OK, let's look at this point by point to see how ridiculous it is.

1. The flight was already delayed 15 minutes... [The parents] 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 [aka 'mommy'] said.

How could the parents possibly say "We weren't given an opportunity to hold her, console her or anything" when the plane had already been delayed 15 minutes! As a veteran of hauling up to 4 baby LawFlyers across the ocean up to once per month, let me establish (as if there were any doubt) that there is ALWAYS an "opportunity" to hold, console, and control our children! It starts with taking your darned seat UPON BOARDING and then sitting there under penatly of "consequences" (to be determined by each individual parent) if the child decides to flout the parents' requests.

Plus, after 100+ pax had boarded (15 min's?) and another 15 minutes delay, we are talking about at least 30 minutes of "opportunity" to hold, console, and control. The mother is an idiot for saying anything to the contrary, even if she is a smart and intelligent woman in real life. It is insulting to all of us for her to say such a thing.

2. She was removed because "she was climbing under the seat and hitting the parents and wouldn't get in her seat."

And she should have been. Even if the parents want to waive their daugher's right to safety, it is unsafe for all the other passengers to have an unfettered toddler spelunking through the aircraft at ANY time, whether that's at taxi, take-off, cruise, or merely at boarding. It is unsafe for the child, certainly, but it's unsafe for EVERYONE. For the parents to characterize their expulsion as being unreasonable is a joke and hardly warrants serious discussion on the merits of "their side" of the story.

And I am not being insensitive. If the child had a physical, emotional, or developmental disability that actually precludes her from knowing right from wrong, or from understanding her parents' request to remain in the seat, or from realizing the danger she was posing, or from physically hearing her parents' and the FA's requests to remain seated, then it is 100% the fault of the parents in the first place. In such a case, the parents should physically restrain the child into her seat, using gentle but firm (and immoveable) physical force if necessary. To NOT do so is a clear danger to ALL pax on that plane. If the parents do not LIKE that, they are free to start up the family car and hit the road for the trip back to Mass.

Having a developmentally challenged nephew, I understand (some of) the challenges posed. But when I accompanied my nephew on the very long CO 11 from CDG - IAH by myself, there were times when I had to physically restrain him to keep him in his seat, and physically hold his arms down so he would not throw his cheerios in happiness (from watching all the pretty clouds outside!). Yes, I sympathize -- but these parents are amazingly willing to gamble with OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES just so their daugher can have fun spelunking through the seats and batting at their legs. Oh -- I mean, they just needed a little more TIME to let her do so.

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

This blew my mind. I just cannot IMAGINE the scenario in which CO would reimburse me for my family's tickets if I let the Baby LawFlyer #3 crawl around the 777 awaiting taxi for CO 10 takeoff. Then after I refuse to put him in his seat, especially after a 15 minute delay, I THEN say, "Sorry, Mr. Crew Member, I just need a little more time to calm him down -- but I'll get to it. I've only had 30 minutes so far, you know." And then CO heads to the gate, kicks us all off -- and refunds not ONLY all our money, but also:

4. They also were offered three roundtrip tickets anywhere the airline flies.

Wow! Is THIS the new method for scoring free tickets? Allow our children to run wild through the cabin on an active taxiway? Then, when challenged by a crew member to seat my child, explain, "No, I'd like to refuse a little longer so that you will return to the gate, kick me off, refund my money, offer me tons of free tickets systemwide -- and, of course, fly me home for free tomorrow." But Thanks anyway!

5. The father said his family would never fly AirTran again.

Sound like the father is even sillier than I thought. He's making out like a bandit! Umm, let's see:
(a) Free roundtrip tickets for future use;
(b) Refund of fare for current ticket;
(c) Free transportation home for current itinerary;
(d) Free pass from the duty of caring for and disciplining his child who clearly needs it; and
(e) Opportunity to brag in the press about how he, his wife, and his hellion endangered the lives of 100 other people despite the crew's requests to stop such behavior.

Wow -- what a guy! I wonder where that daughter gets her ill behavior and selfish sense of entitlement?