Photo: Robert Alexander/Getty Images
Well, at least Untied Airlines is getting a break from being the worse airline out there, as this time it’s Southwest Airlines under fire after video of flight attendants kicking a toddler and her family off a flight has gone viral.
The incident, caught on camera by Alexis Armstrong, shows a family being kicked off Flight 1683 from Chicago to Atlanta, after Armstrong says the toddler wanted to sit in her father’s lap instead of her own seat because she became momentarily scared. And that’s when a “flight attendant in red” came over and told the family that the girl “needs to calm down and sit or will be escorted off,” Armstrong told WGN.
Eventually the toddler calmed down and remained quiet, but Southwest employees still wanted her off the flight. Check out the viral video below thanks to Armstrong’s Facebook.
Pretty crazy stuff.
You’re gonna leave,’ the Southwest employee tells him as the flight attendant, who Armstrong said was named Michelle, returns. Michelle then claims that the father told her to “get out of’ his daughter’s face,” a claim that Armstrong disputed on the spot.
Armstrong said she filmed the video because she wanted the company to see it and apologize to the family.
“I am a mom and my heart was hurting for this dad,’ she told WGN. ‘Southwest owes them an apology. I did not think this would blow up. I am not sure why I even began to film. I just knew from the woman’s attitude and security approaching it wasn’t going to end well.”
Pretty persistent: Man Kicked Off Southwest Flight Somehow Gets Back On, Then Tackled
Southwest offered up a generic and useless statement after the incident:
“After pushback Wednesday evening, Flight 1683 to Atlanta returned to the gate at Midway to allow supervisors to board the aircraft. Our initial reports indicate a conversation escalated on board between the crew and a customer traveling with a small child. We always aim for a welcoming and hospitable experience and regret the inconvenience to all involved. The traveling party was booked on the next flight to Atlanta after the original flight continued as planned. We will reach out to the customer[s] to listen to any concerns they have about their experience and look forward to welcoming them on board again soon.”
Something tells me that family won’t be using Southwest airlines again. And while most flight attendants know how to properly do their job, it’s clear in this case the flight attendants completely failed to handle a situation and use common sense.
What do you think? Should the family have been kicked off?
