Heads up cruisers- are you flying DELTA??

[macs4us]

I have to say I have great disdain for Delta, along with most other airlines - what the FAA allows is pretty ridiculous (and even ex military now commercial pilots I am friends with say this). What it comes down to is customer service. Why do we allow people to get away with things because "they are allowed to" by rules or laws? What ever happened to doing what is right because we are all human beings? "I am doing this because I can" is not a good way to run a company, nor the best way to live one's life.

Take out of the equation that this is a 17 year old. No one likes to be bumped if they have a timeline to meet - especially more than once. No one deserves to be yelled at by an airline employee for being upset by being bumped. Bad customer service by anyone's account. They need to be professional. If someone can't handle the emotional stress of dealing with people who may be upset without yelling at them, they need to move to a different position.

Now, put the 17 year old back into the equation. I don't think most people are considering that their child (yes, she is still a child) are going to get bumped and have to stay in a hotel room by herself in a strange city. Not all parents are ok with this, which is their right as parents. Also, it is against most hotels policies to not have at least one person 18 years or older in a room, as a 17 year cannot be bound by a contract on their own. That's why at Prom, people have their parents get them a hotel room.

Not all agents will issue a pass to allow you to make sure someone over 14 gets to the plane, or off the plane. I have had this problem, and had to ask security to tell the agent to give me permission (but, I am a pain in the butt, so some people may not think to do this).

I agree that you should write to Delta, and you should either check out or buy the book "Shocked, Appalled, and Dismayed! How to Write Letters of Complaint That Get Results," by Ellen Phillips. It will tell you who to write to, what to write, and help you stay focused.

I am very sorry this happened to you and your family. Hopefully we can all learn from this. Please let us know how things work out. Who knows - you may have a hand in changing something!!!

 

[Jeanne434]

1. The daughter was NOT left at home alone for her prom or getting to the airport. Her father was with her. The timing of our cruise could not be changed because we won it- it was this week or never really and we did what we could to assure that she would be able to attend her prom AND go on this winderful cruise vacation. Both were once in a lifetime events- we didn't want her to miss either. Her father did not join us on the cruise for personal reasons. I assure you she was at the airport in plenty of time- in fact I have her confirmation sitting in front of me as we speak.
2. On the return flight we DID accompany her to her gate- went as far as we could and then got onto our plane- while her uncle stayed with her. Again I KNOW she was not brought to the aorport too late since her flight left two hours after ours and she went to MCO at the same time we did.
3. DD did indeed recieve financial compensation for being bumped- FAA states that taking this money does not change the status of her bumping to voluntary. Delta Corporate offices admit that thier records reflect the fact that she was INVOLUNTARLY UNBOARDED- thats what they call it. DD did not volunteer- even they admit that.
4. At least in my state it IS illegal to rent a room to anyone under the age of 18.


Okay people PLEASE- Please just get my point here- I am not whining about the treatment of my DD- she came thru this fine- AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT DELTA. MY point is to alert people to this-it isn't the bumping and the delay that have me as concerned as the overnight issue. If DD at 17 was not considered a child (I do wonder where else on earth a 17 is not a minor besides an airline??) But if DD is lumped together with everyone over the age of 14 as being an adult and therefore subject to even overnight delays then that means that a 15 year old could be bumped overnight. Are you actually comfortable with this?
I am not doing this to bash Delta- I am aware that other airlines may do the same- I do realize that this probably is not illegal for the airlines to do- I JUST THINK IT IS FOOLHARDY and unnacceptable. I WANT TO MAKE IT ILLEGAL. I don't think I am overeracting when I say this could easily have turned into a tragedy. What if the bumped teen started flirting with older guys in the airport- "I've got a room- you bring the booze" YIKES! This is not to say that I would excuse the teens choices but imagine what could happen to an inexperienced or foolish or immature or troubled child. I AM SIMPLY WONDERING WHY DELTA (or any other airline) WANT TO OPEN THEMSELVES UP TO THIS TROUBLE?? I bet their insurance agents have no idea this happens- I intend to let them know.
And I DO think that an adult should have been bumped instead of my daughter. For safety reasons- not to avoid the inconvenience.
As for the notion that I am not being entirely forthcoming or less then honest on this matter- you got to be kidding! I have tried to respond to each reply with honesty and the facts. But please understand- this is NOT about my DD- I think this is a problem- I think bumping teens- particullarly overnight- is a BAD IDEA. I think the risks far outweigh the benefits to the airlines. I think this needs to be looked at, addressed and regulated. I feel obligatedfto not just shrug my shoulders and be thankful that my daughter did make it home safely. I worry about other children- those less equipped or mature.
I am going to post a poll to try to clarify peoples thoughts on this- please take a moment to respond to it. I am taking this to the top- (not for any compensation but to attempt put regulations in place re: this dangerous practice) and your responses will help me. Thank you for taking the time to express your opinions- I honestly don't mind your questions or criticisms.

 

[AnnMorin]

Do you all work for Delta or are you just posing as employees

Yikes! The poor woman was just relaying her story. I know that I for one (and yes it has been two decades since I have seen 17) would be very nervous in a hotel alone. I flw by myself at ages nine through 16 to Europe and was always very well supervised by the airline, I too would have assumed that they still took care of minors. I thank her for the post as it warns me about whether to allow my son to fly alone to visit relatives, being bumped overnight is a scarey thought.

I do not understand why so many people have acted so nasty to her, she was sharing a valid experience - I never heard her demand for compensation (which I hope her daughter recieved or will recieve) she was not calling for a riot, just saying that this was wrong.

I agree. A 17 year old in a hotel alone involuntary is not right. they should have at least put her on another airline or asked for other volunteers.

I find it sad that someone just tries to share and experience, to warn others what they may expect and they are slammed.
kinda like the defense argument "oh she was asking for it, look at what she was wearing" Why in the world would you doubt her story and blame the "victim"? She was not asking for followers just warning others what could happen....

 

[Jeanne434]

Originally posted by ducklite

And I also agree with the other poster who feels we aren't getting the entire story, and it's possible that the bump wasn't quite so involuntary--but the girl took it without truly understanding the consequences of her actions, and then didn't want to fess up on it. End quoteAnne [/B]

*** I am trying HARD to give the whole story- thats why in spite of some rather personal attacks on my parenting decisions I have continued to respond.
This is NOT about my teen. It IS about the next teen who gets bumped overnight for whatever reason and may make decisions that lack common sense or maturity. Many if not most teens would lack the travel saavy to make good decisions. And for the record- my DD was an involuntary bump- the airline has it recorded as such on thier records and I have no reason to doubt this. This was the first question I asked at the Corporate Headquarters. That being said, I honestly do not think that teens should even be asked to make these decisions.
If a teen may not understand the consequences of thier actions isn't this a good reason for an airline to be regulated?

 

[sgtdisney]

I was wondering here, and I am not trying to defend Delta, but did you explain to them when you booked your daughter's ticket that she would be flying as an unattended minor? I got this from Delta's site...

Children Traveling Alone

When children between the ages of 5 and 14 fly by themselves, we recognize that your most important concern is your child's safety and well-being. It is our concern as well. Delta is dedicated to making your child's flight an exciting and enjoyable experience. We can also provide, on request, service to children ages 15 through 17 who are traveling alone. Please call 800-221-1212 to speak directly with one of our reservations representatives regarding travel restrictions when your child is traveling without you.


It further goes onto to say that if you have requested that the child have unattended minor status that there is a 40.00 fee for this service..

Service Fees
Certain unaccompanied service charges for children 5 thru 14yrs of age are applicable on Delta, Delta Connection®, Delta Express, Delta codeshare, and SkyTeam™ flights unless accompanied by a person at last 18yrs of age or parent/legal guardian; however, unaccompanied service charges do not apply on Delta Shuttle® flights. If two or more unaccompanied minors from the same immediate family are traveling together, only one service charge will be assessed and collected at check-in.

Domestic
For children aged 5-14, a one-way unaccompanied service charge of $40 (USD) applies on all domestic Delta, Delta Connection, and Delta Express nonstop or through flights; a $75 (USD) unaccompanied charge applies on connecting flights.

These unaccompanied service charges also apply to children aged 15-17 when a parent or guardian requests full unaccompanied service. Our reservations agents will be glad to provide more specific information concerning your child's travel plans.


What think what I am trying to determine is if Delta knew ahead of time that your daughter was travelling as an unattended minor and should have been treated as such. This is not a defense of Delta as much as a possible explanation. It appears that, at least in Delta's case if you have a child 15 and over flying they consider them a normal traveller and subject to all the policies along those lines unless they know ahead and charge you to treat them as an unattended minor. Just a thought..

 

[Gillian]

I'm sure the Delta employees had access to her birthdate. And they should have known better than to put a 17 year old up for the night alone.

Personally, I don't think I would have thought to pay extra for the unattended minor service if I knew the passenger was being left at the gate by a family member. I don't think they do much besides that. But it is good to know that it exists for the future.

Please let us know what Delta says!

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by Gillian
I'm sure the Delta employees had access to her birthdate.

How would they know that unless you told them before hand? I have never supplied my birthdate when I have purchased tickets. I think that is why they have this unattended minor thing as a way to track that AND of course get additional revenue.

 

[nicurnc]

And think that is the point alot of us are trying to make. There is a way to get a 17 y/o's status looked at in a different way.
There are plenty of kids that age who would be comfortable handling this situation. It has been pointed out by the OP that 17 y/o with emotional or physical disabilities would really be in danger if this had happened to them. Well, think about that. Would a parent with a handicapped teen really put them in that situation. And if they did, is the airline responsible for finding this out?
I think the OP really did want others to join her in her boycott of Delta. Her first post read as much more than a warning to me. And there were plenty of folks willing to say they would not fly Delta again.
OP can be as mad or angry as she wants to be regarding this issue, I just think it's sad that she'd like to regulations changed and laws made over this incident. Teens as they approach that age will vary in the level of maturity they display. Parents should determine if their kid can travel unaccompanied and be prepared to handle whatever comes up.
The airline already has a plan in place (even though it involves a fee) for unaccompanied minors.

Loretta

 

[Gillian]

I thought I had given birthdate info before! Maybe not. Sorry!

I'm sure a single passenger with low airline status was an easy target for bumping on flights to/from Orlando with a lot of families. I would expect most other single passengers to be frequent business flyers with lots of airline points, gold status, etc.

 

[mcnuss]

It is just unbelievable to me how much this thread has devolved. Why are you all so accusatory and mean to the OP? She is trying to do something good here by pointing attention at an issue that quite clearly, many of us were unaware of. Yikes! Why did this become a forum on accountability and parenting. You've all jumped to conclusions that the OP left her DD to go to the prom w/o parental supervision, acted like she blithely allowed the teen to hop a plane to suit her convenience, and then accused the teen - despite the mother's fact-based replies to the contrary - of not telling the truth about the situation. I don't want to add to the acrimony here, but gosh, what is up with that? Many of you made nasty and mean assumptions about this family. God-willing, you will never be in a situation like this one. If you are, pray that you do not live in a glass house.

I fly upwards of 100,000 miles every year, I've already done 40ish flights in 2003 and flew 150ish segments in 2002. Let me tell you, this kid was likely picked bc the agents at the gate decided she was least likely to put up a stink. Period. Delta is about the most arrogant, non-customer focused airline I've had the displeasure of flying. (See my previous post...) But this could happen on any airline right now, it could happen to you no matter how long ago you made your plans and how "safe" you think you are bc of daily checks on your flights and your emails and calls to the airlines. If this is going to happen, you have no control. It is WRONG to assume that the kid or her parents did something to cause this to happen. Whether they were early or late or had seat assignments or didn't is immaterial to the fact that the airline should not be involuntarily bumping a 17 yo girl if they cannot get the kid to her destination same-day. Whether or not she melted down, whether or not she was "mature" enough to handle the situation is not for you to judge. You were not there.

I, for one, have made good use of this information, so thank you Jeanne434. My 16 yo god-daughter is flying in to see us this summer, and we will be paying for the unaccompanied minor supervision. In this way, I know that an employee of American Airlines will be required to stay with her until she is "delivered" to me in Boston.

 

[nicurnc]

mcnuss- that is my point- use the information to your advantage, I don't think laws have to be made or changed. People should just be aware that this can happen to anyone flying alone.
As for people "jumping" on the OP for her parenting skills, I don't think that this was the intent. She offered a lot of info, and lots of people thought they would not have done what she did in her place.

Loretta

 

[seashoreCM]

I would think it to be extremely rare to be bumped after checking in 90 minutes early and getting to the gate on time.

>>> agents at the gate decided she was least likely to put up a stink.

There are rules to follow. If the airline broke its own published rules, the parents should write a letter and ask for more compensation after the fact. As far as I know, Delta's bumping rules do not give priority to passengers simply because they were able to make seat selections in advance.

The question of having a non-flying parent accompany a childflying alone to the gate should be raised again.

 

[Poly Pal]

I find it strange that the parents did not check to see that the daughter had a boarding pass with a seat assignment on it. Also, if the uncle stayed with her, why did the daughter go through the rig-a-ma-roll with the Delta agent to get a hotel voucher? If I took my niece to the airport, she got bumped, and had to stay overnight, you can be darn sure she would have stayed at my house that evening.

I also find it strange that this poor girl got bumped twice when she supposedly checked in 90 minutes ahead of time and arrived at the gate early.

I think the OP would have been better to title her post "Warning to parents about letting teens fly alone" versus the inflamatory "Heads Up About DELTA!"

I still say we don't have the whole story. And now the OP wants to have legislation passed to protect innocent 17 year olds from being bumped. So, perhaps they'll bump other people flying to meet their cruise ship, honeymooners headed off on vacation, sons and daughters flying to see a sick parent, parents rushing home to see their hospitalized children, the college grad flying to a job interview - just so irresponsible parents and their irresponsible teens can waltz up to the gate at the last minute to board a flight. (Of course I'm not saying that's what this teen did.) Hey, perhaps we should hold flights at the gate until all the teens show up for the flight, too.

I don't see how Delta acted irresponsibly. Sounds like they acted to the letter of the law. And for the poor Delta agent who had to deal with the hysterical, crying, screaming teen who would not calm down - I suppose he could have just had the girl arrested for interfering with a flight crew.

 

[macs4us]

A hotel can not be in a legally binding contract with a 17 year old. That is what I have a problem with - besides them being rude (I don't doubt that for a minute). I think a lot of airlines would do this, and it's not Delta exclusive. However, some of Delta's big business is done on this route, and a lot of kids fly to MCO, so it is important people know what can happen. And Delta knows how old she is when she checks in, as she has to have an ID if they think she is an adult.

Again I will state that doing things because you can (as in the law allows) does not always mean you are doing the RIGHT thing. And being rude is just not professional.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Let's see this story is coming from a 17 year old. I know at 17 even though I was on my own, I was still highly emotional and liked to exagerate for my own benefit. I wonder if this is part of what went on.

I will admit I am a loyal Delta customer and have never had a problem with Delta employees and have never seen such a situation.

 

[cjsmith]

I think that the reason that I, along with other posters are commenting on this post, is because it truly did seem like a thread bashing Delta airlines. It was a stern warning to other parents about allowing kids fly Delta, and Delta alone, due to the fact that the OP's 17 year old daughter got bumped twice and put up in a hotel.
I still find problems with the "facts" that the OP still states, especially after speaking with my best friend who is a long time Delta employee based out of Orlando. The OP stated that her daughter did indeed check in on time as her flight was 2 hours after the mom's flight. That means that she was at the airport at least 2 to 3 hours prior to her own flight. You can check in a leave your suitcases up to 4 hours prior to a flight. Did the daughter not check in properly upon arriving at the aiport? Upon check in, the daughter would have been told her status of boarding the flight. She would have been given a boarding card with a seat assignment on it, or would have been told that the flight was currently overbooked and a seat assignment could not be given at this time, therefore wait at the gate and listen for you name. Now, since the mom was present when the daughter checked in, she would have known about this status prior to her plane departing. The only way that the daughter would have lost her assigned seat was if she was not at the gate on time. The tickets clearly state that you will lost your seat this way if the plane if overbooked. Where was the uncle this whole time? The om sates that they stayed with the daughter until they could no longer and then left the uncle there. Did the uncle leave before his niece got on board the plane? Why didn't he stay with her until she left, especially considering the circumstance of the flight down. He may have not been able to be at the gate, though Delta could have given him a special pass to accompany her directly to gate since she is 17, wouldn't he have waited until the flight left? They should have had some kind of contingecy plan worked out if she got bumped again, like come find me at this location the minute you don't get on board.
And as far as the quote, the agents decided that she was least likely to put up a stink, the gate agents will not take your seat away and give it to someone else unless you do not check in on time or you are not at the gate on time. To suggest that the agents singled out this 17 year old and chose her to be bumped because she would put up less of a stink is ridiculous.
The thread did indeed start out bashing Delta for something the OP felt they did wrong. It was warning passengers about Delta time and time again, including on the trip report page. Something still doesn't feel right about the story as my girlfriend states as well. She has never seen someone bumped on both ends, all the while checking in in plenty of time and being at the gate on time in her 18 years of flying with Delta. (Unless of course, the teen was flying standby.) You can bet that had my child been bumped the first time around, I would have made sure that she had a seat assignment prior to my getting on my plane and made sure she knew to be at the gate 30 minutes prior. I would have also pleaded with my brother to not leave the airport until he knew that she was safely on the plane and on her way home. It seems clear that both Delta and the passenger shares some responbility in what happened.

 

[mcnuss]

I still say we don't have the whole story. And now the OP wants to have legislation passed to protect innocent 17 year olds from being bumped. So, perhaps they'll bump other people flying to meet their cruise ship, honeymooners headed off on vacation, sons and daughters flying to see a sick parent, parents rushing home to see their hospitalized children, the college grad flying to a job interview - just so irresponsible parents and their irresponsible teens can waltz up to the gate at the last minute to board a flight. (Of course I'm not saying that's what this teen did.) Hey, perhaps we should hold flights at the gate until all the teens show up for the flight, too.

Your sarcasm - nothwithstanding your little caveat - is clearly pointed at the OP and calling her and her teen irresponsible is not fair and is contrary to the facts that have been presented.

Let's sum up:

1. The teen was not left home alone as some of you have alleged and assumed. The teen was escorted to the airport by an adult family member on each leg, and was, I think I understand, accompanied to the gate in MCO.

2. She was checked in with plenty of time to spare. She had a seat assignment. She was ready willing and able to get on the plane and fly.

3. Delta has ADMITTED to the OP that the kid was a involuntary bump. I also believe since the OP used the term "unboarded" so that she may have actually gotten on the plane and was asked to get off.

4. The teen got upset: in my experience adults freak out about getting bumped or missing connections. I have seen some pretty atrocious behavior. The mom said she was hysterical on the phone. She did not say she was hysterical to the gate agents. And even if she was, so what? She should be punished for getting upset?

Why are the parents irresponsible? Or the kid? It's not like she was dumped at the airport. All precautions were taken. Is there something you believe you could have done better?

Involuntary bumps are never pretty. Someone will be inconvenienced. Adult travelers should be chosen over teens when the airline knows it cannot get the teen to his/her destination same day. I do not agree that this needs to be a regulation. It should be airline policy. I do not care if a teen is bumped but can be accomodated same day. It is the overnight issue that is troublesome and contrary to both common sense and responsibility.

Just for the heck of it, let me know how you'd feel about this.

Your 17 yo junior in HS goes on a field trip. You paid for this trip and trusted that the transportation would be provided as described in the brochure. At the end of the day, the chaperone announces that the original bus broke down, and the new one does not have enough seats. Someone has to be left behind and it's your kid. They arrange for a hotel for the teen, but nobody calls you and the bus takes off. The first you hear of this is from your child from the hotel lobby. She is upset, she does not know what to do. She just wanted to come home. You cannot get to her to pick her up. She is stuck until the next morning when another bus will come & get her. Were you as a parent irresponsible for letting her go? Was the teen irresponsible for being where she was told to be, when she was told to be? Should she be vilified by total strangers bc she is upset about this? Should we expect that she not put up a fight when told that she can't get home? Would you go to the organization that put on the trip to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again?

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by mcnuss
Just for the heck of it, let me know how you'd feel about this.

Your 17 yo junior in HS goes on a field trip. You paid for this trip and trusted that the transportation would be provided as described in the brochure. At the end of the day, the chaperone announces that the original bus broke down, and the new one does not have enough seats. Someone has to be left behind and it's your kid. They arrange for a hotel for the teen, but nobody calls you and the bus takes off. The first you hear of this is from your child from the hotel lobby. She is upset, she does not know what to do. She just wanted to come home. You cannot get to her to pick her up. She is stuck until the next morning when another bus will come & get her. Were you as a parent irresponsible for letting her go? Was the teen irresponsible for being where she was told to be, when she was told to be? Should she be vilified by total strangers bc she is upset about this? Should we expect that she not put up a fight when told that she can't get home? Would you go to the organization that put on the trip to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again?

This analogy may have held water if the original poster had paid to have this teen to have the special treatment for an underage child, and was treated as an adult. This Delta flight doesn't sound like it was chartered flight for a school outing.. It is an airline flying a plane full of adults, children travelling with adults or unaccompanied children that they are notified of. The airline is not a babysitter, unless they are paid to be one. That is really the point I think many people are trying to make. It is horrible to be bumped, it is. I am sure the OP's daughter was upset. However if you are going to put a child on a plane travelling as an adult, they will be treated as an adult. If you want them to be handled like a child, there are policies and services in effect to handle that.. If we press this regulation thing, I could see the airlines just saying that they will never accept anyone under the age of 18 flying alone, again.. Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing... ?

I think the lesson to be learned here is if you put child on a plane without informing the airline that they are an unattended child, you are running the risks that this child may have to handle adult situations, alone. Especially if the plane makes connections, you have all sorts of potential problems and/or issues this child may have to deal with without adult interception.

I am really not saying this to blame or accuse the OP. It is unfortunate her daugher had to deal with this. How would you know this could happen unless someone told you or it happened to you.

 

[Lewisc]

There can be mechanical and weather related cancellations. Any person who can't deal with it shouldn't fly alone. Not questioning anyones parenting skills but if the teenager isn't mature enough to handle problems with cancelled flights they shouldn't fly alone.

No reason why a teenager should get preferential treatment.

That said I"VE NEVER heard of a flight to FL that didn't have enough volunteers for overbooking. The airlines actually prefer to handle families; they get several people off the plane at once.

Is it possible the child was late in checking in at the gate? Is it possible the child was originally ticketed to fly with the parents the night before and Delta allowed travel the next day on some type of standby basis? Was the ticket some type of promotional standby ticket?

If the teenager checked in on time and had a normal confimred reservation ticket than I think the real problem is that Delta probably didn't follow the rules regarding offering enough compensation to secure volunteers.

 

[Jeanne434]

Originally posted by nicurnc
And think that is the point alot of us are trying to make. There is a way to get a 17 y/o's status looked at in a different way.
There are plenty of kids that age who would be comfortable handling this situation. It has been pointed out by the OP that 17 y/o with emotional or physical disabilities would really be in danger if this had happened to them. Well, think about that. Would a parent with a handicapped teen really put them in that situation. And if they did, is the airline responsible for finding this out?
Loretta

Myabe not- but I do think it is the airlines responisbility to act with common sense and reason. Since the do NOT know the maturity or issues the teen may have wouldn't it be best to just NOT bump teens overnight?


Loretta [/B][/QUOTE] I think the OP really did want others to join her in her boycott of Delta. Her first post read as much more than a warning to me. And there were plenty of folks willing to say they would not fly Delta again.
Loretta [/B][/QUOTE]
I was NOT trying to rally a boycott against Delta. I used thier name because it was the only airline I had this experience with. I thught I was being fair. As I have looked into the matter further I have come to learn that this apparently an industry shortcoming and not limited to Delta. That said- I have yet to hear another story about any other airline bumping a teen overnight. Not to say that it doesn't happen- but noone has told me of it.
As for people saying that they would no longer fly Delta because of my story- I do not recall that. On the contrary I recall people saying that they had decided not to fly Delta because of thier own personal experiences with delta and thier agents.

Loretta [/B][/QUOTE] OP can be as mad or angry as she wants to be regarding this issue, I just think it's sad that she'd like to regulations changed and laws made over this incident.
Loretta [/B][/QUOTE]
Hmmm- why is it sad that I want to see something changed and that I am acting on a concern. As a matter of fact, I am neither mad nor angry. I think I have kept my posts pretty calm and reasonable even in the face of some pretty harsh assumptions regarding my parenting skills or decision making abilities. I am concerned and mobilized. I was initially upset about the harsh teatment of my DD- but that is personal and I have tried to keep it out of this thread.

Loretta [/B][/QUOTE] Teens as they approach that age will vary in the level of maturity they display. Parents should determine if their kid can travel unaccompanied and be prepared to handle whatever comes up
Loretta [/B][/QUOTE]
I thought my daughter was mature enough.But then again I had NO IDEA that overnight bumping would ever happen to a teen travelling alone.

Loretta [/B][/QUOTE] The airline already has a plan in place (even though it involves a fee) for unaccompanied minors.
Loretta [/B][/QUOTE]
Sorry- but I see this as just payment for common sense.
Loretta [/B][/QUOTE]