A United Airlines flight attendant parent-shamed business class passengers on a delayed Delhi – Newark flight, after their special needs three year old woke up nine hours into the journey. The crewmember chastised the passengers for their lack of parenting when the boy was hungry (United didn’t board his child meal) and the mother had to improvise for food and tend to the kid at the same time.
Getting on to the flight, we started a 16 hour journey with a 3 year old child who has special needs. This fact was already conveyed to United customer service over 4 weeks ago by me. My son slept almost 9 hours after takeoff and finally woke up hungry.
— Uttiya Basu (@uttiyab) August 4, 2023
The child was crying until his mother got him calm enough to eat. Then, happy, he played with toys but “let out a few small squeals and laughs” at finding shows he likes on the plane’s inflight entertainment system. That’s when a flight attendant came out and stared “rudely rebuking” the mom.
The flight attendant says she’s a mother and she “know[s] how to be a mother” and that this passenger is failing at it.
FA – "I have two children and I know how to be a mother to them. You need to do SOMETHING".
My wife – "we are playing with him and keeping him engaged".
FA – "No YOU ARE NOT!! You are just SITTING there."
She turns to me and says – "You can walk him around. That helped!"— Uttiya Basu (@uttiyab) August 4, 2023
The boy’s father says they were “forced to our ler son walk in the aisles” which was apparently more disturbing (and excited the child more) than keeping him in his seat.
Interestingly, the child’s father notes that “[t]here was actually constant kids crying from coach” though the parents were in business class. Are crying children keeping more passengers awake in the back of the plane different – and ok – but not in business class?
The passengers complained about their experience and United offered $100 travel vouchers against their “$23K” tickets. What they wanted was an apology, not a “voucher and a form letter.”
I don’t envy the task of asking parents to calm their children on a long haul flight. It’s easy to cross into condescension and into scolding. Here, from the perspective of the parents, that’s clearly what happened – and should be both a learning and a teaching moment that the airline uses (but is not likely to).
I had a situation like this where my child was too happy! We were on a tour of Southfork. He kept laughing and we had to do a separate tour from the group. We were getting some looks. I think some people couldn’t hear. Sometimes you’re not going to win as a parent. If they cry people get upset. If they’re happy people are still upset. Go figure.
Did anyone read his Twitter? This Uttiya Basu has also posted public complaints against:
– Qatar Airways
– Terminix
– The Passport service in Kolakata
– Applebee’s restaurant
– IKEA furniture
– Applebee’s restaurant (an earlier incident)
– Jadavpur University
– Central Bank Kolkata Laketown
…And that’s just after checking *some* of his many tweets / tweet threads.
While it’s possible that a multitude of companies regularly wrong him and his family, it seems a bit unlikely.
Next time fly Air India.
United being special.
The FA was probably responding to other passengers complaining. Without evidence we don’t really know if it was a few squeals or screams waking half the cabin…
First mistake the UA FA parent made is to assume that all flying children are alike or are like her two children.
Even with regard to twins, each child at even during infancy, toddler and pre-preschool age can be different from one another when it comes to traveling and other things in life.
I do have questions about what the US$23,000 ticket covered. One person? They definitely overpaid if that is the price of a ticket for DEL-EWR.
Where was FA1 the entire time?
Hopefully, the passenger record was properly noted as handicapped.
Offering $100 in vouchers on $23K in business tickets is basically asking the passengers to lawyer up; United really likes negative publicity and legal fees.
Best recommendation would be to fly Emirates, Etihad or Qatar.
United just doesn’t meet the bar.
I doubt the entire story as “told”. Anyone paying (or admitting to) paying $23,000 for a flight has something wrong with them even if wasting someone else’s money. Is he the King of India?
11K for business class without getting one of the “deals” seems average. With a deal airfare, I’ve seen 7K on other carriers. Schedule and travel timing drives cost. This may have been the best they could do. OP didn’t say if they had to buy a third seat for the son
Do people not read? There was a father, a mother, and a child…not just one person I just checked United’s web site and a business refundable ticket EWR-DEL two weeks from now on most flights cost $12,342 round trip, per person. Multiply times two and you’re over $24,000.
Other passengers in business class probably asked the flight attendant to ‘do something’ about the squeals and laughs. The parent says they were small but we don’t really know how small/soft they were.
There is always two sides to a story
He said: “ We booked a FULL PRICE (USD 23K) business class ticket ….”.
Ticket is singular even in Hinglish.
Last week, I had a bitter experience at United Check in counter in one of CT Airport. The person behind the counter conversed in a very demeaning & disgraceful manner asking me why did I expect to have seats for my 2 kids (both minors) next to me! I had already assigned seats for all 3 of us & their policy states that minor kids will be seated along with their parents or guardian. BTW my flight was already delayed by 2 days & 4 hrs due to their above par technical competency!!
United. Keep climbing.
United FAs are having a great week!
Reading his Twitter account, seems to be a Karen. Always demanding explanations and immediate service on everything.
I’ve just finished reading the article on viewfromthewing.com concerning the recent incident on a United flight, where a flight attendant forced a special needs toddler to walk up and down the aisle of a Delhi flight. This account deeply disturbed me. I believe it serves as a sobering example of the need for systemic change within airline practices when it comes to accommodating passengers with special needs.
Firstly, the behavior of the flight attendant, as reported, is truly unacceptable. It’s important to remember that flight attendants are often the face of an airline – they have a direct impact on the overall flight experience. Their primary role is to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers, including those with special needs. In this situation, it appears that the flight attendant lacked the training, empathy, or perhaps both, to appropriately handle a situation involving a passenger with special needs. This is a glaring oversight and a strong indication of the need for airlines to incorporate extensive special needs training into their staff onboarding and continued education programs.
Secondly, the situation speaks to the broader issue of accessibility and inclusivity in the airline industry. Inclusivity is not about merely allowing people with special needs on a flight; it’s about actively making their experience comfortable and dignified. Unfortunately, it’s clear from this incident that airlines may not be living up to these standards. Instead of making the flight a traumatic experience for the toddler and the parents, there should have been provisions in place to accommodate the child’s unique needs.
It’s also important to remember the legal obligations airlines have under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These pieces of legislation were designed to prevent discrimination and ensure fair treatment for individuals with disabilities. Based on the account given in this article, it would seem that there was a failure to meet the requirements of these laws, which raises questions about the enforcement and effectiveness of these important protections.
One area airlines can significantly improve upon is communication. Passengers need to be informed about their rights and the accommodations that airlines are legally required to provide. Similarly, airlines need to do a better job of listening to the needs of passengers with disabilities and their families. If the parents in this situation felt heard and respected, perhaps this traumatic event could have been avoided.
Moving forward, it is essential that airlines not only hold themselves accountable for such incidents but also take a proactive approach in preventing similar occurrences. This can be achieved through comprehensive and ongoing staff training, improvements in communication, and a corporate commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.
I hope that this incident acts as a wake-up call for the airline industry. Travel should be an enjoyable experience for all individuals, regardless of their abilities or needs. Airlines have a moral and legal obligation to ensure this is the case, and as consumers, we should expect and demand nothing less. After all, the true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. In this instance, the airline industry has shown that it has some significant room for improvement.
This sounds incredibly one-sided and biased and I wouldn’t buy it for a rupee
I have no direct experience with what happened, but as the father of two children who were very active I do know that how people react to kids can be very dependent on their own experiences (or lack thereof) as parents. The older one was a particular handful and at 2 I finally kept him in a harness/leash arrangement. That was okay except in public he’d get down on all fours and walk along barking. People who didn’t have kids would come up and yell at me. Those who did would ask where they could buy this stuff!
PS Now he’s a judge.
Meh, went and read his regular Twitter account. He’s a chronic complainer. Don’t believe him.
In my opinion there should be an “All Adult Flight ” and a “Family Flight” for families with kids under 5. Because I don’t want to have to deal with crying kids, special needs or NOT!!!
@Patti, I just did also. He doesn’t seem happy with much so I don’t put a lot of stock into what he claims.
Appreciate the FA doing their best to keep the parents responsible for their brat.
Give her a raise.
I feel sorry for everyone concerned
1. Sorry for the parent paying 24K
2. Sorry for the ‘poor’ child not able to comprehend anything
3 sorry for the FA due to her immaturity
4. Finally a’huge sorry’ for the poor MOM
Not at all Sorry for the HUGE UA coffers. PK
Who cares, these stories are always over top!
Yep, don’t like United, I will say I just took a trip on United they were very helpful as I have disabilities. I was left at the entrance and the flight attended as she was exciting saw me asked if someone was helping me. That was so kind. I took a trip to England on United, well I very short so it difficult for to reach anything. Putting my carry on up is never easy. When we landed I asked the flight attended if she could reach my bag. She did there was a man behind me as if I wasn’t there or if I couldn’t speak English she tells him I hate passengers who bring heavy bags and expect me to help them. I didn’t say a think took my bag and waked off. Yes, children can be hard to handle on any flight. Reason the air pressure is bad for them I know it happen to my child as a result caught an ear infection and he cried most of the flight home. Plus they are in a very small space. I think that United does need to train all their flight attended. I am wondering did she not hear other children crying or acting up. I sure did on my flight, but I was there once and felt that I needed to have empathy for those parents. United should offer an apology.
There is always more to the story than what’s shared.
Beside this, United flight to Delhi in business class is going to dogs.. food is terrible., Service i gone bad.. tFA do nothing but gossip or eat n read there books or play with personal phone.
This guy seems like a professional complainer. I felt sorry for the UA personnel who had to deal with him.
This is the second story I’ve read TODAY about a United FA being rude.
“forces”? How did they force the child to walk around? I would have politely said no thank you and put on my headphones.
Dreary: is that a prepared statement you have ready for any cause you want to address?
I fly united with my son who is 13 and has soecial needs.He has been flying since he was one years old. United FA has always been very pleasant and helpful pre boarding and during in flights.
Why don’t these people wear headphones and shut up themselves. Have a little empathy for parents with special needs children. You never know it might happen to you some day.
United has a tendency to provide Poor and shoddy service to passengers of Indian origin and when the flight originates from India. The FAs tend to find fault with them, though United ‘s business and FA’s pay depend upon fare paying passengers.
Routinely the airline does not take special request meals such as Vegetarian, Kosher, Menu for child etc.
Once their error is brought to their attention, the Compensation is Worst in the Airline industry.
They expect people to pay upwards of $3000 plus to use the paltry $100 to $175 voucher within the next 12 months.
Why would any reasonable person spend Additional good money to get more of the same poor service?
As for the passenger Uttiya Basu, they may be better off travelling by Emirates, Etihad etc. Airlines that known to provide Stellar service.
Seeing a kid in business class is like finding a bug in your salad.
It was quite awhile ago. Pre 9/11. I had a lovely window seat in the last row. United LAX-ORD. Directly in front of me was a Mom with an older child with special needs. (I’m guessing he was in his teens) For the entire flight he would alternate between turning around and spitting on me and throwing things behind him (I got hit in the face twice with a magazine), and the final straw was getting hit in the forehead with a small metal car. I rang the bell for the flight attendant, and she got mad at ME and said I needed to show more patience! I quietly reminded her that it was I who was being assaulted and it needed to stop. I never raised my voice, swore or used disparaging comments. I just wanted it to please stop! That was when I was told that security wanted to see me when we landed. They cancelled my return flight and were overall very un accommodating. On the way out of baggage claim, guess who was sitting by the exit door. And I promise, I have no idea how that large soda slipped out of my hand and landed with a big splash right at that Mom’s feet and soaked her pretty yellow dress in sticky orange soda. I’m so sorry ma’am. Tsk tsk.
The flight attendant should be fired and the parents should sue the airline. If the flight attendant’s behavior was within company policy, heads should roll within in the administration for such policies!
But also….I will add that Indian (no, not Native American) children are the ABSOLUTE WORST behaved and their parents completely ignore it.
Completely agreed with Paul Wilson and CHRIS. I don’t want to hear any kids crying on any flights. And it is true that Indian (not native American) kids are either talking non-stop in flight, crying or running disturbing others.
I agree with Mike.
Reading the Twitter feed of this passengers you will find a lot of complaints about some situations with customer service.
I do not believe their situation was as bad as described. Especially since he is trying to attack the FA directly, asking for „actions“ to be enforced and a personal apology letter.
Seriously? Someone is mad because he overpaid for a ticket and was not treated the way he thought he should be treated.
Read twice. Think twice. This is not a credible story…
With regard to these words from above: “But also….I will add that Indian (no, not Native American) children are the ABSOLUTE WORST behaved and their parents completely ignore it.”
Then why does it seem that behavioral problems at school are lower with Indian kids at schools in “the West” than the ethnic majority at the very same schools?
Read his Twitter . Non stop complaints about everything and everyone he gets in contact with . I feel sorry for the businesses and people who has to deal with him and his family.
I was on this exact same flight on Monday 31 July. The price would be accurate for the entire family. 1 person tickets range $6K to $12K per person.
I was also in Polaris buisness class. We also had 2 toddlers that would get loud and cry sometimes. I use to complain about this stuff. But I since have had my own child and know how difficult it is to travel on these long flights with toddlers.
The only thing I did notice is there was a big difference the way the Indian and non Indian parents dealt with their kids. I don’t want this to come over the wrong way. Was just an observation.
I have never flown usa based airlines and check very careful for the code shares. I take others even if they are costly
Let’s not be so quick to judge based on one account, via Twitter, of an angry passenger. For all we know, the FA was acting on behalf of other passengers who were disturbed by the noisy child. And, we don’t know with certainty if the FA said or did any of the things this man claimed. Sadly, this FA does not have the opportunity to share her side of the story and defend her actions (that is if she even did those things such as force the parent to walk the child up and down the aisle.)
What happened to innocent until proven guilty? Social media has allowed people to say whatever they want and the sheep who blindly follow or listen without verifying its accuracy / truthfulness is quite concerning.
Let’s be clear: I am not defending United. I just find it hard to believe that this FA woke up that day thinking “I’m going to do something really mean and stupid today so I can jeopardize my employment and my company’s reputation.” Seriously?
How many non-Indian parents are traveling with non-Indian toddlers and other pre-preschool non-Indian kids from DEL to EWR on United in business class during India’s hot and humid summer months on publicly available revenue fares?
Almost certainly not a comparable group to make a valid comparison from one flight.
I suspect that people — including UA FAs — are more observant and critical about behavior of children whom they perceive to be “the other” than children who are seen as more like “us” even while the kids are doing the same exact nonsense. It certainly explains why “brown” and “black” kids on my US and European airline operated flights seem less likely to get waivers and favors to cross cabins to use the lavatories and more likely to get reprimanded and turned away by FAs than when comparably aged “white” kids on the same flights have done so repeatedly without being turned around firmly by the same FAs.
bring candy
United has not been a pleasant exerience for me. I have had to choose to fly the airline on five occasions in recent times because of lack of biable alternatives. I have no status on United, and all were paid or award flights. Here is what happened:
1. Polaris class to India. Very poor service. Unacceptable meals. $400 voucher, still unused.
2. Polaris class to India. No access to lounge. Moved from pre-selected seats after falsely claiming seat was broken on the DEL-EWR. Had to pay for drinks at the lounge. Apology, but no compensation.
3. Award booking to Tabriz, Iran at the last minute. No compensation for losses incurred. Eventually 7000 miles were added to my MP account.
4. 1st leg of award flight to ALG canceled few hours before departure, effectively canceling the trip. But took me 9+ hours of being on hold on the phone to have my miles redeposited and taxes and fees refunded.
5. Paid transcontinental flight in economy. Arrived 45 minutes before flight departure after having completed web-checkin earlier. Was rudely lectured by UA agent that I should have arrived 2 hours ahead of departure. He agreed to accept my pre-paid checked bag only after marking the tag as late. The outbound flight was uneventful, but the bag arrived on a different flight, and not on the one was on.
I am now waiting to see if adventures await me on the return leg.
In view of the OP comments, and my experiences, it would really be a good thing for United to live up to its claim of Friendly Skies and seriously impress the need for pleasant behavior on the part of its customer facing employees more as standard rather than as exceptions.