nostradamus
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Who should they be mad at, the airline, the weather or themselves?
9 year old stuck in Snow storm
9 year old stuck in Snow storm
Nine year old UM, Denver airport act of nature.
- Thread starter nostradamus
- Start date
Well knowing how the general American public will respond to this incident, the family will ofcourse blame the airline.
It's never the family's fault. They put their child in the temporary custody of the airline. The airline is to blame.
NOT !!!
This is yet another fine example of not taking responsibility for the saftey of your own child. No child should be flying on any airline where the child must make a connection to get to his or her final destination.
Isn't that one of the new rules on US? No UM's on connecting flights?
Maybe UA should adopt this policy as well. But this incident makes for good fast talking news points at the top of the hour. And it adds to the pissing and moaning of those people that got stuck in DEN for 2 days.
NEWSFLASH !! You live in a city with freakish winter storms. Don't blame the airline when you can't fly because tons of snow got dumped on you. Stay home.
It's never the family's fault. They put their child in the temporary custody of the airline. The airline is to blame.
NOT !!!
This is yet another fine example of not taking responsibility for the saftey of your own child. No child should be flying on any airline where the child must make a connection to get to his or her final destination.
Isn't that one of the new rules on US? No UM's on connecting flights?
Maybe UA should adopt this policy as well. But this incident makes for good fast talking news points at the top of the hour. And it adds to the pissing and moaning of those people that got stuck in DEN for 2 days.
NEWSFLASH !! You live in a city with freakish winter storms. Don't blame the airline when you can't fly because tons of snow got dumped on you. Stay home.
Here's a good one for ya. I recently had a young UM girl on my flight. I signed for her from the agent and escorted her and her bags to her seat. I briefed her and explicitly told her to stay in her seat until I came back to get her, so that I could make sure the person in the sheet was picking her up. Well, when we were done deplaning, I went back to get her and she was gone. Nobody had seen her leave the a/c. I went up to the agent in the terminal and he hadn't seen her either. He did say that her grandma was there to pick her up, but he didn't see her in the boarding area either. The agent basically put out an Amber alert in the airport, due to the fact we didn't know if she had gotten off the a/c with another pax. I called the granma's number on my paperwork. I reamed her for taking her kid without signing any p/w. I also jumped that kids. She had taken her UM sticker off and just walked off the plane herself. Wish that was my kid. Grandma made her apologize to all involved and said she would be dealt with accordingly. I asked Grandma if she needed my belt. She said she had some at home with her name on it.
Everyone was too busy....
Exactly why I am thrilled the no connection policy went into effect on US. It has cut down the number of UMs tremendously and since we are working with less staff, we dont have the time to baby sit and keep an eye on the kids while trying to turn a flight. It has been a good policy implementation IMO.
Exactly why I am thrilled the no connection policy went into effect on US. It has cut down the number of UMs tremendously and since we are working with less staff, we dont have the time to baby sit and keep an eye on the kids while trying to turn a flight. It has been a good policy implementation IMO.
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I too had a similiar problem. I reamed the child out for disregarding our briefing which I reiterated prior to landing. I had the child and parent paged back to the gate, thank goodness they responded.
JungleClone
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I'm not sure what the current policy is, but I know up until a year ago, UA's policy regarding UM connections was that they could not be booked on a LAST connecting flight out.
It's very easy to blame the parents in this situation. But keep in mind that the average parent has never worked in the airline industry. If they did, they would probably NEVER send their child alone on a flight, whether it's nonstop or connecting. In my 18 years in the industry, there were far too many UMNR horror stories. And as a parent, I know better than to ever send my children flying alone. But not all parents know better. As difficult as it may be to believe, many operate with the impression that transport of UMNR's is seamless and safe.
My view is that the parents should have checked the weather forecast for the area. Once that storm was forecast, they should have made alternate plans for their child. But there is also NO excuse for that child to be able to walk off that flight unknown to any UA employees. That is a clear breach of the UMNR policy. They can make all the excuses that they want, but the plain and simple fact is that allowing that to happen is a failure on UA's part to provide the service that child's family paid for.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we can blame parents all we want in situations like this. But as long as airlines are willing to accept UMNR's, then they have the responsibility for them. Storms happen. Cancellations happen. But parents need to be able to get up-to-date and accurate information when things like this happen. And a child being trapped on a plane for 3 hours not being able to communicate with parents is simply not right. In this day and age, it's very easy to rectify that. If the plane is on the ground, allow the child to make a cell phone call. If the plane is in the air circling, the pilot can very easily call someone on the ground and ask that the parents be called and updated. I know that we ALWAYS bent over backwards to go the extra mile caring for UMNR's we had at our station. When delays or cancellations happened, we made every attempt to call and keep families updated. I would hope that everyone acts in that manner. But too often, that doesn't appear to be the case. And from a PR standpoint, the airline will always look bad in these situations.
It's very easy to blame the parents in this situation. But keep in mind that the average parent has never worked in the airline industry. If they did, they would probably NEVER send their child alone on a flight, whether it's nonstop or connecting. In my 18 years in the industry, there were far too many UMNR horror stories. And as a parent, I know better than to ever send my children flying alone. But not all parents know better. As difficult as it may be to believe, many operate with the impression that transport of UMNR's is seamless and safe.
My view is that the parents should have checked the weather forecast for the area. Once that storm was forecast, they should have made alternate plans for their child. But there is also NO excuse for that child to be able to walk off that flight unknown to any UA employees. That is a clear breach of the UMNR policy. They can make all the excuses that they want, but the plain and simple fact is that allowing that to happen is a failure on UA's part to provide the service that child's family paid for.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we can blame parents all we want in situations like this. But as long as airlines are willing to accept UMNR's, then they have the responsibility for them. Storms happen. Cancellations happen. But parents need to be able to get up-to-date and accurate information when things like this happen. And a child being trapped on a plane for 3 hours not being able to communicate with parents is simply not right. In this day and age, it's very easy to rectify that. If the plane is on the ground, allow the child to make a cell phone call. If the plane is in the air circling, the pilot can very easily call someone on the ground and ask that the parents be called and updated. I know that we ALWAYS bent over backwards to go the extra mile caring for UMNR's we had at our station. When delays or cancellations happened, we made every attempt to call and keep families updated. I would hope that everyone acts in that manner. But too often, that doesn't appear to be the case. And from a PR standpoint, the airline will always look bad in these situations.
Why is that news?
Sometimes #### happens when you travel. It sounds like UA did everything they could. Refunding the ticket should be more than sufficient.
Brings back memories of missing a connection to the only flight of the day when I was around 11 or 12 on UA at Stapleton. I wasn't flying as a UM though. Ended up flying to another city. It sucked.
Sometimes #### happens when you travel. It sounds like UA did everything they could. Refunding the ticket should be more than sufficient.
Brings back memories of missing a connection to the only flight of the day when I was around 11 or 12 on UA at Stapleton. I wasn't flying as a UM though. Ended up flying to another city. It sucked.
U
UAL_TECH
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Lick'em and Stick'em.....
Wonder if FedEx and UPS will allow Child Pax as 'cargo'.
Of course, I am sure the number crunchers have weighed the risk/liability analysis. 😛
Now the F/As are 'Mothers of the Forgotten'.... 🙄
Lick'em and Stick'em.....
Wonder if FedEx and UPS will allow Child Pax as 'cargo'.
Of course, I am sure the number crunchers have weighed the risk/liability analysis. 😛
Now the F/As are 'Mothers of the Forgotten'.... 🙄
If parents are going to send their children as UNMRs on airlines, they should all be required to PAY THE UNMR FEE. Parents are to blame for not providing their children with explicit step-by-step instructions in the event of an emergency, delay, missed connection or flight cancellation. Parents should provide them with phone cards or a cell phone with instructions to call home to keep the parents updated.
The airline, however, should be required to update the PNR with a note that parents have been contacted regarding changes in flight plans due to delays or cancellation. Federal Privacy Guidelines prohibit airline reservations agents from disclosing passenger information over the phone to anyone other than the passenger or a police officer.
If parents do not trust their children when traveling alone, then one of the parents should travel with them.
The airline, however, should be required to update the PNR with a note that parents have been contacted regarding changes in flight plans due to delays or cancellation. Federal Privacy Guidelines prohibit airline reservations agents from disclosing passenger information over the phone to anyone other than the passenger or a police officer.
If parents do not trust their children when traveling alone, then one of the parents should travel with them.
I alwys thought that would be a profitable business. Have the parents buy the extra tkt(RT) of course and for a nominal fee you would trvl with the UM-(now NOT a UM). Could advertise on all the carriers! Could also rack up mileage! LOL Mama
Fly, Im so sorry if you were offended. I would never offend anyone intentionally who has such cute penguins!! Officially, I DELETE the DELETED comment! A CEO is only as good as his people and I would nn the best. Are you available? What should we call it? Babysitting in the sky, can it get any better than that and would the f/a's tip us or maybe we could all we trained as marshalls too, than we could get gov benefits-kinda like Kindergartten Cop or Pacifier! Im ready whenever you guys are to start this. Just think about having so many contacts across the coun try we could open so many satellite offices we would be pretty popular with country club set!! We could even do the Nanny thing for a week but only for beach destinatons to start! The possibilities are endless!
JungleClone
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Sadly, airlines would never go for PHXMama's suggestion. From a liability standpoint, the lawyers would never let it happen.
All I know is that as a parent and as someone who worked in the airline industry for 18 years, I would NEVER allow my child to fly alone as an UM. Too many horror stories. And it is far too easy to lose track of the child, especially at a busy hub airport. And many times, when a parent tries to call to find out the status of a delayed flight with their UM on it, they fall victim to the airline's "right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" syndrome. Communicating is not that difficult. Yet it's almost always to blame in these situations.
All I know is that as a parent and as someone who worked in the airline industry for 18 years, I would NEVER allow my child to fly alone as an UM. Too many horror stories. And it is far too easy to lose track of the child, especially at a busy hub airport. And many times, when a parent tries to call to find out the status of a delayed flight with their UM on it, they fall victim to the airline's "right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" syndrome. Communicating is not that difficult. Yet it's almost always to blame in these situations.
KCFlyer
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I just priced a GEG-OMA advance purchase round trip leaving and returning the same day. The price was $330. IMHO, that is not too much to pay for a parent to accompany the child on a plane that is taking them to see the other parent. Especially in the dead of winter. That way...should 25 inch snowfall hit, shutting down the airport, the child has a parent with them. It ain't UAL's fault that they "didn't watch" the kid, when the parent wasn't willing to watch their own kid while sending them a thousand miles from home.
