I need advice on how to handle a complaint
There is an extra charge for this, $50 each way. This $50 is basically a babysitting fee. When Ryan got on the plane I told the people at the desk that he is special needs. He will need help opening his meal, seatbelt....etc Normally they allow you to get a special pass so you can meet your child at the gate. When the person who is suppposed to meet the child arrives they need to show ID to prove they are in fact the person who is supposed to pick them up. In the case of Newark Airport they will not allow anyone back to the gate after 9pm. Ryan's flight was delayed a few hours and he didn't arrive until 1:30 am. So my ex-husband and his girlfriend were waiting by the security checkpoint. They were waiting for Ryan to be brought out by a flight attendant. While waiting the girlfriend sees Ryan walking with a man that does not work for the airline. She basically runs up to him. The man then hands her Ryan's backpack and says goodbye to him. (I believe this is a man we had met in California when we checked Ryan in. Ryan was asking him questions and was telling him that he was going to see his Dad in NJ and then told the guy that he should sit next to him.) Todd (My ex) was totally freaked out because Ryan is supposed to be delivered to him from an Airline Employee. He gets someone from the Airline and they are saying that they were all freaking out at the gate because they can't find him and said that he left the plane by himself. So I am thinking if this guy was sitting next to Ryan he would have heard someone tell to stay seated until everyone was off the flight. So he probably was not seated with him. Also I believe they didn't say anything to him. Regardless. They were supposed to be watching him. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Upset!! I have not called the airline yet. I figured I should calm down before I call and just totally lose it. So I did not call last night. I just woke up and decided that I should ask for advice before I do call. The worst part is I was waiting for the plane to take off and was talking with a mother who also had an unaccompanied minor on the flight. She was telling me how on another airline her son had flown alone and while she waiting for him he just walked up to her. No airline employee in site. She said that she did not see any of the flight crew for 20 minutes. It was another airline and she totally freaked out on them... They offered her a free ticket and she refused. We both agreed on how wonderful we both thought the airline was that our son's were currently flying on. I cannot believe this woman told me this story right before Ryan took off and it's exactly the same thing that happened to him 5 hrs later!!! |
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| I would look up the airline companies website, and look for their customer service #. You need to bring this up to them, but do so CALMLY and FIRMLY. Don't get angry, don't get nasty. A calm, firm person with a complaint will get a much more willing response from the C.R. person, then someone whos biting their head off (Not that I really think you would do something like that...).
that is very scary, and I definitely would alert the airline immediately that this happened, and if you don't get a response from them, talk to the people at the respective airports... I'm sure they have certain procedures imn place for minors flyng, with all the mandated security measures now in place! |
| Who's to say that the passenger who was paying him so much attention wasn't a child molestor? Not trying to make more problems but the airline needs to take a much closer look at this! If your ex and the girl hadn't spotted him at the gate and the man had just kept walking with him what then?
I would definitely be calm but extremely assertive with them. I would at least demand the $50 back if not the cost of the entire ticket. Not a free ticket, a refund; cash money!! I would also make sure I spoke to someone in their security department and report this incident. If they seem to blow it off or don't take it seriously, go right to the National Transportation Safety Board and report it. |
| This is totally unacceptable.
I flew my son out west alone, at 10 years of age. We handed him over to an employee, they put a large badge-thing on a cord around his neck with his information and his ticket inside it. It stayed on him for the full flight. He was taken immediately to a back room where all the other kids were kept together...completely separated from everyone else. On the plane they sat together and at arrival they all got off and were kept together in a separate room. They were all rounded up and delivered together to the person who I had authorized. My sister had to show ID, and a copy of a letter that I had to mail out to her prior to the flight. It was the same thing when he came back. Three years alter we flew out my other son, and had the exact same experience. I would have been flipping out if I had your situation. Calm? Maybe for the first 2 minutes, but any resistence on the airline's part would have me screaming. |
| Elissa, write down everything you want to say to the airline, every problem and concern you have so when you start talking to them you don't forget what you want to say. Then call them and tell them your complaint calmly. They should offer you something like a free ticket or even some sort of refund, if they don't then I would ask for the refund or free ticket because they did not fufill their end of the bargain. You could bring legal action against them for this, and I'm sure they don't want that so my guess is that they will try to help you out in some way.
good luck, sorry that happened... I would have freaked out too! |
| This is horrendous! Like Nicole, two minutes would be my top time to be cool. If I had to wait to calm down before calling, my kid would be at least a year older!
I totally agree with Mandy - take it to the highest level if you get ANY sort of resistance from the airline. This is TOTALLY unacceptable!! Let us know how you make out. |
| This is definintely something to call the airlines about, write letters to the newspaper, etc. My coworker JUST had something weird happen with her minor daughter flying out from OHare via United Way. She comes back today and we'll see what happens this time. She was on the telephone for hours trying to sort this all out. I didn't ask her any specifics though. |
| Ok you guys. I understand the irate parent vibe, but as a customer service rep
THE WORLD EWOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF PEOPLE WOULD MIND THEIR MANNERS!!! I'm not going to get on my society is crumbling, no one knows how to treat each other anymore, yelling is the solution to everything soap box... but please use some consideration when speaking to others! People are not here for others to verbally abuse, no matter how upset they may be. whoops... I got on the soap box anyhow... I'm getting of it now and leaving this thread alone. Hope you get a good response from them E. |
| I'm going to get on a different soapbox and I'm sure I'll get beat up for it. And Elissa, don't take this personally because you know I love you and Ryan. I've flown 50,000 miles a year for the last 15 years. I would never let a child fly alone. I know that everyone has their reasons for it. But stuff happens. I've landed really late, been rerouted to alternate airports because of weather, and been returned to my original airport because of engine problems. I landed in Indianapolis one night because the pilots smelled smoke in the cockpit and it was the closest airport. I've had a few really scary flights where the plane bounced around the whole time. Do you want your child alone in that?
Pepsi's Mommy wrote: He gets someone from the Airline and they are saying that they were all freaking out at the gate because they can't find him and said that he left the plane by himself.
I can see my youngest stepson doing that at Ryan's age. Sure, someone told you to stay in your seat but everyone else is getting up so you want to go too. And look! There's that nice man I met in the other airport. I'll just walk with him... And the problem is that the flight attendants do have other responsibilities, so they might not notice him walking off the plane. Yes, you should raise it to the airline because it's a huge issue, but I think parents also need to be realistic about how much they can expect from an airline in terms of an unaccompanied minor. |
| I do understand your anger. It must be so difficult to manage visitation coast to coast!!! I would be terrified to put my child on an airplane alone at the age, airlines really DON'T CARE.
Last summer, my son's cell phone was stolen out of his suitcase while the suitcase was in the hands of the baggage people. He was flying to St Martins (honeymoon) and someone in the St Martins baggage department took the phone and racked up almost $400.00 in overseas calls before my son realized it was missing. He reported it to the airline and they were just plain rude to him, basically they told him that he couldn't prove someone there took it, and since it wasn't a "missing bag" they wouldn't even talk to him about it. Since airline security has supposedly "tightened up" (translate into you are not allow to lock your baggage) I have had multiple items stolen from my baggage. Luckily i know not to pack anything of value but it just really stinks. I doubt the attitude of the airline toward your son will be any different than their attitude toward a cell phone. Once they get the price of a ticket they really don't care. |
Iriskmj wrote: I'm not going to get on my society is crumbling, no one knows how to treat each other anymore, yelling is the solution to everything soap box... but please use some consideration when speaking to others! People are not here for others to verbally abuse, no matter how upset they may be.
I completely agree. The customer service rep doesn't deserve to get yelled at, considering they were not responsible for your child (the people on board were). I would definitely stay calm as others have suggested while talking to the airline - that way they know exactly what happened and what to do in the future. As someone who works with people I've had my fill of nasty people who want to tell me what's wrong (about something I have nothing to do with) and tell me in the most abrasive way possible what's the matter with me. Usually I do not take down their complaints as my ears are usually bleeding from their screaming and I want them off the line as soon as possible.  Sometimes people get so worked up I have no idea what they are upset about hehe.
Calm people definitely get more attention from me and I always try to rectify the situation in their favore if there is something wrong on my job site's end that I can discuss with other employees who were responsible. Other wise I tell other employees that Mr. So-in-so wanted to say "AHHHHH!!!! GRAAAAA!" to them and to please never do it again.
That being all said I think that your situation is messed up and they definitely should have done something different. I hope that they give you some free tickets or something - you deserve them. I would go to a more kid friendly airline next time. |
| Geez, how could you not be upset and angry? You pay full price for a ticket, plus the extra $50 for an adult to accompany him and this happens. My grandson used to fly from Phoenix to Detroit and was never left alone, not for any reason. One year the flight was late and the adult with him called us from the plane to let us know. I hope you get quick resolution and all your money back. |
| Thanks for all the advice. I am still putting everything together that needs to be said.
I worked at the Head of Compliance for a Marketing company so I know Customer Service. I hated to be yelled at and called names for something that I didn't do. That is why I have waited and am still waiting. Also being a Jersey Girl, my language tends to be on the offensive side when I am upset. Security at the airport told my Ex-husband if he arrived at the airport before 9pm he would have been allowed to go back and wait at the gate until whenever....but they don't allow them back past 9pm....which makes absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever to me. If he would be allowed to wait for 9pm until 1:30 am...what's the difference if they allow his to go to the gate at 12am. 
As a frequent flyer I know that there are always at least three flight attendants standing at the exit to the plane....saying their thank yous and welcomes and what nots. You'd think they would notice a kid they are supposed to be watching. This is Ryan's 5th flight alone. He has never got off the plane by himself. If they had told him to stay on the plane he would have. He has been on some crazy flights and he actually thinks turbulence is COOL 
Last summer there was a freak electrical storm in NY...they had already dumped their fuel so they had to reroute to Stewart International Airport in Newburgh. NY to refuel and then come back to Newark. Ryan was so excited because he got to take off twice and land twice. So I don't think he would be bothered by any flight problems. If the girlfriend didn't see him I am sure he would have proceeded with everyone else to baggage claim. Todd never would have even thought to look there. I can only imagine what might have happened. This is Newark airport for christ sakes.  Someone could have taken him....etc
I don't think I will be calm until maybe I take a muscle relaxer so I will be waiting on making the phone call until later this afternoon. |
That is VERY, VERY scary. I'm go glad your ex's girlfriend saw him! Maybe airlines need to have one stewardess/steward escort the kids into a snack area (maybe airports need arcades too  )... until the others are finished with their work on the plane. Then, escort them out to their parents. I dunno - I've only flown once, but that seems feasible. |
| Well I called. I got through to the same woman I spoke to last summer when Ryan's plane was missing. A very sweet older woman with a british accent. She sympathized with me and suggested that I speak with a customer service manager. All she could do was offer a $50 travel voucher, which was not enough as far as I was concerned..she also didn't agree that that was enough. THEY LOST MY SON!!! The wait time to speak to a manager was 30 minutes so I said I would call back. I have better things to do with my time then wait on hold for 30 minutes which would probably get me even more upset.
She totally understood why I was very upset. She wished me luck and hoped that I got full compansation as they did not perform their jobs. If he had made it to the baggage claim he could have been gone!! They also never put on the security bracelet he should have been wearing. I will try again later |
| visitation" becomes the responsibility of the child vs. the parent in my case
my daughter has ADHD AND A VERY LOW IQ SHE REPEATED GRADE K IS 8 YEARS OLD HAS TROUBLE STAYING SEATED IN HER CLASS ROOM SHOULD BE IN 3RD GRADE AND BUT IN 2ND GRADE AND 2ND GRADE IS GETTING VERY HARD FOR HER I DON'T THINK SHE IS READY TO FLY ALONE AIRLINE SAY 5 AND OLDER BUT TO ME THAT IS JUST A NUMBER NOT A AGE TO ME YOU NEED TO ACT YOUR AGE AND FOLLOW WHAT YOU ARE TOLD BEFORE YOU CAN FLY AS A unaccompanied minors HER DAD MAKES VERY GOOD MONEY AND IT WOULD NOT BREAK HIM TO PAY TO COME DOWN AND SEE HER OR EVEN TAKE HER BACK WITH HIM AND FLY BACK WITH HER THE ONLY REASON HE DON'T WANT TO IS BECAUSE HIS NEW FAMILY AS HE PUTS IT NEEDS HIM AT HOME WELL I THINK THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS HERE BEFORE HIS NEW FAMILY AND HE SHOULD THINK OF HER ALSO AND IF HE WANTS TO SEE HER COME AND GET HER I WOULD TOTALLY FREAK OUT IF WHAT HAPPEN TO YOU HAPPEN TO ME WITH ALL THE SICK PEOPLE IN THE WORLD CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THANK YOU MYSARAH |
| I fly often and under no circumstances would I allow my child at her age to fly without someone she knew. The airline will not allow her to fly alone without making arrangements with them and paying an additional fee for "babysitting services" so to speak. Dad needs to get a round trip ticket to your airport, pick up daughter and head back home and when it is time to go home vise versa. He can always fly in for a weekend visit by himself also. The safety and security of your daughter is upmost. My daughter who is on disability flys to see her children every two months. Yes, it is expensive and we help her out, but the important thing is the children see their Mom and they are safe and secure. She would never allow the children to fly on their own. My husband and I take turns picking them up when they come to see their Mom where we live. Your daughter's Dad needs to make her a priority in his life. She is as important as his other children.
You have to do what is right for your child. If he has a problem with this then he needs to go back to court and discuss it with the judge. Good luck! Helen, Mom to Violet, China and Pearl |
| was going to put her on the plane from GA TO WI and seeing we have 50 50 I did not want him to do that to her that was two years ago and we are still fighting in court now he quite his very good paying job just to lower child support BUT keep in mind he still makes way over 100,000 a year money is not a problem. the problem is his NEW family is more important to him and he is more important to himself we went to court on 9/7/06 and the court Commissioner
asked what do the airlines say he said 5 years and older so the court commissioner said o.k. when she is 9 years old 6/1/07 well I really don't know what will happen to me but I WILL NOT LET HIM HAVE HER THEN I really don't have the money I am $24,000 in the hold in Attorney bills yes my little girl is more important to me then money buy I am blowing child support on attorney bills really am I right here my Sarah [/b] |
| I know what you mean regarding attorney fees, my daughter is up around over $90,000 in the last three years. I won't go into any further detail, but hopefully before your child's birthday, your ex will come to his senses. He is being very selfish. You can always appeal the ruling. I know a couple of people whose child is in a different state then they are and they each take turns taking the child back and forth. Do not rely on the airlines. I did call Northwest a couple of months ago to get the information and from Orlando to Detroit it was the cost of the plane ticket and a additional $90. One way, so it would be plane ticket plus $180 round trip. It is expensive either way you look at it, but he has to remember she is only 8 years old and a lot can go wrong at an airport.
Anyway, I hope he comes to his senses before June. Take Care, Helen, Mom to Violet, China and Pearl |
Bailey's Mom wrote: ....I would never let a child fly alone. I know that everyone has their reasons for it. But stuff happens.....
I have to agree with you. I know there are reasons, but are they really good enough reasons. We won't put our kids in the hands of a stranger to babysit, but what makes us think that a company, and their employees are anything less than a stranger. But, I don't blame you for complaining. I would've raised the roof on that building when it happened! But, then again, in my opinion only, my after thought would've been that I shouldn't have let him go alone in the first place. No offense - jmop |
| Elissa, I really think you should take this all the way to airline security. You paid the extra money to have an airline attendent accompnay him the entire time...that person should be seated next to him, leave with him, and hand him to his parents...with no exceptions.
They failed you in a the biggest way possible. The airline didn;t lose a piece of luggage, they literally lost your son...and the worst possible thing could have happened. It's great your husband and his girlfriend were watching and saw him, etc...but the WHAT IF...has me upset. This is unacceptable, and they need to be aware of what they have put you through, so that this does not happen again. I probably would not let my kids fly alone, but we don't have that circumstance. But you do, and you expect them to treat your son as precious cargo. |
| I would think the court would recognize that your child has some
issues, so maybe a review before her 9th birthday is in order. If you have a lawyer he should be making sure these things happen, otherwise he isn't doing his job. The child's developmental issues should certainly be considered in this case and the court should recognize that. If I were you I might question your lawyer, or maybe find a new one! Maybe look into having a counselor or psychologist give their opinion to the court? Shellie |
| thank you so much for responding I can't tell everyone how much this is helping me feel knowing I am not the only one out there in the same boat we really need to put a stop to this all for all children you don't leave a 8 year old home alone to go to the store to get milk. you would not go to the streets and say to someone HEY! I don't know you but watch my child for me !! then once again I strongly believe in my heart in this case an cases like mine it is the responsibility of the parent ( her dad ) to come and see her he made that choice to move out of state away from his child "to be with his new family" well that old saying goes "you made your bed now lie in it" he states that it is way to much were on him to fly back and forth WELL DID HE THINK HOW MUCH WERE IT WOULD BE FOR AN 8 YEAR OLD CHILD THAT IS IN SCHOOL ALL DAY LONG to get done with school seat in an airport ( with delays) then get on a plane to see him just as much on her if not more! and that my point
visitation" becomes the responsibility of the child vs. the parent in this case and I totally think it is wrong what is he doing at that time when she is in the airport sitting doing her homework waiting for her plane. ( he is at home on his butt relaxing with as he would put it "his NEW FAMILY") at this point in my life I really don't care what the court order states ( that she can because she is old enough ) fly alone my butt I am not putting my child on a plane alone hey if he wants to pay for me and her to fly to GA from WI then fly me back to WI once she gets there safe and he has her I told him I will do it and once again 'NO WAY THAT'S A WAIST OF MONEY " he says way over $130,000 a year he is being cheap selfish and I think just down right wrong maybe I getting this wrong what I am thinking may be I should do a petition I just don't know how to write one up does anyone out there know how and have ideal I will be more then happy to have your ideal  well thank you to everyone out there for responding to me it really help knowing what other people think take care
MYSARAH |
| Hi ,
I'm stunned that happened to Ryan. While I'm of the school of thought it is better to remain calm with a complaint ..doesn't mean wimpy either but firm. Most of the time if you start yelling, the other person would tune us out anyhow...so call , remain firm and state your case. Whenever I make a complaint I call and see if anything can be done, if not ask to speak to their supervisor and go right to the top if you have to. Writing a letter to back up what you said is a good plan too, especially if you can't make the call knowing you're going to yell. If that had happened to me I would have panicked, then felt relieved he was okay...what an awful thing! The man that accompanied Ryan may have felt he was helping him out and not realized the protocol with kids travelling alone or something worse. The airline needs to know so they can prevent something like this happening again. Hugs to you and Ryan Marianne |
| Just a thought about complaining. Don't forget that you ARE being "recorded" at most places now days. Which I dissapprove of.
Make sure your own words don't come back to haunt you. Remaining calm helps assure that nothing we say can be taken wrong. Not just things that might sound like threats. Saying things exactly the way we mean it, and sometimes with an explaination of that meaning, can work to our advantage or disadvantage. In anger, the same spoken words, can mean just the opposite of what we intended to the one being spoken to. That sometimes plays an important part in the outcome of the situation. |
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