Virgin Blue flight attendant sacked after putting baby in overhead locker

By: Ben Schlappig

Published: March 7, 2011

13 comments

A Virgin Blue flight attendant has been fired after putting a 17 month old toddler in an overhead locker on a flight from Fiji to Sydney. Apparently the lady’s husband was playing a peek-a-boo game involving the overhead locker, and the flight attendant decided to join in, putting the baby in the overhead bin for as much as 10 seconds.

Now, though this was in poor taste, it sounds to me like the flight attendant’s intentions were actually good (just trying to entertain the toddler). What’s really ridiculous about the story is the mother’s reaction:

According to Ms Williamson, Riley, who is now 20 months, has seen various specialists since the incident after suffering from anxiety and withdrawal.

‘He won’t leave my sight now. He sleeps with me. If I’m not in the same room as him, he will scream’, she said.

Nice to see frivolous lawsuits aren’t limited to the US!

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Shelly Guest

June 28, 2011, 4:59 am

I think it's an absolutely ridiculous thing to do for a flight attendant to get so involved as to be holding someone elses' toddler and putting them into the overhead bin to begin with. A little nutty is she? Oh and wasn't the father into this and allowing her to do so? So she isn't the only one at fault then. The mother is totally lying to try and cash in on this. Specialists at 20 months old? Yes, he's forever scarred from this traumatic event. BULL. She saw an opportunity and grabbed it the money hungry BEEP. It surely was in very poor taste to play with a little child in this way, and I can't even envision it honestly, the husband is truly the most at fault. He obvously was playing this way from the start and didn't object to anything. The attendant while a like loopy in the head perhaps, or just weird, shouldn't have gotten involved but obviously was going along with the dad. I think he was already doing what she was, if I'm reading right. I'm completely sure the boy is fine and likely was enjoying the game, though I'd never do it nor let anybody do that to my child. It's dangerous and flat out stupid. Where were the other passengers? I just cannot picture this scenerio taking place. It almost sounds made up. idk.. Shelly http://www.twinpossible.com/blog

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Jeffrey Guest

March 15, 2011, 7:56 pm

The flight attendant should not have been fired. Given a warning more like it. The FA was not trying to hurt the baby his intentions were not negative. sounds like a normal baby boy to me, wont leave his mother side some kids are like that. what a shame totally blown out of proportion on both ends.

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Mitch Guest

March 8, 2011, 5:09 pm

Sounds like something Pam Ann would do!

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rich (arizona) Guest

March 8, 2011, 4:28 pm

@caelus Sorry for taking your comment incorrectly. I guess living and seeing things in Scottsdale for the last 8 yrs causes me to view things differently than I did in the past.

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Hilary Guest

March 8, 2011, 2:18 pm

+1 for Steve. While I agree that people should take more responsibility for their own actions, the reality in the U.S. is that for every frivolous case there are many other meritorious cases that won't be brought because the plaintiffs don't bring charges, are afraid to press charges due to legal status, don't find counsel to represent them, etc. Given that many companies won't comply with existing regulations if there is some cost involved, unless there is strong enforcement and stiff penalties for non-compliance, legal action becomes an important last recourse.

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