FA on SYD-SFO insists 'rule book' prohibits babies from crying 'for more than 5 mins'
Sep 27, 2018, 1:40 pm
#31
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 494
how can you stop a baby from exercising its lungs!
In the absence of a readily accessible breast, a finger can work quite well.
Sep 27, 2018, 2:39 pm
#32
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Coast NSW, Australia
Programs: UA and SQ; Hilton, Fairmont, Marriott, Rydges Priority
Posts: 290
It’s the mothers who do nothing to try to sooth their crying babies who get up my nose.
There are plenty of them on flights.
Most pax are or have been parents and are usually sympathetic.....for a while.
The duct tape solution appeals to me.
Maybe these are the kids who become back of seat kickers as they grow older.
There are plenty of them on flights.
Most pax are or have been parents and are usually sympathetic.....for a while.
The duct tape solution appeals to me.
Maybe these are the kids who become back of seat kickers as they grow older.
Sep 27, 2018, 2:47 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,428
Sep 27, 2018, 3:22 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
Wow. Something clearly went wrong here. On one hand, I really wonder if the frazzled mom just took a sarcastic comment from an FA too seriously - that's what it sounds like to me. On the other hand, I've seen some atrocious FA's, so nothing would totally surprise me.
For what it's worth, and I know that others have had bad crews on UA SYD flights, but I've never had a bad crew on that route.
Not only have I never had a bad crew, but the single best flight attendant I've ever flown with in somewhere around 2.5M miles on all airlines, was a senior UA flight attendant SFO-SYD, who literally walked around with my then-infant daughter for 45 minutes to give her mom and dad a chance to eat, use the lav, freshen up, etc.
This is the fundamental problem with UA - lack of consistency.
For what it's worth, and I know that others have had bad crews on UA SYD flights, but I've never had a bad crew on that route.
Not only have I never had a bad crew, but the single best flight attendant I've ever flown with in somewhere around 2.5M miles on all airlines, was a senior UA flight attendant SFO-SYD, who literally walked around with my then-infant daughter for 45 minutes to give her mom and dad a chance to eat, use the lav, freshen up, etc.
This is the fundamental problem with UA - lack of consistency.
Sep 27, 2018, 4:17 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,158
Read this article this morning in the Australian press and of course came to FT as knew there would be a thread.
I think the FA (in question) underestimated the protective instincts of a mother and their young offspring. No mother wants her child crying and in an enclosed space like a plane will do everything to comfort the child. My son first flew (in coach) at four months of age and crying was limited and the only way they can communicate at that age. Kudos to United for trying to do the right thing and apologize and refund the ticket.
https://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...51cbcb4460257e
I think the FA (in question) underestimated the protective instincts of a mother and their young offspring. No mother wants her child crying and in an enclosed space like a plane will do everything to comfort the child. My son first flew (in coach) at four months of age and crying was limited and the only way they can communicate at that age. Kudos to United for trying to do the right thing and apologize and refund the ticket.
https://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...51cbcb4460257e
Sep 27, 2018, 4:39 pm
#36
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,217
Sep 27, 2018, 5:37 pm
#38
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Coast NSW, Australia
Programs: UA and SQ; Hilton, Fairmont, Marriott, Rydges Priority
Posts: 290
Wow. Something clearly went wrong here. On one hand, I really wonder if the frazzled mom just took a sarcastic comment from an FA too seriously - that's what it sounds like to me. On the other hand, I've seen some atrocious FA's, so nothing would totally surprise me.
For what it's worth, and I know that others have had bad crews on UA SYD flights, but I've never had a bad crew on that route.
Not only have I never had a bad crew, but the single best flight attendant I've ever flown with in somewhere around 2.5M miles on all airlines, was a senior UA flight attendant SFO-SYD, who literally walked around with my then-infant daughter for 45 minutes to give her mom and dad a chance to eat, use the lav, freshen up, etc.
This is the fundamental problem with UA - lack of consistency.
For what it's worth, and I know that others have had bad crews on UA SYD flights, but I've never had a bad crew on that route.
Not only have I never had a bad crew, but the single best flight attendant I've ever flown with in somewhere around 2.5M miles on all airlines, was a senior UA flight attendant SFO-SYD, who literally walked around with my then-infant daughter for 45 minutes to give her mom and dad a chance to eat, use the lav, freshen up, etc.
This is the fundamental problem with UA - lack of consistency.
I have seen them being firm but not discourteous with pax who have not been doing the right thing during a flight but that’s about it.
And I too have seen many FAs take over child minding duties while flustered parents get their act together.
Sometimes parenting young children can fry the brain a little. Maybe this is what happened to this mother.
Sep 27, 2018, 5:59 pm
#39
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Osaka
Programs: United Mileage Plus Premier Executive
Posts: 581
Really gross how rude United has become since the merger with CO. This airline is not in the business of providing great service or showing empathy to their paying customers. I used love flying United as they were amazing in customer care. Now I just wonder which employee will be awful when I fly them. Hope this lady recieves more compensation than just a refund for having such an awful flight!!
Sep 27, 2018, 6:35 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,340
I realize that we, as flying passengers, are sometimes stressed out, but I think we need to relax a bit.
Many United FA use humor to ease the pain of travel, but sadly that humor is sometimes lost, and offended parties love posting their "terrible" experience on social media, which in turn news outlets -for reasons of pure laziness- consider legitimate news gathering sources.
My wife told me about a recent United flight: She asked for a specific beer "so she could fall asleep".
There was some guy with a medical situation a row behind her...heart attack or something.
FA response: "Sorry, I don't have access to that beer right now, but I could knock you on the head if you like; that would make you go asleep too."
(paraphrasing).
My wife could have posted on social media how a United FA threatened her physically and persued millions in damages.
Instead she cracked up laughing.
Sep 27, 2018, 8:40 pm
#42
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
Really sickening to see all the backlash against UA here. Babies simply do not belong in any cabin other than economy. That this passenger didn't even go all the way to the back when trying to comfort the child is particularly rude.
Sep 27, 2018, 8:46 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 1,329
Sep 27, 2018, 9:02 pm
#44
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: United Global Services, Lifetime Hilton Diamond
Posts: 353
Here is the article that has a lot of content: Mom claims United flight attendant said it was 'absolutely unacceptable' for baby to cry on flight - Story | KTVU
Sep 27, 2018, 9:15 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
2. It's illegal to enter a cabin other than your ticketed cabin on an INTL flight.
3. "Particularly rude" is the assertion in your second sentence.