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Autistic child kicked off flight

by Iva Skoch (RSS feed) on Jun 25th 2008 at 5:00PM

This is an unbelievable story. It would also make you think we live in old communist Russia, not a country priding itself for valuing diversity.

Yes, a mother and her child were kicked off an American Eagle flight because she "wasn't able to control her toddler."

According to ABC Eyewitness News, the mother says she was "doing all she could to calm the autistic boy," but got "no sympathy from the flight crew."

The flight attendant kept coming over and tugging the kid's seatbelt to make it tighter. He, in turn, kept wiggling around and trying to get out of his seatbelt. And, according to the mother, the flight attendant kept coming over, reprimanding him, and yelling at him until he got really upset and started rolling around on the floor. At which point, everyone involved lost it.

Then, the pilot apparently made an announcement that there was a woman and her child on the plane and the child is uncontrollable. He turned the plane around and headed back to the terminal.

American Airlines (American Eagle's parent), of course, had a different story. They said the mother was pitching a "raging fit" and refused to comply with FAA regulations.

My question is: what did the other passengers do? Did they try to help the mother? Did they offer to wait until the child settles down? Or, do we live in a world where independent judgment and flexibility have vanished?

Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines

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Reader Comments (Page 22 of 22)

sammy Jul 8th 2008 8:29PM

Thank you to all who have had enough with enabled parents of autistic children. While autism is a real condition it is seriously overdiagnosed to cover bad parenting. In my numerous years in public education, I have had enough of these poor-me give my kid all the attention mentality of these parents. This kid was endangering passengers can causing a business money. This is not the coddled special ed world of "let's desclate and give boundries". This is the real world that your special ed mentality is not preparing you for. Kudos to the airline!

Ordover Jul 8th 2008 11:29PM

Again, the child was sitting in his seat with his seat belt buckled until the Flight Attendant kept at him and yelled at him. Autistic or not, that could push any 2.5 year old over the edge.

Kay Jul 8th 2008 11:29PM

What happened to bringing things to keep your children occupied coloring books, Hell now there are dvds you can bring around with you. and if none of that works Tylenol PM! come on. I know how bad it can get I work in a resturant and basically people dont care what happens with their children while they are in public, last night we had a baby sitting at a table at 10:00 pm, let the child cry for 2 HOURS disrupting the other guests, but we cannot ask them to leave. Bottom line, control your kids or dont bring them out!!!! anywhere

Cheeky Aug 11th 2008 6:07PM

You breeders need to get over yourselves. You are rude and inconsiderate to bring a child that cannot behave on a flight. And those of you who bring infants and babies on flights - you're the worst! There are many of us who are not amused when your little fucktrophy goes into a nonstop crying spell. I get extremely nervous and quite frankly, if I could, I would throw the little squalling maggot off of the plane.