Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman Booted From Delta Lounge for Crying Baby

Beth Greenfield
·Senior Editor

Delta is not having a good week. And now, at least according to her Monday social media posts, neither is Amanda Palmer.

The outspoken singer, mother, and writer with a cult-like following butted heads with the airline — which has already been called out, twice in just four days, for having flight attendants refuse mid-air help from doctors who were women of color. Palmer’s issue was that she and her husband, author Neil Gaiman, were asked to leave the Delta Sky Club lounge at New York City’s JFK airport because their 1-year-old son Anthony was crying.

Palmer posted about the incident first to Facebook, where it has gotten more than 5,000 reactions, and then to Twitter, where it’s gotten more than 150 retweets (including from a handful of celebs) and 450 likes. On Facebook, alongside her sleepy selfie, she wrote:

That kicked off a Facebook dialog with fans, some of whom gave unwavering support, while others questioned Palmer’s reaction.

“I love you, and Neil, and Ash — and it’s understandable that babies cry. It’s a thing they do. I get it,” noted one comment that has been liked by more than 390 people. “BUT the other people in that lounge paid just as much as you did to be in that room. They also paid to be in a quiet, relaxing place away from all the crying babies and busyness of the airport. Was there nothing you could have done to be considerate to the other people in the lounge? Maybe stepped out until he calmed down? I get how stressful it is to travel with a kid — but remember to treat others the way you would want to be treated. Before you had Ash, you might have been annoyed at someone else’s baby crying in the lounge too. Being a mother doesn’t give you a free pass. We have to share this whole world.”

To that, Palmer responded, “I hear you, and I’ve been on both sides of this so I get it. This lounge was loud and filled with 300 drinking, working, social people at 7 pm. it wasn’t a library atmosphere. Had it been silent inside, it would have been different, agreed.”

But many more voiced empathy for Palmer, noting that crying babies are annoying, but that having to be a parent trying to do his or her best in public is worse. And as one commenter pointed out, “Between this and their recent dismissive attitude toward black female physicians, Delta isn’t exactly covering itself in glory these days.”

Palmer repeated her dismay on Twitter.

That caused a prompt response from Delta:

As well as from supporters Paulina Porizkova and Sarah Silverman:

Delta has not yet responded to Yahoo Beauty’s request for comment, but we’ll update you as soon as it does.

The issue of crying babies in and, apparently, around airplanes is one that just keeps offending, no matter which side of the argument you’re on. Just this week, an Indian budget airline announced it was introducing child-free zones on some flights, joining Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Asia, and Singapore-based Scoot in having no-kid areas. Last year a journalist mom suggested on a U.K. talk show that children be banned from flights altogether, causing a Twitter blowup.

As for Palmer, who could not be reached for comment, she seems to be moving on. After landing in Amsterdam, she tweeted, her son’s stroller broke:

Britax responded with a suggestion that she reach out to Britax U.K. customer service, and then Palmer tweeted a happy updated:


Thank goodness for happy endings.

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