Where do you stand on this?

[NHdisneylover]

Did I say I was entitled to first class food? I've said why not sell it, if there are extras and someone wants to pay for it. Normally airlines take glee in monetizing every second of the experience.

You also said you assume there would be extras--an odd assumption that does not seem grounded in reality and many have pointed out why it is not.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Given there were no measures put in place to insure a proper meal suited to this girl's needs was available and lack of such meal would result in her behavior deteriorating to scratching others on the plane, which she apparently did do to her father, no, she should not have been on the plane. If she had eaten in the terminal as they attempted or if they had made arrangements to procure a meal before boarding the plane -- if they had boxed up the terminal meal intending for the flight attendants to warm it when she was ready to eat, fine, board the plane knowing you had done your due diligence.

If there was indeed a threat to others being scratched as the mother claims and the steps were not taken to avoid the threat, she did not belong on the plane. They were not entitled to make that decision and gamble with other people's safety, or even their plans to reach their destination as scheduled. Accommodations aren't a convenience or a handy thing to have, they are a necessity to those who need them.

Didn't her mother bring a chicken sandwich and the FA refused to heat it?

 

[gwynne]

Did I say I was entitled to first class food? I've said why not sell it, if there are extras and someone wants to pay for it. Normally airlines take glee in monetizing every second of the experience.

I'd like to hear the result next time you ask the flight attendant to bring you a first class dinner tray...and pull out a 20.00 or something and give it to her.

 

[cabanafrau]

The last time I flew to Europe (on Delta) there was more than one choice on the menu. I do not recall if all options were hot. Source: memory.

Some people do not like airline food, cannot eat airline food, or have already eaten. Source: flying while seated near other people.

Not everyone with a tickets gets on the plane. Source: flying standby.

But more and more these days planes are indeed flying full. Therefore it is not a slam dunk assumption extra meals are commonly available.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

You also said you assume there would be extras--an odd assumption that does not seem grounded in reality and many have pointed out why it is not.

And I have pointed out why it is. Your opinion is no more valid than mine.

 

[sam_gordon]

many people do not think she belongs on an airplane.

Here's where I think you're taking a HUGE leap (and not landing it).

Those who have said the family shouldn't fly are saying that IF the parents can't take all reasonable precautions AND can't control the child's meltdown if/when one happens AND that meltdown has the potential to physically harm another passenger or crew member, then they shouldn't fly.

No one has said "people with autism shouldn't fly."

I'm going to extremes here, but bear with me... what if someone has a medical condition that REQUIRES them to stand up every 10 minutes? Would you say an airline has to allow them to fly even though that accommodation (letting someone stand every 10 minutes) is against FAA regulations?

 

[aaarcher86]

I agree with your general message. I do agree that this mother (and all parents, really) should have done her best to plan for her child's needs. I disagree with other posters in that I don't think every situation can be forseen and planned for. Even though this child has apparently flown successfully many times, many people do not think she belongs on an airplane.

I understand the philosophy behind preparing your child for the world, as-is. But if someone hadn't stepped up and said the world isn't doing enough for my child and those like him, would we have mainstreaming in classrooms, assistive devices, wheelchair ramps, ASL, etc? No one is falling over themselves to make accommodations out of the goodness of their hearts, they had to be forced. So someone has to be "that person" or "that parent". There have always been and will always be those who: blame the parents for the disability, are jealous of the accommodations, think any extra help is "entitled", etc. It's a good thing some people don't care about naysayers

But there will also always be people expecting more when enough is enough.

 

[DizBelle]

I agree with your general message. I do agree that this mother (and all parents, really) should have done her best to plan for her child's needs. I disagree with other posters in that I don't think every situation can be forseen and planned for. Even though this child has apparently flown successfully many times, many people do not think she belongs on an airplane.

I understand the philosophy behind preparing your child for the world, as-is. But if someone hadn't stepped up and said the world isn't doing enough for my child and those like him, would we have mainstreaming in classrooms, assistive devices, wheelchair ramps, ASL, etc? No one is falling over themselves to make accommodations out of the goodness of their hearts, they had to be forced. So someone has to be "that person" or "that parent". There have always been and will always be those who: blame the parents for the disability, are jealous of the accommodations, think any extra help is "entitled", etc. It's a good thing some people don't care about naysayers

No one is saying that this child does not belong on a plane. But, if you know your 15 year old child gets agitated, throws a tantrum, and can physically harm others if she gets over-hungry or over-thirsty, and she refused to eat or drink on the layover, and you know the options are limited for in-flight meals in coach, perhaps a flying can at 36,000 feet where no one had a means of escape is the best place for her until she is well fed and ready for such a flight.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

I'd like to hear the result next time you ask the flight attendant to bring you a first class dinner tray...and pull out a 20.00 or something and give it to her.

For the 18th time, why is selling unused food such a terrible, entitled, crazy idea?

 

[DizBelle]

I also want to make a comment on the mother's request that FAs be trained on autism. What about all of the other conditions, syndromes, and diseases that can affect someone on a flight? Are we going to require that FAs be MDs so they are well versed on every possible medical issue that might arise before they can serve on a flight?

No, that's just silly.

 

[mjkacmom]

For the 18th time, why is selling unused food such a terrible, entitled, crazy idea?

Who is going to determine how much it costs? Employees can't just sell things that aren't for sale.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Didn't her mother bring a chicken sandwich and the FA refused to heat it?

All articles I have seen state that the sandwhich was offered by the flight crew. Earlier reports said it was a "hot" meal but had cooled too much for the daughter to be willing to eat it. Newer reports say the mother asked for it to be microwaved and was told that would make the sandwhich soggy.

My understanding is that generally microwaves are not available on aircraft and that the convection ovens hear large amounts at once over a period of time (not super fast like a microwave) so I am not sure how possible it was to just heat something up.

And I have pointed out why it is. Your opinion is no more valid than mine.

My opinion is based on reading what airline personnel and frequent fliers say about it, plus the experiences of my immediate family who fly very often (DH flies about 50 roundtrips per year the rest of us fly 5-10). Add that to the opinions of MANY on this thread alone, I think that your lone opinion does not seem to carry much weight.

 

[gwynne]

For the 18th time, why is selling unused food such a terrible, entitled, crazy idea?

I've explained. Probably best if you email United and ask them what you need to do to get a First Class dinner served to you in coach. You might also ask if the FA does this for you, is it grounds for termination.
(And I'd doubt it will matter whether you offer to "pay" or not, it will still be a flat no. That isn't happening. And there would be serious consequences for the FA if he/she violated company policy to keep you happy.)

 

[sam_gordon]

For the 18th time, why is selling unused food such a terrible, entitled, crazy idea?

It's a slippery slope. Lets say you and I are in coach class of a flight. You ask for a first class meal and give the FA $20. You know what, I'm hungry, here's another $20 FA, bring me a meal too. "Sorry, MBD got the last one". So now I throw a fit and start scratching and threatening lawsuits. Why are you entitled to a meal and I'm not?

Of course, the airline could sell left over meals if they so desire. It's a business decision. If you don't like their decisions/policies, don't fly that airline.

 

[SMD]

Didn't her mother bring a chicken sandwich and the FA refused to heat it?

No establishment that serves food can reheat food provided by a customer (or passenger). When they reheat baby bottles they put the bottle in a cup of hot water. The mother should have asked for a cup of hot water and rested the sandwich on top of it to heat it with steam.

 

[DizBelle]

For the 18th time, why is selling unused food such a terrible, entitled, crazy idea?

The availability of first class food is one of the benefits of paying for a fist class seat. Why should it be otherwise?

 

[SMD]

It's a slippery slope. Lets say you and I are in coach class of a flight. You ask for a first class meal and give the FA $20. You know what, I'm hungry, here's another $20 FA, bring me a meal too. "Sorry, MBD got the last one". So now I throw a fit and start scratching and threatening lawsuits. Why are you entitled to a meal and I'm not?

Of course, the airline could sell left over meals if they so desire. It's a business decision. If you don't like their decisions/policies, don't fly that airline.

Generally you can't just sell things to customers that your business doesn't sell. This isn't some mom and pop store where an employee takes initiative and sells things around the store that aren't typically for sale. This is a legacy airline with inventory records and cash reporting occurring after flights.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

No establishment that serves food can reheat food provided by a customer (or passenger). When they reheat baby bottles they put the bottle in a cup of hot water. The mother should have asked for a cup of hot water and rested the sandwich on top of it to heat it with steam.

Many people have said she should have brought something on board that could be reheated. Your argument is with them.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Generally you can't just sell things to customers that your business doesn't sell. This isn't some mom and pop store where an employee takes initiative and sells things around the store that aren't typically for sale. This is a legacy airline with inventory records and cash reporting occurring after flights.

They do sell food and beverages. She didn't ask to buy one of their blankets.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

The availability of first class food is one of the benefits of paying for a fist class seat. Why should it be otherwise?

They could've made an extra food/beverage sale and made a passenger in a bind happy. Selling or providing food to coach passengers aren't earth shattering concepts.