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A flight delay due to an unruly toddler aboard a plane has sparked online debate about how airlines and passengers should react when midair mayhem occurs.
An unhappy passenger took to Reddit recently to express dismay about a one-hour flight delay because of an uncontrollable toddler on a flight in Sweden.
“When the crew were preparing for takeoff, a 3-year-old child couldn’t be made to sit in his seat,” the person wrote.
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After “much screaming from the child,” the parents were reportedly asked to deplane with the toddler.
The flight was delayed further as the crew removed the family’s luggage and prepared the aircraft for takeoff again, the original poster said.
“We just want to get home … and [these] incompetent parents make us late, make people miss connections, cause delays for the airplane and crew, etc.,” the Reddit user continued.
“I would seriously pay extra to go on adult-only flights,” the poster added.
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Experts weighed in on the viral debate.
When it comes to disorderly tots, the safety of the passengers is the crew’s main concern, said Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert based in San Antonio and founder of The Protocol School of Texas.
The airline likely had no choice but to delay the flight, said Gottsman, noting that the ability of airlines to resolve an issue quickly is essential.
Parents should plan ahead when traveling with toddlers, said Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing.”
“Be ready with snacks. Pack more activities than you think you’ll need. Buy extra space if you can,” he advised.
He also suggested easing screen-time limits during travel.
“Other passengers mostly get it if a baby cries, as long as you’re obviously trying [to address the issue by] feeding, walking, soothing, rotating toys and adjusting seats,” he said.
Frustrated flyers should speak with the flight attendant, not the parents, said Leff.
“As heightened as things may already be, adding your own confrontation could make things worse,” he said.
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Several social media users said they’ve experienced similar situations with air travel and felt sympathetic about the issue.
“I had [a] child like this, and we just didn’t travel for almost 10 years,” a Reddit user said.
“My kid causing disruption to an entire plane would be my worst nightmare,” the commenter added.
“Pack more activities than you think you’ll need.”
“I understand it’s annoying and frustrating, but this is a small snippet of that child’s behavior, and we have no way of knowing if it is the norm,” another user said.
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“A 3-year-old melting down isn’t a customer service issue. You can just ‘manage’ into silence,” yet another person said.
Not all air travelers were as understanding, however.
“That’s not a kid problem, that’s a parent problem,” read one heavily upvoted Reddit comment.
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Another Reddit user agreed, saying, “Don’t take your toddlers flying if you can’t get them to behave.”
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