in (only to go through it all again for landing).

The whole thing just boggled my mind.

pondhopper79

I had my own tricky situation in Y with my 2 year old last week. He was very tired and freaked out with the belt on at push back. Of course it was a flight when taxiing took 30 minutes. He was kicking and screaming. I just had to physically restrain him for those 30 minutes (not too difficult with a 2 year old). It got so bad the air stewardess came over after being told by the pilot to take their seats to try and help me calm him. Luckily I had some understanding fellow passengers around me. Once airborne he was fine.

Anyway point is you need to be prepared to make sure kids have belts on or suffer the consequences. Of course I don't know what the medical issue was here that could have made life more difficult. I suspect the note didn't say they shouldn't wear seat belts but was instead being used to justify why they didn't want to wear seat belts.

PeacefulWaters

The bolded bit is a good reason to kick them off regardless once they've caused the initial problem.

I don't think being hit by a child moving at 550mph would do my complexion much good.

Worcester

Doubt it would do much for the child either.

While it is mind boggling to me, that any parent would even contemplate this, I had neighbors in Turkey, a doctor of all people and a school teacher who would drive their car with their baby unrestrained in their lap.

I hope the risks were explained to the family and why this was the right (and only) decision.

hugolover

550mph? That suggestions deceleration to 0 does it not? Which means a child with no seat belt is the least of your worries