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Flight attendants have to be very aware of their circumstances during flights, ready to act in case of any emergency or unusual situation. Often, passengers only see them as service providers, which could not be further from the truth. Although they specialize in customer service and are the face of the airline, they are trained to deal with medical emergencies, fires on board, and emergency landings and evacuations on land and water.
Recently, a Republic Airways flight attendant acted above and beyond her call of duty and has become a viral sensation for her compassionate response and has been praised for her kindness. She saw a tired first-time mom with an infant on her lap and saw the baby was about to fall, so she reached over and caught the infant in her hands. She went on to hold the infant further while the mom slept.
What’s The Story?
John Frehse was a passenger on board the 
United Airlines flight (operated by Republic Airways) from Newark, New Jersey to Grand Rapids, Michigan when he witnessed the whole event and was taken aback by flight attendant Monique Harris’ act of kindness on September 2, this year. Monique jumped out of her seat to catch the infant who was about to roll off the sleeping mother’s lap.
Furthermore, she held the baby in her arms at her jumpseat, and said to her: “Don’t worry, go back to sleep. I got you,” so that the tired mom could go back to sleep. She reassured her: ‘Don’t be embarrassed. You’re a first-time mom; I understand it, you know. And if you need a little help, there’s nothing wrong with getting a little help. And she was really thankful.” The mother then took the baby back for the rest of the flight.
Earlier in the flight, the mom had been talking to Harris and explaining her story. The first-time mom had been on vacation in Colombia when pregnant and had the baby there unexpectedly. As the baby was born in Colombia, the mom had been stuck on a no-fly list, and this was finally her returning flight home to the US after two and a half months. She was exhausted by this time and felt the baby move and woke up, thinking she’d dropped the baby.
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The Viral Response
Frehse was shocked by the flight attendant’s kindness and asked her if he could take a photo of her and post it on social media. By September 9, his post on Instagram had over 205,000 likes. He told USA Today Travel: “When I see somebody who’s working on the frontline who has this level of dedication, I know they’re never recognized for the work that they do.”
Republic Airways echoed the sentiment, saying in a statement, “We very much agree with all the positive comments we’ve read: Monique is an extraordinary colleague and flight attendant.” Harris told Yahoo Life: “I never do anything for any recognition, but it’s something that I know that sometimes, you never know what people are going through, and one little word might change their whole day.”
Frehse’s post showed up on Harris’s daughter’s Facebook feed later. Harris has two daughters and four grandchildren, so perhaps it was her natural instinct to help out. Both Frehse and Harris became firm friends and chat most days, and he describes her as ‘humble’. She is known for writing handwritten notes to her passengers during flights. Considering this story, what do flight attendants suggest for a parent traveling alone with children?
At The Airport
Flying off-peak is a good idea when traveling with children to try and avoid long queues and waiting times. United Airlines recommends booking all family members on the same reservation so that the airline can keep their seats together and pre-board the aircraft when called. According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines, children aged 12 and under do not need to remove their shoes, light jackets, or headwear during the standard screening process. Some airports have family-friendly lanes to speed things up.
Major airlines like 
Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and 
American Airlines allow families to check in strollers and car seats for free. The stroller can be used throughout the airport and then gate-check it right before boarding the aircraft. Infant formula and food pouches are allowed through TSA security in quantities over 3.4 ounces, but inform the officers before screening.
If there are seating issues, it is a good idea to speak to the gate agent as it’s easier for them to rearrange things than to move seats once onboard. Most major US airlines will seat children under 15 years of age or under with an accompanying adult at no extra cost. If there is an issue later, ask a flight attendant in your seating area if they can help. They may be able to ask passengers if they are willing to move.
Onboard The Aircraft
Children under two years old (infants) can fly for free on a parent’s lap for domestic flights. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advises that a separate seat should be purchased and an approved Child Restraint System (CRS) or car seat is used. This must be certified for use on an aircraft. AmSafe’s Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) device is suitable for children over the age of two. These ensure safety during a flight. Limited bassinets are available for infants on some long-haul widebody aircraft.
A former flight attendant and now parent recommends packing a carry-on bag with everything that you need during the flight, according to The Points Guy. She says to pack one for each child, as airlines allow this for no extra cost and include snacks, books, crayons and paper, and games in case there is no Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment. If bringing a tablet, it should be fully charged. A spare set of clothes for everyone traveling is a good idea, and carry some wipes and diapers if needed. Make sure to have a bottle of water available.
Infants do often cry during takeoff and landing due to the change in cabin pressure in their ears; feeding from a bottle can help relieve this. Snacks or sweets and drinking water may help young children. Flying can be stressful for young children, so a new book or a toy can be a distraction. They should also be dressed comfortably. Crying babies can be an issue with passengers, although most people will understand.
Behavior Onboard
It is important to bring what you need instead of relying on the airline. Some may have a limited amount of baby formula, food, and diapers on board, but not all airlines carry them. Diapers should never be changed on a passenger seat, a tray table, or the flight attendant seats, as it’s very unhygienic. Unfortunately, it’s something flight attendants see a lot. There are baby-changing tables in one of the lavatories onboard.
Interestingly, in an article at The Points Guy, a flight attendant says that she is not allowed to hold an infant or child due to safety reasons, and that she can only help stow luggage. However, some flight attendants would step in temporarily for a few moments to help out. She also says that they cannot heat up food or formula or store medicines, due to health code, safety, and liability reasons. This would be very unusual for most flight attendants around the world, who do those things on a routine basis.
The same flight attendant also mentions that parents should lead by example when dealing with uncooperative children, instead of asking a crew member to deal with it. She mentions that kicking of seatbacks and constantly ringing the call bell are the parents’ responsibility to stop and not hers. She also mentioned that a child needs to wear a seatbelt for safety reasons and should not be allowed to play on the floor instead, because they don’t want to wear it. That is not acceptable. What happens if they take it off during takeoff, the parent says nothing, and then they are consequently hurt?
Key Takeaways
The kindly flight attendant, Monique Harris, did what she thought was right and thought nothing of helping a tired first-time mom, although understandably some airlines may not be so happy about it. It would depend on the airline’s policy and perhaps the prospective unions. It was an act of kindness at a time when a passenger needed it, and in terms of safety, she protected the infant from falling from the mother’s lap.
Flying with infants and children can be extremely stressful, especially for the first time, and most flight attendants will appreciate that and maybe look out for them and give extra assistance. In the UK and Europe, flight attendants give out infant seatbelts onboard and help set up car seats and bassinets when needed. The major airlines usually have some baby formula, food, and diapers onboard, but not always. They may also have toys or activity packs to distract children.
The act of kindness may have gone viral thanks to the passenger who observed her efforts, but she would say she’s just doing her job. It’s a stark reminder in days when we see more disruptive passengers and negative media regarding airlines that sometimes, a little kindness is all it takes to make someone’s day that bit brighter.
