Southwest Says Sorry For Kicking Off Screaming Child

Crying kid stock photo Southwest Airlines has apologized for removing a mother and her boisterous 2-year-old boy from a flight last week.

The boy’s piercing shrieks of “Go! Plane! Go!” and “I want Daddy!” were allegedly so loud that other passengers could not hear safety instructions.

Airline officials have said they do not regret pulling the uncontrollable kid and his mother from the flight, but they did apologize for any problems it may have caused the family.

Did the disruptive duo deserve dismissal, or was Southwest in the wrong?

Pamela Root and her son Adam were heading home to San Jose after visiting her parents in Amarillo, Texas, when Adam began acting up shortly before takeoff. The flight attendants reportedly gave him juice and coloring books to help calm him, but Adam was inexorable.

Learn more about traveling with kids in our Family Travel section.

The captain then told the passengers that they were returning to the gate to take care of a passenger issue, according to reports. Root was allegedly shocked to find out that she and her son were the issue. She said that flight attendants never warned her that she was in danger of being kicked off the flight.

The crew escorted the pair off the plane and set them up with a later flight. Root then had to buy more diapers and a portable crib as she prepared to stay another night with her parents.

Southwest officials have reiterated that it is not their policy to remove crying children from planes, but they do give their crews the right to make a judgment call if the situation escalates.

The airline has complied with Root’s demand for an apology and compensation for the portable crib and diapers. Southwest officials say Root will receive a full refund and a $300 travel voucher to cover her expenses.

But is Southwest the one that should be apologizing? Root did not want to leave the plane and insisted that she thought Adam would calm down after take off, but what if he didn’t? Is it really fair to subject the other passengers to that kind of nuisance?

If you’re an adult traveler who prefers avoiding these types of scenarios, check out How To Avoid Kids When Traveling

Every kid in their “terrible twos” can have a bad day, but if that’s the case, Root should have volunteered to leave the plane, especially if he was so uncontrollable that it was becoming a safety issue.

What do you think? Should Root have volunteered to leave the plane? Was she treated fairly? Did the crew overreact? Leave some comments below and let us know what you think.

By Dan Bence for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related Links: Associated Press, MSNBC, San Jose Mercury News

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Peace of mind

Yes, Root should have volunteered to disembark the plane. We, too had "terrible two" children and didn't fly because of the confinement of the plane and, what fun is it to travel with children that can't behave.

Same goes for church. If you child is screaming, remove them. Or better yet, if there are two parents, there are enough masses that each parent could stay home with the child as the other attends. A simple solution to a time when mass goers would like a bit of peace during the day.Peace f mind

IcedW

I want to address some of these comments that allege that Ms. Root could not 'control' Adam. The biggest problem is that we live in a society where even the teeniest bit of 'control' by the parents to make their children behave is quickly labeled child abuse! One time, I was at a public restroom and saw a kid throw soap all over the floor, giggling and laughing and driving her poor mother crazy because she thought it was a big joke to play around with soap and water and have Mommy go nuts cleaning up, despite being told multiple times to stop. After a while, the mother lost her cool and told her daughter in a very firm voice to stop being a brat and the next thing I saw was that someone else had got in the mother's face and was yelling at her and threatening to report her for abuse. Apparently, it is verbal abuse if you tell a child to behave herself! Needless to say, I can see quite why Ms. Root - and other hapless parents like her - are quite unable to discipline their children to make them behave in public!

I have two young children, both under 5, and my older child is quite the screamer. Therefore, for fear that I would have CPS called on me for making her behave in public, I absolutely avoid, avoid, avoid traveling at all. The last time I visited my parents was over three years ago when she was just over a year old and it was a NIGHTMARE, to say the least. I had to keep her medicated on Motrin the entire flight and she wouldn't shut up. I was in tears - if you think it is horrible to hear another person's child cry the entire time in the plane, try being the parent who is often the intended recipient of the screams. After I burst into tears because I just couldn't get her to stop, the flight attendant handed me some Motrin from another parent on the flight and we kept her on it until we landed. Did I want to do it? No. But there was nothing else I could do to keep her quiet. After this experience, I stopped flying. Period. The next time I fly, she would be at least 12 years old.

I realize that this may not be an option for everyone but if you have a high-energy child who won't stop yelling / crying / screaming, then please do yourself and others a favor and don't travel at all. NOTHING is worth the ordeal.

Wynter

I think it depends. What if they were going back to San Jose for a funeral or to see a sick family member in the hospital and time was short? In that situation, I think it would be wrong for the crew to ask them to get off the plane. But if it wouldn't hurt for them to get off the place, then they should. Calm the child down and take the next plane. My friends flew in from CA for Christmas and their 10 month old cried the whole way (on a 5+ hour flight), but that crew didn't turn the plane around. Everyone was very nice and understanding about it.

messie

I was recently on a plane from Cuenca to Quito with a screaming child sitting behind me. Thank goodness the flight was only 40 min.. The child continued her ear piercing screaming the entire time. The mother was not phased at all. The crew did not say or do anything about it. I agree with Southwest. If someone's child is that disruptive, get them off the plane.

countrygirl2

I AGREE WITH THE CREW'S DECISION. THE MOTHER COULD HAVE PREPARED THE CHILD FOR THE TRIP (MEDICTION, PERHAPS) AND AT LEAST HAVE BEEN AGREEABLE WITH THE CREW WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP. I TRAVELED WITH 4 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 ONCE AND DID NOT GET KICKED OFF. MY CHILDREN BEHAVED FOR THEIR MOTHER.

kimmyc

I am so disappointed that they apologized. It is not okay to bring a child who screams onto a plane, into a restaurant, or any other public place that people have a right to be and enjoy themselves without some child ruining their day. Parents need to parent. Give your kid tryptophan not juice. juice is sugar and no wheat either as that is sugar.

kimmyc

I am so sick and tired of people who don't parent. I have had meals ruined, flights ruined... if parents can't keep their kids under control, they shouldn't travel with them or take them to restaurants. Anyone dumb enough to give a kid juice (straight sugar) shouldn't be allowed to parent. Food can alter a persons behavior. Give a child a meal including tryptophan before traveling (turkey/bananas/raw milk from grass fed cows/raw gruyere /hummus/lentils/kelp/nuts/nut milk/fish.
NO juice/junk food or wheat as wheat converts to sugar and we all know what happens to kids who eat sugar. parents need to start assuming responsibility and get off of their entitled band wagon. learn to parent.

maria

Thank God someone finally addressed the issue of poorly behaved children on planes!
If a parent can't control their child's behavior on a flight, do everyone a favor and rent a car.

sherikinler

Southwest was ABSOLUTELY right in kicking off the screaming child and mother; and, I don't feel SW was obligated to buy a portacrib for the women (diapers maybe)~~where was the kid sleeping while she was initially staying with her parents??????

With airline rates, rules, etc escalating, paying passengers have SOME RIGHTS AS WELL and should not have to listen to an uncontrollable child

Julie

I say give the kid a valium and stick him in the overhead compartment.

grannyjanny

If I had been on that flight, I would have passed the hat to reward the crew with the good sense to bounce the brat and his senseless mom! And put in 10 bucks to boot.

sierra16

I hope some of the passengers decide to file a lawsuit against Mrs. Root for the inconvenience her lack of control over her child caused them! Really, though, parents need to stop appeasing their children and start disciplining them. I am fed up with screaming kids in the grocery store, running about, disrespecting the adults around them. This is all just one story of millions where lousy parents are concerned.

Scott

Ok, so Southwest apologized. Has Mrs. Root written an apology to each passenger on the flight? Has she offered an 'I'm sorry' for the jaw-grinding noise, the uncontrollable kid and the delayed departure and arrivals? Did she start preparing Adam days in advance with the admonition that should he choose to misbehave he would not enjoy the consequences? I will cheerfully suffer little Adam's dramas if Mrs. Root agrees to pay for my ticket. Otherwise, I paid for the ticket and she needs to take Kidzilla off the flight, to the restroom and rearrange his attitude.

Kevin John Gilhooly

SWA absolutely did the right thing. After spending time with crying children flying both ways across the Atlantic last month, I don't think I could tolerate a screaming child. Crying is a physical symptom which parents should know how to correct, but a yelling child just shows the parent is completely clueless.

Jimmy theSuperstar

Kick them off!!!... this goes for all public places.

B Hickey

Oh, the horrors of the 9-hour flight last summer from Dallas to London with a screaming, kicking child the ENTIRE the way, the ENTIRE time! Would the flight attendantants have asked that mother and child to remove themselves before we even took off, the flight would have been much less grueling for passengers in his immediate vicinity (I, sitting right next to him).

Was Southwest correct? You betcha - and they shouldn't have had to compensate one iota. This is coming from a mother who traveled with a child cross country over 10 times her first 2 years of life.

I'm all for a "childrens' section" of the plane on any flight - right by the galley and restrooms, not mixed among the other passengers.

Plus, I think all passengers, infants, children under 2 included, should have to buy a seat. This having the child sit on the adult's lap really inconveniences the people sitting next to that ''double' passenger. The extra 'stuff' parents have to lug aboard for infants/toddlers and the lack of the extra seat really makes it difficult to store everything within the confines of one seat area with the child on the lap. It always spills over to the other passenger's area.

Those two solutions would make flying more comfortable for families and other passengers alike. Thanks for letting me rant and rave.
.

irishguypa

Yet another case of poor parenting!! SW was totally correct in removing Ms. Root and her unruly child. When we will ever stop to consider the rights of all the other passengers to a safe and "quiet" flight. Rewarding victims is, in this case, and all others, definitely NOT the answer.

Tracy Lea

Root should have offered to take another flight as she was ruining the experience for the other passengers who have paid for their seats and do not deserve that nonsense, not to mention making it unsafe. I have experienced many flights where parents fly with unruly children and are typically unapologetic. If my dog barked non-stop on the plane, it would be unacceptable and I would cease to travel with her. But she doesn't. And, I pay $100 each way for her. We live in the age of entitlement sadly. Southwest does a great job. They deal with so much nonsense for enough pay. Like screaming children.

Rosemary G.

I completely agree with Southwest Airline's action to take this unruly child off the plane. I agree that it could be a safety issue, but what about the issue of other passengers' rights? There is an avoidance in taking any position against any policy that is not "family friendly". But being stuck on a plane with a screaming child ruins the trip for an entire planeload of people! How about "passenger friendly"? When you are waiting to board a plane and see a noisy baby/toddler, how many of you secretly say, "Please God, don't let them sit near me."? If a child is not old enough to behave on a trip, that child should stay home. Parents don't take children to restaurants if they aren't old enough to behave well during a meal. Well, at least in restaurants, other diners can leave. Passengers on a plane don't have that option. So it's up to airlines to have a policy to protect the peace for the majority of their customers.

clsports3

The crew did the wrong thing. I hate crying kids, but they always calm down. SW is the worst airline to fly. They can't even assign you a seat.. why would you fly them? It's stupid. They are stupid.

Brandon

Not only should airlines practice this policy, but so should movie theatres. In fact, movie theatres should do this more so because a movie is a "listening" event.

edwardreichbach

The crew did the right thing. No one should be subjected to screaming child on any flight.