United fails to deliver food and is mean to an infant

Date: 26 April 2012
Location: Newark, NJ
Airline: United, flights UA 6127 and UA 26

(Addressed to United Customer Care)

I am writing to you regarding a recent trip that my husband, my three-month old daughter and I made to New York, Newark, with United Airlines.

Our tickets were purchased through Expedia and the flight numbers are as follows (UA 6127 and return UA 26).

On our outward journey my husband had booked a vegetarian meal for himself and a seafood meal for me from the available drop down menu. Shortly into the journey we were informed in a less than apologetic manner that there was neither. In fact there was nothing on board for us to eat. We were not on the list for special meals despite a phone call through Expedia confirming meals with United prior to the outward flight.  We were quite surprised and eventually some cheese and crackers were found. On a transatlantic flight I really do not think that this is acceptable.

On our return journey my husband had again checked that there would be a meal on the flight. He had been advised by outward cabin crew to go on to the United Airlines website to confirm the return meals, which he did.  He spoke to "Alex" the virtual advisor and joined the United Airlines membership and "edited his profile including meal preferences!" this was confirmed online.

We paid $394 extra for upgraded seats and were at the front of the economy cabin against the bulkhead. (Return journey seat numbers were 8F and 9E.)There was a male member of your cabin crew who was very helpful, Mr Josh Hollifield, (International Service Manager), he did provide us with a sky cot for our daughter.

However, despite being subjected yet again to your United Airlines promotional video staring "Jeff" , your CEO, telling his captive audience how all passengers on United Airlines are very well looked
after while on board one of his flights, there was again nothing to eat! Surely not twice?

Now you may be starting to think that this letter is simply from two grumpy passengers who had to survive six hours each way on a micro bag of salty pretzels. This however is not the case.

My three-month old daughter slept for most of the journey and she did not at any point need anything at all. Fortunate as there probably would
not have been a meal! I did not even have to ask for a bottle to be warmed as I am breast feeding. (I could go down the breast feeding mother needing food as a priority route but I'm afraid that just isn't me.) So all I'm highlighting is that I did not have to pace the aisle trying to comfort her or cause any extra work for your crew.

When we landed we asked for the stroller to be brought to the door of the plane so that the journey through customs would be easier. We waited while the majority of passengers left the aircraft and the ground staff at Birmingham located the stroller which was in a travel bag and brought it to the aircraft door. When it arrived my husband went to remove it from the bag and get it ready.

To my horror at this point one of your female crew, Ms Mary H., stomped back onto the aircraft and without realising that I was within earshot said in an angry tone of voice "Yes, and he's opening the buggy like it's Christmas morning!"

I interpreted this to mean that he was being very slow and holding her up as she was extremely keen to leave the aircraft. I stood up and asked her what she meant and on realising that I, and her colleagues had also heard her, she was acutely embarrassed. Eventually she apologised but this did not negate the fact that we were clearly delaying her and looking after us was certainly not on her list of priorities. Josh was horrified by his fellow colleague's behaviour and apologised profusely. We suggest you look into this cabin crew members conduct personally.

I have two other children aged 6 years and 8 years and have travelled withvarious airlines all over the world with them.  I have NEVER in all that time come across such unhelpful, rude and unprofessional cabin crew. I am extremely angry at the manner in which we were treated and would appreciate it very much if you could run this experience past "Jeff" and ask him if he believes that any ofthis experience is of the standard he expects for his customers.

We are appalled and do not feel your airline has provided good customer service or value for money. The airline certainly cannot justify the premium economy upgrade costs we were charged and we expect this to be refunded in full as a minimum.

-Hiten

Unacceptable Infant Travel Equipment on American Airlines

Flight Date: 14 April 2012

Since we were travelling with our 8 month old baby, we sat in the bulkhead row. Due to early boarding, we were given the only bassinet available for the entire plane. Although the American Airlines website clearly states that the bassinet is for all children under 2 years of age and less than 35 lbs, my 21 lb 8 month old child did not fit in the bassinet and slept with his feet sticking out. 

After securing him as directed on the bassinet instructions, I look up in the middle of the flight to see my child unzipped from the bassinet and on his knees ready to jump out and fall 4 feet on to the floor of the plane. This is UNACCEPTABLE from any company, and even more so from American Airlines. Although the service and quality of flights were extremely poor, I would at least expect that the resources provided by the company were safe. I cannot imagine what consequences would have occurred if I had not looked up in time to grab my son.

It is unconceivable that such lack of safety exists in the child restraint devices provided by American Airlines. How could a company charge $1,200 per seat for a flight and not even provide a safe bassinet? For this reason, I am extremely disappointed. After travelling for years on American Airlines and putting the safety of my loved ones in the hands of the company, I am appalled at what occurred during my flight.

- Illenna

TSA Violates Own Policy by Separating a Mother and Child

A recent article from the MyBottlesUp.com blog discusses an October 15, 2009 incident where the TSA violated its own policies and separated a mother and child during the screening process. The TSA's web site claims that they "will not ask you to do anything that will separate you from your child or children.", but in in the case of one woman at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport, that was clearly not the case.

According to the article, after metal in the child's metal pacifier clip set off the metal detectors, mother and child had to wait further screening by the TSA. During that process, one of the agents took the child away from the mother.

For the full story, please read the full article. If you ever have this kind of problem with the TSA, you should do three things:

1. Get through the situation as best as possible with your dignity and sanity intact. If you can, contact a supervisor to help you resolve the issue.

2. Take the time to document the event as well as possible, including the names of the TSA agents involved, a description of what screening area you were in (many airports have more than one), and the time and date it occurred.

3. File a formal complaint with the TSA. There is no clear complaint process for this kind of situation, but you could try filing a discrimination related complaint, or TSA's generic online complaint form. In any case, make sure you keep a copy of anything you submit.

Recommended Resources:
Child Safety in the Air
Top 10 Tips for Traveling with Children

Your Comments Wanted
Do you have any suggestions for parents, or for the TSA? How about sharing your opinion about the TSA's policies? Feel free to leave your comments.

UPDATE: 9 November 2009
Our thanks go out to Ksenia Coffman who pointed out that the TSA has discussed this same incident in their blog. If you go to the TSA blog for 16 October 2009, you will find an variety of information, including multiple video recordings of the event. We invite you to review both blog posts, and to come to your own conclusions as to what happened in Atlanta.

No matter how this matter is finally resolved, the points mentioned earlier in this article are still valid. If you experience what you think is unfair or unlawful treatment at the hands of the TSA, take the time to carefully document what happened and to take appropriate steps afterwards, from filing formal complaints, to taking legal actions, to publicizing your experience. As this event shows, anything that is in the vicinity of a TSA screening area may be recorded and may become public later.