A Chinese family was kicked off a Cathay Pacific flight after their three-year-old son refused to wear a seatbelt , causing a delay for other passengers . The Hong Kong-bound plane sat at its gate at a Bangkok airport for an extra 30 minutes while the family , flight attendants and other travellers were involved in a heated stand-off . Most airlines allow children under two to sit on a parent ’ s lap during take-off and landing . Any child over that age must sit in their own seat and wear a safety belt . The boy 's father ( middle ) rowed with other passengers , putting the flight 30 minutes behind schedule . In last Thursday ’ s incident , the boy refused to take his seat and wear a seatbelt moments before flight CX654 was scheduled to take off from Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport , a passenger , named Lau , told Hong Kong ’ s Apple Daily newspaper . All other passengers were seated and prepared for their two-hour journey . Flight attendants asked the family to put the boy in his seat and buckle his safety belt , but the parents refused to obey their directions and insisted that the boy be allowed to sit on his mother ’ s lap , the South China Morning Post reported . A passenger recorded the argument that followed and shared the video with Apple Daily . A female passenger urged cabin crew to call police after the family refused to get off the plane . In the video , the boy ’ s defiant father said : ‘ If others keep on harassing us , then we will not leave. ’ A female passenger , speaking in Cantonese , urged cabin crew to call police , adding : ‘ We are customers too . Why are you two allowed to harass all the passengers on board ? ’ The boy ’ s father , speaking Putonghua , refused to stand down , saying : ‘ If you keep on talking , we won ’ t leave. ’ Moments later , the boy ’ s mother carries the crying child off the plane as the father collects their belongings . In a similar incident , police were called after a couple refused to place their grandson in his seat . Cathay Pacific defended its decision , telling the South China Morning Post that it was based on safety grounds . A day before , police were called to Hong Kong International Airport after a three-year-old boy would not remain in his seat on a Hong Kong Airlines flight that arrived from Bali , Indonesia , the newspaper reported . In that incident , the boy ’ s grandparents disobeyed instructions from cabin crew and carried the boy .
father sat at its gate in Bangkok while father rowed with relatives , travellers . He said the family would n't leave ' if others keep on harassing us ' Family eventually disembarked after protests from other passengers . father defended its decision , claiming it was based on safety grounds . Most airlines allow children under 18 to sit on a parent 's lap .