Debate of the day - Cancer researcher kicked off plane for b

[Opti]

rest feeding toddler.

www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/breastfeeding-mom-kicked-off-spirit-airlines-flight-humiliating-chased-off-plane-192735749.html

Anyone read or know about this? I was wondering what the real deal was until I noticed the word toddler. The clip didn't play on my laptop so hoping the board can tell me what they think.

The internet is locked into a fierce debate over a cancer researcher who was kicked off a Spirit Airlines flight for breastfeeding her toddler.

On Friday, Mei Rui, a cancer researcher and concert pianist, was aboard a Spirit Airlines flight from her hometown of Houston to Newark, N.J. The trip was in relation to a clinical cancer study in New York, according to the Washington Post, and Rui’s elderly parents were along for the ride.

When the plane was delayed due to icy conditions, Rui began breastfeeding her son, in an attempt to calm him. “Every parent with a young child can [imagine], you don’t want to be that parent on the plane,” Rui told the Post. “It would be very embarrassing. I was just trying to avoid that.”

[thyme4change]

Why does her job have anything to do with this? Should we feel differently if it was an accountant or a musician?

[resolution]

I thought the issue was that they were ready to take off and she wanted to finish breastfeeding him, so she wouldn't put him in his seat? She wanted them to hold the plane and wait for her to finish.

[gooddecisions]

I watched a marathon of that reality show Airline, one uneventful day pre-kids (of course). I'm convinced all airline workers are trained to escalate situations rather than defuse. There is simply no other excuse. I would be so tressed out watching that show and how poorly they responded to even the most innocuous incidents with absolutely no empathy for the customer. And this is something Southwest airlines produced!

[swasat]

Dec 12, 2017 11:54:24 GMT -5 resolution said:

I thought the issue was that they were ready to take off and she wanted to finish breastfeeding him, so she wouldn't put him in his seat? She wanted them to hold the plane and wait for her to finish.

Thats how I understand it too.

[dezii]

Dec 12, 2017 12:19:46 GMT -5 swasat said:

Dec 12, 2017 11:54:24 GMT -5 resolution said:

I thought the issue was that they were ready to take off and she wanted to finish breastfeeding him, so she wouldn't put him in his seat? She wanted them to hold the plane and wait for her to finish.

Thats how I understand it too.

Just was wondering , how long it would take the child to finish feeding...vs how long it took after the inevitable back and forth, to deplane family, parents...plus luggage or will that stay with plane and then be delivered, [cost to airline] plus understand family given fare back....Seems better decision would be for the kid to finish feeding...then take off..just saying..

[gooddecisions]

Dec 13, 2017 18:13:28 GMT -5 dezii said:

Dec 12, 2017 12:19:46 GMT -5 swasat said:

Thats how I understand it too.

Just was wondering , how long it would take the child to finish feeding...vs how long it took after the inevitable back and forth, to deplane family, parents...plus luggage or will that stay with plane and then be delivered, [cost to airline] plus understand family given fare back....Seems better decision would be for the kid to finish feeding...then take off..just saying..

Not to mention, the two year old in question was already buckled and crying in his seat when she came back and told them to get off the plane.

[dezii]

Dec 13, 2017 20:46:10 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Dec 13, 2017 18:13:28 GMT -5 dezii said:

Just was wondering , how long it would take the child to finish feeding...vs how long it took after the inevitable back and forth, to deplane family, parents...plus luggage or will that stay with plane and then be delivered, [cost to airline] plus understand family given fare back....Seems better decision would be for the kid to finish feeding...then take off..just saying..

Not to mention, the two year old in question was already buckled and crying in his seat when she came back and told them to get off the plane.

What ever happened to common sense...it's not like for a plane to be late is such a rare happening ...and today with head wins one way or another, how remarkable it is that planes arrive on time or a bit earlier as often as being a bit late...

It's almost like the workers have been trained one way and what has been forgotten is they are dealing with human beings..Sh*t happens...so remember what u have been taught, stay with company policy but common sense too plus remember, we do have competition out there, these passengers are our customers, with out them we as a business are in trouble..though today the way they schedule and offer flights it seems most trips always seem to be filled.

It's been a while since I have flown, possible never again...Jet Blue was my favorite ride...a few bucks more and usually paid the premium for the extra leg room and for where I was going, Boston, Hartford, direct flights...plus found even the captains comments amusing and found if u asked quietly and politely, the attendents would give u extra chips or peanuts..

[Gardening Grandma]

Dec 13, 2017 20:46:10 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Dec 13, 2017 18:13:28 GMT -5 dezii said:

Just was wondering , how long it would take the child to finish feeding...vs how long it took after the inevitable back and forth, to deplane family, parents...plus luggage or will that stay with plane and then be delivered, [cost to airline] plus understand family given fare back....Seems better decision would be for the kid to finish feeding...then take off..just saying..

Not to mention, the two year old in question was already buckled and crying in his seat when she came back and told them to get off the plane.

According to the mom. Who, wrongly claimed she was kicked off for breastfeeding. I’m leaning toward the flight attendants on this one.  

[wmpeon]

I'm with the airline on this one.  The mother claimed she was breastfeeding while the plane door was still open.  Every time I've flown, the door is closed immediately after boarding.  So either she was breastfeeding while a stream of passengers were bumping, and jostling, and slamming around their luggage during boarding, or she was doing it once passengers were seated and the doors were closed.  I have to believe the doors were already closed.

The airline claims they were taxiing, and I find that believable.  Attendants make a final check to prep for takeoff, and would demand folks put away their electronics, put their seats and tray tables up, and also demand that all passengers be seated and buckled.  Sorry, the airline isn't going to wait for you to finish feeding your toddler.  

[thyme4change]

I don't think a good policy is to let it be known that the airline will hold the plane for you while you finish whatever thing it is that needs to be halted, as long as that activity will take less time than an argument and getting you removed from the plane. Every passenger will insist they need just one more minute to finish their spreadsheet, or just need to stand up and rummage through their bag for just a bit, or whatever. Planes will be delayed all the time for dumb crap.

[dezii]

Not worth the back and forth here but if I was a betting person , I would put up s $100.00
that it took at least 15 minutes to taxi back to the loading...arguing with passenger..getting parents , luggage above, opening and closing plane doors, getting back in line to take off...say20/25 minutes as I think about it...

[zibazinski]

Point made the world doesn’t revolve around you-priceless.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

She wasn't kicked off for breastfeeding, if that was the case she would have been kicked off at the start.   The airline refused to hold off on taking off until she was finished.  Big difference.

As for what to do if the baby is not done, you pop them off and stick a binky/bottle in their mouth.  If the child starts crying you flip anyone who glares are you the bird and move on.   It's not like you will see these people again, having them dislike you for the few hours you are in the air is not a big deal.

The ladies who work in clinical positions in the hospital have to work around their schedules, patients don't wait to code until after they are done pumping/nursing.  I'm not going to feel sorry for this women that airline wouldn't wait to take off until she was done.

You need to accept that the rest of the world doesn't revolve around your breastfeeding schedule, you have to make breastfeeding fit in as best you can.   Which means if you are on an active runway and the steward tells you to you need to stop and buckle of your kid you don't ask for more time.   You can continue after the plane has taken off.   Yeah it sucks to have to stop mid session but lots of women have to do it at one point or another and we all survive just fine.

I get really tired of women like this being held up as examples.  It takes away from the real issues with breastfeeding in this country.  It makes the rest of us look like whiny entitled victims.

[dezii]

Dec 14, 2017 9:33:49 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

She wasn't kicked off for breastfeeding, if that was the case she would have been kicked off at the start.   The airline refused to hold off on taking off until she was finished.  Big difference.

As for what to do if the baby is not done, you pop them off and stick a binky/bottle in their mouth.  If the child starts crying you flip anyone who glares are you the bird and move on.   It's not like you will see these people again, having them dislike you for the few hours you are in the air is not a big deal.

The ladies who work in clinical positions in the hospital have to work around their schedules, patients don't wait to code until after they are done pumping/nursing.  I'm not going to feel sorry for this women that airline wouldn't wait to take off until she was done.

You need to accept that the rest of the world doesn't revolve around your breastfeeding schedule, you have to make breastfeeding fit in as best you can.   Which means if you are on an active runway and the steward tells you to you need to stop and buckle of your kid you don't ask for more time.   You can continue after the plane has taken off.   Yeah it sucks to have to stop mid session but lots of women have to do it at one point or another and we all survive just fine.

I get really tired of women like this being held up as examples.  It takes away from the real issues with breastfeeding in this country.  It makes the rest of us look like whiny entitled victims.

Still think a bit of common sense would have solved problem for all...

[cktc]

I think airlines need to make their policies clearer because it seems passengers, this woman included are continually missing the point. If you don't comply with the staff immediately, you will be removed. Once the attendant goes to speak with the pilot and arrange security it is too late to say, "I'll listen now." Security should also be trained to explain the situation and diffuse it with some empathy rather than saying "I would never find myself in this position."

[Gardening Grandma]

Agree with the last two posts, but there always seem to be folks who don't think the rules should apply to THEM.....

Seriously, I've travelled with a toddler and an infant at the same time; I had a plan to keep the toddler occupied and happy and a backup plan as well.  Had I been breastfeeding, I'd have had a bottle of breastmilk handy.  I sure as heck would not have expected a plane to wait til I was done with whatever I was doing.  It's not like passengers have never heard a kid screaming on a plane before.

[steph08]

I agree with most comments here - I side with the airlines/flight attendants on this one. The mother said he would be done in a few minutes or whatever. Uh, no. The flight isn't going to be held until you finish uploading your latest Instagram post on your phone, they're not going to wait for anything. It's not really a choice. 

I might have more sympathy if this was an infant, say under six months who relied on breastmilk as a primary nutrition source. This is not the case - also, then that would be a lap infant so staying with the mom wouldn't be an issue. But this is a two-year-old who needed to be in his own seat.  

[dezii]

Dec 14, 2017 12:39:12 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Agree with the last two posts, but there always seem to be folks who don't think the rules should apply to THEM.....

Seriously, I've travelled with a toddler and an infant at the same time; I had a plan to keep the toddler occupied and happy and a backup plan as well.  Had I been breastfeeding, I'd have had a bottle of breastmilk handy.  I sure as heck would not have expected a plane to wait til I was done with whatever I was doing.  It's not like passengers have never heard a kid screaming on a plane before.

I thought the same thing..having a bottle ready with her milk...put the kid in the seat...give it the bottle...

[swamp]

I side with the airline, but............

I was "that mom" once.    We were traveling with the kids.  DD was being a pill, she was about 16 months old and figured out how to unbuckle the seatbelt.  She kept undoing it and climbing on my lap while were waiting to take off.  No amount of talking to an 16 month old will get them to comply.   I was sweating from wrestling with her.   I was on the verge of tears. 

I gave up and put her on my lap.  The flight attendant told me she had to be put in a seat. I put here there again. DD again took the belt off and climbed on my lap.   I explained to the flight attendant that DD was 16 months and I was going to treat her as a lap traveler.  The attendant didn't believe me she was 18 months old and told me, "that child is not 16 month, she's 3."    I had to argue that she was not 3, she's just big.  DH was sitting behind me and was not amused either.     The flight attendant tried to talk to DD and explain, and i think then she realized that DD was not 3. 

Not everyone is an entitled ass.