A recent incident aboard a Juneyao Airlines flight has sparked widespread outrage in China, igniting a fierce debate on how to manage upset children in public spaces. The controversy began when two female passengers locked a crying toddler, who appeared to be around a year old, in the plane’s lavatory during a flight from Guiyang to Shanghai on August 24.
The incident gained attention after one of the women posted a video of the event on Chinese social media. The video, shared on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), showed the two women inside the locked restroom with the wailing child. In the video, one of the women, who was sitting on the toilet, addressed the child sternly, saying, “We won’t let you out unless you stop crying.” The toddler, visibly distressed, struggled to escape the adult’s lap and reached for the door. As the child eventually quieted down, the woman filming picked her up and warned, “If you make any noise again, we’ll come back (to the bathroom).”
According to Juneyao Airlines, the toddler was flying with her grandparents and had been crying persistently throughout the nearly three-hour flight. The airline stated that the child was taken to the restroom with the grandmother’s consent, and the two passengers intended to “educate” her.
However, the video’s release quickly sparked a backlash. As criticism mounted, Juneyao Airlines issued a statement apologizing for the incident and acknowledging the crew’s failure to intervene. The airline condemned the passengers’ behavior as inappropriate.
The woman who posted the video claimed her intention was to ensure a peaceful flight for other passengers. However, her actions were met with widespread criticism online. Social media users expressed outrage, accusing the women of being heartless and bullying the child. The video was subsequently deleted, but not before it ignited a heated discussion.
One of the most popular comments on Weibo, China’s version of X (formerly Twitter), highlighted the double standard adults often apply to children, stating, “Adults in their 30s can have emotional breakdowns, but people don’t allow toddlers to have theirs.” Another comment urged empathy, saying, “We were all once children … Don’t be a cold-blooded adult.”
Many users expressed concern about the potential long-term effects of the incident on the child’s mental health. The incident also prompted criticism from multiple Chinese state media outlets, which condemned the women’s actions as inappropriate and called for greater understanding and tolerance toward young children who are still learning to manage their emotions.
This event has brought renewed attention to the ongoing debate about parenting in public spaces in China. Complaints about young children crying or acting out on flights and trains have become increasingly common on Chinese social media, with some criticizing parents for not doing enough to control their children’s behavior. As the Chinese government continues its efforts to encourage couples to have more children, incidents like this one highlight the challenges of balancing public expectations with the realities of parenting young children.
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