US Airways loses track of 2 teens

[JS]

Here is the rules for minors traveling alone. Seems pretty clear to me. The parents did not follow the rules that are posted under unaccompanied minors at USAirways.com.

"Children traveling without a parent or legal guardian are considered unaccompanied minors.

Children under 5 may not travel without parent or legal guardian.
Children 5-14 may travel unaccompanied on non-stop flights for an additional $50 fee each way. US Airways assistance is required.
Children 15-17 may travel unaccompanied on non-stop and connecting flights without US Airways assistance.
Children 15-17 who require US Airways assistance may travel unaccompanied on non-stop flights only. There is an additional $50 fee each way. Uniformed employees provide assistance for children traveling alone from the point of departure to their final destination. Personnel are not qualified to provide certain types of medical assistance, and are not permitted to administer or dispense medication. Please take these points into consideration if the child requires specialized care.
If an unaccompanied minor is traveling on a flight operated by one of our Star Alliance or codeshare partners, you must contact the carrier directly for their policies on unaccompanied minors.
When a young adult traveling alone checks in on the day of departure, a notation will be added in our computer system which will alert other US Airways personnel of the young adult's presence on the flight. This notation will aid US Airways personnel in providing assistance to the young adult in the event of an irregularity."

Does this mean that US Airways does not escort UM on connecting flights at all? If so, I guess that's just another casaulty of the cutbacks at "full service" LCC.

By the way, the US portion of the trip, SAN-PHX was non-stop, so I don't know why you're blaming the parents. They wanted someone to meet the kids in PHX and tell them their new gate information. US Airways failed.

They didn't get lost, though, so the article was too harsh in saying that. They were delayed overnight, not lost; big, big difference.

 

[SS255]

The dad was an idiot for booking the kids on an itinerary with two different carriers and a double-connection. It sounds like the kids are far more travel-savvy than the dad. I wonder how much he saved on each ticket?

I don't fault US for this one.

 

[Squonk]

Hey now, someone correct me if I'm wrong. We don't inter-line UM's anymore. It's point to point only.
Been that way for about 2 or 3 years.

:huh:

We no longer provide UM "escort" service on direct or connecting flights, only nonstop.

 

[cageyjames]

The comment that people shouldn't let their children fly alone until age 25 is laughable.

Possibly because it was meant that way. You get what you pay for and in this case the parents went cheap and got the results they should have expected. This happens way too much on every airline, but these cheapskates continue to use airlines as day care centers. What do you expect?

 

[drrstrav]

Possibly because it was meant that way. You get what you pay for and in this case the parents went cheap and got the results they should have expected. This happens way too much on every airline, but these cheapskates continue to use airlines as day care centers. What do you expect?

According to US policy, UM only accepted to travel on NON STOP flight. THis is sure a deviation from that, SAN/PHX/RDu, doesn't meet that rule. Why is the gate agent makes faldse promises?

PineBob, this is not exactely US fault, even though you wish to state it as such.

 

[cageyjames]

According to US policy, UM only accepted to travel on NON STOP flight. THis is sure a deviation from that, SAN/PHX/RDu, doesn't meet that rule. Why is the gate agent makes faldse promises?

Well if anything this points to a problem with US. I can imagine the reaction of a parent when they show up at the airport and flip out because US won't let their child board the flight because of those rules. BUT, allowing them to even take off cause probably 40% of the blame here

PineBob, this is not exactely US fault, even though you wish to state it as such.

As I said above, the fault with US is that they allowed this to happen in the first place. Very sloppy, but that seems to be a general theme with the airline these days.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

According to US policy, UM only accepted to travel on NON STOP flight. THis is sure a deviation from that, SAN/PHX/RDu, doesn't meet that rule. Why is the gate agent makes faldse promises?

PineBob, this is not exactely US fault, even though you wish to state it as such.

The agent being employed by US makes US at fault by stating the info, wrong or right. If the agent told the parent it was ok and booked the minor with connection, who do you blame? I agree about booking the flight with double connections and a change of airline enroute was foolish. The agent should have put up a red flag then and there. But US flight from SAN-PHX was late, (go figure). That is the only way I will ever travel US again, nonstop.

 

[PhxMama]

The agent being employed by US makes US at fault by stating the info, wrong or right. If the agent told the parent it was ok and booked the minor with connection, who do you blame? I agree about booking the flight with double connections and a change of airline enroute was foolish. The agent should have put up a red flag then and there. But US flight from SAN-PHX was late, (go figure). That is the only way I will ever travel US again, nonstop.

The minor is allowed to trvl on connecting flgihts if they are trvling with a non minor. Kinda like trvling with your own child. They are not UM's-not unaccompanied. At 16, the airline has no rules about connecting flights and different airlines. Most agents would never even think about those connections for an adult, never mind children. Was it booked thru Expdia, Travelocity or other websites or thru a Travel agency(doubtful they would even bring up that scenario)? When booking thru these sites, you do get the lowest fares but also these types of connections. You are basically acting as your own travel agent and have no one to blame but yourself(the parents.) Yes, US flights have an awful ontime performance but so do many other airlines. No excuses but weather and mechanical issues do happen. God forbid another 9/11 and planes are grounded. Who do they expect to take care of their child then? Ive also hated the fact that children under the age of 18 but not um's can trvl late night flights connecting in LAS. Cant do hotels. I think that should change but Im a little overprotective of my kids and feel for agents having to deal with that. Parents can get pretty frantic when their 17 yr old child misconnects in LAS and needs to spend the night.
Mama

 

[JS]

The dad was an idiot for booking the kids on an itinerary with two different carriers and a double-connection. It sounds like the kids are far more travel-savvy than the dad. I wonder how much he saved on each ticket?

I don't fault US for this one.

Must be nice to have enough money laying around to pay the going rate for the most convenient flight.

 

[PhxMama]

Are you for real? Did you ever hear that flying is NOT a right but is a choice and a luxury? Cant afford it? Sorry, for your circumstances in life but dont blame the airline.

 

[SS255]

I can see why the mom divorced him!

 

[cageyjames]

Must be nice to have enough money laying around to pay the going rate for the most convenient flight.

Well there you go, put a price on the safety of your kids.... :down:

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Well there you go, put a price on the safety of your kids.... :down:

Well the kids are going to have to learn how to do things besides play xbox,playstation. Learn how to read and read a map.

 

[sharktooth]

What is wrong with you people? I'm going to reply to several posts without the quotes because it would take forever, since almost every reply in this thread is garbage. :down:

The father asked for an escort. They're not free, and if I remember the rates correctly, it does cost more for UM on a connection than on a non-stop. It was $60 on Delta several years ago when I did that for my younger sister (one way, connecting flight).

The kids did exactly what they were supposed to. Slam them for not being mind readers if you want, but if I or anyone else in this world, except the real Miss Cleo, were re-booked to another airline and no one told me, you better believe I would be on the wrong plane.

The comment that people shouldn't let their children fly alone until age 25 is laughable.

Also laughable is the comment that the parents shouldn't live so far apart. Wake up, the parents are obviously divorced! In most divorces, the wife wins, forcing the father to lose custody AND pay for all the transportation involved in visitation. If you want to complain about this situation, I suggest you curse the mother for being selfish and not wanting to share in the expenses of raising children or live where the father works. :down:

Thank you for a post about a fantasy airline, one that I would like to work for. It is what US should be, but refuses to be.

I place myself with a father who arranges transport once or twice a year. US is hardly "user friendly", preferring, instead, to harass customers and arrogantly treat them as stupid. I wonder how many of our employees have any experience at sending kids off, alone.

The fathers stupidity was thinking his kids would be safe on US and not on some much better run airline. That is what the employee critics are saying.

 

[Happy_People]

We discover young kids traveling alone all the time that are above the UM age. Bottom line we are not responsible for them even though myself and my fellow have gone as far to walk them to the next gate or point them in the right direction time perrmitting. This particular situation is not US's fault. This father was ignorant for making travel plans like this.