Allegiant Air Special Assistance Passengers Put on Flight to Wrong Destination
Jeff Edwards March 28, 2017
After an elderly couple was taken to the wrong flight by wheelchair porters at Fort Lauderdale Airport, the pair ended up hundreds of miles from their intended destination.
A married couple in need of a little extra assistance at the airport was instead reportedly taken by wheelchair to the wrong flight. The pair soon arrived at Ogdensburg International Airport (OGS) in upstate New York, more than 600 miles from their intended destination of Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Michigan.
The great-grandparents were headed from Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Michigan to visit family on Wednesday when the mix-up stymied their travel plans. Helen Wheeker, age 96 and her 89-year-old husband George Nobel said that they didn’t suspect anything was amiss until they arrived at the wrong airport.
“We had a typical day on the plane, reading, snacking and dozing,” Wheeker told Miami ABC News affiliate WPLG.
The elderly couple’s family, waiting at the airport for their arrival, had an anything but typical day in store. “We were all upset,” Nobel’s son Mark told the television station. “Where’re they at? I mean, they’re flying around the country somewhere.”
The airline said that the couple was scheduled to return to FLL later the same day and would again attempt to make the trip to GRR later in the week. Allegiant Air spokesperson Hilarie Grey told reporters that the company has apologized for the mix-up and has offered a full refund as well as a pair of free tickets to their original destination. Grey added that a malfunctioning boarding pass scanner prevented gate agents from catching the original mistake and allowed the passengers to board the wrong flight.
Wheeker and Nobel appear to have taken the unexpected adventure in stride and were ready to try their luck again after a couple of days of rest. “They sounded like they were in good spirits,” Mark Nobel reported. “They were a little upset that they wanted to go home.”
[Photo: Shutterstock]
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This is what happens when you hire (probably) non-English speaking wheelchair pushers from vendors at $8.00/hour combined with Spirit Airlines. Don't blame those elderly passengers. Spirit should have caught this at the gate (even without the gate reader). Really, is it so difficult to just ask people at the point you are boarding them (especially elderly) if xxx is the city they are going to ????
Probably age made it difficult for them to hear announcements. This is horrible that Porters missed it and so does Gate agents. Is allegiant that big to Mix up easily.? Noone came and claimed the seats they were in? (I don't know if Allegiant does 'pick your seat' like southwest
I get that they are elderly, but I don't understand how two adults who have clearly flown many times based on their quote "typical day on the plane," can not realize they are getting on the wrong flight...
From OGS? Not a chance.
Why did they have to go all the way back to FLL and not just be accommodated to their original destination? Surely some airline made that trip.