Okay not the best way to report news IMO, but it gets the point across:

 

 

Ridiculous, no?

I read this article about it a couple of days ago:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/14/united-lost-child.html

 

I agree it is like a circus for United at Chicago for whatever reason. United Breaks Guitars and loses your children. LOL

 

Cheers

Weird, I just got Flight1's Unaccompanied Children and Pets 2012. Came with Baggage Handler Unlimited add-on for free, too.

Well he does have a point about bad press being more important than a lost child, at least in the airline industry...I flew unaccompanied to New Hampshire on Delta a couple weeks back. The gate attendants were quite nice, and told me everything I needed to know and then handed me off to a FA. She was just surly overall, guiding me to my seat and leaving with 4 parting words. I knew she wasn't interested in my trip when I was the only person not served refreshments and snacks on the plane.

 

My experience was definitely not as bad as this poor girl, but it did frustrate me. And with all the Delta ads around Atlanta proudly proclaiming they have the best yadda yadda, why not back up your claim to the future fliers?

Well he does have a point about bad press being more important than a lost child, at least in the airline industry...I flew unaccompanied to New Hampshire on Delta a couple weeks back. The gate attendants were quite nice, and told me everything I needed to know and then handed me off to a FA. She was just surly overall, guiding me to my seat and leaving with 4 parting words. I knew she wasn't interested in my trip when I was the only person not served refreshments and snacks on the plane.

 

My experience was definitely not as bad as this poor girl, but it did frustrate me. And with all the Delta ads around Atlanta proudly proclaiming they have the best yadda yadda, why not back up your claim to the future fliers?

Wow, that sucks. But the girl was 10, you are a bit older than her, right? They probably think that you are not important anymore, as you grow older. :LMAO:

This entire story is appalling.

The phone rep had to go on break and couldn't find the missing child?

What planet are we living on?

 

United needs to reevaluate their position on hiring people with a soul and a brain, because a part of their workforce seems to lack both.

I don't know why the airlines puts themselves in the position of being baby sitters. They should not allow unaccompanied minors to fly alone. Especially the younger ones. It's the parents responsibility to take care of their child not the airline. I would never leave my child alone flying, especially ones 10 or younger. I know many of these cases are court ordered visitation rights from a divorce, but that doesn't alleviate the parent's responsibility for the child's safety. one of them should either fly with them, or fly to pick them up. I know that's not always convenient, but that's not the airlines problem.

Wow, that sucks. But the girl was 10, you are a bit older than her, right? They probably think that you are not important anymore, as you grow older. :LMAO:

:LMAO: . No wonder there isn't a single happy businessman in the airport...

I don't know why the airlines puts themselves in the position of being baby sitters. They should not allow unaccompanied minors to fly alone. Especially the younger ones. It's the parents responsibility to take care of their child not the airline. I would never leave my child alone flying, especially ones 10 or younger. I know many of these cases are court ordered visitation rights from a divorce, but that doesn't alleviate the parent's responsibility for the child's safety. one of them should either fly with them, or fly to pick them up. I know that's not always convenient, but that's not the airlines problem.

 

If the airline offers the service and charges the parents for it, they are making it their problem.

In this situation United Airline contracted this service out and it was that company that lost this child when they forgot to meet the child at the designated time/place.

 

United Airline obviously needs to review it's procedures as it seems their employees didn't know how to respond to a situation where their contracted company was not able to deliver a child accompany service. It seems like United employees had a 'not our problem' approach to this situation as it is their contracted company that was responsible for the mistake.

When I was younger I flew unaccompanied a few times. My aunt in Florida would buy me plane tickets for Christmas so I could visit her and her husband and my cousin in the summer. Got to see and do a lot of cool things and really enjoyed it. Had nothing to do with "divorce" or my dad not being "responsible". She always used Delta so that meant a layover in Atlanta, I loved that place.

I flew unaccompanied only once in '75, although at age 14 I was probably old enough to navigate through the airport on my own. Being age 14, being male, I was very sensitive about people treating me like a child. On the day I was to fly home from Chicago, my uncle and grandmother dropped me off at O'Hare. I said my goodbyes, boarded the plane, and went to my cherished window seat (it was my first flight since I was age five, so I was quite excited).

 

I just wanted to be left alone to enjoy the view as my DC-10 headed towards SFO. But I wasn't left alone--the flight attendants lavished attention on me. I've flown first class many times since, and the attention I received on those flights didn't exceed what I had on this flight. Every five minutes it seemed like the flight attendants were asking me questions--"do you want something to eat, sweetie?","do you want a soda, sweetie?","can I get a pillow for you, sweetie?', etc... My adolescent mind was wondering what the heck was going on, since they weren't giving the other passengers that much attention. I was a bit embarassed, to say the least. That's the way my flight went until I arrived in SFO and met my parents. I scarcely had five minutes alone the entire flight.

 

When I got home and phoned my grandma to let her know I was home safe, first thing she asked was how did my flight go--did the flight attendants take care of me? I learned she had told the head flight attendant that I was traveling alone for the first time, and she wanted them to give me extra special attention. The flight attendants did exactly what my Grandma asked. It was a United flight--alas, service was better in those days. That was my only unaccompanied flight, but it was a memorable one.

 

John

 

Awesome story, John!

sweetie?

 

Good story... but I must admit... my 14 year old former self would be thinking.. "Oh... it's ON with these honeys!" :Big Grin:

 

Mile High Club Indeed.

Good story... but I must admit... my 14 year old former self would be thinking.. "Oh... it's ON with these honeys!" :Big Grin:

 

Mile High Club Indeed.

Naughty boy.