I think if you are going to bring a kid on board, they SHOULD be mature enough to handle it. I’m on the airlines side.
Ditto.
Did you catch the part about the mother not putting the carry-on away? I have the feeling that the mother is using the child because she knows she was in the wrong. If you tell the public you wouldn’t put away your stuff then you won’t get any sympathy. If you tell the public the airline kicked you off because of your precious brat, er, child, then you will get sympathy.
If you listened to her response when asked directly about the carry on she said “I didn’t realize due to the day before having it for so long, but the flight attendant took it and stowed it with no issue”…I could see the kid moving around during the interview…I’m guessing someoe is going to get sued over this…which will result in a settlement out of court. Looks like jr. is going to get paid. 
I’m just going to wait before I comment on this one. I haven’t watched to video yet.
Nik- father of 5 (1 autistic)
While I’m usually the first to comment on the fact that Yuppies shouldn’t take their larvae out in public if they can’t control them , this sounds like a completely different matter of the Airline needing to have addressed this mother and child with a bit more sensitivity.
We flew from LHR to PEK with a developmentally challenged child in the seat across from us who crooned and keened shrilly throughout the flight. The parents were very attentive to the child’s needs, but it was obvious that there was very little they could do to calm him.
My first reaction to this story is that AA owes this child and his mother their own aircraft!
Here’s my take.
He was demonstrating normal autistic behavior during the interview. And the screaming and tantrums are also normal for autistic children
As a parent of an autistic child you take the risk EVERYWHERE you go that this behavior will take place. It can be very unpredictable.
The airline was RIGHT in removing them. The fits can be VERY violate (in my sons case), and the screaming can be defining. No passenger should have to put up with that. It’s the “screaming baby flight from hell”
Lastly, this one pissed me off. I DO NOT EXPECT the world to cater to me and my son. We live in a world where 1 out of every 150 children have some form of autism. That means that out of 150 people 149 DON’T. The good of the 1 does not out weigh the good of the many. I do my best to help my son fit in the world around him and to educate those who stare and call him names.
Back in April we flew all 5 kids to Alabama. We took a provider just for Sam. But we were ready at any point to tell her to take Sam home, that he’d miss vacation. As it was he was the best of the bunch.
If you’d like to have an idea of what life can be like read MY BLOG or my wifes:1, 2, 3
jgona, it’s not a matter of being mature or not. These kids aren’t able to process things the way you and I can. Most are non-verbal and are unable to communicate what is bothering them. It was mom’s job to be mature enough to say, “hey this isn’t going to work today, you might want to let us off.”
damiross, don’t ever call my kid a brat.
leardvr, Thank you for the education. God bless you my man!
I apologize if you were offended by my use of the term “brat.” I wasn’t speaking of you kid in particular. I was speaking in generalities. Unfortunately, my posting didn’t come out that way.
Thanks for sharing all of that Nik, very illuminating.
James
Leardvr, go read the comment on the blog you posted above. Thanks for putting life into perspective.
I like this attitude. Way too many people today feel the are entitled to something just because they have something that the vast majority of others do not have.
I have to completely agree. Many people think they should be treated special. Honestly, they should just be treated equally.
Did no one hear about the similar case not too long ago about the Church that barred the Autistic kid from coming to service. Going so far as to get a RESTRAINING order? Apparently the kid was very violent and loud and disruptive. The church had talked to the mother several times but couldn’t seem to come to an understanding. She was met at the door and told they had a restraining order.
I’d like to find the link but I’m at work. I’ll update later.
wtf
Our old church asked us to leave also, for the same reason.
Strangely enough our new church not only welcomed our son, but chose to accept him and love him. In the 2 years we’ve been there we’ve/they’ve brought in 5 more families with autistic children.
They even started a brand new ministry called “Through the roof” from Luke 5:17-20. The church goes out of it’s way to find parents of disabled children and to find disabled adult, and make it easier for them to come to church. That’s what God’s family should be doing; whether they be Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or anyone else that claims to worship a loving God/god(s).
I don’t want to hijack this thread;
LINK to family kicked out of church
LINK to boy kicked out of kindergarten
LINK to 6-Year-Old Autistic Student Criminally Charged After Alleged Assault
I’m sure that families of children with other disabilities have suffered similar types of discrimination. It’s not isolated to autism, nor is it isolated to churches, public schools, private schools, shopping malls, Wal-marts, or even our own neighborhoods.
Again I don’t expect the world to bend to my son. I would just hope that if they had a question, or felt like they needed to comment that they would at least try to approach me first instead of the surprise visits I’ve gotten from CYS and the police in the past.
This is certainly a subject that could get me thread count up a bit 
I read those blog links and I thank you for helping me increase my awareness and understanding.