drvannostren

This really did sound demonic. We all know what a kid screaming sounds like, it's wretched, but it doesn't usually last that long it's unintelligible, the kid usually tires out and stops.

This kid was screaming, SOMETHING, it really sounded like talking in tongues. If "he needs his internet" is the solution, first of all, that's a problem, second of all, clearly that wasn't the solution because when you had internet he kept it up.

2018 is so PC though that no one can say a bad word. I'll say this, let's assume this kid DOES in fact have a disability of some nature, the parents HAVE to do something. Either a) don't take the kid on a flight because you know he can't handle it b) take him on the shortest flight possible, which would mean connecting in London or something first. The other thing, and I can't really speculate because who knows, but most people of these kind of conditions can often be aided by prescription meds. I'm not saying drug and sedate the kid. But if he's supposed to be on some meds, make sure he's taken them. If he's not on some meds, maybe he should be?

I'd be annoyed as a passenger on the flight, but I'd get over it. But there's more here, this kid is clearly troubled in some way, he's gotta know this isn't acceptable, OR he needs help to deal with whatever is going on. He can't be running up and down the aisle, he's gonna get hurt. Can't be sitting on the head rests, gonna get hurt. Then what? Who's responsible then? Maybe the mother made it clear, but if I were a parent on that flight Id've been REALLY concerned he might hurt another kid. When he walks right in front of the camera, I was convinced he was gonna smack one of the other kids in that shot.

awayIgo

I spent 32 years teaching. I have multiple advanced degrees, one is in Special Education. No matter how severely disturbed an individual is, with enough effort and motivation they can be taught behavior. Remember Pavlov's Dog's, remember the rats trained to go for food when they heard the bell. THAT is Behavior Modification. It works with autistic individuals, it works with mentally disabled individuals and it works with emotionally disturbed individuals. It even works with kids who just have behavior problems, because the parent doesn't use the word NO!

Training a child ( and training is sometimes the right word, as opposed to teaching a child) is not easy. From the video I would not attempt to decide/diagnose if the child had a medical issue or if the issue was the parents. BUT, it is easy to see the mother appeared to be clueless, attempted no intervention and IMO the child put multiple people on the flight at risk had there been turbulence.

There is no law that says people have to fly. Most of history people stayed in one place. If someone can't fly properly without being a danger to themselves and others, than IMHO they should not be allowed to fly,

DCP2016

Unfortunately that's the downside of public transportation. However I am glad we are in the age of cameras/the internet so this kind of stuff can be blasted on the internet and the kid/parents put on blast for all of eternity (and no, I am not being sarcastic, this hopefully motivates people to behave if they don't want to be on Youtube).

halls120

I have twin grandsons. Once, when they were four, I took them to the Dulles annex of the Air & Space Museum. One of the two wanted to visit a particular hands on display that was unfortunately closed. He started an epic meltdown when he didn't get his way. I got down on his level and said quietly "you have two choices - you can stop this now and we will stay longer, or you can keep it up and we will leave." He kept screaming, so we left. He didn't stop until we were almost out the door, and then begged me to stay. I said no, you had your chance and you chose to continue to act unacceptably.

He never threw another tantrum with me again.

Craig

Quite a few years ago I was in a Singapore Airlines FC lounge in the US waiting for a flight to Singapore. Am American woman had a horrible brat who was running around annoying all the passengers. She came up to me and started to annoy me, and I leaned over close and said "fark off" and growled. She ran back to her mother. When my flight was called I hoped that she would not be on the same flight, but she was. I hoped she would not be in FC but she was.

When it came time to put seatbelts on, the brat refused. The stewardess tried to get the mother to make the child do so, but the mother didn't care much, and the child, used to getting her own way all the time, enjoyed the attention and still refused.

I got up, went over, and said that to the stewardess that if we taxied without making the brat do her belt up I would report it as a safety infringement on arrival at Singapore. She called the supervisor, who asked me what the problem was. I told him. He then said to the mother that he would throw them both off the flight if they did not comply. The mother realised that he meant it, and forcibly did up the brat's belt. I shook hands with both staff, and said a few choice words to the horrible mother, along the lines of "I would have preferred that you were both thrown off the aeroplane".

The rest of the flight was fine.

Ber2dca

Truth be told, I consider parents that fly with their little kids selfish a**holes. You can't tell with kids that age whether they're going to be calm or going to go nuts and on a plane you're making your little brat the problem of a 100+ other people in a situation where they can't just leave. Every time some parents comes on and goes 'but oh our kid behaves' uh huh sure it does..and I'm sure you also try to let the iPad do the parenting like this mother tried. Sure, there's 'emergencies' where it's understandable your kid has to fly, but that doesn't apply in the majority of instances. Your 'urgent' need to see Thailand or South Africa as a family before your kid is even in school doesn't count.

swingaling

I am. The mother surely knew her kid had behavioral issues prior to taking the flight. She also probably had some awareness of the fact that she's unable to control him. The logical (and considerate) thing to do would be to ask her doctor for a sedative (or anxiolytic) to help the kid better cope with flying.

Worst case, just give him some Benadryl and pray he sleeps.

Indeed. There's even this new thing called babysitters who will look after one's child in the parents' absence.

rickg523

Some little kids act out, so that means any little kid might act out. And so they should be kept away. Just to make sure we're not subjected to their noise and bad behavior.
Some black men are criminals, so that means any black man might be a criminal. And so they should be kept away. Just to make sure we don't become crime victims.
Some white people are racists, so that means any white person might be a racist. And so they should be kept away. Just to make sure we don't end up with a riot on our hands.
Some premium cabin flyers are self absorbed jerks, so...
​​​​​This simple game can be played with any group and is almost always played by pointing at some group we're not part of. It's too easy by half. And it's a waste of time as well, since no blanket ban like this is ever going to happen.

awayIgo

I know plenty of children who fly and do so appropriately. They have parents who taught them what is and isn't acceptable. And other times parents have to sacrifice to keep their child from disturbing others. I remember my sister in law saying she " waliked to Israel once. My then 3 year old nephew wasn't tired, and didn't want to sleep in his car seat. He wanted to walk. He was told he can walk but he must be quiet. And walk he did, in the darkened plane, up one aisle and down the next, round and round, with his mother dutifully following behind. He was silent and disturbed no one. And today, my nephew is married with 2 kids of his own, they've been flying since they were a few months old, and they know,the rules!

ermis177

Guys its quite obvious. Child was a first class passenger flying Y for the very first time...

lighting

klausa

It's fascinating how you can with 100% certainty predict someone's gender, age and social situation by just reading few posts in this thread.

hugolover

Some pax on this thread look about as worse to travel with as this demented child.

Collierkr

gbs1112

No one has commented on the effect this might have on other passengers in the vicinity. It may be more than just wearying. I have flown with nervous flyers, once or twice as an escort to help them make a trip they were not confident they could make on their own and never experienced a problem but I fear that had we been on this flight things might have been different. I think passengers, in whatever class, are entitled to a decent environment. When stag or hen groups get noisy and out of control the aircraft diverts. Noisy drunks are not tolerated. I dont think the airline handled this well.