# "Flight Is Canceled After a Child Refuses to Be Seated" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 10, 2026, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260 "2026-08-10T01:32:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/41 "2026-08-10T14:05:12Z")
Because the kid was unbuckling, or sliding out from under the seatbelt, as mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/42 "2026-08-10T14:08:27Z")
I have no idea what you are saying. What does that have to do with you saying the _parent_ must not unbuckle themself and stay seated? If this person tried for an 30+ mins to get the kid to sit down without ever unbuckling themself and standing up, Jesus Chris what a moron. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/43 "2026-08-10T14:11:20Z")
I’m saying that if a parent is buckled in, they might be unable to prevent the kid from either unbuckling or sliding out from the seat. At which point the parent would have to unbuckle to rebuckle the kid. That rinse&repeat scenario would also prevent the plane from taking off. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/44 "2026-08-10T14:16:22Z")
My kid tried this in his car seat on the freeway while on a road trip when he was a toddler. He was warned to knock it off. He didn’t listen. We pulled over. He was spanked. He found a more productive use of his time, and we never had a problem with him squirming out of his car seat at dangerous times again. 🤷 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/45 "2026-08-10T14:17:38Z")
Ah ok I see what you mean now. Once he’s already in he keeps taking it back off. Yeah that would definitely contribute to the delay. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/46 "2026-08-10T14:19:05Z")
Yeah, I think spanking a child on a plane full of people with phones is not a viable solution either. They probably would have been removed from the plane, arrested and had their child sent to CPS. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/47 "2026-08-10T14:21:33Z")
Somehow I doubt that. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/48 "2026-08-10T14:22:26Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Once he’s already in he keeps taking it back off. To be clear, I’m not asserting that’s what happened. I’m throwing it out as a possible scenario as to why the parent couldn’t physically restrain the child. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/49 "2026-08-10T14:25:33Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Yeah, I think spanking a child on a plane full of people with phones is not a viable solution either. They probably would have been removed from the plane, arrested and had their child sent to CPS. > [@Dorjan](#): > > Somehow I doubt that. I imagine all the other passengers would have burst into applause and cheers. * * * Googling the story turns up multiple accounts but oddly they are all almost word-for-word repetitions of the original story AND each other. IOW no new information, just repeating the original story over and over. Strange. Hasn’t any news outlet interviewed the other passengers? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/50 "2026-08-10T14:33:22Z")
Why would they interview other passengers other than out of a sense of macabre interest? This isn’t exactly some major story demanding already limited media resources be spent on followups. And jokes and personal takes on spanking aside, I doubt unstrapping and spanking a child on an airplane would be without consequence for the parents or for the crew. I’m assuming the suggestion was it should have been done before the flight so it wouldn’t occur on the flight itself, not that I think it’s a good solution in general (I’m generally against). That would have turned into a story in itself had it occurred. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/51 "2026-08-10T14:37:42Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Oh puh-leese. > 🙄 > > We may not all be parents, but we’ve all been toddlers. Sanewashing this doesn’t work. You think experience being a toddler helps with controlling a toddler? Not enough eyerolls in the world. We are all speculating here. Those who are absolutely sure they know what happened beyond the sketchy details are projecting massively. I mean it’s pretty obvious to some people that the child hasn’t been beaten often and severely enough to behave properly. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/52 "2026-08-10T14:37:43Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I imagine all the other passengers would have burst into applause and cheers. I think anyone who applauds or cheers at a toddler being spanked is a sick sadist. > [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > I doubt unstrapping and spanking a child on an airplane would be without consequence for the parents or for the crew. I’m assuming the suggestion was it should have been done before the flight so it wouldn’t occur on the flight itself, not that I think it’s a good solution in general (I’m generally against). A pre-emptive spanking in case they won’t sit down? That seems pretty counterproductive. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/53 "2026-08-10T14:39:07Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > A pre-emptive spanking in case they won’t sit down? That seems pretty counterproductive. It wasn’t my idea. I was trying to find the least counterproductive rationale for the suggestion ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/54 "2026-08-10T14:41:11Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I mean it’s pretty obvious to some people that the child hasn’t been beaten often and severely enough to behave properly. At least he can look forward to a lifetime of shame memories and ridicule. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/55 "2026-08-10T14:41:32Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > You think experience being a toddler helps with controlling a toddler? Not enough eyerolls in the world. It’s so amusing when non-parents assume their own experiences as children 20-30-60 years ago is somehow more applicable than a parent’s experiences yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/56 "2026-08-10T14:43:52Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > “Attempts by the accompanying parent and crew to address this were unsuccessful,” according to the company So, when the mom asked, “Please, PLEASE sit down so I can buckle your seat belt, oh pretty, pretty, PRETTY please?!”, and was unsuccessful, she and the crew then gave up and an untold number of passengers were punished instead? Next time, try placing one hand gently on each side of kid, raise him/her up in the air, and spike his/her ass firmly into his/her seat and firmly buck the belt. If that doesn’t work, eject the people who caused the problem, don’t punish a ton of innocent people instead! ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/57 "2026-08-10T14:54:15Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > If that doesn’t work, eject the people who caused the problem, don’t punish a ton of innocent people instead! Please read the thread. They did return to the gate & remove the parent & child, but unfortunately by the time that occurred the runways had closed and the flight had to be cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/58 "2026-08-10T14:54:26Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > Why would they interview other passengers other than out of a sense of macabre interest? Curiosity? Human nature? That’s what people do, namely, report on the crazy behavior of other people? And yes, macabre interest-- absolutely that. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/59 "2026-08-10T14:59:00Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@muldoonthief](#): > > > > Yeah, I think spanking a child on a plane full of people with phones is not a viable solution either. They probably would have been removed from the plane, arrested and had their child sent to CPS. > > > [@Dorjan](#): > > > > Somehow I doubt that. > > I imagine all the other passengers would have burst into applause and cheers. Not a chance. People would have lost their minds. Those parents would have had to change their names if video of a spanking got out. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260/60 "2026-08-10T15:00:11Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Next time, try placing one hand gently on each side of kid, raise him/her up in the air, and spike his/her ass firmly into his/her seat and firmly buck the belt. Read the thread and the linked articles. The parent did EXACTLY THIS, and the terrified youngster wriggled back out of the buckled seat and hid under the seat. > [@Jasmine](#): > > If that doesn’t work, eject the people who caused the problem, don’t punish a ton of innocent people instead! They did that too. The parent and child were removed from the flight around 11:30, per the cbc.ca article above linked. However, an hour was not sufficient time to redo the paperwork, get the luggage sorted, and get back into takeoff position before the runway closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flight-is-canceled-after-a-child-refuses-to-be-seated/1032260.md?page=4)