Parents humiliated on United flight

[alotofyarn]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-...rlines-flight/

Thoughts? I feel like they were being sketchy for purchasing an economy seat for their daughter and having her sit with the rest of the family up in business/first class, and they probably should have brought on a car seat for her so she could actually sit in her own seat for safety concerns and to comply with the rules. I also think the publicity they sought afterwards at the expense of their daughter is a bit much. The mom in me is a bit more sympathetic though, and I'm sure it's a nightmare trying to have a nice vacation with your family and travel with your child with special needs.

[ladymoreta]

I agree with having mixed feelings. I have a lot of empathy for the parents, but I am also surprised that they didn't review the rules prior to their flight, especially since they knew they had to purchase a seat for her. I'm glad it worked out, though.

[Vanquisher]

I'm not feeling that bad for the mom. Im just not. The flight attendants were following the law, which they are required to do. If I was one of the other passengers, I'd be pissed. I feel like they were using their special needs daughter to have to pay less for her seat. Not cool.


Heidi

[Vanquisher]

Oh, AND they're flying United again. Probably got lots of free upgrades and flights. Wouldn't surprise me if they knew exactly what the law was.


Heidi

[Deebs]

I find the mom's quote about owning one's mistakes somewhat hilarious. She thinks United should own the mistake - they didn't make one! She needs to own her mistake!


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[MrsK]

I know the family. I don't think they were looking for freebies or publicity. But they know that their daughter needs special accommodations and should have made arrangements first. The arrangements they made this time worked in the past so they were unprepared when it didn't work out this time.

[Meenah]

I have a hard time believing that after three years they didn't realize they needed a child safety seat. What do they do in a car?

[MrsK]

They don't travel very often. I don't think anyone questioned it before because the kid was 2 or looked like she was 2.

[MrsC]

I can't believe they wouldn't put the little girl in a car seat in the first place, for her own safety and comfort.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Parents humiliated on United flight

As C got bigger, I got asked for proof of age. Once when she was 2.25, the flight attendants made me wake her up (it was 11 PM after hours of flight delays and she was sleeping in my arms) so she could sit in her own seat for takeoff. It was super charming...

But I can sympathize with the flight attendants who will be penalized for not following the rules of someone complains or is injured.

I didn't see where they bought a coach seat for her while the rest of the fam sat in first/biz, if that's the case, I'm not a fan of that move. That seems designed to cheat the system.

[Meenah]

If they bought a coach seat for her in order to get her on the plane, it is obvious that they knew she needed a seat! I'm assuming they did not plan to put her in coach alone, so really does look as if they were knowingly trying to cheat the system.

[alotofyarn]

The thing about the seats was in another article I read - I don't know if this was it exactly, but this one does mention it: http://www.inquisitr.com/1720225/ivy...ght-attendant/

[alotofyarn]

It's also interesting - I'm not sure if the other kids were with them and back in coach or what, but there are a lot of comments about what kind of parents fly in first class while their kids fly in coach. My parents did this exactly the first time I went to Europe. My sister and I were in 6th grade, I think, and my brother would have been in 3rd grade. They flew business while the 3 of us sat together in coach. We obviously survived, although I don't know how great of a decision that was.

[Pollyanna]

If they bought a coach seat for her in order to get her on the plane, it is obvious that they knew she needed a seat! I'm assuming they did not plan to put her in coach alone, so really does look as if they were knowingly trying to cheat the system.

Yes this. I just can't muster too much sympathy here except for the child and the airline personnel. And you just know if something happened on takeoff and that child was hurt then the airline would be liable. Buckle your babies always (even on airplanes).

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

If they bought a coach seat for her in order to get her on the plane, it is obvious that they knew she needed a seat! I'm assuming they did not plan to put her in coach alone, so really does look as if they were knowingly trying to cheat the system.

I don't care whether a child has special needs or is completely developmentally "normal" - buying a three year old a ticket in a different class of service than you is just not logical...