Frontier Airlines ejected a father and his two-year-old daughter in a controversy involving whether a toddler can sit in a parent’s lap or must remain in her seat. While Frontier Airlines is legally correct, it probably could have handed the issue better.
Frontier Airlines Removes Two-Year-Old And Father After Toddler Refused To Sit In Her Own Seat
Chrisean Rose and his two-year-old daughter Rayana flew from Atlanta (ATL) to Miami (MIA) on Spirit Airlines. Rayana sat on her father’s lap during takeoff and landing with no issue. But on their return journey on Frontier Airlines, a flight attendant warned Chrisean that he was breaking federal law by holding his daughter on his lap, warning:
“They will arrest you; I’m telling you that right now.”
That’s a bit overdramatic, but Chrisean explained to the flight attendants that “she’s a small kid; she’s nervous…this is only our first time traveling and she’s a little bit nervous.”
Nope. The plane returned to the gate and the two were kicked off.
Frontier is right. The Federal Aviation Administration suggests children under two be placed in a child restraint system, but mandates children two years of age and older occupy their own seat.
A Frontier spokesperson noted:
“It is an FAA requirement that all passengers over the age of 24 months must be buckled into their own seat for takeoff and landing. The parent refused to comply and therefore was asked to exit the aircraft with the child.”
If I’m a flight attendant, though (and maybe this is one of the many reasons I’m not a flight attendant), I let it go. I’m much more of a guidelines person versus rules person. However, I know it’s risky…if there is an accident of some kind, the family would probably be the first to sue.
So I just cannot blame Frontier here, though I would have not have threatened Chrisean with arrest in front of his daughter.
The Roses purchased a new ticket on Delta Air Lines and flew home without issue…with Rayanna on her father’s lap.
CONCLUSION
I tend to think a two-year-old should not be required to sit in her own seat if afraid (or wear a mask…though that is another matter). However, it is tough to fault Frontier Airlines for simply following federal guidelines. Perhaps the bigger indictment here is against Delta and Spirit for flouting the rules?
image: Chrisean Rose
This was a constant fear for my wife and I when my daughter was 2 and wouldn’t want to sit in a seat by herself, especially in international business class where there’s a lot of space between seats. Now she’s 3 and more compliant.
Never had that fear, just brought a car seat on board. There’s no escape possible.
Masking was a much more legitimate fear because the toddler had to choose to wear it. If they decided to take it off and didn’t want to listen to you, you could still get thrown off the flight through no fault of your own.
I think most parents who have flown with a child in this age range have faced this fear. You are required to buy a seat at age 2, but getting them to sit in it isn’t always easy.
We got stuck once when traveling with a barely 2yo and our flight was cancelled due to a hurricane. We got rescheduled with minimal schedule change, but the seats while very close, weren’t together.
When we got on the plane, a husband and wife traveling together were both sitting in aisle seats in successive rows (e.g. row 12 and 13 for example) and we had the window seats. Those bastards simply would not agree to move seats or sit next to each other. Between exit row restrictions, side of the aircraft restrictions (lap children can sometimes only be on one side of the aircraft due to the number of oxygen masks available), people with infirmities, other kids, etc… my wife ended up holding her as a lap child and we got away with it.
Sounds like you should have planned your seats better.
*I should have added the \s tag
Why should they have to move? If you’re not sitting next to your kid, that’s not their problem.
Who said they had to move? They didn’t have to move, and they didn’t.
There is no rule that says you have to help a mother and young child who kindly ask you for help. You can laugh at them too, no rule against it.
Also no rule against me calling them bastards and a lot of other nasty things.
“I’m much more of a guideline person versus rule person I know it’s risky…if there is an accident of some time, the family would probably be the first to sue.”
Huh?
Given the way things happen in the US, I’m surprised the power tripping FA didn’t just throw the child off. In terms of sense and intelligence, clearly Frontier set the bar low, very low for their FAs.
As a 35 year flight attendant I can say that the FAA regulations require the child sits in its own seat. Flight attendants can be fined for not enforcing all FAA mandates that are in our e manuals, and are sometimes check ridden. However, the flight attendant could and should have handled it better. When I have a child who doesn’t want to sit in their seat, usually I say something like can you show me how a big girl/boy puts on their seatbelt? And usually the child gets right in and buckles up. Kids love thinking that they are “grown up”. It’s all in the approach of how you ask. Hopefully this can be a learning extra experience.
Great comment. Agreed.
I was a flight attendant for many years and as a safety measure I was never comfortable with lap children. Aircraft incidents can happen in seconds and the adult may be unable to restrain the child who now becomes a missile. Having said this; Flight Attendants ( and really everyone ) can phrase things much better. I always offered a “possitive” after my “negative “. This could, I am sure, been handled MUCH better.