Originally Posted by
joshua362
I fill out the forms. I escort the boy to the gate. A GA takes the forms, slings it around his neck and walks him down and seats him with other UM's. At the other end, a FA/GA walks him up, meets my wife, checks ID and its over. In flight, whether the UM needs no attention or 100% of the FA's attention, there is no added cost. So, is there really $25 of cost involved in UM travel outside the cost of the forms?
As I posted over in the UM thread, this is a service I use 2-3 times a year with my daughter. It is hard to quantify the cost of added paperwork and time...but there is no denying that there is both when it comes to UM travel.
On Tuesday I will be picking up my daughter at PHX. That means I have to stand in line, take up an agents' time while she pulls up the PNR, check my ID, and prints me a security pass. Whereas a normal passenger on a R/T ticket usually checks in twice, an UM typically has 4 "check-ins" associated with the reservation (2 times for the drop-off, 2 times for the pick-up).
Am I disappointed in the fee? Yes, as on the level, I agree with you that it doesn't take significantly more work to get a UM on and off a plane. Certainly it is just as "cumbersome" to deal with a UM as it is for the airline to deal with a disabled person. And we will never see "handicapped access fees" added by any airline.
But when the alternative is paying $100 each way to US, I will gladly pay $25 to WN. And they know that.
The thing is, there have been times when I have booked a more expensive ticket for my daughter on WN because they were cheaper once you factor in the fee charged by US. Now that my daughter is getting older, I can possibly see myself in a situation where I send my daughter out on one carrier and back on another if the fare + fees make financial sense to do so.