AA increases fees for Unaccompanied Minors to $325/$335 rt Jun 2015
Jun 17, 2015, 3:56 pm
#1
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AA increases fees for Unaccompanied Minors to $325/$335 rt Jun 2015
Unaccompanied minors no longer can be booked on aa.com (or through a travel agent) and in addition to the hefty $300 fee for a round trip ($150 each way) they now attract the $25/$35 fee for "Tickets issued by AA Reservations".
No exception is listed.
Changes at https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/aaco...es_charges.jsp
No exception is listed.
Changes at https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/aaco...es_charges.jsp
Jun 17, 2015, 7:30 pm
#4
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It sounds like AA really doesn't want to handle UMs any more, but doesn't dare to cease the service.
Jun 17, 2015, 7:36 pm
#5
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AA takes no responsibility whatsoever:
You will get absolutely nothing is your kid is abandoned, put in peril, etc. AA does take on reputation risk if they screw up and the story hits the media, but nothing more.
Interestingly Congress has decided that charging $150 to a handicapped for far more expensive services (loading and unloading wheelchair, in addition to assistance in case of IROPS, etc.) is illegal and punishable by a high fine.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CARRIER. CARRIER WILL ASSUME NO FINANCIAL OR GUARDIANSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN BEYOND THOSE APPLICABLE TO AN ADULT PASSENGER.
Interestingly Congress has decided that charging $150 to a handicapped for far more expensive services (loading and unloading wheelchair, in addition to assistance in case of IROPS, etc.) is illegal and punishable by a high fine.
Last edited by hillrider; Jun 17, 2015 at 7:42 pm
Jun 17, 2015, 8:08 pm
#6
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If the services offered are too expensive, don't buy the services.
Jun 17, 2015, 8:09 pm
#7
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Jun 17, 2015, 9:30 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2015
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Is this ABSOLUTELY necessary?
I have to travel to RDU next month unaccompanied and am forced to pay a $335 fee for someone to walk me onto a plane. I've spent hours and hours alone in airports and AA still thinks that someone just shy of 15 can't travel alone. It's gotten to the point that that I seriously thought of moving my birthday forward 2 months ahead on AA.com just to avoid the fee.
This is insane....
I have to travel to RDU next month unaccompanied and am forced to pay a $335 fee for someone to walk me onto a plane. I've spent hours and hours alone in airports and AA still thinks that someone just shy of 15 can't travel alone. It's gotten to the point that that I seriously thought of moving my birthday forward 2 months ahead on AA.com just to avoid the fee.
This is insane....
Jun 17, 2015, 9:36 pm
#9
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Jun 17, 2015, 9:47 pm
#10
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They are not acting in loco parentis but simply providing a service where the child will be accompanied from check in to the aeroplane and handed over by crew to ground staff at the destination and then escort the child to the point where handed over to the designated person meeting the child
Would not expect the airline to take on any financial responsiblity nor to take on parental/guardianship responsibilty
Would not expect the airline to take on any financial responsiblity nor to take on parental/guardianship responsibilty
Jun 18, 2015, 1:22 am
#12
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They are not acting in loco parentis but simply providing a service where the child will be accompanied from check in to the aeroplane and handed over by crew to ground staff at the destination and then escort the child to the point where handed over to the designated person meeting the child
Would not expect the airline to take on any financial responsiblity nor to take on parental/guardianship responsibilty
Would not expect the airline to take on any financial responsiblity nor to take on parental/guardianship responsibilty
Note that AA does not take the child from check-in. The parent / responsible party must take the child to the gate and must stay at the gate until the flight physically departs. At the other end the parent / responsible party must pick up the child at the gate and must be there before the flight arrives. AA provides passes to the parent / responsible party to go through security. All very sensible.
However this means that unless connecting, or nobody showing up at the arrival gate, the only service provided (which is very important) is for the existing flight attendants to keep an eye on the kid. Zero cost to AA. So the fee is mostly based on "because we can get away with it".
Jun 18, 2015, 1:30 am
#13
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Re the $150 fee, perhaps: absolutely for a 5 year old, but on the expensive side for a 14 year old since they typically require far less personal attention. But removing the previously-there option to book in online and then charging the reservations fee is not cool. And the fact that children up to 14 must use the unaccompanied minor service and pay the fee pushes the $150 fee for 14 year olds into the unjustifiable category.
Jun 18, 2015, 1:37 am
#14
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Is this ABSOLUTELY necessary?
I have to travel to RDU next month unaccompanied and am forced to pay a $335 fee for someone to walk me onto a plane. I've spent hours and hours alone in airports and AA still thinks that someone just shy of 15 can't travel alone. It's gotten to the point that that I seriously thought of moving my birthday forward 2 months ahead on AA.com just to avoid the fee.
This is insane....
I have to travel to RDU next month unaccompanied and am forced to pay a $335 fee for someone to walk me onto a plane. I've spent hours and hours alone in airports and AA still thinks that someone just shy of 15 can't travel alone. It's gotten to the point that that I seriously thought of moving my birthday forward 2 months ahead on AA.com just to avoid the fee.
This is insane....
BTW, WN flies to RDU out of DAL. WN does not force anyone 12 or over to buy UM, so that's your ticket out of this fee this time. And for those 11 and under, they charge $100 for a round trip.
AA's rapaciousness shows once again.
Jun 18, 2015, 1:44 am
#15
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Same here. So I would expect fees to be commensurate to the service provided.
Note that AA does not take the child from check-in. The parent / responsible party must take the child to the gate and must stay at the gate until the flight physically departs. At the other end the parent / responsible party must pick up the child at the gate and must be there before the flight arrives. AA provides passes to the parent / responsible party to go through security. All very sensible.
However this means that unless connecting, or nobody showing up at the arrival gate, the only service provided (which is very important) is for the existing flight attendants to keep an eye on the kid. Zero cost to AA. So the fee is mostly based on "because we can get away with it".
Note that AA does not take the child from check-in. The parent / responsible party must take the child to the gate and must stay at the gate until the flight physically departs. At the other end the parent / responsible party must pick up the child at the gate and must be there before the flight arrives. AA provides passes to the parent / responsible party to go through security. All very sensible.
However this means that unless connecting, or nobody showing up at the arrival gate, the only service provided (which is very important) is for the existing flight attendants to keep an eye on the kid. Zero cost to AA. So the fee is mostly based on "because we can get away with it".