United Airlines popcorn controversy: What sayeth the Dis?

[Pink Partridge]

Sorry, the clientele that goes to theme parks are pretty much the same.

Busch Gardens has a very different clientele than Disney World.

I have never been to Busch Gardens without seeing several fist fights, screaming, cursing, etc. Does it happen at WDW? Yes. More and more lately because people are truly evolving to trash. But you can't compare BG and WDW.

I no longer go to BG, as I am actually scared for my safety there. I wondered on my last visit if my car would be broken into at the end of the day.

 

[Genie+]

I think the husband was the biggest jerk For getting out his bullhorn to blast this across the stratosphere. What does he want? On one hand maybe United could’ve handled it differently, but so could HIS family. Neither side is 100% in the right*. So really, what the heck does he want?

eta - * I say this because the example of a movie theatre was a good one. And say a kid does drop their bucket. Depending on the situation maybe I do not have them pick it alllll up because a broom and pan will make it much easier work, and only employees have access.

ETA again- I also wouldn’t have given a 2yr old a huge amount to spill in the first place, the 5yo a little more

 

[monsterkitty]

So if she is sitting across the aisle, she should be watching her children. Especially the 2 year old who is eating something that is a choking hazard.

She watched all of that popcorn fall to the floor and didn't intervene? Lazy parenting. And then for her husband to post it like she was the victim? Lol. He did not get the response he thought he would.

Quite frankly, I would have flown coach and sat in the middle of my two young children.

If one of them had a kernel lodged in her throat, would they post on the "Kernel stuck in my throat" thread?

Admit it, I'm not the only who thought of that thread while reading this one!

 

[mrodgers]

I know how to fix that quickly. Every flight attendant should call off work until they are paid for the time that they work. I give it 2 days of grounded flights. Absolutely pathetic not to pay flight attendants once the doors open.

Definitely agree.

My first job was a grocery store. The year after school I went night shift until I landed my job. 11pm truck didn't show up until 3 am and we weren't allowed to work overtime. At 8:30 I hear the #2 guy walk through hollering at us, "I got the time cards." I asked what he meant and was told he was heading back to punch us all off the clock. I stood up right there and started walking. I was smart enough at 20 to know I don't work and make money for someone else for free.

 

[sam_gordon]

The mom was only across the aisle to take the picture. I don't think that she was sitting there. Who sits that far away from their 2 year old. If she did, then wow, that is even worse parenting than making a mess.

Based on what? There are only two seats in the row in the picture. So, either she put the two kids side by side and she sat on the other side (I find that understandable). If the youngest one is two, she doesn't qualify as a lap child, so everyone needs their own seat.

 

[sam_gordon]

Definitely agree.

My first job was a grocery store. The year after school I went night shift until I landed my job. 11pm truck didn't show up until 3 am and we weren't allowed to work overtime. At 8:30 I hear the #2 guy walk through hollering at us, "I got the time cards." I asked what he meant and was told he was heading back to punch us all off the clock. I stood up right there and started walking. I was smart enough at 20 to know I don't work and make money for someone else for free.

I know how to fix that quickly. Every flight attendant should call off work until they are paid for the time that they work. I give it 2 days of grounded flights. Absolutely pathetic not to pay flight attendants once the doors open.

Or it's possible the FAs know what they're getting paid for, and their hourly rate is higher to "make up" for the work they do while it's 'unpaid'. You know, sort of like how teachers are paid for the hours schools are in session, but they spend many hours outside of that coming up with lesson plans, grading papers, meeting with parents and faculty, etc.

 

[Lilsia]

Based on what? There are only two seats in the row in the picture. So, either she put the two kids side by side and she sat on the other side (I find that understandable). If the youngest one is two, she doesn't qualify as a lap child, so everyone needs their own seat.

I guess that I am basing it off of being a mom and never in a million years would I let my 2 year old on a plane, in their own seat away from me. My kids were always right next to me. But maybe this is the one mom in a million that just doesn't give a crap about her kids.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Or it's possible the FAs know what they're getting paid for, and their hourly rate is higher to "make up" for the work they do while it's 'unpaid'. You know, sort of like how teachers are paid for the hours schools are in session, but they spend many hours outside of that coming up with lesson plans, grading papers, meeting with parents and faculty, etc.

Take a peek r/Teachers.

Many teachers are starting to out their foot down with the extra hours (and hours and hours) they spend working outside their contracted hours. And that's a good thing!

 

[Pink Partridge]

I guess that I am basing it off of being a mom and never in a million years would I let my 2 year old on a plane, in their own seat away from me. My kids were always right next to me. But maybe this is the one mom in a million that just doesn't give a crap about her kids.

Right. Again, fly coach and have each child next to you. Why wouldn't she do that?

 

[RedHead0186]

I guess that I am basing it off of being a mom and never in a million years would I let my 2 year old on a plane, in their own seat away from me. My kids were always right next to me. But maybe this is the one mom in a million that just doesn't give a crap about her kids.

So then, in a 2x2 configuration, would you sit next to the 2-year old and have the 5-year old across the aisle? (Honestly asking, no snark here.)

 

[sam_gordon]

Right. Again, fly coach and have each child next to you. Why wouldn't she do that?

Because she wanted more space and figured across the aisle is good enough? I mean parents will put two toddlers in the backseat of the car while their driving, I'd say getting across an airplane aisle is much easier than getting from the front seat to the backseat of a car in an emergency.

 

[Chuck S]

To me, I guess it depends upon the amount of popcorn strewn about. If what is shown in the one photo is all that there was, then I would think the airline would have a small onboard dustpan and small broom that could have picked that up in less than a minute, and I probably would have expecteed the flight attendants to do that. However, if it was like a bag of popcorn that spilled, yes, the passenger should have at least helped. Flight attendance have become so abused by passenger in the last few years, I can understand their position, too. But either way, those few bits of popcorn...Mom could even have made the kiddos clean it up.

That said, United is kind of a hard one to judge. I've had a couple of awful flights on United, including a flight from LA to hawaii on a fully loaded chartered 747 in 1976 where none of the restrooms were operational...a 5 hour flight. I did fly them right after the Continental merger, and the flight had a Continental crew...it was awesome. then another flight with an original united crew, and again it was awful.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Because she wanted more space and figured across the aisle is good enough? I mean parents will put two toddlers in the backseat of the car while their driving, I'd say getting across an airplane aisle is much easier than getting from the front seat to the backseat of a car in an emergency.

And yet, she didn't "get" across the airplane aisle. She sat and watched her children drop food on the floor. Then cried because she had to pick it up Then her husband posted the situation actually thinking people would rally behind him. Nuts.

Side by side, back seat, next to mom, out of view.... It doesn't seem to matter for an entitled couple like this.

 

[sam_gordon]

including a flight from LA to hawaii on a fully loaded chartered 1976 where none of the restrooms were operational...a 5 hour flight.

I'm surprised that's legal (unless the restrooms worked when they pushed back).

 

[sam_gordon]

And yet, she didn't "get" across the airplane aisle. She sat and watched her children drop food on the floor. Then cried because she had to pick it up Then her husband posted the situation actually thinking people would rally behind him. Nuts.

Side by side, back seat, next to mom, out of view.... It doesn't seem to matter for an entitled couple like this.

I was simply responding to why she chose to not sit next to her kids. Yes, I do think the parents are acting entitled.

 

[CynBeth]

Thanks for the comments fly girl. For the record….I don’t complain to anyone on a flight…ever. Only once when the man’s seat in front of me was broken and he was literally in my lap when he reclined. Even then…I had to send my husband to complain because I was trapped I’m just happy to be going somewhere…because when I’m on a flight, I’m going on vacation. Hawaii for our 25th Anniversary is up next, departing two weeks from tomorrow .

We are the same way we rarely complain to anyone about anything. We are so grateful to be on vacation or wherever we are. My DH has some food allergies and one time we were at a restaurant and when they brought his meal it had cheese in it and he felt awful he had to have it sent back and a new one made. Happy Anniversary in advance! I have been thee twice it is so amazing!

 

[mjkacmom]

The mom was only across the aisle to take the picture. I don't think that she was sitting there. Who sits that far away from their 2 year old. If she did, then wow, that is even worse parenting than making a mess.

I’ve sat across the aisle from my kids, it’s still VERY close, easy to reach out and touch them, I’d rather be across the aisle than behind or in front of them.

 

[Moliphino]

Because she wanted more space and figured across the aisle is good enough? I mean parents will put two toddlers in the backseat of the car while their driving, I'd say getting across an airplane aisle is much easier than getting from the front seat to the backseat of a car in an emergency.

In this case, what happens if the oxygen masks drop? They always instruct you to put your own on before helping anyone else, how is she going to get both small children across the aisle?

 

[Lilsia]

So then, in a 2x2 configuration, would you sit next to the 2-year old and have the 5-year old across the aisle? (Honestly asking, no snark here.)

I would not book a flight with that kind of seat configuration.

 

[Lilsia]

I’ve sat across the aisle from my kids, it’s still VERY close, easy to reach out and touch them, I’d rather be across the aisle than behind or in front of them.

I agree that it is better than that alternative. It does seem to be a smaller plane.