Unaccompanied Minors Stranded at Atlanta Airport by Frontier
Ryan Boyd August 08, 2018
On July 22, siblings Carter and Etta Gray, respectively nine years old and seven years old, were left stranded by themselves at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) after their Frontier Airlines flight was diverted by severe weather, and the children’s father claims that Frontier was negligent in keeping the parents informed of the children’s status throughout the process.
“We did not hear from a Frontier Airlines employee throughout this whole process and the only way we received any notification was from another unaccompanied minor who had a cell phone and he let my son call me … They drove to the hotel in a Frontier Airlines employees’ personal vehicle,” said Chad Gray, the children’s father.
To read more on this story, go to CBS 46.
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PS when I read the whole story at http://www.cbs46.com/story/38832532/kids-stranded-at-airport, I ended up having a bit less sympathy for the parents of Etta and Carter. Apparently a high profile aviation attorney has been engaged to go after Frontier. Media was used to give the impression that the kids were 'stranded without parents' (where they were taken to a hotel and parents were not with them on the flight in the first place). This seems an attempt for a financial claim, and as someone from Europe I am always a a bit puzzled why this is tried (usually in the US). It is very simple. A small percentage of flights (1%? 3%?) go IRROPS. If you sent your kids as UAM, there is hence this small chance that they end up in IRROPS. In that case, as a parent you are not there. An airline never can give the level comfort and assurance things will be allright, as you could do if you as a parent you would be accompanying your kids on this IRROPS flight. If you sent your kids as UAM, you just have to accept this risk. Don't blame the airline for not giving the level of comfort you could have given as a parent.
Hhhmmm...things get a bit emotional in these responses. Could we maybe see it simple as this? a. airlines offer UAM services to cope with the very situation that young kids fly from a to b where there is no reason for their parents to fly (say, a visit to granny by the grandchildren during a school holiday or so) b. they do so for a fee. No, that does not make them your babysitter, but it does imply the airline takes certain responsibilities c. I feel the title 'stranded' is somewhat misleading. Frontier took care of the kids in a situation of IRROPS. d. But given b), and there was a case of severe IRROPS, I think it is reasonable to expect that Frontier would give a quick call/sent a mail to parents/the person paying for the UAM scheme to explain the situation - the kids may not even have understood well what happened. I feel that can be expected as a normal part of the service one has paid for reflecting a reasonable duty of care, or do I expect too much here?
Simply put, if you are concerned for your children and they are not old enough to navigate without assistance, you simply shouldn't let them fly unaccompanied. These airlines shouldn't have to be your babysitter. Pay for a ticket for yourself, get them to their destination and then get back on a flight and head home. Don't cheap out at your children's expense.
If you can afford to fly, you can afford cell phones, or give kids cash for use in emergencies.
While Frontier certainly screwed up, if I had a child that young flying alone, I would make sure that they had a cell phone - just in case. Errors on both sides. DON