Canada Journal – News of the World Articles and videos to bring you the biggest Canadian news stories from across the country every day
Crying Toddler gets singer kicked off plane.
Sarah Blackwood says she was kicked off a United Airlines flight because her 23-month-old son was crying.
The lead singer for the Burlington based band “Walk off the Earth”, was on board a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Vancouver with her son and friend Wednesday evening, when she says they were told to get off the plane before take off, because her almost two-year-old son would not stop crying. Sarah Blackwood is also 7 months pregnant and an avid flyer. She has been traveling with her son his entire life.
She says what should have been a routine flight turned into a nightmare. “He was more fussy than usual on this flight but that’s what happens. He is a kid he is going to cry.”
She was then asked by a flight attendant to control her child on board United Flight 6223, operated by Skywest Airlines.
“I am also 7 months pregnant, so I was holding him the best that I could and he was squirming and crying really loud but everyone around didn’t mind they were fine with it and very sympathetic. I knew he was going to fall asleep, I know my son and he did fall asleep. Then they turned the plane around and got up to the gate and by the time we were at the gate my son was fully asleep and they sent a lady on the plane to ask us to leave the plane.”
Skywest airlines says “the crew made the difficult decision to remove Ms. Blackwood and her child from the flight based solely on safety concerns. Despite numerous requests, the child was not seated, as required by federal regulation to ensure passenger safety, and was repeatedly in the aisle of the aircraft before departure and during taxi.”
“I was in a window seat so there was no way he could have been running in the aisles.”
Children under two can travel on their parents lap and don’t require their own seat. Blackwood’s son is 22 months old.
Agencies/Canadajournal
I’m sorry to say that I am pleased about what United did in this situation. I’ve been on quite a few flights where parents let their kids holler and scream and run up and down the aisle and cause serious distraction to the other passengers. She says the passengers didn’t mind, but I can assure you that most of them did.
I don’t know what the solution is because I know parents have to travel with their children, but it is so miserable for travelers who want to sit back and listen to music or watch a movie. It really is unfair for those of us who don’t travel with small children.
I can understand sometimes if it is a baby, but not a child that a parent doesn’t have any control over.
I agree. I have 4 kids and I have flown with them over their years and they are grown now. to be honest she should of gotten him his own seat. Just because he could sit on her lap because he was under 2 doesn’t mean he had too. Since she was so pregnant it was just silly of her to think a 22 month boy is going to think sitting on Moms big belly for an entire flight is going to work. Since she is in this article and is a music artist she should of spend the money and got him his own seat. When I have flown the kids with their own seat did much better then those trying to share a seat with Mom or Dad. I also think that airlines have to look at the many and their flight not just the few on board that think everyone won’t mind if their child(ren) has a fit most of the way to a destination. People will make the best of it but that doesn’t mean they don’t complain later when out of earshot of the parent.
The child was sleeping as they were kicked off the plane. If an 18 month old is a threat to the airline, I will NEVER fly them!!!!! What would they do with an actual threat! That cabin staff needs SERIOUS training! United should be ashamed!
An aside, a family of 7 had to argue with United for 30 minutes to have a 4 year old sit with a family member!!! Where on earth has common sense gone! They were given no seats together….. A FAMILY!
walk off the plane………and take your miserable kid with ya!