Having read in the local paper that Pamela Root had "no idea" that the pilot was referring to her when he mentioned a "passenger issue" you have to assume that she was a rude and clueless parent. Honestly, your kid is screaming and kicking and having a total meltdown and you have NO IDEA that this is an issue for the other passengers on the plane?

A new reason it's my favorite airline.

And I have a child, and he's misbehaved. He's never misbehaved in public without unhappy consequences, however. (Translation: punishment -- the kind that makes HIM unhappy.) Too many parents are afraid to make their kids unhappy. Fine when they are babies, not fine at toddler level. I always wonder when these parents think they're going to take charge for the first time - the teenage years?

I am goddamn sick and tired of screaming, misbehaving children making my time in public places a misery. Kudos to Southwest for having the intestinal fortitude to do the obvious thing: Boot their asses off the damned plane. If I'd been there, I would have given the flight crew a standing ovation.

Every child (as well as their parents) needs to learn the basic rule that actions have consequences.

the airline's responsibility for transportation, safety and reasonable service is to all the passengers and not just to one child and their parent(s), harried or not. Assuming they made a reasonable effort to resolve the situation before booting the offenders (and nothing indicates they didn't), their actions were justified.

I hope the mother took the time waiting for the next available flight to insure the child understood CLEARLY what was happening and the consequences yet to come.

Children aren't necessarily stupid and seldom put their hand in a fire a second time because they know it will burn again. It's the parent's job to demonstrate to children that negative consequences will always be there for other actions also. I know my children learned this lesson early.

People need to realize that. don't get me started on people who bring their little beasts into movie theaters.

I recently flew non-stop Oakland to Kansas City with a 14 month old toddler. h e was good ont he way to KC- by most standards. Quiet, right to sleep on queue.

On the way back a week later, he began to cut a tooth. We would have given him Tylenol pre flight, but the TSA took it from us (liquid) and we woulda given him his warm bottle, but the TSA made us dump it, even though it was less than 4 ozs. (But the stews , bless them, heated us up some water , no MILK on the flight ya know, just booze and soda.

Not saying it was anyone's fault. Kids are little human beings. Babies espcially can't help it if the ear hurts or suddenly a new tooth pops out, however there was a man that really was mean on the plane. He was also HUGELY FAT and eating GROSS SMELLY FOOD he brought on board( couldn't live 4 hours without a meal I guess)

the flight attendants were very sympathetic. They allowed me to take my grandson to the far rear of the plane, where they hang out, and he stayed more occupied and quieter. The stews were NOT at aLL pissed that the baby was crying. They understood the nature of humans.

YOU want to be away from kids? Take a more expensive flight and don't whine about your right to a cheap fare. Fly first class. Not many babies up there. And give a break- what kind of animals can't be more sympathetic to a little baby or toddler? Whats the matter with you if you actually feel anger towards a little kid? please.

I pack an Ipod with lots of Motorhead cuts.

Sorry, I'm childless which apparently makes me already at risk for being an asshole, but having flown recently in a plane with a six year old kid who apparently was autistic and screamed the whole way? Fuck'em. If they can't shut up, I don't want them on the plane. That's what driving was invented for.

I'll have to write Southwest an email applauding their efforts.

Oh yeah--"Where a kid can be a kid." It's fine to let them run around and scream there.

But--an airplane or a coffee shop is not a Showbiz Pizza. If it's clear you're doing your best to keep your kid in line and the kid's still throwing a tantrum, you have my utmost sympathy.

Yeah, children aren't adults and it's wrong of us to expect them to behave like adults all the time. But neither should we give them a pass on acting like little heathens. Part of growing up is learning to be respectful of others.

Parents who allow their children to run amok in public places (stores, restaurants, airplanes, not public playgrounds). I have travelled all over the world and there is nowhere else that children, even toddlers, are allowed to be so disruptive as they are here.

I have had some success when encountering such a child by saying something like, "hey, could you please do me a favor and stop making so much noise? Or stop running around?" It usually works until the child's parent takes offense and criticizes me for interfering. Mixed message to the child? Of course.

I for one applaud the SW flight attendants in this case. The right move for the greater good (the comfort of all the other passengers).

Last year, on a flight back to the US from Italy, a woman sitting directly across the aisle from me decided that during the meal service was the PERFECT time to change her baby's diaper. No, she did not use the changing table in the lav that was directly in front of her - she subjected everyone on the plane to the stench of her baby's poop while they were trying to eat. (The texture, flavor and aroma of airline food were not improved by this). Making it worse, she did it AGAIN during the second meal service of the 12-hour flight.

After having experienced that, my only disappointment with how this story worked out is that Southwest apologized afterwards.