A flight attendant on a UK budget airline threatened to fine a family after their tot stood on a seat mid-flight, according to a fellow passenger who labeled the woman an “idiot on a power trip.”
Former “UK Apprentice” contestant Luisa Zissman captured footage of the confrontation on a July 31 EasyJet flight from France to London — alleging the crew member began “intimidating” the family when the child stood up to speak to relatives in the row behind him.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Zissman claimed the female flight attendant lectured the boy’s parents and threatened to issue them a £100 ($US120) cleaning fine, the UK Sun reported.
“It was totally out of order intimidating behavior,” Zissman wrote, adding that the family had limited English and that the tot wasn’t even wearing any shoes.
“He wasn’t crying or making any noise or fuss, poor little mite & poor parents,” the mom of three and retail entrepreneur told her 500,000 followers.
In the short video, the flight attendant can be seen telling the parents the boy should stand on the floor and not the seat.
“You are an adult, you are in charge of him,” she barks at the family. “You need to make sure he is safe.”
EasyJet stood behind its employee in the face of the public shaming but denied it issued cleaning fines.
“It is clear from the video the crew member is concerned for the safety of the child so requested that they either stand on the floor or sit on the seat,” a spokeswoman said.
“We are sorry if the manner in which the crew member explained this caused offense.”