Locked in a Bathroom: Airline Horror as Toddler Left Crying for Hours!

In a shocking incident that has ignited a fierce debate across China, two airline passengers took drastic action by locking a crying toddler in an airplane restroom, sparking widespread outrage and discussion about how to handle children in public spaces. The event has left many questioning the boundaries of acceptable behavior and the treatment of young children in stressful situations.

The incident unfolded on August 24 aboard a Juneyao Airlines flight from Guiyang to Shanghai. The child, who was traveling with her grandparents, cried incessantly throughout the nearly three-hour journey, prompting two female passengers to take matters into their own hands. They led the child into the plane’s restroom with the consent of her grandmother, allegedly to “educate” her.

In a video posted by one of the women on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, the unsettling scene was captured. The clip shows the crying girl, who appeared to be around one year old, inside the locked lavatory. One of the women can be heard sternly telling the child, “We won’t let you out unless you stop crying,” as the toddler, visibly distressed, tries to escape from the woman’s lap and reach the door. The video further shows that when the child eventually stopped crying, the woman picked her up and warned, “If you make any noise again, we’ll come back (to the bathroom).”

The video quickly went viral, attracting millions of views and a torrent of criticism. Social media platforms in China were flooded with outraged comments, condemning the women’s actions as heartless and harmful. The post was later deleted amid the backlash, but not before it had sparked widespread discussion on how society should deal with children who cry or misbehave in public.

One social media user summed up the sentiments of many, saying, “Adults in their 30s can have emotional breakdowns, but people don’t allow toddlers to have theirs,” a comment that garnered thousands of likes on Weibo, China’s equivalent of X. Another comment, which resonated with many, read, “We were all once children … Don’t be a cold-blooded adult.”

The incident has also drawn the attention of Chinese state media, with outlets labeling the women’s behavior as “inappropriate” and calling for greater empathy and understanding toward young children who are unable to control their emotions. The broader conversation has touched on the societal expectations placed on parents to manage their children’s behavior, especially in confined spaces like airplanes and trains, where complaints about crying or unruly children are not uncommon.

Juneyao Airlines initially issued a statement defending the women’s actions, claiming that the child’s grandmother had given consent for them to take the toddler to the restroom. However, as public anger grew, the airline backtracked, with its customer service department issuing an apology. The airline acknowledged an “oversight of the crew” and condemned the actions of the two passengers involved.

The controversy has highlighted the ongoing debate in China about parenting, particularly in public spaces. This debate comes at a time when the Chinese government is encouraging couples to have more children, yet public tolerance for the challenges that come with young children, such as crying and tantrums, appears to be low.

As the debate continues to unfold online and in the media, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between public comfort and the rights and needs of children. The long-term impact on the toddler involved remains unknown, but the incident has certainly left a mark on the collective consciousness, raising important questions about empathy, patience, and the way society treats its youngest members.