AC policy change urged after minor left to sleep on airport floor

[Lakelad]

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All together now - let's blame the kid for getting bumped

Air Canada policy change urged after minor left alone to sleep on airport floor overnight

15-year-old boy was bumped from flight and given $10 food voucher

Wed Jul 27, 2016 - CBC News
By Yvonne Colbert

A Nova Scotia man is calling on Air Canada to improve its policy around transporting minors after his grandson was bumped from a flight while travelling alone and had to sleep on the floor at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

Two weeks ago, Hayden Levy left Winnipeg after visiting relatives and landed in Toronto for a stopover. The 15-year-old was bumped from his flight to Halifax and spent almost 24 hours on his own at the airport.

"They gave him a $10 food voucher, which basically in the Toronto airport buys you nothing," said Brian Truelove, Levy's grandfather.

When Truelove called Air Canada's customer service line, the airline apologized and gave the young man a $400 voucher toward future travel.

Too young for hotel room, teen told

"I think it's uncalled for," Truelove said. "You do not bump a minor."

Truelove said his grandson slept on the airport floor after being told he could not be given a hotel room because he was a minor.

"He's too young to put in a hotel room but he's not too young to bump off a flight and leave laying in the international airport on his own," Truelove said.

"It is disappointing for us when situations such as this one are brought to our attention,"

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[Guest]

seems reasonable to me in that there would be no age record on the pnr and the only way the agent would know would be if the teen told the agent how old he was. 

[Fido]

Did anyone else see the picture of this 'kid' that is on the CBC website?

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Fido said:

Did anyone else see the picture of this 'kid' that is on the CBC website?

[CanadaEH]

I guess since he is tall it's ok that he was left alone. 

 

 

 

[boestar]

He was not travelling as a UM either.  Unfortunately the onus falls on the passenger to inform the staff.

 

[blues deville]

Another slow news day. We must all be completely board of the circus south of the border. 

Why was he bumped off the flight in the first place? Aeroplan ticketed passengers seem to be the first to get removed but you don't always have to accept it. 

[Mitch Cronin]

No kidding! That happened to me back in the 70's when I was 14... no more a big deal than to any of the other 5 or 6 hopefuls that had to crash at the airport that night. What makes this news? Some turkey definition of a minor?

 

[Zan Vetter]

If your kid isn't old enough or mature enough to handle the various eventualities of travel perhaps they shouldn't be travelling alone. And who sends their kid off on a flight without shoving $50 in their pocket? Absolutely correct a $10 voucher doesn't buy much, that's why you give him money! (Still, getting bumped stinks)

[boestar]

He was bumped because of a mechanical issue that resulted in a downgauge.  It happens.  15 is plenty old enough to fend for ones self in an airport for the night.

[Super 80]

WestJet has found a way to accommodate minors in hotels.

[Guest]

NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE THAN AC'S, SO HOW DO THEY HANDLE MINORS AND HOTELS?  MOST HOTELS WILL NOT ACCEPT MINORS UNLESS THERE IS ALSO A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.

Qualifying for the program

• Children must be at least eight years of age at the time of travel.
• This is a mandatory service for children travelling alone who have had their 8^th birthday but have not yet reached their 12^th birthday.
• This is an optional service for children travelling alone who have had their 12^th birthday party but haven't blown out the candles at their 18^th birthday yet.
• We are unable to offer this program for children who:
  • are visually or hearing impaired;
  • have an allergy that requires them to travel with an epinephrine auto-injector (for example an Epi‑pen®);
  • require assistance to take essential medication; or
  • have a disability that may hinder their success if they are not travelling with a familiar guardian, or a service or emotional support animal.

[Super 80]

Well I know a WestJet manager who has escorted minors to hotels and made whatever necessary arrangements the hotel management requires and also escorted minors back to the airport from hotels.

I don't think they were UM, just being accommodated due to travel interruptions. 

[Newman]

In the old days, AC used to engage with organizations (typically church groups as I recall but could be wrong) to accompany UM's to hotels during unscheduled overnight reaccomodations.  I used the service a number of times for UM's and kids who weren't UM's but common sense suggested should be looked after.  It worked well but was always a last minute scramble to find someone who was available since the criteria required them to be female (again going from memory).

[better4me]

On 7/27/2016 at 8:26 AM, Fido said:

Did anyone else see the picture of this 'kid' that is on the CBC website?

I can do one better, I talked to "the kid" the night of July 13th when this whole story went down. 

YYZ was having another tough night due to thunderstorms all over the US eastern seaboard. I was on the delayed AC145 to YYC, connecting from ATL. The Kid had come from YWG and was trying to get to YHZ. We briefly talked at the FIDS  while looking at flight options. Everything was delayed in all directions of travel, but it looked like everything would resolve itself between 10:30 to midnight. 

The kid is a head taller than me and an octave lower in voice, a good head on his shoulders and this is not his first rodeo flying alone with connections. The kid is an excellent candidate for a Canadian passport, 100L MEC backpack, ISIC and HI/YHA cards in his backpocket. 

The kid had no signs of distress and was not anxious about the possibility of spending the night in T1. The only part causing anxiety was his mom on the other end of the cellphone. The kids parents are divorced and the trip is arranged through Dad's side of the family so that he can spend 1/2 the summer with his Dad. Mom mostly gets **bleep** because she has to interact with her exhusband, family, and the stepmom. Mom would still have a chip on her shoulder if the flights were on time and everything went perfectly.  

As to the situation with hotels. In my wallet is an Amex platinum card which gives me access to Amex travel services plus top tier status with Starwood and Fairmont; additionally I have Marriott Platinum status and Club Carlson Concierge status. The top tier hotel cards give me access to any unoccupied room through a dedicated line to their respective corporate offices or online through their apps. With full access to over 2 dozen hotels in the YYZ area, my options were either Hamilton or the Ritz Carlton downtown, The Ritz want $600+ for the room.   

I am not trying to be the 1% elite travelling blowhard (that is what Flyertalk is for), but AC line of no hotel rooms is backed up and there is no chance for WS to have any further success at getting a hotel room at 9pm on the night of the 13th. It was not an AC employee who told the kid about the rule of not allowing under 21 yr olds to stay alone, that was me. Included in the standard terms and conditions for all Marriott properties  is a clause not allowing under 22s. The same clause is the real reason why Marriott properties ask for government picture id at the checkin desk. The kid relayed all this info to mom on his cell phone. 

Blame for this whole situation lies squarely with grandad, who did not pay for seat selection for his grandson. Given the kids height, it would have also been nice for grandad to spring for preferred seats for the extra legroom. Additionally preferred seats are at the front aircraft and are least likely to have the pax offloaded during tail swap. 

[Fido]

Has anyone got a 6 foot tall 15 year old boy who would willingly go with a bunch of unaccompanied minor kids in a group?

One of the biggest problems we ever had with UM's was that the older ones would ditch the buttons, badges or any other identifying feature as soon as the parent was out of sight.

[Seeker]

4 hours ago, better4me said:

I can do one better, I talked to "the kid" the night of July 13th when this whole story went down. 

 

Well there you have it.  I know you can't of course but wouldn't it be nice to see the facts get out into the public and see the blame get worn by those who deserve it.