Kid Kicks Seat, Passenger Kicks Butt

January 24, 2008

in Baby & Kid Stories

When I took a return flight from San Antonio, Texas back to Los Angeles, California I boarded like livestock on Southwest Airlines. Really no complaints until the rubber tires left the tarmac. I was hoping to enjoy the scenery on the way back but right from the moment of rubber/tarmac separation, this mother and child sitting together in one seat right behind me began to take precedence.

The little boy had to be about 3 to 4 years old. The mother had to be in her very late, “I’m better than you are,” 30 years of age. The little boy began kicking the back of the seat. kicking. Kicking. KICKING! I finally turned around and politely asked if she could please have her little boy do something else because this repetitive whiplash was really becoming annoying. She said this is what little boys do. I told her that neither of my children did that and if they did I would redirect their urge to piss somebody off. Then she said no.

A Southwest Airlines flight attendant came by who happened to have the attitude that not only was she an overpaid waitress, but she was better than me and the mother with the child put together. I asked her if she could place the mother and the child someplace else. She said no. I then asked if I could sit someplace else. She asked why. So I politely said I have already explained my issue and if she does not allow me to move to another seat, it just might be best for her to locate the air marshal now because if I have to put up with this kid kicking the back of the seat for the entire flight, I just might have to go crazy and do something ridiculous while in flight.

The flying stewardess left for a minute and came back. She pointed to a seat where I could move to. I suppose if the flying stewardesses were more attractive instead of over worked, wrinkled up, and few pounds less of makeup to hide all that wear and tear, just maybe I could have over looked the first 2 hours and 15 minutes of kicking. Needless to say, I won’t be flying Southwest Airlines anymore.

{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }

rb July 15, 2008 at 5:00 pm

What a terribly ill-behaved kid.
It sounds like you could have easily moved to another seat without waiting for attendant assistance though – especially on casual Southwest Airlines where there’s no reserved seating.

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Scott July 16, 2008 at 11:34 am

It doesn't sound like the flight attendant was really part of the issue…

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Anonymous November 16, 2008 at 8:41 am

bravo!yes,these cabin crew are really something arent they?they suck!she should have told stupid mom to straighten the brat up.

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Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 11:17 am

Just so you know, there are a lot of us with children who do not want to annoy other people and become really embarrassed if our kids start to cry or act up and bother other people. I have had to fly with a young child before and was very upset when she cried and disturbed people. We get very upset when our baby cries in restaurants and we take him outside to not disturb others. Some of us with kids do care. But sometimes there is no other convenient way to travel, it is not possible to drive. If you come across someone who is trying to control their child, or if their child is behaved, say something to them, because it means alot to be complimented.

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Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 12:20 pm

Friend of mine had a similar experience with a kicking kid and a non-parenting parent. He calmly turned, looked at the mother, making sure he had her attention and said, without too much menace:

"One of us is going to do something about your child."

The kicking stopped for the rest of the flight.

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Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 12:58 pm

Parents with children who behave should NOT be complimented. It is to be expected that you control your little brat.

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zebra April 2, 2009 at 2:44 pm

After addressing the boy and parent directly you could have concisely and politely explained to the FA that the boy was constantly kicking your seat.
I don’t understand your impression of her attitude as it sounds that she would have been glad to move you since seats were available and just probably needed to know why in case someone inquired about the situation of her.

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Elaine April 2, 2009 at 3:04 pm

As a mother I have to say, please don’t blame the kids, they will do what kids do. Blame the lazy idiotic parents!!!

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Susan April 2, 2009 at 4:01 pm

Yeah it doesn’t sound like the FA was going to be helpful, even with the spare seat. and the mother should have had an extra seat for the child and at least something to keep the child entertained. And it also sounds like the person being kicked had already explained the problem.

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Anon E Mouse April 2, 2009 at 4:50 pm

” I suppose if the flying stewardesses were more attractive instead of over worked, wrinkled up, and few pounds less of makeup to hide all that wear and tear, just maybe I could have over looked the first 2 hours and 15 minutes of kicking. ”

Seriously? Let me get this straight…

You had the world’s most annoying child behind you. But, it would have all been OK had the FA been attractive enough.

Seriously?

Did you mean to book travel, or were you actually looking for a strip club?

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Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 4:49 pm

First of all, they are called flight attendants now, not stewardesses. And how does a FA's attractiveness have anything to do with your problem with a seat kicking kid?

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Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 6:16 pm

I was flying from London to Kansas City, and apparently a child 2 rows behind me was kicking the seat of the man in the seat ahead of him. The man finally got up and leaned over the seat and said, "Look kid, I'll give you five bucks if you quit kicking my seat." Problem solved. But I don't know why the parent sitting next to the kid didn't tell him to stop before it got to that point, or refuse the bribe and then tell the kid to stop.

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Mark April 2, 2009 at 7:04 pm

I will bet five bucks that you may have not been in the best of moods and that the child behind you was not kicking the back of your seat nearly as much as you claim. Furthermore, I seriously doubt the FA dismissed you as you claimed unless you were an ass to her from the start. They are only human and no one, whether it is a child or a grown adult deserves to be treated with as little respect as you probably game to him/her. I have flown many times and have seen both moms and dads struggle with children and I have seen those passengers who think they are better parents than anyone. My hat is off to those moms and dads who do try and for the passenger who wishes to be an ass verses one who understands, you are free to exit the flight at any time and request to be booked on another flight.

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ceci April 3, 2009 at 2:29 am

Whoa, kicking. A parent can and should control that. Why did you choose Southwest in the first place? Isn't it common knowledge that it sucks?

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Jenn April 3, 2009 at 1:17 pm

Flight attendants are not overpaid waitresses. They generally make LESS than most waitresses and put up with more crap (quite literally in some cases).

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Private Porksword April 4, 2009 at 9:06 pm

Mark, dumbass, if you exit the flight at "any time" it's a 30 000 foot drop. Maybe you should try it.

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Demotage April 11, 2009 at 3:20 pm

So it would have been OK if the FA had met your standard of attractivness? If I'd been the FA and you'd been as big an ass as that comment suggests that you are, I'd have gotten the air Marshall all right, to place you under arrest for making threats.

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GetReal April 13, 2009 at 4:12 pm

Mark, tell me the next time you fly, and I'll book a seat directly behind you and kick it "not too much" the whole flight. Lets see how you feel about it then. Give me a break! Kicking the seat? THAT is a very controllable thing that the mother should have immediately told the child to stop doing it.

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Omar April 16, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Mark, your words are the dumbest thing I've read all year. Congratulations on your fine display of idiocy.

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Laura Cardwell May 27, 2009 at 8:14 pm

You're not gonna get cute FAs unless you fly an Asian airline or Emirates or some other 5 star.

I don't get why people care so much about FA hotness though, it's not like you're allowed to pinch their asses eh?

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Atari May 31, 2009 at 7:09 pm

"Did you mean to book travel, or were you actually looking for a strip club?"

It's almost amusing that in your attempt to insult the Original poster, you insulted the concept of women being attractive.

So you're saying that it's impossible for a woman to be physically attractive?

A beautiful face can warm a hardened heart, and it does not, necessarily, have to be related to one's libido.

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Atari May 31, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Whoops, correction:

"You're saying that it's impossible for a woman to be physically attractive, and NOT work at a strip club?"

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Mark December 1, 2009 at 2:21 pm

I actually have experienced the kid with the feet in the seat syndrome more times than I care to admit. I couldn't care less about parents who think "that's what kids do". What in reality parents do, is take both responsibility for their children's behaviour, and the responsibility for changing or controlling it. I always get the FA involved first, I don't even want to look at the social miscreants who think their kid is the apple of everyone's eye, and above harmonious social behaviour. If that fails, try continually adjusting (violently) the seat back. If that fails, get up, and talk a little too loudly to the "parent" about their situation. Three tiers, always effective by no. three…

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ps December 2, 2009 at 4:13 am

Listen you were on Southwest, the equivalent of Air WalMart, passenger wise (see People of Wal Mart website for specifics). The FA's and staff in general have a good rep. If you were expecting Singapore Air Service, take Singapore Air.

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NomdeVoyage August 27, 2013 at 3:00 pm

"Parents with children who behave should NOT be complimented. It is to be expected that you control your little brat."

Parents who are keeping their children controlled and mannerly most *certainly* be complimented. The compliment is a *trophy* which says, "You are doing a remarkably wonderful job, and I really, really appreciate the hard job you are accomplishing.

"First of all, they are called flight attendants now"

Stewardesses are called "Air Hostesses", as well.

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NomdeVoyage August 27, 2013 at 3:05 pm

" this repetitive whiplash was really becoming annoying. She said this is what little boys do."

Dogs chase their tails, too, but I don't want to see him doing it on an airplane. And he can be trained not to.

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Mario Riservato June 24, 2022 at 11:33 am

I get a kick out of comments like "I'll never fly so and so Airline again". It's not like you have many choices to fly. In some areas it's either the one airline or drive.

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