Oh Canada!!

Every once in awhile I have the dishonorable joy of working one of the Canada flights.  My least favorite is YYZ (Toronto) mostly because our overnight hotel is just awful due to the hard as rock beds. Ottowa isn't so bad- but I haven't been there since I switched airlines a year ago, and even then I never got off the plane though I hear from other crews that it's an awesome overnight.  Montreal is my favorite because our hotel is just amazing!!  We don't stay downtown or anything, but the hotel is just fantastic! (or however they say that in French)


This is what I dislike about my Canada flights though: The passengers take FOREVER to board the plane.  Domestic flights- the people get on, stow their bags and sit down most of the time.  Canada flights- they find their seat.  They put their suitcase in the bin.  Then they put their personal item on their seat. They take their coat off and place it in the bin. Then they go to the back to use the lavatory (because the terminal obviously has no toilets).  Most of them say "Bonjour" when boarding...which is okay I guess since Canada is Bilingual.  But most pretend during boarding to not understand English....English is also not something they understand during compliance checks (when we walk through the cabin and yell ask passengers nicely to turn of their phones & ipods and all that stuff)  BUT they quickly understand and speak English when they are worried about connections into the hubs, have complex drink orders, or their reading light doesn't turn on.


Canada is BiLingual....it doesn't mean you get to choose when you understand and/or speak one of the 2 languages....it means both French and English are their national languages- meaning most people speak both.

ANYWAYS.....I digress......onto my Babysitting Flight to Canada....
My Canada flight last night was mostly uneventful...with the exception of two little boys who were obviously too much for their mother to handle.  While she was passed out in the row of seats across the aisle from her 3 and  5 year old, her kids were loud as hades.....were crawling on the floor, pouring their juice on the floor! OUT ...of control until I arrived on scene. 

"Boys, Give me the cups...Give me the cups.....Give. Me. The. Cups...Thank you...Now sit in your seats. Fasten your seatbelts....Fasten it. Thank you. Now while mommy is sleeping- you must behave and act like big boys. I don't want to have to tell her you were making messes and acting like animals. Do we undersand? Okay. good." 5 minutes later I come back with paper and pens......5 minutes later the 3 year old is throwing a tantrum because he dropped his cap. (generally a rookie mistake giving them more than they need to complete the task of drawing) "Give me the pens boys. I told you that you had to behave....we don't allow tantrums on the airplane....oh you want to draw still? Okay well if I hear any tantrums from your seats there will be no more." Then I got a hug and "I love you" from the 3 year old.........the whole time- the mother was still unaware of her boys' behavior!  As they deplaned I lied "You're boys were a delight to have onboard this evening. Safe travels!"  Bless her heart.


Parents- please. Bring something to keep your kids busy and QUIET on airplanes.  And don't just allow them to act like animals.  Had this mother put the younger boy next to her and the older boy in the row of seats alone- they would've both fallen asleep because they wouldn't have each other to keep them awake......


Sooooo what's your latest greatest parents & kids story?