Dad makes his 'fussy' baby 'apologize' to every passenger after 8-hour flight: 'She made up for it'

A video of a father gently encouraging his baby to “apologize” to fellow passengers after a long flight has gone viral, making it to the long list of relatable videos of toddler parents online.  Hannah Chestnut, known on Instagram as @themumcrew, is the mother of 5-month-old twins. She posted a clip showing her husband, Joseph, holding their daughter Ava after an eight-hour flight from London to Atlanta. In the video, Ava faces the line of deplaning passengers as Chestnut jokes in the caption, “We told her she had to apologize to everyone face-to-face for what she put them through on the flight.”

Chestnut clarified that the flight was uneventful. However, while they were waiting for strollers and car seats after landing, Ava continued to smile at fellow passengers. The moment thereby motivated Chestnut to film her daughter as if she were offering apologies to the fellow passengers. “The flight was actually fine,” Chestnut told Newsweek. “But Ava was interacting with everyone so sweetly, I thought it would be funny to frame it as her saying sorry.” She added that the following flight was much tougher. “That’s the one we should’ve filmed,” she said, referring to Ava being loud and fussy throughout. Chestnut said she and her husband plan to keep traveling with their children despite the challenges. “We’ve decided not to let having young babies stop us from seeing the world,” she said.

Chestnut also shared a personal detail stating that she and her husband were both born on the same day in 1992, on opposite sides of the Atlantic, just hours apart. “And then 32 years later we had twins, which means our family of four only has two birthdays between all of us,” she said. Reacting to the video’s popularity, she added, “It’s been so fun to see the video go viral, and we never expected such a silly moment to reach so many people so quickly.”

Many social media users found the video adorable and relatable. One commenter who goes by @real_ellenaj joked that Ava looked like she was ready to do it all over again. She wrote, "She looked at everyone like, and I’ll do it again, watch this. ” Another user, @susie_samd, who was clearly blown away by Ava's cuteness, wrote, “How are all those people walking past without smiling at that beautiful baby?” Another, @newbornfamily_, shared a humorous anecdote: “The lady next to my 14-month-old taught her how to cheers and down a drink in shot glasses, and there she was off around the flight with her new life skill.” Similarly, user @nicoleantoinette_ commented, “Everyone on that flight should feel honored to have been in her presence!” while @punkie0627 added, “I wasn't on that flight, but she is most certainly forgiven.”

Flying with babies can be challenging, but a few expert-backed strategies can help make the experience smoother. According to Pampers, booking an evening or overnight flight increases the chances of the baby sleeping through the journey. Longer layovers between connecting flights allow children to move around and release energy before boarding again. According to What To Expect, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends using an FAA-approved car seat instead of holding the baby on your lap, as it provides better safety during turbulence. Feeding the baby through breastfeeding, a bottle, or a pacifier during takeoff and landing can help reduce ear pressure. It’s also important to pack extra diapers, clothes, and snacks to prepare for delays or spills.