Rich Couple Insult Mom of Crying Kid on Plane, Pilot Addresses Her before Landing – Story of the Day

Linda was dismayed that she and her wealthy husband had to fly in economy, but then the worst thing imaginable happened: a woman with a crying baby took the seat next to her. Linda had to do something to get rid of her.

Linda's upper lip curled in disgust as she arrived at her seat in Economy class. She took extra care to smooth out her skirt while she sat so the tight seating wouldn't wrinkle the expensive fabric.

"I can't believe you accidentally booked our flight in economy," Linda told her husband, Jonathan. She looked around the cabin as she patted her hair and lowered her voice to whisper: "These people are all poor, practically peasants. How will we get through this?"

"I'm sorry, my darling, but we'll just have to put up with it. It's only a four-hour flight from Baton Rouge to Miami." Jonathan knew well how fussy and dramatic Linda was. He hoped she wouldn't spend the entire flight complaining.

Linda turned as she became aware of another passenger sitting beside her. Her trepidation about the flight turned to horror when she saw a baby in the young woman's arms.

The baby started fussing the moment the young woman sat. She smiled apologetically at Linda when his little arms waved the blue blanket swaddling him aside, and he made agitated noises.

Linda turned to Jonathan and pulled a face. "I'm not going to be able to keep my sanity if those four hours are filled with this." She gestured to the baby.

Minutes passed, but they felt like hours as Linda watched the baby grow more agitated. She knew she had to do something when he scrunched up his little face and started crying.

"Excuse me." Linda gave the girl her brightest fake smile. "Can't you give the child a pacifier or rock him so he goes to sleep? This squalling is really disruptive."

"I'm very sorry." The girl held her baby closer and dug into her bag. "He's been fed and everything; I don't know why he's fussing."

"Maybe he needs a fresh diaper. Best figure it out, dear, because I can't spend my entire flight listening to this." She waved her hand at the child.

"Of course." The woman shrank away. She retrieved a bottle from her bag and offered it to the baby, but he pushed it aside and bawled louder.

Linda pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Girl, why are you on a plane with a baby if you can't control him? Don't you know anything about mothering?"

"It's not that simple, ma'am!" She replied.

"Let's make it simple." Linda stood and waved at a passing flight attendant. "Excuse me, but you need to remove this young woman and her baby from the plane."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't do that." The flight attendant turned to the young mother. "Is there something I can get you, miss, that might soothe the little guy?"

"I don't know." The baby was now struggling in the woman's arms, and the mother looked close to tears. "He usually sleeps now, but he's just getting grumpy instead."

"Don't you have brandy on this plane?" Linda butted in. "My mother always told me there's nothing like a drop of brandy to get a baby off to sleep."

Finally, the pilot announced that they would be landing soon. Linda watched the young mother. It looked like she might cry.

"I'm not going to give my child alcohol!" The mother gaped at Linda.

"I don't think airline policy would allow that, ma'am." The flight attendant added. "I suggest you use headphones to block out the sound if you can't handle it."

"That is not acceptable!" Linda stabbed her finger in the air. "If y'all can't keep this baby quiet, I demand you remove it from the plane. It's not fair to expect me to listen to this caterwauling for the next four hours! I won't put up with it."

"Well, ma'am, if you continue to cause problems, you won't have to." The flight attendant smiled. "I won't have this baby and his mom removed from the flight, but I'll be happy to ask security to remove you!"

"I'm never flying with this airline again." Linda side-eyed the woman beside her. The plane was taxiing now, and the little monster child was crying even louder than before.

The young woman didn't know what she was doing since every attempt she made to calm the child only agitated him further. Once the plane leveled out, it got even worse. The mother got a phone call, so Linda had to endure her babbling and her child's wails.

Linda was about to ask her to quiet down, but then she heard what the girl was saying, and her heart softened.

"I'm beginning to think this was a terrible idea, baby." The mother said.

"Nicky has been fussing the whole time, and I'm a nervous wreck...no, I haven't seen my dad yet! This will be our first meeting, and I can't just walk up to the cockpit and say, 'Surprise, I'm your daughter.'"

The girl sighed deeply and bounced the baby in her arms. "Honestly, this plan isn't working out as I thought it would," she continued. "It was a much better idea in theory than it is in practice."

This was intriguing! Linda subtly leaned closer to listen in as the mother continued to speak.

"Sure, I'll call back after I meet him," the woman said. "Or don't meet him; I really don't know if I can go through with it when it's taking everything I have just to deal with Nicky. I wish you were here with me. I know, baby. I love you too."

Linda glanced away as the mother hung up, but her interest was piqued. She had to know more!

"Excuse me, I just wanted to apologize for being rude earlier." Linda smiled at the woman and offered her hand. "I'm Linda, and flying makes me cranky."

A tall man in a pilot's uniform strode towards them. He had a huge grin, and his eyes lit up when he spotted April.

"I'm April." The woman frowned as she shook Linda's hand.

"Let's see if this will keep the little bundle busy." Linda reached into her handbag and withdrew an empty compact, which she kept in her purse for the mirror. The baby immediately reached out to grab it.

"Now," Linda continued as she peered over the top of her glasses, "why don't you tell me what takes you to Miami? Business or pleasure?"

Linda's plan worked. While baby Nicky was engrossed by his reflection and the mechanism of opening and shutting the old compact, Linda got April to tell her everything.

"...and Mama would never let me try to find him. She always said he was a workaholic who didn't feel anything for her or me." April hung her head. "But I didn't give up on trying to find my dad. I searched for years on social media. He doesn't have any accounts, but finally, I found his trail."

"I just can't believe all you've been through to track this man down!" Linda leaned in closer.

"And you're sure your long-lost father is the pilot on this flight?"

"Uh, pretty sure. I hoped I'd get a chance to meet him when we landed in Miami, but now I think this was a bad idea." April sighed. "I saved for ages to afford this flight. I hate to throw that money away by giving up, but how can I meet him like this?"

Linda glanced at Jonathan. She saw on his face that he was as uncomfortable with this situation as she was.

"I'm very sorry you feel like that, April." Linda put her hand on the woman's arm. "After all this time and effort...well, you must do what's best for you."

Linda excused herself to visit the powder room. She had tears in her eyes from April's story. It was so sad that she'd tried so hard to find her father, only to give up now when he was finally within reach.

Linda was restless for the remainder of the flight. She wanted April to make her move, but she was crippled with doubts. Finally, the pilot announced that they would be landing soon. Linda watched the young mother. It looked like she might cry.

"I'd also like to thank you all for your patience with my grandson, who's spent most of the flight crying," the pilot added after he completed the announcement.

April's head jerked up in shock.

"I guess flying doesn't run in the genes," the pilot continued. "April, I can't tell you how much it means to me that you're here. I can't wait to see you. Please wait for me when we land."

"How did he know?" April asked. She looked at Linda in shock. "I'm so confused."

"Well, I couldn't let you go to all this effort for nothing, dear." Linda smiled at April. "I spoke to one of the flight attendants when I went to the powder room earlier. I told her your story and asked her to pass the information along to the pilots."

"You shouldn't have...really." April's expression was grim. "There's no way I can meet him now. What if everything Mom said about him was right?"

"Don't you worry; I'll be right here the entire time." Linda put her arm around April's shoulders.

They were the last passengers left on the plane. Linda, Jonathan, and April all had their eyes glued to the end of the corridor. Any minute now...

A tall man in a pilot's uniform strode towards them. He had a huge grin, and his eyes lit up when he spotted April.

"Look at you!" the pilot spread his arms as he approached.

"I can't believe I finally get to see you, and meet my precious grandson."

April sobbed as she embraced her father. Linda was in tears, too, as she witnessed the happy reunion.

"You did a good thing, Linda." Jonathan took his wife's hands in his.

"I couldn't let that sweet girl live her life filled with regrets, now could I?"

The four adults and baby Nicky left the airplane and went to lunch. Linda and Jonathan had been reluctant to join them, but April and her father, Ben, insisted.

"Your mother couldn't adapt to the hours a pilot needs to work," Ben said while they waited for their order. "I was sorry to lose her, but it didn't break my heart as much as when she refused to let me see you."

April took her father's hand in hers. "I think she never really got over it, and it made her bitter. She never had a good word to say about you."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't listen to her and that you're here now." Ben smiled. "I'll be retiring soon, and I can't think of a better way to spend my days than getting to know my daughter and grandson."

"Really?" April's eyes lit up. "Will you be living in Baton Rouge?"

"Honey, I'd live on the moon if that's what it took to be close to you."

A few months later, Linda followed Jonathan through their luxury home as she brushed off his suit and straightened his tie.

"Linda, please, I look fine," Jonathan said.

"Fine is not good enough." Linda picked one last speck of dirt off Jonathan's lapel.

"You must look your best for Nicky's first birthday party. I won't accept anything less."

The doorbell rang then, and Jonathan hurried away to answer it. April stood on the doorstep with Nicky in her arms. Her husband stood at her side, and Ben stood behind them.

"There's my little godson." Jonathan reached to take Nicky into his arms. The boy gave him a wide grin.

Linda appeared then. She admonished Jonathan for leaving their guests on the doorstep and invited everyone in. He chuckled as he listened to her quiz Ben on his retirement and remind April of their appointment at the beauty salon later that week. Linda was definitely a drama queen, but she had a good heart.

What can we learn from this story?

• Sometimes the biggest risk is never taking any risks at all. If April hadn't met her father on the plane, then she certainly would've regretted it later.
• Don't be too quick to judge others. Although Linda was rude and mean to April initially, she proved she had a good heart by helping her finally meet her father.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young man who gets a nasty shock when his dad catches him mocking a flight attendant.

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