**UPDATE 01/18/21 @ 17:00 UTC: Statement from Vistara added to the article**
Vistara reportedly removed a crying baby and her mother from a flight from Chennai to Delhi today. The flight was also carrying the state’s Chief Minister, although it’s unknown if that influenced any decisions. The parent and child were rebooked onto a late flight the same evening, according to sources.
The incident reportedly occurred on a flight from Chennai to Delhi today. Photo: VistaraRemoved
Crying babies are a common situation when traveling, with flight crew mostly waiting them out or offering to lend a hand. According to a report from DTNext, a mother and her daughter were asked to leave a Vistara flight due to the baby’s crying. The four-month had been crying since boarding the flight, possibly prompting the removal.
The Vistara flight from Chennai to Delhi was scheduled for 12:00 PM and also carried the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami and his staff. It is currently unknown if the removal had anything to do with the CM being onboard.
The mother and child were asked to leave since the crying was disturbing passengers. Photo: Pranjal Pande – Simple FlyingWhile the two parents tried to calm the child after boarding, the crew decided to ask the mother and child to deboard since the crying was disturbing other passengers. While the mother was reportedly hesitant at first, she later agreed to leave soon after. Vistara has since clarified the incident in a statement below.
Data from FlightRadar24.com shows that the flight left Chennai 25 minutes later, at 12:20 PM local time. The plane landed at 14:45 local time, with a 15-minute overall delay.
In a statement about the incident, a Vistara spokesperson said,
“Vistara would like to confirm that a lady passenger travelling with her husband and daughter (infant) on our flight UK 838 from Chennai to Delhi on 18 January 2021 had requested to deboard the aircraft with her daughter, soon after boarding was completed. The request was made since she was concerned about her daughter’s health as she was continuously crying. Our crew and ground staff extended full support to the passengers, while ensuring all relevant protocols were followed. Safety and comfort of all our customers is our utmost priority which was highly appreciated in this case by the passenger and her family.”
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The crying baby challenge
Anyone who travels often is bound to encounter a crying baby on their flight. Babies cry on flights mainly due to the change in pressurization, which can hurt the ears, according to LiveScience. While this mainly affects children during takeoff and landing, babies also struggle with the flying experience at large, feeling discomfort and unrest at the new surroundings.
Crying babies on planes are extremely common sights. Photo: Getty ImagesWhile there are many remedies to get babies to stop crying during a flight, passengers nearby opt to wear headphones and avoid the situation altogether. Crew members usually try to help out or also avoid the situation, rarely taking action.
However, there have been cases where flight attendants have asked parents and babies to move due to crying. Considering there are only a few things parents can do, it seems like a harsh reaction.
Vistara’s interesting year
For Vistara, 2021 will be the year to return to its original growth plans. The carrier has already announced its second long-haul destination (Frankfurt) and multiple medium-haul routes. As demand for international travel is expected to slowly rise thanks to vaccinations, Vistara hopes to capture more passenger traffic.
Vistara will take delivery of four new 787s this year. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | JFKJets.comWith all of its ordered Dreamliner’s arriving this year, the larger will fleet will allow for a major long-haul expansion, depending on demand. For now, the carrier is working on transporting the vaccine and preparing for a post-pandemic future.
What do you think about the incident? What should airlines do about crying babies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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