Loud toddler kicked off Southwest Airlines flight

Various media have reported in recent days that a San Jose toddler and his mother were taken off an Oct. 26 flight departing Amarillo for San Jose because the toddler was screaming too loudly.

Subsequently, the airline apologized to the family, sort of, as the San Jose Mercury News reported Friday evening:

But Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis told the Mercury News the airline did not regret its decision to yank Pamela Root and her son, Adam, off the plane -- which flight attendants made in the interests of safety, she said -- just the inconvenience it caused the family.

Why did the pilot return to the gate? According to Southwest, the two-year-old boy was screaming so loud that he drowned out the preflight safety announcements. Again, from McMinnis in the SJMN:

"We have to abide by FAA policies and be able to deliver safety announcements," she said, adding that the crew tried to soothe the child. "Our flight attendants gave the child juice and coloring books, and we're sorry she was inconvenienced."

The Associated Press added:

Spokesman Chris Mainz said the airline called Pamela Root on Friday to apologize. He says Root also will receive a refund and a $300 travel voucher. ...

Root says she was confident Adam's screams of "Go! Plane! Go!" and "I want Daddy!" would subside after the plane took off Monday in Amarillo, Texas.

Although the mom and son were taken off the flight, their bags flew free to San Jose.

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