[perkinsrm]

My daughter (age 16) was scheduled to fly from CLT to PIT with a plane change in Atlanta. I was informed that at age 16 she didn’t need to escorted. When she got to the ticket counter in Charlotte, the ticket clerk talked her into paying an additional $59.00 dollars for a escort that would make sure of her safe passage all the way to Pittsburgh. All went well until she landed in Atlanta on flight 319 at 12:18 on August 14, 2009. Due to her being escorted she was told to stay in her seat until some one came to get her. She said that her escort then went to the back of the plane and was washing dishes and cleaning up, leaving my daughter in her seat well after every one else had left the plane. After some time the girl took her off the plane and handed her off to some one else. That person took her straight to some room and told her that she had missed her flight to Pittsburgh. The flight that she was to be on was flight 985 leaving gate C22. It departed at 12:35. Now what I would like to know is why she couldn’t make her flight that didn’t leave for 17 minutes. She was only 4 gates away from her connecting flight. Had she gotten off the plane with all the other passengers there shouldn’t have been any problems getting to the plane in 17 minutes. I’m sure that the other passengers going to Pittsburgh made the flight with no problems. Now she is stuck in a room in Atlanta, GA for 5 hours and lord knows if any one is watching her or going to help her get on the next flight 990 at 17:22. I called the HR number 866-247-2428 and informed them of the problem and was more or less told o’well **** happens. I asked if they were at least going to feed her and was told that if she has any pocket change there are vending machines in the area. Now I’m not sure if this is the kind of treatment one gets when paying extra money for an escort but I will think twice before flying AirTran again. I also feel that restitution needs made for the full cost of the ticket along with the escort fee for not providing the service as stated by your ticket counter person in Charlotte.

[PHXFlyer]

I don't think you got the whole story from your daughter or AirTran. Flight 319, scheduled to arrive @11:54 AM, arrived 39 minutes late @12:33 PM. Her scheduled connecting flight 985 was scheduled to depart at 12:29 PM. It actually departed at 12:43 PM but your daughter's flight was just arriving at 12:33 PM. While the first people were deplaning from her flight boarding for her connecting flight was probably closed. I'm not sure why they did not tell her or you this information.

ATL is AirTran's hub. Most airlines have a designated waiting room for unaccompanied minors at heir hub cities. There might not be an employee physically in the room at all times but rest assured there is probably someone nearby and access to the room is restricted. It may even be adjacent to an employee break room.

In the future you may want to think twice about booking a ticket with only a scheduled 35 minute connection. Even for an experienced traveler this can be tight especially if the inbound flight is running a few minutes late. Remember most airlines cut off boarding at 15 minutes prior to departure so that 35 minutes was, in actuality, only 20.

Finally why didn't you book her a non-stop flight? Probably price. Well now you know that the cheapest option isn't always the best.

[getoutthere]

Unfortunately things like this do happen. I however agree with you that they should have provided her with a meal.

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by getoutthere

Unfortunately things like this do happen. I however agree with you that they should have provided her with a meal.

What about the parents' responsibility? Shouldn't they have provided her with some extra pocket cash or even a Visa/MC gift card for purchasing food or other unforseen travel expenses if she missed her connection? For that matter they could have packed her a snack or "sack lunch" for the trip if money was an issue. It was, after all, only a 35 minute scheduled connection which is easily missed if there are any issues. I agree AirTran could have given her an airport food voucher as a goodwill gesture but even though she's an unaccompanied minor by paying the fee it doesn't obligate the airline to feed her.

[getoutthere]

The post doesn't say that she didn't have any money with her. It just says that AirTran's employee advised them by phone that if she has money there are vending machines in the area. Of course its a parent's responsibility to provide money and/or snacks for travel. I was just suggesting that they could have given her a voucher. I did it from time to time.

[bah humbug]

Originally Posted by perkinsrm

I was informed that at age 16 she didn’t need to escorted.

That is true. Once a child has turned 12, an escort is not required. However I am a little confused because Airtan only accepts UM's up to age 15.


When she got to the ticket counter in Charlotte, the ticket clerk talked her into paying an additional $59.00 dollars for a escort that would make sure of her safe passage all the way to Pittsburgh.

How was SHE talked into paying $59.00? Who was with her? She could not have been designated as an UM without an escort being with her.

[rerere]

Someone needs to actually FLY AirTran