a day ago
Delta Passenger Notices Two Young Kids on Flight, Fury Over What Parents Do
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A Reddit post describing two young children left unsupervised in a premium economy airplane cabin, while their parents flew in business class, has ignited heated debate over parenting, travel etiquette and passenger responsibility.
The post, titled "To the Couple Who Left Their Two Young Kids in Premium Select While They Relax in Delta One (JFK to ATL)," was shared by Reddit user u/SuavecitoMojito. It has accumulated more than 5,200 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was posted on June 14 in the r/delta subreddit.
"We haven't even taken off yet, and I'm already placing bets on whether the flight attendants will have to ask these parents to come back and sit with their children," the poster began.
Stock image: Two kids wearing headphones and using tablet devices on a plane.
Stock image: Two kids wearing headphones and using tablet devices on a plane.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
The post said that the parents seated themselves in Delta One, Delta Air Lines' premium business-class cabin, on a flight from New York City's JFK Airport to Atlanta in Georgia. Their two children—both estimated to be under the age of 8—were left alone in Premium Select, premium economy seating, behind them.
"One of the kids is just full-on camping with his finger up his nose while watching an iPad on full blast through speakers, despite having headphones on. He's also taken up the hobby of repeatedly kicking the poor man's seat in front of him and yelling for his mom. Worst of all—he has also gotten up multiple times during taxi," the post said.
There have been broader discussions about in-flight parenting norms and passenger conduct. A June 2023 survey commissioned by the travel booking platform Kayak found that 90 percent of passengers in the United States and Canada believe that "you are not allowed to tell off other people's kids for misbehaving" on planes, as it is "not your job."
'Incredibly Irresponsible and Selfish'
Describing the situation as "loud, messy chaos," the passenger in the Reddit post criticized the parents' decision to prioritize their own comfort over their children's supervision. "I cannot fathom what possessed these parents to think 'You know what? Let's leave two young, clearly unprepared children to fend for themselves in a cabin full of strangers while we sip champagne behind a curtain,'" they wrote.
The post concluded with a pointed message saying: "Incredibly irresponsible and selfish. If you're not ready to parent on a plane, maybe don't book yourself away from your children in a separate class. Especially when they're this disruptive."
That sense of boundary—and frustration when it is breached—resonated throughout the Reddit thread. As u/SuavecitoMojito wrote, they were simply "someone who just wanted a peaceful flight home for their last 2 hours of a 13-hour travel day."
Reddit users widely condemned the parents' actions, with many commenters expressing disbelief and concern.
"I mean, I'd love to sit in first class and leave my kid under someone else's watch, but also I would never leave my child alone on a plane for so many reasons. One parent should be with each child," wrote u/Worth_It_308.
Another user, u/oaster, offered a humorous but structured alternative: "I'd just democratically alternate with my wife. She'd stay in Delta One for 90 percent of the flight, and I'd get the other half."
Criticism extended beyond etiquette to accusations of hypocrisy in parenting philosophy. "These are probably the same kind of people who go on about how rewarding parenting is and shame child-free people for being selfish, but don't want to actually parent and shouldn't have had kids themselves," said u/PearlsOfNonsense.
Still, a few Reddit users offered a different perspective. "Yeah but what if the kids are being super annoying? Look, I earned this first class status and my kids haven't," commented u/Lil_Boofie.
U/Additional-War-2835 added: "I understand the feeling of wanting to escape the chaos of your kids sometimes but damn. This is a whole other level."
Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
