While Gerald and Julie Kulesza (see below) have been basking in their victim-of-the-week turns on national TV shows, the public has rallied behind AirTran: 92 percent of the emails and phone calls flooding in to the company have been supportive of the flight crew’s decision to take the clueless parents and their out-of-control loinfruit off the flight. Full story below the fold.
Heads happily stuffed up their rears, the Kuleszas just couldn’t wait to whine in public about their travails at the hands of the big bad airlines.
But a funny thing happened on the way to their martyrdom: most members of the audience saw through the act. I just love it when that happens.
Fla. airline: Public backs crying kid ouster
WKMG LOCAL 6 NEWSORLANDO, Fla. — AirTran Airways said it is receiving overwhelming support from the public for bumping a screaming toddler from a Florida flight.
Airline spokesman Tad Hutcheson said Wednesday that the company’s getting swamped with e-mails and phone calls, and 92 percent support the decision to get the tantrum-raising toddler off the plane.
Julie and Gerry Kulesza were heading home to Boston last week from Fort Myers when their 3-year-old daughter, Elly, got upset. She cried and refused to get strapped in her seat.
And cried. And cried.
Hutcheson said that the tantrum started when the family boarded and went 15 minutes past the departure time. The crew and gate agent decided the family had to get off, so the flight could go on. Federal regulations require all passengers to be strapped into their seats.
The family has refused the company’s offer of free tickets. They were given a refund for the flight they had to leave.
In “People” magazine, Elly Kulesza’s mother Julie challenged, “If there are parents who say their child doesn’t have a tantrum, I want to meet them.” Come to Macon, Georgia, Ms. Kulesza, and meet me. My name is Pam Burkhalter, and I can introduce you to quite a few parents whose children don’t have tantrums. My two children, ages 26 & 20, are tantrum-free. My two step-daughters, ages 25 & 12, are equally tantrum-free. Oh, my three nephews, ages 12, 9 & &, have never had a tantrum either. Gosh, my other niece and nephew, ages 24 & 20, managed to avoid tantrums as well. Children who are allowed to indulge in tantrums are the product of wishy-washy parents who are too timid to BE parents.