Growing up, I was always raised to think appropriate behavior was something to be learned from adults. I really didn’t think I’d have to give lectures to an adult about how to be an adult (even though I am one now), but then stuff like this happens.
A woman was traveling with her family on a Delta flight between Fort Lauderdale to Detroit on Monday. She got into a verbal altercation with a fellow passenger, who complained about her kids. They were allegedly being noisy and the passenger let the mother know by berating her parenting skills and throwing in “This is America!” for good measure. Because kids being rowdy doesn’t happen in America. The charmer who spewed this nonsense apparently lives in a version of America where berating a mother in front of her children makes her better behaved than they are.
The flight attendant escorted the family to the back of the plane. Several passengers tried to console the mother, who was crying after being repeatedly insulted and then relocated. Once they landed, a Delta representative apologized to the family. I can’t imagine the kids being any more disruptive than the drama that occurred as a result of the passenger’s antagonistic behavior towards the family. But why have a peaceful flight when you can make the news section of Buzzfeed with your bad attitude?
Regardless of whether the mother was being harassed because of her religion or her kids being loud, this is an absolutely despicable way to behave towards another person. Making a mother cry in front of her children makes you the ultimate ass**** and there is absolutely no excuse for it.
We obviously don’t know the full story – just the family’s account and a grainy video. However, hostility towards families on planes is not uncommon. Unless you want to charter a private jet (and let’s face it, if Conrad Hilton can’t manage that after two in-flight feakouts, there is no hope for the rest of us), then you shouldn’t act like the airplane is your private sanctuary and that not traveling with kids somehow puts you above everyone else.
Bring noise canceling headphones or spring for first class, because kids are everywhere and they are bound to cry, occasionally get loud and throw tantrums. You don’t get to claim priority over everyone else. Because the fact is, you bought a coach ticket just like the people you’re sitting next to. You’re no better or worse, except in the way you behave towards your fellow passengers.
If nothing else, let’s take one thing away from this incident: There is no good reason to make another person feel small. Especially in front of their family. There’s always a civil way to express your discontent. Pretending you have the moral high ground by being a jerk does not make you better than the people you are insulting. Most of us learned that in preschool. Some people have yet to master that concept halfway to the grave.
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