Garren Penland, a 19-month old Houston lad, loves to talk. And after he and his mother Kate waited eleven hours to board a Continental Express plane in Houston to visit relatives in Oklahoma, you would think his bubbly demeanor and happy disposition would have been a welcome relief for flight attendants.
But apparently Garren's simple repetition of the phrase "Bye Bye Plane!" so annoyed a flight attendant that Garren and his mother had to be summarily ejected from their flight.
Penland assumed the employee was not serious and did not respond. However, "She then said, 'You know, it's called baby Benadryl,' referring to an anti-histamine medication known for its side effect of inducing sleep. And I said, 'Well, I'm not going to drug my child so you have a pleasant flight,'" Penland said.
According to Penland, fellow passengers spoke up on the pair's behalf, a situation that only hardened the flight attendant's resolve. Soon the pilot announced that they were turning around and that Penland and Garren were going to be taken off the plane.
"I was crying, I was upset and I was thinking, 'What am I going to do? I don't have anything with me. I don't have any more diapers for the baby, no juice, no milk," said Penland.
Apparently, the angry flight attendant had informed the pilot that Penland had threatened her. Penland said that never happened.
According to the airline, "We received Ms. Penland's letter expressing her concerns and intend to investigate its contents."
Speaking up for the Penlands, a fellow passenger told Atlanta TV station WSB that none of the other passengers had problems with Garren, and that no threats were made.
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Comments: 80
I saw an Alfred Hitchcock TV show where an elderly crossing guard's life was ruined because a mother called him "an officious old man." He was, made those kids toe the line. It quickly got translated into "vicious" and things went downhill from there.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/07/12/kim.ga.toddler.kicked.off.plane.wsb
tamara k., Jul 12, 2007, 12:48pm EDT "
Actually I think it should go one step further...seperate planes would be really nice.
LOL That's kind of dramatic, isn't it? I think it sounds like an excellent idea. I think we should start a petition drive and get that rule implemented right away. I'd prefer a whole seperate plane for them but I'd be happy with a special section for them ..... if that's the best we could do.
And to answer the comment as to whether or not I was "joking"..sorry, I am totally serious! I have taken hundreds of flights. I lost count of how many flights I was on where I was miserable the entire time because of some uncontrolled kid with parents who didn't give a damn. I've had my seat kicked non stop on flights that go all the way across the friggin ocean. I've had the kid in the seat behind me spend hours opening and slamming tray table which just happens to be attached to my seat. I've had kids reaching between the seats and pulling my hair while I'm trying to sleep and the parents do nothing about them, even after I have asked politely. I could go on an on and on.
And I'm really confused as to what "all that's good in the world" has to do with children?
Lera, a special section would only work if there was a solid wall between the sections and no door!
I don't have a problem with separate sections or separate flights -- I appreciate the spirit in which the suggestion was offered.
Talk about whacking people's schedules all to heck because of a chatty baby! What would the attendant done with a screaming, crying baby??? Throw the mother and child out a door?
Well, I would have given them a parachute. I'm not THAT heartless.
We need to petition for a trap door on planes now.
LOL Lera, trap doors?
All cold medicines are basically good for is a tiny bit of relief of symptoms anyway -- a cold lasts the same amount of time no matter how many of them you take. I never touch them myself. Just regular tylenol or advil if I have a headache.
Duct tape is a wonderous thing!
I still like the duct tape idea. It's so cheap, too.
Maybe their give-a-damn is busted?
(sorry, couldn't resist)
I believe seperating the "families" from the adults who do not wish to be in the presence of unruly children is a very acceptable practice and should be encouraged to keep peace in the world! I don't go hang out at Chuckie Cheese and try to ruin the kids experience...why are they in my world ruining mine?
Duct tape is always my first choice Elizabeth!
LOL mike, I only had to have my a@@ beat once to learn a lesson. My mom had a board that was manufactured just for spanking! I had a cartoon image of a little kid bent over with his hands on his butt and stars all around it and in big read letters it said "HEAT FOR THE SEAT." And believe me you, that thing would heat your seat up!
I would love a separate area, but if I had to pay more money there would be no way. I want to go with my hubby on a business trip sometime but I'm very worried about how my 3 month old would react (much less breastfeeding on the plane) so for now I'm waiting. I think that's another thing too, if you KNOW your child is going to scream and run and be horrible b/c they've done it before that's one thing. If your child isn't usually like that and it's your first plane trip you just don't know!
I find the benadryl suggestion horrible as well. I know it works for some but that doesn't mean there aren't risks and side effects. And for some children it makes them hyper so if the child is one of those you really don't want them taking it! Here on webmd (http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-5135-Benadryl+Decongestant+Oral.aspx?drugid=5135&drugname=Benadryl+Decongestant+Oral) it says that in rare cases it can even cause seizures. I won't want to risk it with my daughter.
Chris, I have had the same experience at restaurants as well, and not only is it annoying, I find it dangerous. Wait staff carry very heavy trays, with one run smash from a running child it could be harmful, to that child and/or to others.
My sister-in-law had this bizarre faith in children's Tylenol. When her daughter was a toddler she gave it to her several times a day, every day. I'm not sure what she thought she was getting out of it. I think she looked at the kid as a fashion accessory. There was the trazadone period too when the kid was 7 or so.
It's part of living in a society to share space with children, even if you don't have any of your own. They didn't strangle you when you were a kid (and yes, ask your parents if you weren't as obnoxious a brat as the ones you complain about). Now it's your turn to at least tolerate children. Are there parents who don't try to get their kids to consider others at all? Yes. Do they have to be dragged into every single discussion of a case where a baby is taken off a plane for being a baby? I can't see why.
I have used Benadryl on flights with my first child when he was a baby, and it did help him sleep, but I used it because of his allergies and frequent ear infections. It is true that it will make some kids hyper and it is true that it's not recommended for youg children. Nothing is recommended for children under two (all children's OTC medicines say you should seek the advice of a physician before giving them to children under two). And there have actually been a few cases of children dying after being given Benadryl, mostly at day care centers. (
Here's a report.) So the flight attendant's quip was way out of line: rude, unprofessional, and downright dangerous. And she's the adult, for crying out loud. And the employee. And this is about obnoxious kids?!
They had said: My kids never behaved like this on a plane.
I responded: Madam, YOUR kids never flew in an airplane. Your kids were raised in the 50s. My kids got up more than 12 hours ago and we just spent 3 hours in the airport without food. Believe me, after they eat they will fall asleep quicker than you will and you will have a pleasant flight. I'm sorry your seat is next to ours. Maybe you can find a seat not so close to us. We reserved this bulkhead seat weeks ago and cannot move, but if you want to move, go right ahead.
One of the passengers did move. My kids fell asleep right after eating. After my beer, I fell asleep, too.
I think it's interesting that other passengers have verified the mom is telling the truth.