Not just another flight, but a Delta flight -- an airline that ranks nearly 50 points higher than United in the latest J.D. Power survey.

If United interrupted my trip mid-trip, and rebooked me on DL the rest of the way home, I would be ecstatic.

In fact, if I were on that flight, I would be upset that I wasn't the one booked on DL like the family was, and I had to continue on UA.

i haven't seen this....on the disability forums i've read, along w/ autism focused blogs, have been pretty critical of the mother's handling of the situation.

Congratulations, you've cited to a passage in an article that cites Mom's own statement as to what she said, i.e., exactly what I've posted from her FB page. That's not fact-checking, and it certainly doesn't prove anything about what she actually said on the aircraft.

But that's not what she said, even if we take your NYT article and her FB post at face value. F/A's are not expected to be "child whisperers".

If you read UA's own statement, they diverted because "the situation became disruptive." Nobody said she was going to bring down the plane, but Mom said (and admitted repeatedly in public) that if the daughter didn't get a hot meal, she was going to have a meltdown.

Given that Mom has also acknowledged that her crying and vocal outbursts (to quote your NYT article) increased, it's reasonable for the F/A to report to the flight deck that Mom has indicated that unless the daughter is given a First Class meal (to which she's not entitled) the disruption would increase.

Sorry, but there's extensive history of disruptive passengers (i.e., disturbing other passengers) giving rise to diversions and removals from flights.

Greg

So if a request for a hot meal is reasonable under ACAA can we now expect a lot of people claiming they have to have a hot meal and get it. This could be another thing for all those people who bring their dogs on the plane claiming they are emotional support dogs.

This woman,as a UA Platinum flyer, would have known and should have known that "steaming" hot food is not going to happen in coach. Maybe she travels on a different UA then I do but in over 1mm flown with UA I never saw a sign that said that F hit food is available for purchase by coach passengers.

Future conversation:

"Excuse me. Stewardess. Oh, I'm sorry. What do they call you male stewardesses, anyway? In any case, my emotional support animal is becoming agitated. He needs to eat. No, he won't just eat anything. It must be a real meal, a hot meal, but not the steak, you always overcook those...and a nice glass of merlot. Thanks so much!"

Wow, blast from the past. A male stewardess is called a steward. And they are called Flight Attendants now anyways :D;)

Or Inflight Service Coordinators

It was intended as humor. :p I had hoped that the over-the-top nature of the second half of the fake quote would be enough that none of the statement would be taken seriously. And yes, I do know that the word stewardess was formed from the older term, steward, and at that, they both are woefully out of date in the airline world.

Guess my grinning and winking emoticons didn't convey to you that I got that it was a joke and was responding in kind.

Although I quoted you, I was more wondering about TomMM, so thought it would be better to make it explicit.

Exactly, IMO it's fairly moot if the mother told the FA that unless they provided something hot to eat that she would have a melt down and scratch or start to scratch someone.

It's debatable if statement "She might have a melt down and start to scratch (someone), will you help then" was a direct threat or disclosure of an anticipated reaction.

While context and tone, might influence our perception of remarks in our personal lives on the legitimacy of a said remark or statement , there is little to no latitude for interpretation on air carriers or secured areas- and any semblance or actuality of a threat, risk or danger triggers an established protocol.

Even if the FA used the most mundane language to describe to the pilot was was occurring 'There is a teenager passenger showing signs of emotional distress. Her mother has explained that her child has special needs and is requesting that unusual provisions such as a hot meal be made for her, because she is concerned that the behavior might escalate until it becomes physical' is enough of antecedent to cause a diversion to be considered.

While we can all discuss if it was a necessity or how or why this could have been avoidable for me the biggest issue I have is with the mother's narrative of why it occurred.

It was not an intolerance of autistic people or an irrational fear or prejudice.
It was no way akin to class warfare.

But, the reality of the situation doesn't fit with her agenda.

I am sure the fora you visit would have been a lot kinder and more appreciative of UA if the FAs just waited until the teenager turned Hulk, then mazed, tazed, and cuffed her for the remainder of the flight.
I am sure that would have been preferable over picking the safe route.