I'm pretty sure that Frontier will be okay with that, lol.
It does sound like they're looking for a payout, from not wanting vouchers right down to their attorney who claims he's a retired pilot who's somehow never heard of Florida weather changing on a dime. Planes take off all the time expecting decent weather to land, and then have bad weather pop up unexpectedly, especially in someplace like Florida in the summer.
I will say, though, that if the airline actually allowed an employee to use a personal car to drive the kids, and had an enployee in the hotel room, then that's incredibly stupid on their part, even if mom gave consent.
On our last flight, we watched the flight before ours get cancelled due to mechanical failure. It was late at night and the passengers were being put up in a hotel for the night by American Airlines. One passenger was an unaccompanied minor. He called his mom And handed the phone to the gate agent who told her she had to come get her son because the hotel would not allow an unaccompanied minor to check in to the room by himself without an adult and the airline would not place an employee with the minor. Mom could be heard screaming at the employee through he phone...not happy to have to come get he kid. I totally understand the airline and the hotel not wanting to take on the risk associated with accepting responsibility for the kid (he was 14 or 15).
The age limit varies by airline, but can be as high as 14.Just want to clarify if he was 14/15 he wasn’t an unaccompanied minor and the airline has no responsibility for him. “Unaccompanied minors” usually go through 11 or 12, pay a special high fee, and under the terms the airline does have responsibility for supervising them.
Many airlines will (or at least used to) allow parents to choose for older kids---either just let them fly normally, but then the airline is no more responsible for them than they would be for an adult, or you can still pay the fee for the airline to essentially "babysit" them.Just want to clarify if he was 14/15 he wasn’t an unaccompanied minor and the airline has no responsibility for him. “Unaccompanied minors” usually go through 11 or 12, pay a special high fee, and under the terms the airline does have responsibility for supervising them.
Yes, United changed the policy, under 15 MUST pay the fee. Crazy.The age limit varies by airline, but can be as high as 14.
https://www.cheapflights.com/news/kids-flying-solo-guide
I heard about this story on the Today show this morning. According to the father, the airline never made contact with the parents and they only knew about the situation from the 9 year old who borrowed a phone to text his dad. The only food given to the kids was rice krispie treats and water. And they put the kids in a room with another unaccompanied minor who was a teenager. Not sure how true these things are, and not sure what the right remedy is, but I wouldn't be super comfortable with my kids in a hotel room with a stranger kid that's significantly older.
Regardless, I guess the risk of a flight delay like this is the chance you take when allowing your kids to fly as unaccompanied minors. Not sure what a better solution would be.
The personal car being use I understand, but given that the children can't get a hotel room without an adult what was Frontier supposed to do, leave the kids unsupervised? Have them stay in the Atlanta Airport until they could continue on their way? The airline did a pretty good job given that they were diverted from the original flight path due to weather. I have a 9 year old. She has flown many times (with me) IF I EVER sent her as an unaccompanied minor, she would have a phone to contact me and some pocket money for food.I'm pretty sure that Frontier will be okay with that, lol.
It does sound like they're looking for a payout, from not wanting vouchers right down to their attorney who claims he's a retired pilot who's somehow never heard of Florida weather changing on a dime. Planes take off all the time expecting decent weather to land, and then have bad weather pop up unexpectedly, especially in someplace like Florida in the summer.
I will say, though, that if the airline actually allowed an employee to use a personal car to drive the kids, and had an enployee in the hotel room, then that's incredibly stupid on their part, even if mom gave consent.
On our last flight, we watched the flight before ours get cancelled due to mechanical failure. It was late at night and the passengers were being put up in a hotel for the night by American Airlines. One passenger was an unaccompanied minor. He called his mom And handed the phone to the gate agent who told her she had to come get her son because the hotel would not allow an unaccompanied minor to check in to the room by himself without an adult and the airline would not place an employee with the minor. Mom could be heard screaming at the employee through he phone...not happy to have to come get he kid. I totally understand the airline and the hotel not wanting to take on the risk associated with accepting responsibility for the kid (he was 14 or 15).
The parents first mistake was buying tickets on Frontier. Their second mistake was putting their kids on Frontier. Who does that?
The father is getting second hand information from 7 and 9 year olds. A child saying "We got Rice Krispie treats!" turns into "They ONLY got Rice Krispie treats". I don't believe they were only fed a snack.
What is the normal policy for unaccompanied minors in situations like this?
Under very rare circumstances, an overnight may be required (e.g. a major snowstorm). In these situations, we will provide overnight and meal accommodations for your child. And a Delta employee(s) will provide supervision to ensure your child's safety during an overnight stay. You will be contacted with pertinent information if this unusual circumstance occurs.
I’m sure CarolAnn856 only meant that some smarmy lawyer would have a field day with it. There was very little Frontier could do in this situation. They handled it better than I would have guessed actually.The personal car being use I understand, but given that the children can't get a hotel room without an adult what was Frontier supposed to do, leave the kids unsupervised? Have them stay in the Atlanta Airport until they could continue on their way? The airline did a pretty good job given that they were diverted from the original flight path due to weather. I have a 9 year old. She has flown many times (with me) IF I EVER sent her as an unaccompanied minor, she would have a phone to contact me and some pocket money for food.
I'm not sure about other airlines but I know that is the policy on Delta. https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/special-travel-needs/children.html
I will say, though, that if the airline actually allowed an employee to use a personal car to drive the kids, and had an enployee in the hotel room, then that's incredibly stupid on their part, even if mom gave consent.