The now-viral clip, which has racked up more than 134,000 views on TikTok, shows a man screaming at a flight attendant for a crying baby on the plane in a video titled, “Belligerent passenger causes diversion.”
For three minutes of the nearly four-minute video, a fellow passenger records the passenger’s tirade directed toward two flight attendants. TODAY does not independently know what occurred before the moments captured on video
The angry man, who is not identified in the clip, uses profanity more than 20 times toward Southwest crew and fellow passengers, to express his disgust in a baby crying.
“You’re yelling,” one flight attendant says to the angry passenger.
“So is the baby!” the upset man says, while his seat mate places their head in their hands.
The video, which was originally shared on TikTok, has been re-shared on both Twitter and Instagram.
“I always wonder like do you THINK the parents want a crying child?? OBVIOUSLY NO!!!” wrote one commented on TikTok. “We are HYPER aware our child is screaming!”
The crying baby (which sounds more like a toddler than a baby-baby) magically stops crying halfway through this man’s rant which leads me to believe the people they were traveling with could’ve done more to meet whatever need they were expressing.
40-45 minutes is excessive. pic.twitter.com/af2xsIDF3g
— I ?? Jews, Please dont close my accounts. (@LaCienegaBlvdss) April 18, 2023
One Twitter user wrote, “If you can’t handle the sound of a crying baby or toddler, maybe air travel or being in public isn’t for you. Personally, I’d be embarrassed by my inability to cope with something so basic that happens all the time. But I just believe that’s part of being a functioning adult.”
If you can’t handle the sound of a crying baby or toddler, maybe air travel or being in public isn’t for you. Personally, I’d be embarrassed by my inability to cope with something so basic that happens all the time. But I just believe that’s part of being a functioning adult.
— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) April 18, 2023
While many views expressed outrage at the man’s behavior, others were sympathetic.
“Why should the rest of us have to be subjected to the crappy behavior of other people’s kids?” one Twitter user wrote. “Honestly, if a kid can’t behave on a flight, it doesn’t belong on it.”
Why should the rest of us have to be subjected to thw crappy behavior of other people’s kids?
Honestly, if a kid can’t behave on a flight, it doesn’t belong on it. Yravel is stressfull enough without having to to endure that kind of nerve grating noise.
— Armadillidium Vulgare (@Armadillidium45) April 18, 2023
Another tweeted: “Apparently this baby/toddler was going at it for the better part of an hour. That’s a long time to deal with that.”
I agree but apparently this baby/toddler was going at it for the better part of an hour. That’s a long time to deal with that.
— Christina (@AIPChristina) April 18, 2023
A representative for Southwest Airlines responded Tuesday evening to TODAY.com’s request for a statement, stating:
“We do not have details on this flight to share but commend our flight crew for their professionalism and offer our apologies to the other customers onboardt.”
It’s not the first time this week social media has been split over airplane decorum.
