United takes seat away from child, forces him to sit on mom's lap

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i would be beyond pissed if this happened to me, as im sure any other mom here would be. Paying $1,000 for a 2yo seat and then being forced to give it up, just like that, on a 3hr flight.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/07/05/united-accidentally-gave-a-toddlers-seat-away-and-made-his-mom-hold-him-for-a-3-hour-flight/?utm_term=.06786bc86aaf

Not surprisingly, United didn't do squat for this lady until she started contacting the media several days later. Then they claimed it was an accident, in that they didn't scan the 2yo's pass properly , thus making it show up as available for a standby person to sit in. Um, even if that was true, why did they brush her off so quickly??? The rules are that any kid over 24 months has to be in their own seat, i'm shocked they didn't even raise a stink about the fact that the kid was older than that and shouldn't even be allowed to be a lap-child (isn't it way more dangerous??). Also, why didn't they realize their mistake right away after the flight was over? After landing she complained and requested to get refunded for the seat and they warned her saying that if they did, they would cancel her remaining flights (returning home). WTF!!?

before anybody mentions why she didn't refuse during boarding or continue to repeat that she had paid for her son's seat on the flight, i read another article where she mentioned that at the time she was afraid to keep the pressing the issue, being Asian and seeing what happened to the doctor who was knocked out and dragged off the plane few months back. :(

i seriously think that is downright horrible customer service, to say the very least. imagine any other industry where you can pay $1,000 for something and then have it be randomly taken away by a mistake, being so intimidated to say anything at the time , being repeatedly brushed off whenever you try to complain and then later not really have any recourse unless your story goes to the media. that is pretty awful..i am not sure why it is still considered acceptable.

[PZMommy]

I saw that story earlier, and I was furious for that mom! I don't understand why they didn't fix it when theynguy came to the seat, and the mom showed she had a boarding pass for that seat. They should have apologized for their mistake, and escorted the guy off of the plane. I don't blame her for not making a fuss during the flight. I'm glad she went to the media!!

[westwoodmom04]

We stopped flying United long ago due to their horrible on time performance. Their lack of any sense of customer service just confirms the decision.

[squimp]

United is absolutely the worst in terms of CS, they have been for some time. They mess up and then don't even care. Hate them! I have them on my "will not fly" list for work travel. Ugh.

[carolinacool]

That is ridiculous. And I hate that she didn't make a bigger fuss because she was scared. We've really gotten to that point in airline travel.

I don't really understand the "improperly scanned" ticket nonsense. Don't they all make that beep sound? And if there's a problem, it makes another sound?

[bisous]

That is ridiculous. And I hate that she didn't make a bigger fuss because she was scared. We've really gotten to that point in airline travel.

I don't really understand the "improperly scanned" ticket nonsense. Don't they all make that beep sound? And if there's a problem, it makes another sound?

Or the fact that it apparently didn't scan properly but they still allowed the child on the plane...

[Kindra178]

I don't know. Mistakes happen. Gate agent thought kid was lap child. I'm sure united will give her just compensation.


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[scrooks]

I don't know. Mistakes happen. Gate agent thought kid was lap child. I'm sure united will give her just compensation.


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I totally get this but when she produced the boarding pass it should have been an easy fix!

[JBaxter]

I don't know. Mistakes happen. Gate agent thought kid was lap child. I'm sure united will give her just compensation.


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Which is another reason there should not be lap babies.

[*myfoursons]

Poor woman, and for her to be afraid to speak up? So sad.

The whole lap baby concept is insane. All bodies should be in seats, period. We don't allow babies to sit on laps on cars, yet airplanes are ok?

[JBaxter]

on our recent international flight a flight attendant announced 3 times over the intercom while staring at a family with a lap toddler. ALL CHILDREN MUST BE SEATED WHILE THE SEAT BELT SIGN IS ON. They had the child standing on their lap then stood them on the floor She unbuckled and went back during take off after the 3 announcements they didn't think it applied to the lap toddler I've never seen a FA look so pissed. She informed them loudly that the child must remain seated on their lap not standing not on the floor when the seat belt sign is on. The lady turned red but OH well.

[AnnieW625]

Mistakes happen at all airlines. I think the whole situation stinks tbh. I agree with JBaxter that there should be no lap seating (and I took advantage of lap seating and placing my car seat in extra seats for less than 2 hr. flights for both my kids under 2). You offer a child's fare for a fraction of the adult price. If an adult fare $250 then a child's fare is half that. On a low cost airline if the seat is $80 adult then again it is half that for a child so there is still a wide section of the population that can afford to fly.

FWIW I have a friend who is a flight attendant and flight attendant trainer for United and they have been very accommodating since she moved to my area from Chicago a year ago due to her husband's job. She is on the waiting list for a home airport spot at LAX so she is based out of San Francisco but United has no issue with her using a United flight to get to her home airport and then back again home after a trip. I think that is pretty great that an employer offers that kind of flexibility.

I last flew United in 2003 to Hawaii and back and customer service was good. I have spent the last 14 or so years flying mainly Jet Blue, and Southwest (and been flying SW for almost 30) and I have had cranky airline employees with both airlines so I think it is hard to make generalizations about airline customer service.


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[PZMommy]

When I flew United with my DS as a lap child, he did not have a separate boarding pass. There was a note on my boarding pass about a lap child. This is why I do not believe United's side of the story. If he had a boarding pass, he had paid for a seat. And this should have been resolved when the mom showed the flight attendant that he did have a paid seat. The fact they didn't let her use the seat she paid for is crazy!! They should have told the guy flying standby, sorry, but we made a mistake, and then given him some sort of compensation.

I have to say I rarely fly, but had to fly a couple of weeks ago with my two boys to go visit family. I haven't visited home in 5 years, because the costs are so outrageous, and I can only fly during peak travel times of summer or Christmas. I stressed over having to fly because of stories like this. Thankfully our flights went smoothly. I don't blame this woman for not speaking up, because after dealing with the hassle of just getting through the airport with young kids, all you want to do is get to your destination.

[squimp]

Mistakes happen at all airlines. I think the whole situation stinks tbh. I agree with JBaxter that there should be no lap seating (and I took advantage of lap seating and placing my car seat in extra seats for less than 2 hr. flights for both my kids under 2). You offer a child's fare for a fraction of the adult price. If an adult fare $250 then a child's fare is half that. On a low cost airline if the seat is $80 adult then again it is half that for a child so there is still a wide section of the population that can afford to fly.

FWIW I have a friend who is a flight attendant and flight attendant trainer for United and they have been very accommodating since she moved to my area from Chicago a year ago due to her husband's job. She is on the waiting list for a home airport spot at LAX so she is based out of San Francisco but United has no issue with her using a United flight to get to her home airport and then back again home after a trip. I think that is pretty great that an employer offers that kind of flexibility.

I last flew United in 2003 to Hawaii and back and customer service was good. I have spent the last 14 or so years flying mainly Jet Blue, and Southwest (and been flying SW for almost 30) and I have had cranky airline employees with both airlines so I think it is hard to make generalizations about airline customer service.


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I fly about every other month. I think it is very possible to make generalizations about airline CS. The last time I flew United, which was in November, my luggage was delayed for nearly two days. I cannot even remember the last time my luggage was lost on a flight before that. It had probably been fifteen years.

[khm]

And, they did nothing for her complaints after they landed, every United employee just kept sending her to the next United employee. They even sent her to the BAGGAGE counter to complain. It wasn't until the media picked it up that she started getting to talk with people willing to address what happened.

The kid had his own seat. United just took the easy route, on THEIR mistake, because he was a toddler. But, they totally should have done whatever they'd have HAD to do if he was a 12 year old kid or another adult. But, nope, they saw a smallish human and just said, hold him.

$75 standby guy was gonna be ticked too, so I guess they'd have had to start offering the big bucks for someone, anyone, to volunteer deplane. They totally should have done this.

With all their bad press of late, you'd think they'd do more than shrug and say "plane's full" sorry about your $1000 ticket!

[doberbrat]

Mistakes happen at all airlines. I think the whole situation stinks tbh.

Mistakes happen in every industry in every job - what seems to differ is that the airlines increasingly take little to no responsibility for any mistake and seem to blame the customers.

If one doubts the woman's story, then the airline screwed up by not insisting FAA regulations were followed and the kid had a seat. Not to mention proper documentation regarding how many bodies were onboard.

If she is to be believed, she tried to speak up for herself and the FA shrugged their shoulders and still did nothing. Then when she tried to complain after the fact they send her on a run around??

Either way, how sad is it what flying has come to??? People afraid to take their properly paid for seat for fear of being tossed off a plane?

Honestly, this is why I'm happy to drive everywhere. Sure the drive to FL is a beast but I get there when I want to with all my luggage and a whole lot less hassle for 1/4 the price.

[AnnieW625]

Doberbrat--- I agree with a lot of what you said above. I didn't say I didn't believe the woman in the story....I said the whole situation stinks. I read the linked article. My fil used to work in aircraft safety for the FAA so I am aware for a long flight a child under 3 is safer in a car seat.


I fly about every other month. I think it is very possible to make generalizations about airline CS. The last time I flew United, which was in November, my luggage was delayed for nearly two days. I cannot even remember the last time my luggage was lost on a flight before that. It had probably been fifteen years.

My mom lost her luggage on an hour flight from Sacramento to Burbank (LA area) in May and she have flown that route at least 100 times in 45+ yrs. It was an inconvenience only because my mom was pretty much confined to a wheel chair (she is recovering from Cushings Syndrome) and she had to go to Target with my dad and buy clothes the morning of the wedding (although her suitcase did show up as they were leaving for the wedding at 2 pm) and she was compensated $100 by Southwest. She was ticked of course, but she was happy with the compensation. I don't know if she got additional airline compensation as well.

My dad lost his luggage in 2001 and he got $300 in airline vouchers for American.

In 2006 SW bent the support bar in my suitcase and I wasn't given any kind of compensation as the damage was not significant per the SW luggage personnel at the airport. I was able to bend the bar back and the suitcase was 5+ yrs. old so it wasn't a huge loss.


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[Zukini]

I've never flown United, and at this stage have zero plans to ever book a flight with them. Their customer service process is so consistently broken that it makes me wonder which of their other processes can fail so miserably.

That said, we fly frequently with DS and in probably two dozen flights, have only taken him as a lap baby a handful of times. Despite usually having purchased tickets for him, we do get approached by FA or gate agents 1 out of 3 times when we are already boarded (AA / Jetblue / Southwest), car seat installed, to ask if his seat was available for standby passengers. I've had to produce boarding passes for DS. I don't know why their systems do not show it as a ticketed seat, but I presume in the rushed rhythm of getting everyone boarded they visually scan for little kids in car seats or buckled into an airline seat and simply assume they can ask for the seat back. That practice needs to stop.

Not blaming this parent in the story one iota. United was squarely out of bounds and in violation of FAA rules to have a 2+ year old fly unsecured. But when traveling with littles, I always tell my parent friends to know their FAA and TSA rights when traveling, download the apps, bookmark on their mobile phones the relevant pages for airline websites showing child policies, know where to find the sticker on their car seats, etc prior to traveling - aka be as prepared as possible.

I also don't understand the lap baby practice. Having used that lap baby allowance a couple times, it is very uncomfortable even with a tiny squish, and simply unsafe. It was easy to convince DH to buy a seat for DS well before his first birthday because I told him he would have to hold DS for half the time we were on board. He was like, ummm nope. Plus, if the coffee pots and laptops need to be put away to avoid turbulence and projectile incidents, then surely babies and toddlers should be secured too.

[squimp]

Doberbrat--- I agree with a lot of what you said above. I didn't say I didn't believe the woman in the story....I said the whole situation stinks. I read the linked article. My fil used to work in aircraft safety for the FAA so I am aware for a long flight a child under 3 is safer in a car seat.



My mom lost her luggage on an hour flight from Sacramento to Burbank (LA area) in May and she have flown that route at least 100 times in 45+ yrs. It was an inconvenience only because my mom was pretty much confined to a wheel chair (she is recovering from Cushings Syndrome) and she had to go to Target with my dad and buy clothes the morning of the wedding (although her suitcase did show up as they were leaving for the wedding at 2 pm) and she was compensated $100 by Southwest. She was ticked of course, but she was happy with the compensation. I don't know if she got additional airline compensation as well.

My dad lost his luggage in 2001 and he got $300 in airline vouchers for American.

In 2006 SW bent the support bar in my suitcase and I wasn't given any kind of compensation as the damage was not significant per the SW luggage personnel at the airport. I was able to bend the bar back and the suitcase was 5+ yrs. old so it wasn't a huge loss.


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That sounds like pretty darn good CS from SW and American! I didn't get any compensation from United. Yes mistakes happen but how you are treated makes a difference. And I didn't have time to go shopping, I arrived late at night and had an early morning, all day meeting to attend, and I had to wear the same clothes for 3 days straight! My colleagues poke fun at me now, but it really was pretty darn unpleasant.

[FTMLuc]

FWIW I have a friend who is a flight attendant and flight attendant trainer for United and they have been very accommodating since she moved to my area from Chicago a year ago due to her husband's job. She is on the waiting list for a home airport spot at LAX so she is based out of San Francisco but United has no issue with her using a United flight to get to her home airport and then back again home after a trip. I think that is pretty great that an employer offers that kind of flexibility.

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This is industry standard, not special United flexibility. A very large percentage of flight crews commute to their home bases. We are on the east coast and my DH's home base is in Chicago. He can commute on any airline, although crews get priority on their own airline vs pilots from other airlines.

[AnnieW625]

That sounds like pretty darn good CS from SW and American! I didn't get any compensation from United. Yes mistakes happen but how you are treated makes a difference. And I didn't have time to go shopping, I arrived late at night and had an early morning, all day meeting to attend, and I had to wear the same clothes for 3 days straight! My colleagues poke fun at me now, but it really was pretty darn unpleasant.
the $100 came with the stipulation that it had to be used at Target and my parents had to submit receipts and then get a gift card in return.

Yes I remembered my parents being very happy with the lost luggage compensation they received with my dad's suitcase which did arrive mid trip. Maybe it was less than $300, but I do remember it being more than $100.


This is industry standard, not special United flexibility. A very large percentage of flight crews commute to their home bases. We are on the east coast and my DH's home base is in Chicago. He can commute on any airline, although crews get priority on their own airline vs pilots from other airlines.

That is what I figured as well, but was just amazed she said things went smoothly when she asked for a transfer.


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[HannaAddict]

United is absolutely the worst in terms of CS, they have been for some time. They mess up and then don't even care. Hate them! I have them on my "will not fly" list for work travel. Ugh.

United has sucked for years and even though they were hundreds less for a non-stop cross country flight, we booked Alaska. Never United, no way. The woman was abused by them and was 100 percent in the right. She should get a refund and compensated in cash for the horrible flight too. No vouchers to be treated like crap again on their third rate airline.


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[Kindra178]

United has sucked for years and even though they were hundreds less for a non-stop cross country flight, we booked Alaska. Never United, no way. The woman was abused by them and was 100 percent in the right. She should get a refund and compensated in cash for the horrible flight too. No vouchers to be treated like crap again on their third rate airline.


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Most people fly the airline with cheapest price with easiest non stop route.


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[georgiegirl]

Most people fly the airline with cheapest price with easiest non stop route.


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Actually after the United debacle, there was a study that people picked airlines other than United even with a slight price increase.

[squimp]

Actually after the United debacle, there was a study that people picked airlines other than United even with a slight price increase.

I am one of those people!

[westwoodmom04]

Most people fly the airline with cheapest price with easiest non stop route.


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We actively refuse to take United flights as well. I filter them out so have no clue where they fit in price wise.

[JBaxter]

We still go cheap & least lay overs. I must be the only person that has not had a problem with United. Our last few flights have been with AA

[Globetrotter]

When I was booking flights after that dragging incident, I found united flights had more availability for less money but I actively avoided it.

[georgiegirl]

When I was booking flights after that dragging incident, I found united flights had more availability for less money but I actively avoided it.

We actually bought tickets on United right after that debacle because they were so insanely cheap for our family of 5 to fly to Mexico over Thanksgiving. Like $300 cheaper per ticket than any other warm weather destination. But I would never pick them for a domestic flight.


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[HannaAddict]

Most people fly the airline with cheapest price with easiest non stop route.


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Not us. Luckily we can afford to vote with our pocketbook but even when we were not well off, we refused to fly another awful now defunct airline after terrible treatment and many tales of unethical business practices. If more people refused to do business with awful companies even if they were cheaper (sometimes only by a small amount) companies would have more impetus to change. United did take a hit though from the latest incidents. I suspect the reason their flights were so much cheaper (a few hundred per ticket) for this nonstop flight is the marketplace and people avoiding them if they can. Usually don't find such a wide disparity in fares but it was not worth the risk and we won't support their crummy culture (and they were awful to fly years ago too). We refused to fly them on an international flight last year too and paid more to fly American (destination with few US carriers).


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[JBaxter]

LOL keep voting with your pocket book the rest of us will reap the results. I just drove 3 hrs to a different airport to save 1500 of a family airfare for our last vacation ( was also a non stop flight).

[bisous]

So I'm sitting on a flight right now for a different airline and can I just say, entirely unrelated to any customer service issues that United has, the SPACE that this airline provides is so superior to United that I can't believe it! My last flight was on a United plane and I felt terribly claustrophobic. On this flight I'm going to be just FINE. Totally worth it to me from now on to go with someone else (the flight I'm on was also the cheapest!)

[Philly Mom]

So I'm sitting on a flight right now for a different airline and can I just say, entirely unrelated to any customer service issues that United has, the SPACE that this airline provides is so superior to United that I can't believe it! My last flight was on a United plane and I felt terribly claustrophobic. On this flight I'm going to be just FINE. Totally worth it to me from now on to go with someone else (the flight I'm on was also the cheapest!)

You got your passport!! Have a great trip!


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[squimp]

LOL keep voting with your pocket book the rest of us will reap the results. I just drove 3 hrs to a different airport to save 1500 of a family airfare for our last vacation ( was also a non stop flight).

i wouldn't call $1500 a slight difference! Capitalism is all about voting with your pocketbook. It is not about emptying your pocketbook, LOL. Although I also am not sure I would drive 3 extra hours, I already have to drive 2.

[Kindra178]

Actually after the United debacle, there was a study that people picked airlines other than United even with a slight price increase.

I don't think their actual quarterly reports showed a loss.


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