8 Year Old Bumped Off US Flight

[beachboy]

So this girl was separated because our lovely SHARES system can't do crap. Oversold flight from what I understand. The family was separated and the parents are told the little girl is in 1st class. Only, surprise in the air, she was bumped off. I mean good grief. And the Tempe spin is right there on display! But hey, On Time Everytime child or not!

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/Ne...mp;pageId=3.2.1

 

[Hot Nuts]

What a bunch of BS. The mom was in the gate area, and with a minimum crew how could the flight attendant walk of the a/c?

It had to be an agent right? She wants someone fired because of what? Bad parenting?

How are the airlines are allowed to overbook flights anyway. If you have 100 seats to sell then you can sell only 100 tickets…if someone doesn’t show then it can go to someone that is there and wants it. PERIOD!

 

[beachboy]

Still a lot of questions. I don't think the mother understands how bumping works but I think the blame can be spread evenly around. Parents don't know the first thing about parenting these days but you don't bump off an 8 year old without having a guardian present and aware. Does anyone have more facts on this?

 

[Twicebaked]

What a bunch of BS. The mom was in the gate area, and with a minimum crew how could the flight attendant walk of the a/c?

It had to be an agent right? She wants someone fired because of what? Bad parenting?

How are the airlines are allowed to overbook flights anyway. If you have 100 seats to sell then you can sell only 100 tickets…if someone doesn’t show then it can go to someone that is there and wants it. PERIOD!

No, legally airlines can and DO sell more seats than are on the aircraft. If you are an employee (flight attendant, pilot or gate agent) you know that you usually get "no shows". Occasionally, and unfortunately ALL will show up. Even if you are a commuter, you would know this.

As far as this incident, two sets off people are at fault. First and foremost, the airline. Commom sense would tell you that if you are bumbping off a child......he/she are with parents or some guardians. I don't believe this child had UM paperwork....and the gate agents and flight attendants would know this......But let me stress, this in NOT the flight attendants responsibility AT ALL. Second, if I were the childs parents I would make sure my child was on the flight at door closure. I am quite sure they were the last to check in as they (the child) were the first to get bumped off. Knowing the chaos that was going on, they should have been a bit more observant about their child....shame on them.

The airlline should be held accountable, but the parents need to be held accountable as well.

 

[BajaBabe]

Regardless of how the Company will attempt to whitewash this situation I find it so offensive. Was anybody wondering what a 8 year old was doing in first? Where were her minor's release form? If it isn't one thing its another and the water pearls in Phoenix will never attain the culture of the finest of pearls. If it isn't calling for wheel chairs that the flight attendants have to push its NEVER their mishap. Be Real PHX! your not perfect. I am not either, but your lack of accountabilty has spawned a wishy-washy flimflam management style.

 

[luv2fly]

The father on the flight should have been notified before the 8 year old was escorted off the aircraft. If the flight attendant/gate agent truly ignored this information, she/he should be reprimanded.

 

[Twicebaked]

The father on the flight should have been notified before the 8 year old was escorted off the aircraft. If the flight attendant/gate agent truly ignored this information, she/he should be reprimanded.

It is NOT the flight attendants responsibility to know WHOM the gate agents are removing from the aircraft. There is so much going on at door closure....flilght attendants don't have time to monitor the gate agent's job. The A and/or C flight attendant (or D on 75 BY THEMSELVES) may not have been there during this. They may have been in the middle of the cabin closing overheads or whatever.

DO NOT try and place ANY of this blame on the flight attendants!! They ARE NOT the responsible party AT ALL!!!!

 

[BajaBabe]

deleted

 

[Twicebaked]

So this girl was separated because our lovely SHARES system can't do crap. Oversold flight from what I understand. The family was separated and the parents are told the little girl is in 1st class. Only, surprise in the air, she was bumped off. I mean good grief. And the Tempe spin is right there on display! But hey, On Time Everytime child or not!

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/Ne...mp;pageId=3.2.1

I don't think you can blame SHARES for this one either. Even Sabre couldn't put people together if those are the only seats open.....SHARES does suck though.

 

[EastUS]

It is NOT the flight attendants responsibility to know WHOM the gate agents are removing from the aircraft. There is so much going on at door closure....flilght attendants don't have time to monitor the gate agent's job. The A and/or C flight attendant (or D on 75 BY THEMSELVES) may not have been there during this. They may have been in the middle of the cabin closing overheads or whatever.

DO NOT try and place ANY of this blame on the flight attendants!! They ARE NOT the responsible party AT ALL!!!!

I think it's tough to tell any details of what really hapenned by way of the "news" here...those clowns will paint anything in the most "dramatic" fashion possible. I was put off pretty well, untill the mother noted that her daughter appeared at her side. I didn't get any immediate impression from the "news" cast that there was another family member even present at the gate until then. I'd think there might have been some significant hose-up through not ensuring that the child was delivered directly to her mother immediately.....but who knows what really took place? For all we know: the agent might well have checked with the kid and been told "my mom's right there"/etc. The last appropriate thought's to hang the flight attendant, who was doubltess busy, and isn't responsible for bumping pax, nor follow up actions when working a departure.

Could this have been handled a lot better? = No doubt.

 

[luv2fly]

It is NOT the flight attendants responsibility to know WHOM the gate agents are removing from the aircraft. There is so much going on at door closure....flilght attendants don't have time to monitor the gate agent's job. The A and/or C flight attendant (or D on 75 BY THEMSELVES) may not have been there during this. They may have been in the middle of the cabin closing overheads or whatever.

DO NOT try and place ANY of this blame on the flight attendants!! They ARE NOT the responsible party AT ALL!!!!

That is really why I stated flight attendant/gate agent. Either way, someone is responsible for letting an 8 year old off off that airplane without notifying the parents. Most likely in this case it was the gate agent and that person should be reprimanded.

 

[autofixer]

Normally something like this is good for a half page diatribe from me about US Airways Management. Not this time as ther spokeswoman Carry Hester which incedentially ryhmes with Jester said it all really.

Carry Hester's careful choice of words and the almost flip way in which they were delivered speaks more about the attitude and approach of US Airways towards customers than anything I could ever write. "Flying can be stressful" Bleep You! you expletive deleted talking head.

I sincerely hope that the family involved contacts Kate Hanni and joins the movement for a Passengers Bill of Rights. I'm coming to the conclusion that while I loathe government regulation that this legislation may well be needed to address the ongoing issues with airline customer service.

Kate Hanni's Website

I cannot wait to see the results of the "law-of-unintended-consequences" if the government passes this law. I think airlines will cancel flights at the first sign of trouble to avoid the remedys afforded by this future law. Since when has the national government ever done anything right?

 

[N109UW]

How are the airlines are allowed to overbook flights anyway. If you have 100 seats to sell then you can sell only 100 tickets…if someone doesn’t show then it can go to someone that is there and wants it. PERIOD!

Because pax make multiple reservations and don't cancel them out. One way to solve this issue is to cahrge the pax, no matter what. Or only allow them to make one reservation. No no show factor is always a problem.

 

[EastUS]

I cannot wait to see the results of the "law-of-unintended-consequences" if the government passes this law. I think airlines will cancel flights at the first sign of trouble to avoid the remedys afforded by this future law. Since when has the national government ever done anything right?

Agreed. There's no situation anywhere on earth, regardles of how bad it is, that it can't be made yet worse through the government's enlightened "help"

 

[BajaBabe]

All of you who are contributing come up with answers . Try to be creative someone has to have a system. We are not just sitting here casting blame. In fact the only thing that I care about is the 8 year old and how her father felt. You do not want to work together with solutions that we can all grow from. Do you ever wonder why we are treated with such little respect.