I am sure you have read the story in the press of the Porter Airline flight that was cancelled because a toddler refused to wear the seat belt. It produced a lot of different reactions.
A lot of people seemed to think that the toddler should have been held down and strapped in.
Others think that the airline staff took too long to decide that they had to deboard them – and then the flight had to be cancelled.
Most of us I think sympathised with the parents – and the child!
It is so easy to judge but one report from an eyewitness who was on the plane said that the child seemed genuinely terrified.
What to do in a case like that?
It is never easy when you travel with children. I can recall pacing up and down the aisle on a flight (many years ago 
) to keep a baby quiet. It might be irritating to hear a crying baby but trust me, as a mom, it is way more stressful.
One incident I read about was on a flight recently and a woman in economy class with her baby were shouted at by a woman in business class!
In another incident a viral discussion erupted after footage showed a toddler bouncing on a tray table for much of an eight-hour flight while the parents appeared not to intervene. The internet then spent days debating parenting, airline etiquette, and whether the poor passenger in front deserved hazard pay.
Another story reported that an equipment change on the aircraft prompted seat reassignment for a family of three – with mom and dad in one part of the aircraft and the toddler in seat – rows and rows away! Luckily the parents managed to fix that before boarding – but can you imagine?
One flight attendant to the other in catering – “The two year old in seat 15A would like a skinny cappuccino!”
2 Responses
When I facilitate parent groups, the one comment parents say is that they are very concious of their baby/toddler’s behaviour, and flying under today’s cramped conditions that don’t meet a child’s needs, is very stressful. We flew all over the world with 5 young children and had our share of spilled food, unsettled tummies and temper tantrums on flights. Most parents are wonderful. They try to get through the flights as best as they can with consideration for other passengers but also meeting their child’s needs. However, young children have limited self-control. Which is not a discipline issue, but is a brain development factor. A smile or kind word such as “your child is excited for a new adventure” lowers the stress level of the parent and hence, the child’s as well. As always, the key to relaxful travel is to bring a good dose of patience and tolerance and your own earplugs.
Beautifully written and explained Judy. Flying is stressful for adults as it is and a little bit of patience and kindness goes a long way. Thank you for this – Lesley