Narrative:

A family seated in xdef (mom, dad, son 3 yrs, and son 1 yr, lap child). During taxi, the 1 yr old was observed standing in the aisle. I was observing the cabin and went to that row of seats to explain that the child must be held during taxi, takeoff, landing and while the seat belt sign is on. The mom held the baby. During climb, with the seat belt sign on, the mom was observed in the aisle on her knees, digging around under seats for lost magic markers. Dad and both kids were out of their seats without seat belts on. I went up the aisle and instructed them politely on the FAA safety rules. Mom told me that the magic markers were more important 'we all gotta die some time' according to her, and 'this plane will probably crash anyway' (direct quotes). I responded that her personal safety and the safety of her kids were the most important issue. Her response, 'you've told us 3 times!' I went up to first class cabin and informed flight attendants #1 and #3 that this family was problematic and why. During the meal service, the fasten seat belt sign went on again and during the safety compliance check they had more disrespectful remarks from mom and dad and non compliance. I called the cockpit and discussed it with the captain and first officer. We agreed to try a different flight attendant, but all 4 of us ran into the same snotty attitude and consistent non-compliance. Flight attendant #1 wrote it up and the family was given a level 2 warning to cease and desist. That lit a fire under dad. He wanted our names and we gave them. Also during one point, 3 yr old boy was sleeping on floor. Fasten seat belt sign was on. Parents refused to move him. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that she told the purser about the mother's statement, 'this plane will probably crash anyway.' she doesn't know if the purser relayed that comment to the captain and if she did, if he thought it was a possible threat. No auths met the flight, and the reporter doesn't know if the captain called ahead for them.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B737, SFO-ORD. FAMILY OF THREE WITH BABY REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH ORDERS TO FASTEN SEAT BELT FROM 4 CABIN ATTENDANTS. GIVEN WARNING BY CAPT AND CREW.

Narrative: A FAMILY SEATED IN XDEF (MOM, DAD, SON 3 YRS, AND SON 1 YR, LAP CHILD). DURING TAXI, THE 1 YR OLD WAS OBSERVED STANDING IN THE AISLE. I WAS OBSERVING THE CABIN AND WENT TO THAT ROW OF SEATS TO EXPLAIN THAT THE CHILD MUST BE HELD DURING TAXI, TKOF, LNDG AND WHILE THE SEAT BELT SIGN IS ON. THE MOM HELD THE BABY. DURING CLB, WITH THE SEAT BELT SIGN ON, THE MOM WAS OBSERVED IN THE AISLE ON HER KNEES, DIGGING AROUND UNDER SEATS FOR LOST MAGIC MARKERS. DAD AND BOTH KIDS WERE OUT OF THEIR SEATS WITHOUT SEAT BELTS ON. I WENT UP THE AISLE AND INSTRUCTED THEM POLITELY ON THE FAA SAFETY RULES. MOM TOLD ME THAT THE MAGIC MARKERS WERE MORE IMPORTANT 'WE ALL GOTTA DIE SOME TIME' ACCORDING TO HER, AND 'THIS PLANE WILL PROBABLY CRASH ANYWAY' (DIRECT QUOTES). I RESPONDED THAT HER PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF HER KIDS WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE. HER RESPONSE, 'YOU'VE TOLD US 3 TIMES!' I WENT UP TO FIRST CLASS CABIN AND INFORMED FLT ATTENDANTS #1 AND #3 THAT THIS FAMILY WAS PROBLEMATIC AND WHY. DURING THE MEAL SVC, THE FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN WENT ON AGAIN AND DURING THE SAFETY COMPLIANCE CHK THEY HAD MORE DISRESPECTFUL REMARKS FROM MOM AND DAD AND NON COMPLIANCE. I CALLED THE COCKPIT AND DISCUSSED IT WITH THE CAPT AND FO. WE AGREED TO TRY A DIFFERENT FLT ATTENDANT, BUT ALL 4 OF US RAN INTO THE SAME SNOTTY ATTITUDE AND CONSISTENT NON-COMPLIANCE. FLT ATTENDANT #1 WROTE IT UP AND THE FAMILY WAS GIVEN A LEVEL 2 WARNING TO CEASE AND DESIST. THAT LIT A FIRE UNDER DAD. HE WANTED OUR NAMES AND WE GAVE THEM. ALSO DURING ONE POINT, 3 YR OLD BOY WAS SLEEPING ON FLOOR. FASTEN SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON. PARENTS REFUSED TO MOVE HIM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE TOLD THE PURSER ABOUT THE MOTHER'S STATEMENT, 'THIS PLANE WILL PROBABLY CRASH ANYWAY.' SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF THE PURSER RELAYED THAT COMMENT TO THE CAPT AND IF SHE DID, IF HE THOUGHT IT WAS A POSSIBLE THREAT. NO AUTHS MET THE FLT, AND THE RPTR DOESN'T KNOW IF THE CAPT CALLED AHEAD FOR THEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.