Are airline passengers overreacting?
Apart from the confrontation, why would a woman need her baby stroller on the plane (‘Airline man hits woman with stroller’, Gulf News, April 23)? Where was she going to stroll with it? Strollers are put in the hold, it is placed in a forward hold where it is handed to the owner upon deplaning. The woman needs to respect flight procedures or not fly. Too many people are trying to take advantage. She obviously was stressed out about something else before it all went bad. Nice of the airline to give her an upgrade, but she needs to find a solution to her problems.
The airline tried to avoid a big press blow up by giving her an upgrade. I like upgrades, but I understand the stroller rules, because they are for everybody. She needs to sort her personal problems and not drag airline staff into her issues. Someone is probably going to lose their job because of her tantrum.
From Mr Kevin Henson
Saint Raphael, France
Facebook comment
Unprofessional cabin crew
Mr Kevin Henson, the way it works on international flights is that they let you take the stroller to your seat, then at that time, a flight attendant takes it and puts it in the forward hold. When you land, most people deplane and at that time they give you the stroller. The airlines did the right thing and took the cabin crew out of the situation and then upgraded the woman. In the end, it was unprofessional.
From Mr Michael J. Kendall
UAE
Facebook comment
Strollers go in the hold
Strollers are not brought onto the plane! They are brought up to the door of the plane then packed away to go into the hold. She isn’t expected to hold a baby and her hand carry and walk the whole way to the gate of the plane from the time she walks into the airport, but this item isn’t needed once they have boarded!
From Ms Michelle Shah
UAE
Facebook comment
Employees reach their limits
I think that this shows more how the airlines treat their employees. I think the woman was probably out of line insisting to have her stroller in the cabin, but that airline employee really cracked. To me it looks like he is the one having a nervous breakdown. Who know how many hours he has worked, how many nasty passengers he has had to deal with or when his last vacation was. Maybe he had personal issues going on, too. We don’t know.
From Ms Lili Maria
Dubai
Facebook comment
A dream come true
Isabella Nicola wanted to play violin without having her left arm and her interest was encouraged by her music teacher (‘Undergrads build prosthetic arm for 10-year-old violinist’, Gulf News, April 23). They built her a prosthetic arm that allowed her to play the violin, which is laudable. This could be possible only with a group of five bio engineering students that helped Isabella’s dream to come true. Kudos to music teacher and the teammates.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Who benefits from this law?
This law in Lebanon to allow rapists to go free if they marry their victims is the worst option for the rape victim and this law would have to be clarified for married women who might be attacked (‘Lebanon activists ramp up pressure on reviled rape law’, Gulf News, April 23). The civilised world is laughing at this law.
From Mr Jeevan Toprani
UAE
Facebook comment
Lenient towards culprits
How is this justice to the rape victims? I don’t understand how a civilised world still has these barbaric laws in place? Don’t they ever consider the mental and physical trauma the victim has suffered before they think of marrying her off to her rapist? No wonder rape cases are on a rise, because the law is lenient towards the culprits! These people need to be given harsher sentences – not excused for their crimes by marrying them off to their victims! This is part of victim blaming altogether!
From Ms Cassandra Debbie Sandra
UAE
Facebook comment
Protecting animal rights
Great work by the Civil Defence personnel who rescued a kitten trapped on a busy street in Abu Dhabi (‘Video of cat saved by Abu Dhabi Civil Defence goes viral’, Gulf News, April 21). Such incidents uphold the humanitarian and animal welfare principles in the country. I was living in the UAE for 30 years and other than anything else, I was fascinated by its care and attention for pets and animals. Nearby Abu Dhabi, there is an island that is an open park for wild animals. It is a magnificent and unique place in the world where one can find many activities that uplifts mankind and animal welfare principles. Long live the UAE!
From Mr Sunny Joseph
Mala, India
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