child flying alone

[knkali]

southwest air has been great when traveling and checking in my carry gun. I had to make this gun related so.......

How do you guys feel about this story. I kind of hold the parents feet to the fire on this. After all, if anyone has traveled by air within the last 10 years, you would know how chaotic it is. Finally, do you really think $99 buys peace of mind?

I can possibly see putting your 10 yo on a non stop plane and waiting there for it to take off and having someone on the end of the flight to receive the child, but that is even risky. How about a summer camp closer to home or pay the $ and fly with your child. When did airlines become nannies?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48687364/ns/today-travel/

[Bawanna]

Totally parents fault in my opinion. No question about it. I expressed concern when our neighbors sent their daughter to register for college in Rhode Island alone and she's like 17 or 18.

We drove our daughter to college in Wyoming and did recon on the area looking for trouble spots. Stayed a week to make sure she was ok. Even spoke to a passing police officer as we were moving into the dorm expressing concerns.

My wife is a far more concerned parent than I but there is no way in heck I'd put a 10 year old on a plane by themselves. Just not gonna happen.

[muggsy]

I guess that times have changed. When I was twelve I cared for my three younger siblings so that my mother could work for a living. She couldn't afford a baby sitter. At twelve I was considered the man of the house. Somehow we survived.

[OldLincoln]

I blame the airline. They offer a service and failed to deliver. It reads like the girl did everything right and had the airline allowed her to call her mom it would have worked out fine. I was raised with increasing responsibilities almost like a curriculum for adulthood and even in today's environment would have been fine at 10 years as my son would have.

Today I see the grandkids of our friends being held back in their development by over protective parenting. Everybody's yardstick is different but my expectations are for kids to be able to function well in an adult world at 10 as a kid. That means know what to do if separated from parents, who to trust for assistance, how to spend money wisely (buying food, not junk) and most of all, to look ahead to consequences of their actions.

No in this case the airline made 2 errors, not verifying the contractor was on site (the hand off between flights), and not allowing the phone call which was just plain stupid as their error was already exposed and the call would have mitigated the parents and camps concern. Why have a waiting room for kids without allowing a call home?

[Bawanna]

I guess that times have changed. When I was twelve I cared for my three younger siblings so that my mother could work for a living. She couldn't afford a baby sitter. At twelve I was considered the man of the house. Somehow we survived.

Totally different scenario muggsy. We did much the same thing. Fending for ourselves at home in familiar territory so mom could work was a necessity.

Rich folks sending their kid off to camp on the other side of the country so they are out of their hair for a couple weeks is not necessity.
Much like day care on days that one of the parents isn't working just so they can have the day off.

[muggsy]

Totally different scenario muggsy. We did much the same thing. Fending for ourselves at home in familiar territory so mom could work was a necessity.

Rich folks sending their kid off to camp on the other side of the country so they are out of their hair for a couple weeks is not necessity.
Much like day care on days that one of the parents isn't working just so they can have the day off.

I have to agree with Linc on this one. The airline failed in it's responsibility. Suppose the girl was going to visit a relative instead of going to camp. Only liberal show envy for those better off then themselves. The lady paid for a service and didn't receive that service.

[Bawanna]

Just to be clear I'm envious of lots of people, that doesn't mean I expect to have what they have (nor do I hold anything against them for enjoying the fruits of their labor) without some real effort on my part just the same as I've expended to get the things that I do have and I'm sure someone low on food chain such as myself might be envious of me.

But using the word liberal in any context remotely related to me, well makes roofing nails slip out of my mouth with the drool into my drool cup.
The same as suggesting that I might have voted for the current occupant of the White House.

I'm gonna take a quiet time now and try to compose myself.

[jeepster09]

Next time they will send her on a Greyhound Bus.........;)
Just make sure she has her backpack full when leaving :crazy:

[knkali]

Just to be clear I'm envious of lots of people, that doesn't mean I expect to have what they have (nor do I hold anything against them for enjoying the fruits of their labor) without some real effort on my part just the same as I've expended to get the things that I do have and I'm sure someone low on food chain such as myself might be envious of me.

But using the word liberal in any context remotely related to me, well makes roofing nails slip out of my mouth with the drool into my drool cup.
The same as suggesting that I might have voted for the current occupant of the White House.

I'm gonna take a quiet time now and try to compose myself.

I dont get how liberal comes into this nor using that word in the same context of who Bawanna is but be that as it may..... Paying for a service such as watching after your child's saftey through the chaotic and frenzied air transport system for $99 is a bargin but I guess you get what you paid for. Frankly, I cannot see anyone watching after my 10 yo child in that scenario at any price. There are some things money cannot buy. There are no do overs in this game. Fortunately, these parents did get one.

[Bawanna]

I dont get how liberal comes into this nor using that word in the same context of who Bawanna is but be that as it may..... Paying for a service such as watching after your child's saftey through the chaotic and frenzied air transport system for $99 is a bargin but I guess you get what you paid for. Frankly, I cannot see anyone watching after my 10 yo child in that scenario at any price. There are some things money cannot buy. There are no do overs in this game. Fortunately, these parents did get one.

Clearly the airline offered a service and then dropped the ball. I question for the reasons you state weather they should even offer that service.
That L word comes into play accusing me of being jealous that I don't have the funds to send my kids to the Kennedy Compound for a play date. Truth be told I wouldn't put a 10 year old on a plane to fly anyplace by themselves.
Even the most mature, well behaved and well brought up 10 year old.

The gremlins we deal with everyday are products of uncaring parents or lack there of. Day cares etc. This is no excuse for the gremlins evil ways although the hanky wringers will say they are a product of society. They are responsible for their own actions regardless.

[OldLincoln]

This reminds me of doing analysis of bad customer service reports at the phone company. We took it seriously and followed up with all the people who touched the report and looked for where the process broke down. Processes overlapped enough that it invariably it took two or more different failures to cause the bad report.

Same here. If the gate rep caught the girl and had her stand by her side until the crowd passed then paged the contractor for a person to person hand off they would have learned the contractor failed and made other arrangements for the girl to make her flight. That's one fail.

They did get her to the kids lounge where if they had let her call the parents would know she was safe and would have called the camp the eliminate anxiety there. But they failed also.

Should they offer the service, a big yes. But they should definitely train the gate rep to be on the lookout for a 10 year old girl and hold her until the contractor shows up. No contractor, they can walk her to the departure gate and turn her over to a rep there. Before you say there's too many people ask yourself how the contractor would have found her had they showed up.

[muggsy]

Just to be clear I'm envious of lots of people, that doesn't mean I expect to have what they have (nor do I hold anything against them for enjoying the fruits of their labor) without some real effort on my part just the same as I've expended to get the things that I do have and I'm sure someone low on food chain such as myself might be envious of me.

But using the word liberal in any context remotely related to me, well makes roofing nails slip out of my mouth with the drool into my drool cup.
The same as suggesting that I might have voted for the current occupant of the White House.

I'm gonna take a quiet time now and try to compose myself.

Don't get your panties in a bunch, Bawanna. I don't think that you're a liberal. Would it have been ok for a poor person's child to be lost by the airline? I don't think so. You pay for a service you should get that service, rich or poor. That's all I'm sayin'.

[muggsy]

Clearly the airline offered a service and then dropped the ball. I question for the reasons you state weather they should even offer that service.
That L word comes into play accusing me of being jealous that I don't have the funds to send my kids to the Kennedy Compound for a play date. Truth be told I wouldn't put a 10 year old on a plane to fly anyplace by themselves.
Even the most mature, well behaved and well brought up 10 year old.

The gremlins we deal with everyday are products of uncaring parents or lack there of. Day cares etc. This is no excuse for the gremlins evil ways although the hanky wringers will say they are a product of society. They are responsible for their own actions regardless.

Are you home schooling your kids? If the school bus driver dropped them off in the middle of nowhere would you be upset? Much the same situation. I worked for an airline. My pension check comes from an airline. The airline screw up, big time. I'm shutting this thread down. Oops, that's your job. :)

[OldLincoln]

I'm shutting this thread down. Oops, that's your job. :)

let's see ... ROTFLMAOOL is that how it goes? Good one Muggsy. :D

[les strat]

Comparing yesteryear to today is apples and oranges.

The reason I wouldn't put a child on a plane in this day and age is, it's different. The hussle and bussle of flying is worse than it has ever been, and it seems there are predators around every corner nowadays. Plus, people just do not look out for others. They are so wrapped up in their little world, they do not care to get involved.

[Bawanna]

Are you home schooling your kids? If the school bus driver dropped them off in the middle of nowhere would you be upset? Much the same situation. I worked for an airline. My pension check comes from an airline. The airline screw up, big time. I'm shutting this thread down. Oops, that's your job. :)

We're out of the school system as of this year, youngest graduated. But you bring up a good point.

We went to the trouble of knowing the bus driver, we know her name, have her home phone number, her boss, head of transportation is the SEAL I've know for years but didn't know he was a SEAL. Same with teachers, we met em all. Got involved.
I think we're beating different drums, your talking careless airlines, I'm talking careless parents.

Old Lincoln, go ahead and shut it down. I'm gonna go iron my panties now.

[Tinman507]

I'm 100% on board with being involved in every aspect of your kids life outside the house. I really don't know if I could put my 10 year old on an airplane without one of us along. Hell, even thinking about my kids driving 3 hours back and forth from college made me nuts.

[JFootin]

Comparing yesteryear to today is apples and oranges.

The reason I wouldn't put a child on a plane in this day and age is, it's different. The hussle and bussle of flying is worse than it has ever been, and it seems there are predators around every corner nowadays. Plus, people just do not look out for others. They are so wrapped up in their little world, they do not care to get involved.

You're right there! When I was 14, I rode a bus all the way from Phoenix, AZ, back home to Asheville, NC. 4 1/2 days and 3 nights of danger that I didn't fully comprehend at the time. I could not get any sleep the whole time. The transmission on the bus broke, so we crept across Texas at about 25 mph. Missed 2 meal stops and ended up waiting for hours in Texarcana for another bus. Nasty little town, and the bus station is definitely on the bad side of the tracks. No food at the station except some stuff in a vending machine that looked years old. The only criminal incident that I remember was when a man sitting beside me kept scooting over toward me and getting too familiar. I moved to another seat and he didn't follow me. But nowadays, something much worse would have most likely happened to me, not excluding abduction, molestation and murder!


Next time they will send her on a Greyhound Bus.........;)

I sure hope not! :eek:

[dkmatthews]

I can almost imagine sending my child on an airplane by himself -- but NOT through Chicago O'Hare. From reading the news article, the parents used frequent flier miles to pay for the trip. That tells me that the parents didn't want to spend the money to be able to choose a different flight that would have taken the child through a smaller airport where the child might have had a chance at getting from gate to gate on her own.

I can't say that I "fault" the parents but I would not have made the same decision made by these parents. I can also see United Airlines having a serious discussion at the board and management level about Risk Management and whether the revenues earned from the service of escorting a child flying alone is worth the Reputation Risk when the child doesn't make it from point A to point B.

[muggsy]

Comparing yesteryear to today is apples and oranges.

The reason I wouldn't put a child on a plane in this day and age is, it's different. The hussle and bussle of flying is worse than it has ever been, and it seems there are predators around every corner nowadays. Plus, people just do not look out for others. They are so wrapped up in their little world, they do not care to get involved.

Les, in the old days your mother would put you on a train hoping that you'd get lost. My mother tried that trick at least three times, but as luck would have it they kept returning me and I turned out alright, didn't I? :)