While the general consensus leaned towards confronting the unruly child’s parents, one Redditor proposed a more “civilized” approach to manage the disturbance.
u/RocanMotor, a seasoned flyer with approximately four to eight flights monthly, shared their strategy for dealing with disruptive passengers encountered once or twice a year. “Ask politely once. Beyond that, don’t engage, call over the flight attendant. They will ask them to stop, and if they refuse, they’ll usually move you to an upgraded seat if available,” the user advised. In rare cases, an air marshal may be summoned if the aggressor persists, but this is an uncommon occurrence, according to the user.
If an air marshal is unavailable, the user suggested that a flight attendant might resort to threatening the unruly passengers, in this instance, the child’s parents, by mentioning they would report the incident to the pilot, potentially leading to an unscheduled landing based on the incident’s severity. “If it gets to that point, the customer will be blacklisted, and you’ll get a complimentary upgraded flight. Usually, the flight attendant intervening is enough to put a stop to it,” the poster added.
Other users in the thread commended the user for offering practical and professional advice for those facing similar situations. “Amidst all the internet tough guy comments and imaginary witty comebacks, this is sound advice. Getting mad and being rude back means you lose the moral high ground,” one user commented. Another expressed appreciation, stating, “This is how civilized travelers handle conflict. Thank you for attending RocanMotor’s TED Talk.”
The original video gained traction on social media, with more individuals criticizing the child’s parents for the disruptive behavior
