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Flight Attendant Kicks Mom off Plane
Is this an isolated case of an intolerant flight attendant, or is it symptomatic of shift in relationship between the public and an industry that has become a de facto police force, with the power to deny people their right to travel?
A Gwinnett County mother says she wants answers and action after she and her baby were kicked off a plane.Kate Penland said she was glad to board the plane in Houston after an 11-hour delay to visit her father in Oklahoma. But she said a rude and aggressive flight attendant caused her to get to Oklahoma a day late.
Penland thinks her 19-month-old son, Garren, has a bubbly personality. But Penland said when they were aboard a Continental Express plane, a flight attendant became annoyed by Garren’s personality when he kept saying three words.
“As we started taxiing, he started saying ‘Bye, bye plane,’ said Penland. “At the end of her speech, she leaned over the gentleman beside me and said, ‘It’s not funny anymore. You need to shut your baby up.’
In disbelief, Penland asked the woman if she was kidding. It was then, Penland said, the flight attendant went too far.
“She then said, ‘You know, it’s called baby Benadryl. And I said, 'Well, I'm not going to drug my child so you have a pleasant flight.'
Penland said when the other passengers began speaking up on her behalf, the flight attendant got angrier and soon announced they were turning around and that Penland and Garren were going to be taken off the plane.
Update:
The Gwinnett County mother kicked off an airplane with her 19-month old son tried to tell her side of the story Friday morning, but her son's crying and whining drowned out the interview.
Garren Penland, 19-months old, got so unruly during his mom's chat with 'Good Morning America' anchor Diane Sawyer, co-anchor Chris Cuomo had to take the toddler off the set.
While Kate Penland explained her child was well-behaved on the Continental Express flight, little Garren kicked, wiggled and squirmed out of his mother's arms.



Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 16:13 on July 12th, 2007
As a parent I wrote the airline and expressed my displeasure with the actions of this flight attendant.
at 20:08 on July 13th, 2007
Maybe the flight attendant was trying to quit smoking.
at 20:01 on September 23rd, 2008
The woman and her child were interfering with the regulatory duties that the flight attendant is required to follow. The law reads that this must be reported to the pilot and at that point it is the pilot in commands duty to remove the person from the plane. She was doing her job and the woman can not control her 19 month old baby.
at 13:33 on February 1st, 2009
rlb, you're a moron.