Narrative:

I wasn't directly involved in this incident, but know a little bit about it. It involved a couple and their toddler in main cabin. As we were backing out from the gate, the mother, with child, got out of their seats to go to the restroom. I saw this from my jump seat at 3R, but they were headed forward to lavatory aft of business class on B767-200. I know a business class flight attendant spoke to them, but don't remember if they returned to their seats or used the restroom. The next incident was about the fastening of seat belts when sign was turned on and there was discussion about this. The couple and child were seated in seats about 1/3 aft of forward part of main cabin. I remember that #1 flight attendant was called to come back and speak to them. Later, after water service, the call light went off above their seat and flight attendant #2 went to answer it and come back to rear of plane. Then the husband came to back of plane and accused #2 flight attendant of not liking children, wanting her full name, etc. He was 'heated' and not nice. Then call light later kept ringing above their seats, so I went to answer it. The child was the one ringing it. Their response was, 'well, can't you turn the bell off so it doesn't ring?' I told them that could not be done in the event someone needed us for an emergency. The mother also kept taking the child up to business class to see a child the same age. (This was after all service were completed in business class.) I just felt these were very permissive parents who felt the plane was their child's play pen and that our rules didn't apply to them. With their attitudes and actions, boy are they in for a problem child down the line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 FLT ATTENDANT DESCRIBED THE ANTICS OF PARENTS AND THEIR CHILD'S RINGING OF THE FLT ATTENDANT CHIME DURING A FLT FROM JFK TO LAX.

Narrative: I WASN'T DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. IT INVOLVED A COUPLE AND THEIR TODDLER IN MAIN CABIN. AS WE WERE BACKING OUT FROM THE GATE, THE MOTHER, WITH CHILD, GOT OUT OF THEIR SEATS TO GO TO THE RESTROOM. I SAW THIS FROM MY JUMP SEAT AT 3R, BUT THEY WERE HEADED FORWARD TO LAVATORY AFT OF BUSINESS CLASS ON B767-200. I KNOW A BUSINESS CLASS FLT ATTENDANT SPOKE TO THEM, BUT DON'T REMEMBER IF THEY RETURNED TO THEIR SEATS OR USED THE RESTROOM. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS ABOUT THE FASTENING OF SEAT BELTS WHEN SIGN WAS TURNED ON AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. THE COUPLE AND CHILD WERE SEATED IN SEATS ABOUT 1/3 AFT OF FORWARD PART OF MAIN CABIN. I REMEMBER THAT #1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS CALLED TO COME BACK AND SPEAK TO THEM. LATER, AFTER WATER SVC, THE CALL LIGHT WENT OFF ABOVE THEIR SEAT AND FLT ATTENDANT #2 WENT TO ANSWER IT AND COME BACK TO REAR OF PLANE. THEN THE HUSBAND CAME TO BACK OF PLANE AND ACCUSED #2 FLT ATTENDANT OF NOT LIKING CHILDREN, WANTING HER FULL NAME, ETC. HE WAS 'HEATED' AND NOT NICE. THEN CALL LIGHT LATER KEPT RINGING ABOVE THEIR SEATS, SO I WENT TO ANSWER IT. THE CHILD WAS THE ONE RINGING IT. THEIR RESPONSE WAS, 'WELL, CAN'T YOU TURN THE BELL OFF SO IT DOESN'T RING?' I TOLD THEM THAT COULD NOT BE DONE IN THE EVENT SOMEONE NEEDED US FOR AN EMER. THE MOTHER ALSO KEPT TAKING THE CHILD UP TO BUSINESS CLASS TO SEE A CHILD THE SAME AGE. (THIS WAS AFTER ALL SVC WERE COMPLETED IN BUSINESS CLASS.) I JUST FELT THESE WERE VERY PERMISSIVE PARENTS WHO FELT THE PLANE WAS THEIR CHILD'S PLAY PEN AND THAT OUR RULES DIDN'T APPLY TO THEM. WITH THEIR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS, BOY ARE THEY IN FOR A PROB CHILD DOWN THE LINE.

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.