Family thrown off flight b/c toddler wouldn’t wear a mask!

giselle

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 10:43 am

newbie613 wrote:

Asking sincerely, how would you have reacted facing the fact that you and your six kids might be thrown off the flight? I could see my 2 year old refusing and nothing I would do would convince him.

In a calmer manner, because ultimately her screaming got her nowhere and just traumatized her kids. Again, not because I’m a better person, but because I’m lucky to have learned these skills. I see situations all the time that are not handled well due to lack of skills, and everyone just ends up stressed out. It doesn’t have to be this way. That’s all I’m saying. There’s literally no judgment on my part. I’m trying to make people aware that there is a better way. It’s like when people here post very stressful parenting moments that can be avoided, and someone posts excellent advice and then gets told they don’t understand kids or whatever. That’s not true. I don’t know why people just assume things have to be a certain way. Just like it’s not a rule that kids have to be ungrateful and complain because that’s what kids do, it’s not a rule that we have to respond to bad behavior with our own yelling and screaming.

giselle

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 10:45 am

newbie613 wrote:

Can you please share the skills? I sometimes overreact and would love to have an idea how to stay calm and communicate effectively.

To start with, you can read up on the DBT interpersonal skills, but ideally you should take a course or work with a therapist who is trained in this area. For most people it’s not an easy overnight thing to change.

little neshamala

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:02 am

keym wrote:

The problem with this is simple. As of the morning of the flight, the airline website stated that children 2 and younger. Her child was 2 so everything was fine.
The airline changed policy.

What's crazy is that the airline only changed the policy AFTER this incident occured! They were trying to do damage control but it only makes them look worse imo

newcomer

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:08 am

As of last week, they did have the policy that people of all ages needed to wear masks. They may have gone back and forth with changing policy, but it isn't as though it was never required on their planes.

Most likely in this case, it isn't worth it to go to trial for them. So they will probably settle. But these kind of lawsuits don't end in the millions like some people here are assuming.

ETA I had read an article prior to this story occurring that JetBlue and Southwest were the strictest in regard to masks, no exceptions for young children. It's very possible that the policy had changed and the flight attendant somehow hadn't been properly informed. Maybe she was covering someone else's shift last minute, etc. So, in a case like that, it's going to be hard to prove she had personal animosity to this specific family. I agree they will still settle. But probably for a few thousand, and an apology.

Last edited by newcomer on Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:11 am; edited 1 time in total

giselle

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:09 am

newcomer wrote:

My guess is that the family doesn’t want to take this sitting down and it’s not that they’re looking for a large payout necessarily. And I don’t blame them.

trixx

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:12 am

giselle wrote:

Right. Perfect example of a lack of interpersonal skills. No need for your nasty comment. I’m not judging. Had I been there, I would have stuck up for this mom completely. Jet Blue behaved atrociously. When we encounter people who behave like this, there are ways we can respond for our own benefit. Even if the flight attendant deserved to be yelled at. It just didn’t benefit anyone ultimately. That’s all I’m trying to say. Not judging mom, just wondering if it would have benefited her to have better skills.

Btw one of the people who introduced me to those skills used an example that happened to her with an airline as well (hey maybe it was JetBlue). She handled it very well using her skills and ultimately was rewarded. Not because she is a better person than this mom (for whom I feel very bad), but because she was more skilled.

You're judging by virtue of suggesting there was something else the mom could have done, but she didn't, because she was lacking skills. That may or may not be true, but it already happened, so you're passing judgment on history.

giselle

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:13 am

trixx wrote:

I’m not, but I see you’re insistent on insisting so, so I will respectfully bow out from this conversation which I have nothing more to add to.

newcomer

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:14 am

I don't know. I don't like "boy who cried wolf" stories about anti semitism. I don't think it helps us in the long run. Sure, they can make a splashy point. But to what end? I guess I am kind of old fashioned when it comes to being in galus, as wonderful as America has been. Save it for when it really counts.

SuperWify

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:16 am

newcomer wrote:

Who said anti Semitism? What about just treating someone else unfairly and cruelly.

Blessing1

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:28 am

trixx wrote:

The mom sent a message to @mlwdesignny - check her stories.
You weren't there so cut the judgment.

Did you see how they replied to the mom? She brought up Nazi Germany. We shouldn't be bringing up Nazi Germany whenever anyone behaves wrongfully towards us. This might just attract more negative attention. I think her response is harsh in general. She's making it seem like only jews are required to wear masks and that places that require masks have lost their humanity. This is pretty harsh. Seems like she's starting an anti mask movement, this is bad news. The stories she's been posting are in bad taste, especially coming from jews.

Last edited by Blessing1 on Thu, Aug 20 2020, 12:29 pm; edited 6 times in total

little neshamala

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:31 am

newcomer wrote:

The picture I saw fron the jet blue website said that everyone must wear a mask that covers their mouth and nose. The next sentence said that small children who are unable to keep a mask on are excempt.

This was the policy until AFTER the incident occured, when they changed it to include children aged 2 and above.

Last edited by little neshamala on Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:32 am; edited 1 time in total

Sweet as Pie

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:31 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

Children with Autism are thrown off of flights on a near daily basis it seems.

Advance clearance from the airline, copies of the ADA rules, and multiple letters from doctors, will still mean nothing to a cranky airline steward who wants to run their own little kingdom.

Many 2 year olds are still really sensory, and haven't learned how to process too much physical input and "just deal with it". They don't have the skills yet!

It restores a little bit of my faith in humanity, that the majority of the passengers stood up for the poor mom. It must have been a big comfort to her to have people stick up for her, instead of just "blaming the Jews".

I absolutely hope that all of her kids' tuition, bar and bas mitzvas, and weddings get paid for out of this.

The airlines really changed over the years. Many years ago when I traveled with an airline my daughter who is sensory was throwing a huge fit and was screaming and crying and not handling things so one of the stewards sent over a tablet for my daughter to play with and I was so impressed that they cared

newcomer

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:33 am

I'm just telling you the news article I had read last week. Prior to all this. I specifically remember it, because the point was how these airlines were so strict, with no exceptions.
It was on yahoo news. Had nothing to do with this story, which happened later.
That was ,at one point anyway, their policy.

little neshamala

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 11:43 am

newcomer wrote:

Yes, but this is distracting from the main point, which is that at the time the story occured, Jet Blue's policy, while strict, did specify that small children who can not keep a mask on are excempt.

Lady A

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 12:23 pm

The fact that they chose THIS family to exercise a new policy that hadn’t even started yet kind of smacks of anti semitism. You can’t tell me that every other family with toddlers kept a mask over that child’s face the whole flight.
They found a mom traveling with 6 kids and some flight attendant got on a power trip.
I hope they win a HUGE settlement!

nchr

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 12:27 pm

giselle wrote:

I’m not, but I see you’re insistent on insisting so, so I will respectfully bow out from this conversation which I have nothing more to add to.

Just want to tell you that I agree with you. I'm sorry that your reasonable, healthy suggestions are being attacked.

MiracleMama

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 12:38 pm

bzb wrote:

Even the most unreasonable very almost 3 yr old can be bribed with a lolly. Cmon.
Stick a lolly in her mouth and all would’ve been good .
Or Instead of using all ur energy on the stupid flight attendant use it to TALK to ur ,again, basically 3 yr old.
Honey, do u want to see the big plane go high in the sky? Great! We gotta keep this on tilllll we’re up in shamayim! And while ur wearing the mask, let’s pick out which treat ur gonna want when we are in shamayim.
Cmon.

So stick a lolly in the kids mouth and then a mask on top of that? Sounds very safe. Can't Believe It

mommy3b2c

Thu, Aug 20 2020, 12:44 pm

I just watched the video. I don’t know why everyone is saying she was screaming and yelling. She was actually really quiet and composed all things considering. You heard the desperation and hysteria in her voice but she did not resort to screaming or any offensive language. It was others who were screaming and yelling. And jet blue is so stupid. Why any company would ever act like this is beyond me. Don’t they want business?