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pnwmom

(110,233 posts)

15. Since the FAA allowed it, why should airline employees not be human and use common sense?

Sat May 6, 2017, 05:52 AM

May 2017

They knew a 2 year old couldn't possibly be a terrorist -- anymore than the other small child traveling with them -- and the parents had proper ID's.

As to your question, if you bought a ticket for a two year old and wanted an adult to fly on it, that adult would have to provide ID that could be checked against a no-fly list. So what would be the point of doing that?

The reason the family did this is because their adult son flew the day before. So they decided they might as well use his ticket for the 2 year old instead of holding him on a lap for the whole flight. And since 2 year olds don't need ID, aren't a threat ,and FAA doesn't bar the substitution, why not? And then they got through all the checkpoints without anyone demanding to see the two year olds ID.

And Delta out and out lied about car seats. That policy has been in place of rmore than 20 years.

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Delta Airlines kicks family off flight, lies about FAA regulations, threatens foster-care [View all] DetlefK May 2017 OP

And the family did pay for that seat -- in the name of their 18 year old -- pnwmom May 2017 #1

Did the 18 year check in and board? HoneyBadger May 2017 #3

The family had gone through multiple check in points and that ticket was accepted. pnwmom May 2017 #6

Are you saying that the family had already changed to name on the ticket to the 2 year old? HoneyBadger May 2017 #7

Read the article. Two year olds don't have ID in this country pnwmom May 2017 #9

You are either checked in with a boarding pass in your name or you are not HoneyBadger May 2017 #11

The family handed over the 18 year old's ticket at check in pnwmom May 2017 #12

So if the family gets past initial check in HoneyBadger May 2017 #14

Yup. If they get through all the checkpoints including TSA and get seated in the plane, pnwmom May 2017 #16

Playground rules? HoneyBadger May 2017 #31

Yes they did...and I hope it cost them...they suck. Demsrule86 May 2017 #118

Did they actually hand over the ticket? Ms. Toad May 2017 #119

Their records showed it because the parents had already explained it to the gate crew and had gotten pnwmom May 2017 #123

Did the family have a boarding pass? forthemiddle May 2017 #50

Yes. They had the boarding passes and were seated when the airline decided pnwmom May 2017 #57

I have looked at a lot of reports forthemiddle May 2017 #121

This report was not disputed by the airline, and the airline apologized. pnwmom May 2017 #122

DELTA APOLOGIZES.. Cha May 2017 #53

This appears to be fake news HoneyBadger May 2017 #2

This isn't fake news. Delta has apologized and compensated the family. pnwmom May 2017 #4

Just to be clear, you are advising that one can just purchase a bunch of airlines tickets under HoneyBadger May 2017 #5

No, I'm saying FAA regulations give the airlines some flexibility on this, and anyone with a BRAIN pnwmom May 2017 #8

This is about the FAA policy regarding substitution of passengers; pnwmom May 2017 #10

Was the ticket in the name of the 18 year old? Is that an adult? Perhaps that triggers an ID check? HoneyBadger May 2017 #13

Since the FAA allowed it, why should airline employees not be human and use common sense? pnwmom May 2017 #15

How would the airline know that the child was not being traffiked HoneyBadger May 2017 #29

What is wrong with you? kristopher May 2017 #32

Are you SERIOUS? Two year olds in this country don't carry IDs. pnwmom May 2017 #33

No they have not HoneyBadger May 2017 #36

The airlines NEVER check ID's of ANY 2 year olds. Thank goodness our TSA insanity pnwmom May 2017 #42

What Airline do you work for? If I buy a ticket...any member of my family should be able to sit in Demsrule86 May 2017 #18

When you book a ticket, even if you buy 4 tickets..... HoneyBadger May 2017 #34

And they NEVER ask to see ID of a two year old. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #65

One son for a toddler son. Get real here. WinkyDink May 2017 #20

I am amazed at the number of corporate defenders and tools malaise May 2017 #116

That is untrue...I read multiple stories...and they had a ticket purchased for another family member Demsrule86 May 2017 #17

Huh. Well Delta apologized and issued them refunds for this "fake news" n/t kcr May 2017 #120

OOooohhhh, looks like you got banned for your behavior in this thread! CreekDog May 2017 #155

Delta was completely correct in giving that seat to a stand-by DrDan May 2017 #19

The sub was their BABY, FGS. Hardly terrorist material. "Overboard"? Threatening WinkyDink May 2017 #21

they cannot have someone use the ticket unless they formally transfer it DrDan May 2017 #26

Delta waited till they knew they had a stand-by person who would pay them for the seat. pnwmom May 2017 #37

ok . . . not disputing that - but Delta was within their rights to assign that seat to a standby DrDan May 2017 #40

They were within their legal rights -- but they ALSO would have been legally able to allow pnwmom May 2017 #45

I have no idea what point you are trying to make re seat size. But airlines change their DrDan May 2017 #52

Delta was not REQUIRED to fill it with someone else. Very simple. pnwmom May 2017 #69

and the family could haved tried to transfer the ticket to the infant - they didn't DrDan May 2017 #80

They had been waved through all the checkpoints with the older son's ticket. pnwmom May 2017 #82

so you think the gate staff and flight attendants are driven by greed - got it DrDan May 2017 #85

That was the only reason for Delta to make this choice. They had already been paid for this seat pnwmom May 2017 #86

since the family paid for it- why did they not transfer it to the infant DrDan May 2017 #88

It probably wasn't clear to them that there was some formal transfer necessary. pnwmom May 2017 #91

those greedy flight attendants DrDan May 2017 #93

No, just not smart enough to contact the gate crew. Either that or the gate crew pnwmom May 2017 #98

Why would they contact the gate? That makes no sense? DrDan May 2017 #114

They could have contacted the gate to say, "this family says that they told you they wanted pnwmom May 2017 #125

what would have prompted them to contact the gate and say that DrDan May 2017 #126

What could have prompted them to contact the gate? Common sense, which pnwmom May 2017 #128

how would anyone know there was a dispute until the stand-by got on the plane and went to his/her DrDan May 2017 #129

It's clear from the video. The standby wasn't on the plane yet! So the gate crew pnwmom May 2017 #132

How could you determine that from the video? The standby could be anywhere - perhaps DrDan May 2017 #133

He wasn't visible anywhere. And the airline has NOT disputed the parents' account pnwmom May 2017 #134

but you are avoiding my question - how did they determine there was an issue if the DrDan May 2017 #135

Yes, I did. The gate crew, according to the parents' undisputed account, pnwmom May 2017 #136

so there is a source somewhere that confirms what you say happened - the DrDan May 2017 #138

This is what you asked me: pnwmom May 2017 #139

got it - you cannot explain what happened DrDan May 2017 #140

But my account accords with what is visible and what can be heard, and the parents undisputed story. pnwmom May 2017 #141

not trying to explain why they handled it the way they did - I faulted them for that DrDan May 2017 #142

You do not know "the reservation was never changed to anyone else." pnwmom May 2017 #143

so the agent changed some seat assogments so there were 3 together - so? DrDan May 2017 #145

My scenarios are consistent with the known facts, unlike yours, which depend on an invisible standby pnwmom May 2017 #146

says the person who states no standby could have boarded because I did not see one on the video DrDan May 2017 #148

You're misstating the facts once again. I never stated I was convinced that the standby was a Delta pnwmom May 2017 #149

how many times did you mis-state that - not only to me - but to others DrDan May 2017 #150

Not once did I ever say I was convinced about that. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #151

You're still dodging the question of Deltas lies to the family. Are you fine with that, too? n/t pnwmom May 2017 #92

no I am not fine with that DrDan May 2017 #94

But Delta ACCEPTED the contract deviation and BOARDED them. Too late for bureacracy then. nt Bernardo de La Paz May 2017 #23

the infant was boarded as a lap-baby DrDan May 2017 #25

The toddler was boarded with a car seat and a ticket. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #38

not a ticket purchased for the infant DrDan May 2017 #41

Doesn't matter. Delta didn't have to be so greedy. The FAA regs gave them flexibility pnwmom May 2017 #47

Not according to this he wasn't. pnwmom May 2017 #108

the seat was in his older son's name - the older son did not show up - the DrDan May 2017 #111

Not true. That was Delta's policy, but the FAA allows substitutions of passengers. pnwmom May 2017 #35

did the family transfer the ticket? DrDan May 2017 #44

They didn't have to. The airlines can allow 2 year olds to sit either on a lap pnwmom May 2017 #49

cabin crews do not assign seats - that is done at the gate DrDan May 2017 #59

The cabin crew could have notified the gate that the family had a 2 year old in the seat, pnwmom May 2017 #63

Looking up Delta, and also American, Policy HockeyMom May 2017 #97

not sure what that has to do with the issue at hand - the seat assigned to the 18 year old who did DrDan May 2017 #115

Second sentence HockeyMom May 2017 #117

They admitted they were wrong with "compensation".. Cha May 2017 #60

they were wrong in their comments to the family - not in their assignment of seats DrDan May 2017 #62

I'll let Delta have the final word on this. Cha May 2017 #64

It's not rocket science. If you board a customer through the gate, it's too late for bureaucracy. Bernardo de La Paz May 2017 #22

they would not have been kicked off had they flown as they were ticketed - the infant as a lap baby DrDan May 2017 #28

The family changed their mind about having the 2 year old as a lap baby and that's why pnwmom May 2017 #106

make all the assumptions you like - but the seat was reserve in his older son't name - the older son DrDan May 2017 #113

Yet the airline has not disputed the parents account of the incident,, which was that the seat pnwmom May 2017 #124

Delta apologists stun me. WinkyDink May 2017 #24

how dare one look at both sides of an issue prior to making comments DrDan May 2017 #27

I agree: Contract law to enhance profits vs basic human decency. kristopher May 2017 #43

you can put the rules in any context you like - but when you purchase a ticket for airline travel DrDan May 2017 #46

Delta had the legal flexibility to allow the parents to use that seat for the toddler and carseat. pnwmom May 2017 #51

the family could haved transferred the seat - but did not because it was DrDan May 2017 #58

You still don't get it. pnwmom May 2017 #61

oh I get it . . . thank you very much DrDan May 2017 #67

No, they could have made the executive decision to assign it to the 2 year old. pnwmom May 2017 #70

of course they communicate - but the gate crew sees the seat as unoccupied as DrDan May 2017 #73

They hadn't boarded the stand-by passenger yet, so they could have un-assigned it, pnwmom May 2017 #76

ok - you win DrDan May 2017 #77

"...there are rules that must be followed" Really? MUST be followed? kristopher May 2017 #66

ridiculous DrDan May 2017 #68

If you consider an accurate description of your position to be an insult... kristopher May 2017 #74

as I said - ridiculous DrDan May 2017 #75

The only ridiculous act is the rampant authoritarianism you apparently endorse kristopher May 2017 #81

is this your method of debate - can't address the facts, so insult? DrDan May 2017 #83

So you don't consider belief structures to be real and subject to examination and discussion? kristopher May 2017 #95

Thank you. Too many give corporations a free pass. Cattledog May 2017 #55

Hilariously, one of the main Delta apologists was screaming about corporatists during the primary SaschaHM May 2017 #130

I think the airline was on solid ground with this one. Chemisse May 2017 #30

They handed over the son's ticket for the 2 year old. And the FAA allows substitutions, pnwmom May 2017 #39

The FAA may allow it, but I'm pretty sure no airline does. Chemisse May 2017 #48

They ALL have the option to. They decided to hang onto their own policy no matter what, pnwmom May 2017 #54

So what are they supposed to do? Kick off the poor standby passenger? Chemisse May 2017 #99

The standby passenger didn't have to be kicked off. He was still at the gate. He could have been pnwmom May 2017 #102

well said - and spot-on DrDan May 2017 #78

Airlines should be demonized regularly... MicaelS May 2017 #96

Absolutely! But only when it is clearly deserved. Chemisse May 2017 #101

They lied about FAA regulations and they deserve to be penalized for that. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #103

Delta Apologizes.. Cha May 2017 #56

If the family had tried to get the tix to match the 2-year-old mainer May 2017 #71

And it was allowed by FAA regulations, which allow substitutions and only require pnwmom May 2017 #79

My SIL used to work for an airline HockeyMom May 2017 #104

"Failure to comply" seems to be all the rage these days. Demit May 2017 #72

I know right.. Delta corp thought so too.. Cha May 2017 #84

At least they were smarter than United. They cut their losses quicker. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #87

That's what I was thinking. Cha May 2017 #90

Thank deregulation and the reduction of airlines it caused. liberal N proud May 2017 #89

What this all boils down to is airlines have become so greedy that flying Jim Beard May 2017 #100

Wow. I hope you wrote to the airline about that experience. That would be unnerving. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #105

I didn't know about it because it happened on the morning flight and I was told about it on the Jim Beard May 2017 #154

Here is some additional key info. pnwmom May 2017 #107

Remember the old adage "The customer is always right"... Cattledog May 2017 #109

Wow. Delta really screwed up on this one. mainer May 2017 #112

Seems like this could have been handled better. Tatiana May 2017 #110

.....And their greed just paid for this 2 year old through college Warpy May 2017 #127

Seems like all of these airlines need to do a better job training The Velveteen Ocelot May 2017 #131

The parents finally agreed to fly with the kid in their lap gyroscope May 2017 #137

Yup. They got to resell 4 seats. Quite a racket for them. n/t pnwmom May 2017 #144

And the GOP is bragging about how they killed regulations. Initech May 2017 #147

Great new video game idea: Sim-Airline, for people who love to torture other people. n/t Binkie The Clown May 2017 #152

Seems like nearly every airline has a story like this nada May 2017 #153