FA on SYD-SFO insists 'rule book' prohibits babies from crying 'for more than 5 mins'
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,735
I would modify that to say no good mother. Unfortunately there are a rare few in the obnoxious minority that ignore when their child is crying, who think that the ignore them and it will go away rule of parenting is good, etc. and encountering them in an enclosed, confined space is terrible. But even then, it's not against the law. It's just bad parenting and rude.
#18
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Programs: UA LT Gold, American Kettle, Hertz #1 Presidents Circle, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 927
#19
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
I would modify that to say no good mother. Unfortunately there are a rare few in the obnoxious minority that ignore when their child is crying, who think that the ignore them and it will go away rule of parenting is good, etc. and encountering them in an enclosed, confined space is terrible. But even then, it's not against the law. It's just bad parenting and rude.
I also let my child self soothe and cry himself to sleep (in the home) but never on a plane,
I agree it is rude not to consider the people around you, but then I also take exception to people having loud conversations on planes or watching their devices (not muted for the sound) without earphones. Wish US would enforce the "five minute rule" in those circumstances!
#21
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
Every time I see a report of some FA on a power trip, I cannot help but think of my family member, wondering if its her on the flight making lives miserable. She lives a privileged life with a very wealthy husband (him and I get along great), but she is a train wreck and yet continues to be employed by UA. He is humble and beyond fun to hang out with, she on the other hand...
Last edited by COSPILOT; Sep 27, 2018 at 11:58 am
#22
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
#24
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,134
Given that UA refunded what she spent and apologized, it must have been pretty bad. I've had some pretty nasty FA's on flights, and I have my family member that speaks loudly on FB as a former PMCO FA, complaining about anything and everything, from the customers to the company. Heck, she even claimed all PMUA aircraft smell like a toilet and once posted how upset she was and emotionally traumatized to have to suffer non rev flying on PMUA.
Every time I see a report of some FA on a power trip, I cannot help but think of my family member, wondering if its her on the flight making lives miserable. She lives a privileged life with a very wealthy husband (him and I get along great), but she is a train wreck and yet continues to be employed by UA. He is humble and beyond fun to hang out with, she on the other hand...
#27
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
I have no idea what that is, but your asking to drug the kids? No thanks, I'll deal with crying babies before I force drugs on them. Fly private if you aren't able to handle to a public space such as an commercial aircraft. If you cannot afford that, you don't get a say.
#28
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
From the San Francisco Chronicle: https://www.sfchronicle.com/travel/a...n-13260384.php
I have personally sat in Y on longhaul TPAC flights next to babies who were not only crying but also kicking and flailing. I once woke up to find a salad spilled all over my clothes because the baby next to me had knocked over a meal tray. I have never once complained about any of this because it is simply a part of commercial air travel, and if I wish to avoid it, I may enroll for a membership with Netjets. I do think in that case the parents should have apologized. But general crying is nothing to apologize for.
In case you're wondering, I have no kids of my own.
In a statement, United clarified, "Young families are welcome on our flights, including in business class." [...] United sent representatives to the gate to meet Bala's family as their flight landed in San Francisco, apologize, and offer her a refund, the company said.
Kudos to the pilot for taking the lead on making an apology.I have personally sat in Y on longhaul TPAC flights next to babies who were not only crying but also kicking and flailing. I once woke up to find a salad spilled all over my clothes because the baby next to me had knocked over a meal tray. I have never once complained about any of this because it is simply a part of commercial air travel, and if I wish to avoid it, I may enroll for a membership with Netjets. I do think in that case the parents should have apologized. But general crying is nothing to apologize for.
In case you're wondering, I have no kids of my own.
#29
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Coffee Shop Buy 10 Get 1 Free
Posts: 295
I saw this post on FB a few days ago, the passenger bought in flight WiFi just to message UA apparently she was saying. Post may still be up if you scroll down a ways. UA has a pretty decent social media team and seemed to have addressed it quite fast, so yeah, ops got involved at that point.
We are new parents, taking our first trip next month to Hawaii with the little one, and then doing Europe on TK in business. As a passenger I always hated being around babies, now as a parent I am horrified we will be the ones everyone will be annoyed with but need to remember just the nature of commercial air travel
We are new parents, taking our first trip next month to Hawaii with the little one, and then doing Europe on TK in business. As a passenger I always hated being around babies, now as a parent I am horrified we will be the ones everyone will be annoyed with but need to remember just the nature of commercial air travel
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Francisco/Tel Aviv/YYZ
Programs: CO 1K-MM
Posts: 10,762
Maybe some parents are just not being respectful, or don't care but if they're like us, we're horrified and trying to do whatever we can to quiet our little one if she's crying on the plane. But sometimes there isn't much you can do, if they're scared or overtired, you do what you can to calm/quiet them down. Its not like you get license to walk thru the aisles during all flight phases, so your'e crammed in tiny seats (I guess not in int'l biz, but in general), you're very limited in your ability to rock them or move at all.
on flights where she falls asleep (most of them thank goodness), I try not to move AT ALL as to not wake her up.
Then again, we did have a flight on a 145 where they forced us to move into the bulkhead (4 I think) for the extra O2 mask, and the schm--- who was being reseated was crying and whining far more than the baby and kicking (!) the seat. ("I paid $100 extra for that seat, bla bla bla" . if he did for a 1 hr segment, he's a fool, as there isn't even extra legroom and you don't get underseat storage, and that's not the pricing anyways)..
on flights where she falls asleep (most of them thank goodness), I try not to move AT ALL as to not wake her up.
Then again, we did have a flight on a 145 where they forced us to move into the bulkhead (4 I think) for the extra O2 mask, and the schm--- who was being reseated was crying and whining far more than the baby and kicking (!) the seat. ("I paid $100 extra for that seat, bla bla bla" . if he did for a 1 hr segment, he's a fool, as there isn't even extra legroom and you don't get underseat storage, and that's not the pricing anyways)..