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Hamlette

(15,556 posts)

13. United didn't handle it well but it wasn't the end of the earth.

Wed Jul 5, 2017, 11:19 PM

Jul 2017

I've traveled with kids of all ages for years and yes, it sucks when they don't have their own seat but my arm and leg have gone numb watching a movie with them at home. I could tell you stories. . . .like my mother flying from Alaska with 2 of us, me in a body cast at age 1 and my sister at 2.5 years old, both in diapers (no disposable ones then), one seat and getting stranded in the Seattle airport for 3 days.

Buck up. Snowflake.

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United re-sold 27 month old's paid-for seat -- made Mom hold him for the flight. [View all] pnwmom Jul 2017 OP

More than an apology, they owe her the cost of the ticket and $10,000 or so. Shrike47 Jul 2017 #1

This is disgusting. What other industry can treat paying customers like this. Catmusicfan Jul 2017 #2

Insurance? Flaleftist Jul 2017 #8

True. But no company should treat paying customers like that. Catmusicfan Jul 2017 #10

Comcast and other major ISPs treat their customers like crap mythology Jul 2017 #9

+10000 Catmusicfan Jul 2017 #11

Did they take his candy too? Tiggeroshii Jul 2017 #3

I remember when airlines would give kids ProudLib72 Jul 2017 #4

Sorry, have to post this. VermontKevin Jul 2017 #5

I remember getting to sit in the cockpit of a Canadian Pacific DC-8 inflight Sen. Walter Sobchak Jul 2017 #38

I remember that, too ProudLib72 Jul 2017 #61

They apologized five days later - because of the publicity dalton99a Jul 2017 #6

United should have gone straight into Chapter 7 in 2002 Sen. Walter Sobchak Jul 2017 #7

Full story isn't being told... HipChick Jul 2017 #12

It isn't the Mom's job to scan the child's ticket -- it's the ticket agent's job. It is their most pnwmom Jul 2017 #14

Your link does NOT show that it was the mother's fault csziggy Jul 2017 #16

The kid had a boarding pass exboyfil Jul 2017 #17

Twice you said "unless," and twice you had no reason to. THERE WAS NO "UNLESS." WinkyDink Jul 2017 #81

It's not the mother's job to get the kids boarding pass scanned properly. LisaL Jul 2017 #23

+1 Blue_Tires Jul 2017 #74

United didn't handle it well but it wasn't the end of the earth. Hamlette Jul 2017 #13

Well, I've gotten a DVT from a long plane flight, and it IS a big deal to have a leg go numb pnwmom Jul 2017 #15

Why are people in this thread blaming the mother? csziggy Jul 2017 #20

Price of ticket is determined by class of the ticket... HipChick Jul 2017 #22

Because we feel the need to blame and punish somebody. Igel Jul 2017 #26

It did not work. The mother paid for a full price seat and they acknowledge pnwmom Jul 2017 #31

So if the mother was flying with another adult, and that boarding pass wasn't scanned properly, LisaL Jul 2017 #32

Best answer yet! pnwmom Jul 2017 #62

Yes. narnian60 Jul 2017 #79

But.. but... snowflakes! Buttercups! Millennials! Rock and Roll music! Warren DeMontague Jul 2017 #76

Because they didn't 'scan the ticket incorrectly', they chose to sell that seat SPECIFICALLY... WoonTars Jul 2017 #91

The links I posted indicate that the mother did present the ticket for the child csziggy Jul 2017 #43

Every plane in the United fleet should be crushed into scrap Orrex Jul 2017 #69

Lol! cwydro Jul 2017 #82

Exactly...I fly a lot... HipChick Jul 2017 #21

She took what they offered because she wasn't up for a beating. Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2017 #30

You don't have to be insufferable about it CreekDog Jul 2017 #42

Seems like passengers that fly the least HipChick Jul 2017 #45

Passengers who flew a lot would complain just as much. pnwmom Jul 2017 #58

I obviously missed the sign-up sheet for the Highest Gross Percentage of Victimhood. LanternWaste Jul 2017 #68

She was traveling alone with a small child and she was AFRAID. pnwmom Jul 2017 #48

+1 narnian60 Jul 2017 #80

The kid should have had his own seat. She paid for it. LisaL Jul 2017 #24

oh yes...so if i buy a ticket for my 29 yr old daughter orleans Jul 2017 #56

The airline endangered her child. Aside from that glaring issue delisen Jul 2017 #59

Anyone over 2 must have a paid seat. Would she be expected to suck it up if the child were 10? EllieBC Jul 2017 #60

Seriously Dorian Gray Jul 2017 #63

but but precious little snowflakes everyone gets a trophy culture is to blame! Warren DeMontague Jul 2017 #77

This message was self-deleted by its author Pacifist Patriot Jul 2017 #70

I'm weary of 24/7 outrage. But you are right, I'm irrelevant. As are we all. Hamlette Jul 2017 #72

I didn't say you were irrelevant. Pacifist Patriot Jul 2017 #73

Ah, the old "deflect from previous inane statement with vague existential ennui" tactic. Warren DeMontague Jul 2017 #78

Are you fucking serious? She PAID $1000 for the fucking seat. Warren DeMontague Jul 2017 #75

Snowflake? Seriously? WoonTars Jul 2017 #90

They should have settled it by... Laffy Kat Jul 2017 #18

They should have bought back a seat exboyfil Jul 2017 #19

The guy who paid $75 for his stand-by seat should have had to wait for the next stand-by pnwmom Jul 2017 #27

Once he was boarded and in his seat exboyfil Jul 2017 #33

He was only in that seat because he insisted on displacing the 2 year old who was ALREADY THERE. pnwmom Jul 2017 #36

Nope. exboyfil Jul 2017 #41

Yes, if they could have found someone to do that, they should have. They should have offered pnwmom Jul 2017 #44

The problem there is that the airline's idea of the next available flight LisaM Jul 2017 #84

Except the difference is that he saw the child in the seat and made the mom get the boy out of it. pnwmom Jul 2017 #85

There were lots of wrongs in this story. LisaM Jul 2017 #86

No, it appears they honored the wishes of the largest body. nt pnwmom Jul 2017 #87

No, it wasn't. Igel Jul 2017 #29

The kid had a boarding pass and an assigned seat. LisaL Jul 2017 #34

I am saying you pay what you have to exboyfil Jul 2017 #35

The CHILD was already in that seat when the guy turned up, and they ejected the CHILD. pnwmom Jul 2017 #37

Give the rider a free first class ticket on the next flight.... Dorian Gray Jul 2017 #64

My nephew ellie Jul 2017 #53

Good! Glad he stuck to his guns. Sounds like it might be a frequent practice. nt Laffy Kat Jul 2017 #55

Fly the Friendly Skies of United lpbk2713 Jul 2017 #25

27 month old? Proud liberal 80 Jul 2017 #28

I said that to make clear he was over the age even ALLOWED to sit on a lap. pnwmom Jul 2017 #40

Wasn't a dig at you Proud liberal 80 Jul 2017 #65

This is why I jealously guard my elite status (with Delta) brooklynite Jul 2017 #39

I maintain mine too...simply to avoid all these situations...last time I had an issue with United HipChick Jul 2017 #46

What will the FAA fine be? Barack_America Jul 2017 #47

True Meowmee Jul 2017 #52

The mother had a legitimate excuse for not raising a fuss in the plane DFW Jul 2017 #49

Exactly. n/t pnwmom Jul 2017 #50

The only incredibe part of the story is this: DFW Jul 2017 #67

I still carry my American Airlines Platinum card embossed with a 2 Million stamp, Stonepounder Jul 2017 #51

United should be fined heavily for this. SunSeeker Jul 2017 #54

I'm Sorry But... DoctorJoJo Jul 2017 #57

How can they sell a seat twice? And if they do, shouldn't the first buyer get the seat? Vinca Jul 2017 #66

Ah well just another minority complaining malaise Jul 2017 #71

How COINCIDENTAL that the only Boarding Pass "not scanned properly" belonged to a paid-for passenger WinkyDink Jul 2017 #83

Yes, to me this is the crux... Phentex Jul 2017 #88

Quite the co-inky-dink, eh, WinkyDink? WoonTars Jul 2017 #89

I should hope not! WinkyDink Jul 2017 #92