Family angry after it says Southwest lost aging mother
 

DENVER (CBS4) – A Denver family is angry at an airline they say lost their diabetic and slightly forgetful mother.
The airline, Southwest, admits it could have handled the situation better.
The recent trip to the East Coast for Alice Vaticano, 85, to visit her daughter turned into a bit of a marathon.
She says her daughter took her to the Newark Airport, where a skycap promised to wheel her directly to her gate. Her daughter didn’t obtain clearance to go to the concourse with her.
But somehow Vaticano got parked and forgotten.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/08/2...-aging-mother/

I really don't see how Southwest is at fault here.

If the family says she's "slightly forgetful," you can be sure it's more than "slightly."

If you read the story, it's clear that this lady should not have been alone in an airport, even for 5 minutes. A family member or close friend should have been alongside to make sure she got on board.

Do airlines offer an "unaccompanied senior" program they way they do for "unaccompanied minors?" I don't think I've ever heard of one. Maybe they should.

The parents are at fault.

This.

The policy on airlines is if the passenger is not able to fly alone that an attendant must travel with the passenger who has a special need. I've read on many websites that a flight attendant or ground staff will not help with using the restroom, sitting with the passenger at the gate until the next flight leaves, or for any delay that requires an extended layover etc.

The family knew the passenger would have difficulties with traveling alone and the airline is not responsible other than helping the passenger through security to the baggage claim etc.

With an Unacompianed Minor they must have the form filled out by the person dropping off the minor and the person picking up the minor must show ID and sign the form. Not sure the airlines will do this for someone with a disability.

On the TV show Airline there was this elderly Grandmother who was released from the hospital and was on oxygen. Southwest rightfully so denied the Grandmother boarding because they were doubtful of the well-being of the passenger. I applaud Southwest for taking precautions.

While it was sad for the family not to be able to travel with the Grandmother it was for her own benefit.

I wonder at checkin if they see a passenger with Dementia would they ask for an attendant or when the person made the reservation they should inform the airline and the reservations agent would tell them if the passenger is not capable of flying alone an attendant would be required or they will be denied boarding.

I doubt the family has any leg to stand on and the Air Carrier Act would back up the airline since the family failed to provide an attendant.

In my opinion Southwest did nothing wrong and the family is the one that should be more responsible in researching this before making a reservation. If I had a family member with a disability and they required assistance either I would fly out and bring the family member to and from the destination as a mileage run or the family member would have to find someone to help them. If none of the above can be met well then tough luck they just can't travel. End of story.


What is your opinion?

But, but.......

what about the children?

They are looking for a payday!

Yes and that is why some airlines assess the UM fee so that if needed an agent can stay with the child during a delay. But they also ask the Parents to go to the gate and wait until the flight has taken off and the agent says its ok to go.

During a connection an agent walks the child to the next flight and even goes with them to buy food if needed. On a delay a flight attendant or other designated employee of the same sex would spend the night at a hotel or the child may be returned back to the Originating Destination or refused transportation if no flights were available. Oh an the child cannot be booked on the last flight of the day.

I dated a blind lady for many years, I took her to the gate and meet the plane when she returned. Airlines always gave me a pass.

She could change planes and navigate the airport with no problem, she also knew her way around the lounges, and flew every week.

The family was lazy and inconsiderate,

In the news article it says that the "Skycaps were not Southwest Employees".

Bingo this is where the problem lies. Mrs.Vaticano should have taken her Mother to the ticket counter or ask the Skycap to double check that the Special Service Request has been entered. The Skycap has access to the Southwest reservation system and has been trained to help people with special needs.

I would advise anyone with a Special Need traveling alone to go to the ticket counter and not to the Skycap unless they are accompanied to fly with another family member etc.

The Skycap could have gotten a wheelchair and pushed Ms. Vaticano to the Special Services Desk of Southwest for further assistance if there had been any problem etc. Better safe than sorry.

I would like to know what problem in Ms.Vaticano's reservation caused the Special Service Request to be cancelled? Did the Skycap(possibly new) hit the wrong key? But there should be a prompt saying"Do you really want to cancel the Special Service Request for the passenger"? Then the agent would have to enter N for No.




I wonder if Ms. Vaticano was left outside.

This woman needed an attendant, not a skycap. It was 100% on her family to provide that. Shame on them

Having traveled with my feisty MIL who needs help getting around, I wonder what additional help would have been necessary in this case.

In our case a Sky Cap helped her into a wheel chair at the curb, took her through security to the gate where airline employees helped her to her seat. At the connection airline employees helped her off the plane where another Sky Cap met the plane and put her in a wheel chair and and took her through the bowels of DFW to her connection gate and put her on the plane. At our final destination airline employees helped her off the plane and another Sky Cap put her in a wheel chair and moved her through the airport baggage claim where my wife and I took over.

While my wife and I were along we did very little but follow and she could have done all of this herself, provided someone met her at the final destination.

Important to point out, UMs are not permitted to travel on Southwest if there is a connection in their routing. It must be nonstop or direct.

Important to point out, UMs are not permitted to travel on Southwest if there is a connection in their routing. It must be nonstop or direct.