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What happens when those children are unaccompanied minors? What’s a Flight Attendant to do?
Flying, children and sugar don’t mix. I always say, if you want to offer your child a special treat because your flying…offer that treat contingent upon their behaviour during the flight instead. We all know how “nutty” a child can get from a sugar rush…now picture being in a cramped space, seat belt sign illuminated, and little patience left from your already stressed travel day, with that cute “little” nut! Trust me…wait…please…without sugar on top: )
On a recent flight I had an unaccompanied minor on board. A little boy. An extremely hyper little boy. This little boy was bothering his neighbors before we even took off. We all spoke with him on separate occasions and he promised to sit still. He was actually a very cute kid, not mean spirited, he just could not sit still in his small space. Did I mention he didn’t have anything to do? Not a book…not a crayon…not a game-boy to be found.
As we headed up the aisle with the bar cart, I seriously thought about putting him to work…then the thought of “law suit” (should he get injured) curbed that thought. He was seated about half way through the cabin. As we pulled the bar cart back, still about four rows from him, he yelled, “EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!” As I turned to him he yelled, “GIMME A COKE!” I headed over to him, knelt down beside him and once again explained that he needed to keep his voice down, and keep his arms and legs still and out of the aisle and that I would be with him in a moment. Here is where my dilemma came in: Was it ok for me to only offer him water, or milk…only? He was driving everyone around him absolutely crazy. Would it even matter if he had more sugar? Maybe he had other issues. Well, I decided to put the other passengers first and I only offered him the water or milk. He surprised me and wasn’t even upset. He even said thank you after I gave him his water.
When the flight was over I was still contemplating whether or not I made the right choice…he really didn’t calm down much. When I got home I decided to take a poll with my friends over at twitter. I asked if a flight attendant had the right to to tell an unaccompanied minor what they could or could not drink. Without giving them any information about my particular flight, here’s what everyone had to say:
Upupandagay: “Good question. I say no. I let them drink whatever they want, minus the alcohol of course.
Flyingphotog: “From a business point of view I wouldn’t expect a flight attendant to tell a paying customer what they can drink, unless they’re drunk. But, as a parent if I had a UM on board I’d hope they wouldn’t consume sodas but not expecting a fa to regulate it.
Airlinereporter: “I would say no. The airline might allow parents to give restrictions and i wouldn’t want to give the kid 8 sodas…..”
Navyaircrewman:”I say, nope. Unless they have a definite medical issue. It would be no differrent than a kid putting money in a soda machine.”
Navyangel: “I don’t think so. I think if the parents want to include special instructions (can they do that?….FP: yes, they can) than yes, otherwise, no.
Flightwisdom: ” Not unless the parent has given them instructions.”
FlutesUD:”No, I don’t think so, unless the parents have provided specific instructions e.g., the kid is diabetic.”
TryDvl:”Someone has to help them make good decisions the same as if they were not on a flight…they’re kids not adults.”
Slf617:”No, unless OK’d. If multiple service my guess is you’d rather not have a kid amped up on caffeine, so maybe then limit it and no coffee.”
Sherri1009: ” Part of me says yes, part of me says no. Is there an in between?”
Mnphysicist:”A super sugar wired kid could compromise safety. I’d say if you feel the need to stop them, then by all means do so.”
WN737flygirl: “I don’t like to serve all that sugary stuff (especially on PMs) but unless there’s a note from parents they get what they want.”
Ianlisk66:”No, the parents or guardian who goes to the gate should make that choice known if they want.”
Thank you everyone for your opinions…anyone change their mind after reading my post? Anyone else have any thoughts or opinions?
(Be sure to check out my twitter friends sites..I linked everyone to their web sites or to their page on twitter.)
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I try to avoid that dilemma before we get to their seat. I have juice on display and I say something like 'Would you like to have some juice or water with your lunch?' 9 times out of 10 the kid picks the juice or water. I know juice isn't sugar free, but it seems a bit better than amping them up on soda.
If the kids speecifically asks for a Coke… well… if they are little, I say, do mum & dad let you have that at home? You'd be surprised how many kids say no, and take juice instead. If they do ask for sodas, I let them have one or two, then say they need to have some water before they can have more. Depending on the length of the flight, of course.
Older kids- i figure, they're probably drinking soda at school anyway.
Some people say it's the parents' choice- true, but I'm the one who has to chase them up and down the aisle & listen to them screaming for 6 hours, not mum & dad. It won't kill them NOT to have soda for a few hours.
When parents travel with kids, in the case of little kids, I ask the parents what the kids are having to drink, to save the 'I want a Coke' tantrums if you ask the kid directly, and they're not allowed to have it.
Sorry for the long comment! 😛
Definitely, the cabin crew is supposed to take whatsoever measures to maintain the safety of the flight.
Similar to the possibility of alcohol abuse by adult passengers, the sugar abuse is the parallel case for children.
Adults can get alcohol drinks as long as they are sober or otherwise they could endanger other passengers. By analogy, minors can take sugar-contained foodstuff as long as there is a guarantee that they can behave themselves especially if they are not accompanied by an adult.
i figure you must use your best judgment on a case by case basis. just like you did here.
if that were my child, i would have wanted you to offer that water! i think an interesting question would be..do you think FAs, who have children, are better at handling unaccompanied minors? for you, does that Mama instinct kick in, and do you think you have become better at this since becoming a parent?
First, the kid's parent, who sent NOTHING to keep their kid occupied on the flight, should be given a timeout– in a small space with a bunch of hyper kids who can't sit still. Shame on them.
As the kids seat mate I'd have thanked you for just serving water.
Very interesting scenario! When I was asked on Twitter I didn't think of it in this way. I think you did the right thing. I feel there is no harm in trying to get the kid to have something healthier, but I think if the kid demanded it, you would have to give it to him. Otherwise you have an angry parent and possible bad PR.
Technically you are "babysitting"…when you are the "babysitting" you do what's best for the child and everyone else around you, regardless of who paid for the ticket. This is a minor we are talking about, when it comes down to it the airline is responsible and you are the airline. If he starts screaming and swearing at you though…good luck! 🙂
I think it should be time to open the medical emergency kit and use all the Benadryl available 🙂
**makes mental note to take Benadryl with him next flight just in case**
"We all know how 'nutty' a child can get from a sugar rush"
We all know it, but we're all wrong. Studies can't find a link. What studies do find is that parents report their children being more active after they have sugar. This is true even if the child was fed placebo but the parent was told it was sugar. However, objective measurements of hyperactivity keep coming up dry.
What's quite interesting is that a mother with her son on a flight recently, had her son go up to the FA at the back and ask for a coke. Instead of coming back with just a cup of coke, the kid came back with a plastic glass and a large coke can. The FA didn't want him coming to her all the time, so she gave him the biggest coke can on board LOL. (I have to ask the mother how the kid behaved after the coke)
WC: I tend to believe MOM over "studies"…seeing is believing. Probably it was a "study" done by a soda company! If not done by them…then paid for by them. I remember the "studies" that said cigarettes were not hazardous to your health!
When I quit smoking (in 1992) instantly I started to gain weight. On a visit to my Doctor I mentioned, to him, that I'm blaming the increase in wight to quitting the bad habit and he flew off the handle on how there is no medical proof of that etc. etc…… since then that has changed. There is proof now…..sooooo……. I'm with Flying Mom
My ex husband would have me put our small daughter on a plane, having already spoken with the FA's on the flight. I knew when I put her on the plane, she would be cared for and this meant doing what needed to be done to keep her safe. Not having sodas would fall into that category for me, as I know what it's like to have them pumped up on sugar 🙂
I would say yes, make a decision from a parent's point of view.
I haven't found any connection with sugar intake and behaviour in my kids, in keeping with the research as cited by Wayne. I just don't believe it exists, but others are equally entitled to their beliefs. I don't think that is the issue here, however.
A badly-behaved child sould never be bestowed upon strangers, and that especially includes strangers occupying and working on aircraft. Are manners completely dead?
And, yes, I was lucky that both my kids grew up flying and were well-behaved on flights. Both their parents, even the absent-minded father (me), ensured that they had books, snacks, activities and so on. We used to do Jakarta – Toronto once or twice a year, so preparations are essential.
Given the circumstances unfairly imposed on you, you were the model of restraint. Surely there must be some way of notifying ticket agents that a certain child is not to fly unaccompanied?
Whether the sugar is bad for them or not, the caffeine in coke is bad for kids for a multitude of reasons, including this.