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Thoughts: SW and Unaccompanied Minors
A friend of mine's 3 kids (14, 11 and 9ish) were flying back to San Antonio yesterday after spending the summer with their Dad. Their Dad watched them get on the plane and left the airport (whole other story). The plane was unboarded due to mechanical issues. The kids got off. They did this again. This was around noon.
SW comes out into the gate area and says the plane can't be flown, so they are moving people to other flights and it will be done via a drawing. The kids weren't picked. SW said they (the kids) may be able to get on the 7:00 p.m. flight.
So here the kids are, sitting in an airport without a parent and thinking they *may* be able to get on a 7:00 flight. The Dad (the genius who didn't wait for his kids to be in the air before he bailed), called SW and raised a ruckus about them being UAMs and what not and the kids were put on the next flight.
Thoughts? Personally, I think the Dad should have stayed with the kids until the plan was in the air, but even if he didn't, I think UAMs should get first priority on the next available flight. It isn't like they can rent a room, they may not have enough $$ to eat, a 14 year old may not be able to control her younger siblings, etc. Not to mention, leaving UAMs just hanging out in the airport for hours and hours is just stupid.
I'd be calling corporate.
Re: Thoughts: SW and Unaccompanied Minors
Agree with all of this.
No. Absolutely no.
If it were my kids I would have ripped their Dad a new one to get started for being a d-bag and not staying with them until the plane was in the air. But that would just be a warm up.
I would make it my personal mission to let every.single.person that could hear/see/read know that SWA let my minor children hang out in the airport for any amount of time.
I get that flights are delayed and things happen. But UAM should be removed from the general public and taken someplace where they can be supervised until they are put on the very next flight to their destination. They should absolutely not be left to fend for themselves in the airport. Bump someone off the next flight and get those kids to where they need to be safely.
I don't even know what else to say. I'm all fired up though.
Same here. I'm appalled the UAMs would not be given first priority.
i don't know that, as a parent, i would think i needed to see the plane get into the air. i think i'd assume once boarded, they were fine.
what i really wonder is why no one bothered to call the parents of the minors when there was a problem. that should have been a priority before the passengers were asked to get off the plane.
my photography blog
Ditto. I was always given first priority on Delta when I was UAM & things like this happened.
yup, me too. poor kiddos....did the 14yr old have a cell? were they able to call the dad?
Yes, the oldest had a cell, thank goodness. Otherwise they'd have been screwed.
Although I would have been there until take off. I would have pitched a holy fit if they didn't get on teh next flight. I don't care how many elite (priority) members you have that need to be rerouted the kids go first, every time.
I might go to the corporate office in person. I'm mad just writing this.
I've had good experiences with SW and saw what good care they took of two UAM on our flight recently. I'm sad this happened.
I can't believe the dad left without seeing the plane take off.
this.
i flew by myself as a kid when my mom would send me to my grandparents for part of the summer. there were several instances when i had to change planes, which they tried not to do, but it does happen. once it was time to board, i was escorted onto the plane by a flight attendant, then they put me in the bulkhead. they also took me from one plane to the other. i was never alone.
i would have major issues with someone not being proactive in taking care of my kids or letting me know what was going on.
This is why I had my Dad fly down here and back on the same day to pick up Abbie for the time she spent with him in PA this summer. Call me paranoid, but I'm not putting her on as a UM until she is old enough to fend for herself should something like this happen.
I would be raising all kinds of Hell with anyone at Southwest within earshot.
On another note, we flew SW this summer and were delayed slightly from our stop in Jackson. I went to go get off the plane to walk the baby around and some Jackwagon was yelling at the gate attendant for not letting the "elite" members on before the families with small children. The gate attendant told him that it was his plane, his rules, and since it was a full flight he's letting the families with small children on first. The guy took his name and made a big scene about how he was going to call his boss, yadda yadda. I applauded SW for not giving into the jackass, even though technically - that his what they were "supposed" to do.
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
This actually happened to me when I was a kid. Except my dad had to drive several hours to get to the airport so he didn't know we didn't take off with the plane until about 4 or 5 hours had passed and he got a call from my mom who just about reached through the phone across 1200 miles and ripped his throat out.
They drove BACK to the airport by which time we had been boarded because my mom scared everyone into making us a priority on the next flight to Houston. Crazymichelle has nothing on my mother when she gets pissed.
So then they drove back home and that was a sore spot for about 10 years between my parents. No one ever left the airport again until the plane was in the air for about a half hour (to ensure there was no turning around due to mechanical issues or turbulence either).
I agree with what you stated Harmony - UAMs should be the top priority on the next flight for all those reasons (fending for themselves, can't get a hotel, etc.). When it happened to me I was about 6 so my brother would have been 7. There were no cell phones back then to call dad and say, "Hey, we're stuck here." Heck my dad didn't even have an answering machine or call waiting! You never know what options kids have for getting ahold of the relative that dropped them off at the airport so you should get them to the receiving parent ASAP.
As for them being taken to a secure area and having food - when it happened to us, the flight attendant took us to have lunch and never let us leave her side. When I had to go to the bathroom she got another attendant to sit with my brother and took me into the bathroom to make sure I was safe. A male attendant took my brother in. We were seated in chairs right next to the check-in desk and were under constant supervision. Strangers weren't even allowed to sit on our row.
To me the biggest problem in the OP was the fact that they didn't automatically include the UAMs on the first available flight. Everything else seemed ok. And even with the dad leaving - you make that mistake ONCE and you never make it again.
- Paula Deen to 104.1 KRBE's Producer Eric 9/17/2011
Bad daddy!! Bad Southwest!! What a mess...
the mom in me is pissed off.
the other side of me though thinks that if you are going to put your kids on the plane, you shouldn't expect them to be the responsibility of the airline unless you pay for that service.
j+k+m+e | running with needles
You are paying for a ticket for an UAM. That to me makes it the airline's responsibility to make sure they are attended to until they reach their final destination.
Whether or not the cost of a ticket for an UAM is more than a regular ticket, I don't know, but I wouldn't have a problem if the airline charged more for them, since in theory they may need to provide them with more service.
ditto
How on earth did the unaccompanied minors not get "picked"?! There should be no drawing before those kids are automatically put on the next plane. Seems like that's in the best interest of the airline anyway because that's less time they need to worry about the kids.
I flew by myself pretty much the instant I turned 5 (single working mom and a rather useless dad) because I went to stay with my grandparents for part of the summer. I am certain that my mom waited until we were in the air, as did my grandparents when they put me back on a plane. I can't imagine doing otherwise, knowing how often random things like this happen.
So Tasty, So Yummy
You get to be the first to board and maybe get a free drink?
I agree. I know it is not exactly the same but when my 94 year old Gramma flies my dad takes her to the gate and makes sure she gets on the plane but I don't think he waits for it to take off.
And yes, the UAM should have been on the next flight no matter what and given absolute first priority.
Correct. I don't need to have a first class seat or food to most of the places I travel, so boarding first and getting free drinks in exchange for keeping fares low works for me.
AND being 15 to 20 minutes from the airport to boot!
- Paula Deen to 104.1 KRBE's Producer Eric 9/17/2011
I really like SW for the flying that we do. Now, we haven't done it with child yet, but we flew SW to San Fran last week. I got a whole soda, a pack of oreos and a pack of cheese nips, plus 2 checked bags (great for bringing the wine home) at no extra charge... and the tickets were $150 less than on continental or any other airline. The flight attendants were nice and professional.
That said, SW should have had those kids stay on the plane or the airline/airport should have put someone in charge of escorting them at all times. Of course, I think the dad should have stayed until the plane was in the air if possible, its so common that things like this happen.
Yep. I would probably wait until the plane is in the air, but I wouldn't think that would be a requirement. But I have no UAM experience so I don't really know how it works.
I'm just shocked that the kids weren't the first ones put on the new flight. Scary.
I have never found a route where SW was cheaper as long as you buy far enough in advance. We have the Continental CC, so our bags are checked for free, we have Elite status for boarding/security and in 1Q 2012 there will be upgrades...woot!
I flew SW for years when I was commuting to Dallas, I hated it. They managed the flights so poorly and were notorious for cancelling flights. Especially the flights that ran every 30 minutes to Dallas on Friday afternoon, when all I wanted to do was get home. I started taking Continental to Love and never looked back...
I don't drink on a plane (dehydration issues), so the free drinks are meaningless to me.
I still fear United, but for now, love Continental.
So Tasty, So Yummy
I loved Continental and if I flew more I'd probably still use it. But it is a HIKE from Pearland when we have Hobby right here. It is so much faster getting through Hobby security and luggage claim as well. So if I can get a nonstop during one of their specials I will do that.
Plus on SW you can watch the prices and keep changing your flight to the cheaper option with no fees, or just flat out change your flight if you want to come/go sooner than later. And their baggage policy isn't as restrictive.
- Paula Deen to 104.1 KRBE's Producer Eric 9/17/2011
This. We did not wait for my niece's plane to be in the air before she left to head back to Austin. Her mother didn't wait in Austin for her to be in the air either and, in fact, told my DH that he didn't even have to wait until she boarded to leave. I think, though, that she is 14 and it would have been different if her younger siblings had been with her.
But I think the issue here is the airline. Plus, what about all the adults on the plane? You would think they would have stepped up and said "these kids need to get home." The selfishness of some adults these days boggles my mind!
SS flew SW and Continental as an UAM and never had an issue with either one.
My first thought is that the dad broke the policy - it states that he must wait until the plane is in the air.
And maybe there are more details than what you posted, but it doesn't say they left the kids alone. They are to be accompanied by an airline employee at all times. If they weren't, then I WOULD raise he!l. And unless the employee was a complete idiot, they would have fed the kids too.
I do think that UAMs should get priority for the next flight, but other than that, it doesn't sound like they did anything wrong.
This. I am curious how you would know the plane is has taken off. Is it when it pulls away from the gate? Or until you see it taxi about 200 feet, to the point you can't see the plane anymore? Or would you follow flight tracker until it shows it taken off, and then stick around for another hour to make sure it doesn't turn around and land? What happens if there is an emergency landing in another city? Sure, I have been deplaned before. I have also taxied out to a runway, wait for 2 hours, only to turn around and deplane. I have also had to land in a different city than my departure or destination. But those instances are so in the minority that I'm not sure I would get angry at a dad for leaving after his kids had boarded the plane.
I would, however, be angry with the agents that were re-ticketing for later flights. Agreed 100% that unaccompanied minors should be given first priority. And had I been sitting near those kids and known that they were flying alone, I would definitely had been advocating for them while their parent is away. Yes, ultimately the kids are the responsibilities of a parent. But what happened to the community aspect of child rearing? Not that long ago the community would always step up to the plate when the parents weren't around, and it wasn't frowned upon. It was just part of belonging to a community and being decent.
On a side note, there was an unaccompanied minor on that deplaned Continental flight, and I watched as the flight attendants waited with the child until the plane had been completely emptied, at which point the FA emerged with the child and headed straight to the ticketing agent. The ticketing agent already had a new ticket for the child, as he was the first priority. I also watched the flight attendant call someone (presumably the parents) to give them an update regarding the flight of the child. I'm not sure if it would happen the same way now that Continental has merged with United, but I would like to think so.
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