Hah! Underparenting Can Get Expensive
A woman the size of a piano, her sister, and her four unruly brats were booted off a Southwest flight. Here's the CNN footage. Since the woman actually admits there was a problem, and since removing passengers and their loud, unruly brats is a pretty rare thing for any airline, I'd love to hear the reality from a passenger on that plane, which I'm guessing had to be pretty bad.
Here from KIRO Seattle is the text:
Slaughter said they were left stranded at the Phoenix airport with no money and no lodging.This was the first flight for the children. Slaughter admitted the children were loud and kept getting up and walking around the plane.
"The children were out of control on the flight you know, they were restless, excited and worked up and they are kids," said Slaughter.
The family said flight attendants asked them to quiet the children twice, but they didn't expect to be booted off the flight
"I am furious about it. I can't believe they could do something like that and then leave us completely stranded with no money no way to get anywhere," Slaughter said.
Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Christi Day told KIRO-7:
"They were being disruptive and unruly on the plane, and for the safety of our customers and the flight crew, we decided to not allow them to travel on to Seattle at that time. Typically if it's a threatening behavior, it's not safe to travel 30,000 feet in the air in a contained environment."
The family said police officers bought them food and Motel 6 donated a hotel room for the night.
The children's grandmother said she had to pay $2,000 to book last-minute tickets on Alaska Airlines. They said they didn't have any problems on that three-hour flight.
As for what I have to say about this sort of thing...Fly Southwest! Fly Southwest!
Personally, I think the mother owes everyone on that flight an apology for her kids' unruly behaviour. And to use one of the kid's autism as an excuse? That's ridiculous. She desperately needs serious parenting lessons - and a serious diet - stat! o_O
Flynne at July 7, 2008 8:19 AM
The link to CNN doesn't work for me - but if you search CNN for "Unruly family booted off plane" you'll get it.
Norman at July 7, 2008 8:34 AM
I just read all the comments on the video and not one person argees with the parents.
Here's a question though, how did the cow plan on eating durring her layover?
lujlp at July 7, 2008 8:50 AM
As Amy has said before, boo-fuckin-hoo.
Darry at July 7, 2008 9:18 AM
How many of those tiny seats did the mom take up on the plane?
Chrissy at July 7, 2008 9:22 AM
They ask her *twice* to control her kids, and she fails *again* - and she's shocked that they booted her off the plane?
TheOtherOne at July 7, 2008 9:26 AM
I'm from a long line of esteemed Kentucky hilltop redneck whitetrash and after watching the video, I think I'm related to these people. What I love the most is how Grandma is trying to articulately demand an apology from the airline. Completely oblivious to any wrong her precious kinfolk could ever do...impossible!!!
Amen, Flynne- using the autism as an excuse is reprehensible. She also refers to her daughter's cerebral palsy. What I wonder is did she request the special assistance and forwarn the flight crew as you are encouraged to do when traveling with needs? Or did it not come up until getting the boot? My middle daughter has CP, and flight crews have always generously gone out of their way to accomodate us, as long as we communicate and show that we're working our bums off to not inconvenience our fellow passengers.
Last point- who called the media? How was there a camera waiting to capture their tearful disembarkment?
Juliana at July 7, 2008 10:31 AM
*A woman the size of a piano*
No matter how you spinet, that's just grand.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at July 7, 2008 10:48 AM
Go Southwest Go!!! I've got to go email them a congratulations. WHY do people think they can act however they want wherever they want with no reprocussions??
And seriously, did she pay for the extra seats she took up???
momof3 at July 7, 2008 10:54 AM
"*A woman the size of a piano*
No matter how you spinet, that's just grand."
*groan* - Now that is PUNishment, indeed.
Pirate Jo at July 7, 2008 11:01 AM
I'm glad to see this start happening more often. I'm tired of people who think the Earth revolves around them. It's truly amazing that she freely admits the kids were brats, but oh, I guess it's okay because they're KIDS.
Um, no, it's not. If the kids can't control themselves, you should not be flying with them. And I'm sorry your kids are "special needs" but that doesn't give them the right to ruin a flight for the other passengers.
Ann at July 7, 2008 11:04 AM
Southwest has agreed to reimburse the familly.
Familly still demanding an apology.
One thing that stood out though. The pregnant aunt said this was the worst thing to ever happen to them.
If this was the worst, then where exactly does children born with severe brian illness fall?
lujlp at July 8, 2008 5:08 AM
lujlp: That was my first though but then given this women response to "The family said flight attendants asked them to quiet the children twice, but they didn't expect to be booted off the flight" was to do nothing and assume that there would be no consequences. Her sick children are a benefit to her life style. She has sick kids and thus should be pardoned of all things. She has been riding this pony for years. Yes harsh as shit but I have seen it on more than one occasion.
Having special needs kids MAY excuse their behavior but I am lost as to how it would excuse your behavior.
Also in order for an Airline to go as far as removing the family these kids must have been absolute nightmares. No pitty here.
vlad at July 8, 2008 11:23 AM
Is it just me or did anyone else find it odd that mom complained about being left stranded with "no money?"
Who travels across the country with a pregnant woman and four kids with no money?
Wheatley at July 8, 2008 12:18 PM
Oh! Oh! Oh! ME! Me! I know this one!!
Um, nobody in their right mind??
Flynne at July 8, 2008 12:58 PM
Wheatley: Someone with a massive sense of entitlement. I don't need money the world owes me, I have a sick child and it's your job to take care of me.
vlad at July 8, 2008 1:41 PM
I used to fly with my family and we had four children and NEVER would my mom permit us to act like that. One look from her would get us all to shut up, and that is true parenting.
I've put up with wailing infants on flights, all the while wondering what selfish son of a bi*ch wanted the new mom and dad to fly out to them, rather than the other way around. If I had had these people on a flight with me, I think I would have pulled down the emergency oxygen mask to strangle myself.
Clearly, the airline is playing down how horrible this family was, they must have been monsters for them to resort to kicking them off. I APPLAUDE them. I cannot STAND bad parenting. Amy often mentions her "drive by parenting".
If you want entitlement read:
I was at Food 4 Less in SoCal (I'm a struggling student who pays her own college expenses, no FAFSA for me) when the woman in front of me pulls out what looks like a book full of food stamps. I decided patience is the best way to go with this and kept a smile on my face. My family used them and I remember my dad being very embarrassed to be reduced to that.
Their 3 year old was pulling candy off of the impulse-buy shelves and making a complete nuisance of himself. Neither mom or dad was paying attention. Their 2 year old was playing in their cart. I thought with a toy car...but no with an IPHONE (note this was months ago, right after the Iphone came out). I was shocked, especially when he started hitting it against the side of the cart and giggling. Soon the dad had had enough and tried to take it away. This kid didn't scream, he wailed like a banshee! I didn't know a toddler could be that loud. He got his phone back right away of course, and the dad pulled out his OWN Iphone when it started buzzing. Around that time the mom finished with the food stamps.
Anyone who can afford two Iphones should get the hell off my Welfare...and they should reimburse us all!
Tina at July 8, 2008 4:00 PM
Christ, anyone else would have thought Grandma was Grandpa if they hadn't told us otherwise? Of course, that's beside the point.
When she said we had no money, my thought too was what the hell you doing on a plane then? Likewise with this one's autistic and that's one's got CP.
They do need to start dealing with the morbidly obese. Christ, this morning one that size got on the bus and glared at me because my arthritic ass was in the handicapped seat in front. Only place there's three seats together for her to take up. I silently dared her to take it up with me but she must have read my mind because she didn't. Surprised she didn't think the blind guy and the little old lady across the aisle from me should move to accommodate her fat ass.
I'd move for a blind guy but I'm not moving for some ass that's like it is because she keeps shoving food into her face. I'm overweight myself but to be like that huge one must do almost nothing but eat and never freaking move. Seriously, how the hell is it even possible to get that big? And her one kid! Christ, he must weigh as much or more than I do already.
Donna (T's Grammy) at July 10, 2008 7:41 AM
Oh, yeah, and, of course, Southwestern's did the right thing. I think if I ever do fly it will be them. Locally, they took over the flights that American (who won't stop in our fair city any more) was handling. Crazy like a fox. There's always gonna be money spent on stuff like air travel in a state capital.
Donna (T's Grammy) at July 10, 2008 7:43 AM
I didn't think that Southwest had it in them, but bravo to them for showing their customers that they take their comfort seriously. I'd be willing to bet money that not once did this woman attempt to quiet or corral her children.
Deion at July 10, 2008 12:06 PM
When I read this I immediately thought that it wasn't fair, or relevant, to comment on this woman's size.
Then I watched the video and decided that if I'd been on that plane with this woman and her kids I'd have happily suffocated myself with the little plastic bag from the complementary headsets. You can just imagine it, can't you ... shoe-horned into your already cramped little economy seat, watching that crew lumber up the aisle towards you, thinking, "Oh god, not my row! Not my row!!"
catspajamas at July 11, 2008 6:47 PM
Brilliant!
Phismmutt at August 2, 2008 3:36 PM
What's the fastest way to be able to find out how to play the drums. Tons of ongoing exercise, or maybe performing it every so often.
Aleta Peel at March 4, 2011 9:44 AM
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