UM Placed on incorrect flight at EWR
As the title says, United Unaccompanied Minor was placed on the wrong flight and it wasn't noticed by the airline (Eurowings) until the plane left the gate and was taxiing. I've not sent any of my kids as a UM but surprised me that the mother's communication plan to United was via Twitter. Maybe that was one of many ways she was trying to contact them. I sort of guessed there would be some dedicated phone number for UMs but honestly have never looked into it.
https://simpleflying.com/united-unac...minor-mistake/ |
Wouldn’t SK handle their own UM service? Why was UA involved at all, seeing as UA doesn’t allow connection flights that can’t be it. |
If the boy was supposed to be on SK904, operated by SAS from Terminal B at EWR, not sure why United was involved here? The article provides little facts to piece the story together. Maybe the boy was on a United flight arrival into Terminal A or C, and connecting to the SAS flight from Terminal B? Eurowings (for LH?) also flies out of Terminal B, where UA has no presence other than arrivals.
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Another article I read was that the actual itinerary was RDU-EWR-ARN. My guess is that it's equally SK's fault and UA's fault for this. The articles don't state that the teen had special needs, but shouldn't you be able to figure out, at 14, that (Dusseldorf != Stockholm) prior to boarding?
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Originally Posted by pseudoswede
(Post 31261256)
The articles don't state that the teen had special needs, but shouldn't you be able to figure out, at 14, that (Dusseldorf != Stockholm) prior to boarding?
And how did the kid board that flight? Was the kid just following a family with many kids? |
Originally Posted by pseudoswede
(Post 31261256)
Another article I read was that the actual itinerary was RDU-EWR-ARN. My guess is that it's equally SK's fault and UA's fault for this. The articles don't state that the teen had special needs, but shouldn't you be able to figure out, at 14, that (Dusseldorf != Stockholm) prior to boarding?
Seems like another "I got on the wrong plane" types of stories, with the UM twist. How did the gate agents allow him on the flight, and did his assigned seat on the SAS flight just happen to be empty on the Eurowings flight? One would thing, especially with heavy Europe loads over the summer, you'd have a seat squabble before pulling back from the gate. |
The parents probably purchased two tickets - RDU - EWR on UA and then EWR - ARN on SK. They then purchased the UM service for RDU - EWR incorrectly thinking it applied for the whole trip.
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There's something funny going on here, because UA doesn't do connections for 14 y/o UMs at all, much less interline.
Our unaccompanied minor service is for children who are 5-14 years old and traveling without a parent, legal guardian or someone who is at least 18 years old. These young travelers also need to follow certain requirements for their safety: - Unaccompanied minors can only travel on nonstop United or United Express® flights. They can’t use our unaccompanied minor service on codeshare flights and other flights operated by our partner airlines. - United does not offer unaccompanied minor service connecting to or from other airlines' flights. The article says "so booked United Airlines’ unaccompanied minor service at New York’s Newark Airport" which doesn't make any sense since the flight departing EWR was not on UA. Are the parents and "journalists" just massively confused about SAS UM service? |
Originally Posted by trm2
(Post 31261418)
The parents probably purchased two tickets - RDU - EWR on UA and then EWR - ARN on SK. They then purchased the UM service for RDU - EWR incorrectly thinking it applied for the whole trip.
The problem here is that their policy required unaccompanied minor status for the boy but the parents had purchased a connecting ticket. Brenda Berg tells me, “We booked through SAS Air and kids his age fly without assistance. We were surprised when we showed up at RDU that United required us to purchase the UM assistance. Our son would have easily made the transfer on his own but he trusted them and went where they told him to go.” She explains “someone from United said ‘we made an exception for you.'” |
Originally Posted by drewguy
(Post 31261401)
What's odd is that he figured it out after boarding, at least according to the story he alerted FAs he was on the wrong flight.
Seems like another "I got on the wrong plane" types of stories, with the UM twist. How did the gate agents allow him on the flight, and did his assigned seat on the SAS flight just happen to be empty on the Eurowings flight? One would thing, especially with heavy Europe loads over the summer, you'd have a seat squabble before pulling back from the gate.
Originally Posted by StuckinITH
(Post 31261301)
I don't know. Maybe a US kid would not know the difference.......It's not like World geography is a big thing in this country. I once met a 19 years old University student who wanted to become a reporter who thought that Egypt was in the South of South America.
And how did the kid board that flight? Was the kid just following a family with many kids?
Originally Posted by mduell
(Post 31261477)
There's something funny going on here, because UA doesn't do connections for 14 y/o UMs at all, much less interline.
Our unaccompanied minor service is for children who are 5-14 years old and traveling without a parent, legal guardian or someone who is at least 18 years old. These young travelers also need to follow certain requirements for their safety: - Unaccompanied minors can only travel on nonstop United or United Express® flights. They can’t use our unaccompanied minor service on codeshare flights and other flights operated by our partner airlines. - United does not offer unaccompanied minor service connecting to or from other airlines' flights. The article says "so booked United Airlines’ unaccompanied minor service at New York’s Newark Airport" which doesn't make any sense since the flight departing EWR was not on UA. Are the parents and "journalists" just massively confused about SAS UM service? This article and another one I read explains that United made them purchase a UM service at check-in even though it was on a codeshare. They the agent messed up and didn't check the flight details properly due to some prior gate change, etc and rushed him onto the wrong flight. It was the kid who noticed the incorrect flight details once he was put on board. |
The boy must have (inadvertently) sneaked on. Wouldn't the bar code reader beeped or not sound at all when (and if) it was scanned?
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Originally Posted by enviroian
(Post 31261567)
The boy must have (inadvertently) sneaked on. Wouldn't the bar code reader beeped or not sound at all when (and if) it was scanned?
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Originally Posted by enviroian
(Post 31261567)
The boy must have (inadvertently) sneaked on. Wouldn't the bar code reader beeped or not sound at all when (and if) it was scanned?
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Originally Posted by pseudoswede
(Post 31261256)
Another article I read was that the actual itinerary was RDU-EWR-ARN. My guess is that it's equally SK's fault and UA's fault for this. The articles don't state that the teen had special needs, but shouldn't you be able to figure out, at 14, that (Dusseldorf != Stockholm) prior to boarding?
SAS saved the day. viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com has two blog posts about the situation.
Originally Posted by enviroian
(Post 31261567)
The boy must have (inadvertently) sneaked on. Wouldn't the bar code reader beeped or not sound at all when (and if) it was scanned?
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Well, accidents happens, the kid figured it out. No harm no foul. |
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