Plane Passenger Says They Were Ready to Go 'Full Tilt Karen' After Kid Kicked Their Seat for 6-hour Flight

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a child looking out the window of an airplane.Photo:Getty

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An all too common plane pet peeve had one passengeralmostflipping out.

The passenger asked for advice on how to handle a kid who they say was repeatedly kicking their seat after several failed attempts to get the child’s father to intervene, they wrote onReddit.

“I don’t want to cause a scene but 4 hours into this and I am ready to go full tilt Karen,” the person continued. “I have said OUCH a few times but to no avail. Why do they only put 1/2 inch of foam between your lower back and someone’s foot?”

“Thanks for letting me vent 😖,” they concluded their post.

Stock image of passengers on a flight.Getty

“Press the flight attendant button and use your best adult words to tell them what you said here,” one user wrote in what quickly became the top comment.

Others agreed. “Realistically it’s the only thing to do, having the [flight attendant] mediate. Brought to parent’s attention, OP [original poster] obviously can’t control the kid, etc. Especially on a crazy long flight from HI.”

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However, some users suggested telling the child’s father was the way to handle the situation. “Not sure why they don’t just turn around and talk to the parent instead of being passive aggressive and just saying ouch,” one person commented.

“Stand up and turn around. Respectfully ask the child’s father to keep the child from kicking your seat,” another wrote.

A third suggestion emerged among the community members: ask the kid to stop. “Tell the kid directly to stop kicking your seat,” one user suggested.

“You already spoke to dad — just firmly tell the kid directly,” another chimed in. “Tell him that it’s not pleasant and you would appreciate if he didn’t do it. Or ask him (the kid) would YOU like someone to kick your seat?”

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A Southwest Airlines plane mid-flight.© Getty

PEOPLE previously spoke to travel expert, writer and advisorNicole Campoy Jacksonof Fora Travel, (who also regularly travels with her own kids) abouthow to properly handle a situation like this.

“This is a tough one because parents are already on high alert and often feel defensive when flying with their kids,” she told PEOPLE. “To turn around, already mad, and start throwing blaming words around is going to help absolutely no one have a better flight.”

Jackson explains the absolute best way to approach the matter is to first talk to the parent, and she offers her advice on how to best word the conversation.

“Try saying, ‘I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, but your child is kicking my seat and it’s bothersome. Could you chat with them about stopping, please?'”

The travel expert also told PEOPLE that if a child is being “incredibly disruptive” on a plane and doing things like running up and down the aisle orclosing and opening a window shade, it’s perfectly acceptable to call a flight attendant over for help.

“There are ways to stand up for our comforts and our spaces without getting into a fight. If you’ve asked someone—parent or otherwise—to stop doing something two or even three times and it hasn’t yet stopped, it’s time to press that call light and get some professional help,” she says.

source: people.com