Where do you stand on this?

[jrmasm]

I'm wondering how far companies can be expected to bend to accommodate people. I don't think that an airplane has any way of making food hot enough to satisfy this teen if the stories are true. So what then?

I hope that the airline wins this one.

There is no end to what people will expect.

 

[sam_gordon]

Going by what was written in post #144. To me it read that it might have been unexpected. I don't do 4 hour layovers, if possible, especially on a flight that is already 5 hours. So it's not normal for me. That makes it a 9 hour flight. PLUS the hour and a half getting to the airport to check in, makes it an a 11-ish hour day for traveling. AND that doesn't include the hour and a half-ish from L.A. or San Diego TO Houston. That's 13 hours for this autistic teen to travel.

Scratch that last part, I just remembered someone said they were traveling from WDW not DL. According to Travelocity, that's approximately a TWO and a half hour flight to Houston, non-stop. With a four hour layover and getting to the airport at the time they want people to check in, that's a 14 hour travel day for an autistic teen.

Or they may have planned a long layover in order to get a hot meal, or not be forced to rush an autistic teen through an airport, or just something to give her an extended break from sitting in one place. Or maybe it was unexpected. I don't think it really matters.

 

[Ceila]

What people seem to constantly forget is that the ADA does not require that companies provide ALL accommodations - it requires them to provide REASONABLE accommodations. I don't believe that a steaming hot meal on demand is reasonable.

Whether that could be done or not, once that mother made the statement that her child could become out of control and hurt other passengers, the pilot really had no other course of action.

 

[Dawnlight]

What people seem to constantly forget is that the ADA does not require that companies provide ALL accommodations - it requires them to provide REASONABLE accommodations. I don't believe that a steaming hot meal on demand is reasonable.

Whether that could be done or not, once that mother made the statement that her child could become out of control and hurt other passengers, the pilot really had no other course of action.

Exactly!

What if there is someone that will only fly if the flight attendants are dressed head to toe in purple? What if they will only fly if a certain essential oil is diffused throughout the plane? What if a person starts to meltdown and scratch at the sound of a crying baby; should they be able to require a baby-less flight?

There is no end to what requirements a specific individual might have; it does not mean that airlines, or the rest of the world, needs to bend to accommodate every one of them.

 

[NewRVLady]

One of the comments on her Facebook-From Flight Attendant......

 

[NewRVLady]

From above-

As a flight attendant for a major carrier I can say that telling the flight attendants that "if your daughter doesn't get a hot meal that she would get to the meltdown point and scratch someone" is considered a threat and has to be taken seriously whether your child is 5 or 15.

I have had very violent passengers on my planes. I have had some that were Autistic. Some that were schizophrenic I've also had some on some sort of drugs. I have had some so violent that they have had to be restrained. You, as a parent of a special needs child clearly weren't prepared with food and/or didn't feed your child before the flight.

It is not the responsibility of the airline to provide you with a hot meal. Most airlines only have hot meals for the first class passengers. There are no extras and there shouldn't have to be.

We as flight attendants have and will always do whatever we can to help any and all our passengers to the best of our ability, but threatening them and then accusing them of being uneducated or discriminating is wrong. The airline and flight attendants did exactly what they should have done when you threatened violence. I agree that the airline/captain making the announcement about the passenger with behavioral issues was completely uncalled for, but next time you travel you should be as prepared as you can be, especially if you know your daughter requires a hot meal. You should also never threaten violence of any form (scratching, biting, hitting, etc) to a flight attendant. We are required by the FAA and our Airline to take any and all threats of physical nature very seriously.

 

[mnrose]

People do seem to be missing the point about what is REASONABLE for an airline to do. It is NOT reasonable to expect the airline to produce a "steaming hot" meal upon demand to ANY passenger, let alone one not in the class where such food may or may not be served as part of an upgraded price point.

I like the PP thought that some autistic children might be bothered by babies, or people dressed in skirts, or the noise of the engine, or any number of other things that might routinely be part of airline travel. It is NOT the job or responsibility of the airline to bend to that "request" even if they could do so.


The child (and her parents) were not put off the plane because of her autism. I'm more than willing to bet that United (successfully) serves many many autistic people every single day. They were put off the plane because her mother said she may become violent. That is never satisfactory. Now, the mom seems to be saying "we could have controlled her....no problem." Well, if that's the case, why bother with your threat, Mom?

 

[Luvchefmic]

Is it terribly wrong of me that I am hopeful someone will come forward with a tape of this Mother acting demanding at WDW also? Not for a second do I believe that she was a perfect and relaxed guest waiting in lines and demanding nothing while they were there.

 

[sunshinehighway]

The "steam rolling off it" description bothers me. If that's really the case, they must have run into problems previously so they should have a contingency plan. I highly doubt most meals they got on that Disney trip was served "steam rolling off it" hot.

 

[ronandannette]

Really if you child is going to have that big of a melt down during travel, why oh why doesn't her mother knock her out?

Sure it's not pleasent getting a grown knocked out adult off the plan and you have to leave a day earlier then you have should, but really it's the best solution.

Inelegantly put, perhaps, but I agree with the general gist of it. Lots of people need to "medicate" to travel, including children. Occasional use of sedating medications would seem to me to be a wise option for parents to consider in these situations if the potential for violent, uncontrollable behaviour is a possibility. Then again, for this particular family where the "trigger" seems to be quite predictable and well defined, so would throwing a ramen noodle cup in your carry-on just in case...

 

[pigletgirl]

Another lawsuit, another nightmare.

Why couldn't the mother accommodate for her daughter? Why couldn't she of brought a meal for her daughter to eat? This seems quite lopsided.

 

[asta]

Is it terribly wrong of me that I am hopeful someone will come forward with a tape of this Mother acting demanding at WDW also? Not for a second do I believe that she was a perfect and relaxed guest waiting in lines and demanding nothing while they were there.

I have read posts from parents arguing for special line privileges at WDW for their autistic children saying that they might strike out or flail about and hurt other people in line. Not the same as threatening harm on a plane but still sounds a little bit like a threat to get to skip a line.

I need to put on a bullet proof cape because I know that I will be attacked for writing this.

 

[cabanafrau]

I have read posts from parents arguing for special line privileges at WDW for their autistic children saying that they might strike out or flail about and hurt other people in line. Not the same as threatening harm on a plane but still sounds a little bit like a threat to get to skip a line.

I need to put on a bullet proof cape because I know that I will be attacked for writing this.

That's part of the problem right there. Why should you expect to be attacked for discussing something fully? Even discussion of vociferous disagreement is perfectly fine if it's not disrespectful or refusing to listen to an opposing viewpoint. How can solutions be arrived at if all sides of a situation can't be honestly evaluated and discussed?

 

[NewRVLady]

The "steam rolling off it" description bothers me. If that's really the case, they must have run into problems previously so they should have a contingency plan. I highly doubt most meals they got on that Disney trip was served "steam rolling off it" hot.

Another point-some people said she could ask for Stewardess to heat up food they bring on plane=BUT that the cookers on plane are NOT like standard Microwaves

 

[JanaDee]

I have read posts from parents arguing for special line privileges at WDW for their autistic children saying that they might strike out or flail about and hurt other people in line. Not the same as threatening harm on a plane but still sounds a little bit like a threat to get to skip a line.

I need to put on a bullet proof cape because I know that I will be attacked for writing this.

I could never work GS at Disney. The whole "if you don't do what I want, I will do this" doesn't fly with me. Ask my kids.

 

[gwynne]

Another point-some people said she could ask for Stewardess to heat up food they bring on plane=BUT that the cookers on plane are NOT like standard Microwaves

And along with everything else Flight Attendants do, they have to be mindful about food safety and cross contamination, serious issues.
And as you mentioned, the ovens are specially configured convection ovens.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Another point-some people said she could ask for Stewardess to heat up food they bring on plane=BUT that the cookers on plane are NOT like standard Microwaves

Carrying a thermos and some type of instant (add hot water) food is a pretty simple emergency plan.
There's plenty of places to get hot water at an airport. It's even reasonable to expect the plane to have hot water since tea and coffee is usually a beverage option.

 

[aaarcher86]

I could never work GS at Disney. The whole "if you don't do what I want, I will do this" doesn't fly with me. Ask my kids.

I know I'd be fired.

'My kid will beat people and send me to the hospital if we wait in line' - spoken by the one and only Autism Hippie.

'Thats assault. You can then expect to be arrested, removed, and possibly charged.' Annnnnnd fired.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I know a fair number of parents with autistic kids who function at varying levels. Exactly one of them is placing all blame in United and jumping on the "this is discrimination" bandwagon. Most everyone else, like me, thinks it was a crappy day all around and everyone involved could have made better decisions, but at the end of the day no discrimination happened and no lawsuit should be occurring.

Here is an article by another mother of an autistic child that one posted on facebook today. It seems written before more details emerged, but still mostly reflects the majority feeling of the people I know who have a personal connection to the issue.

http://www.autisticglobetrotting.com/is-united-airlines-really-discriminating-against-autism.html

 

[JanaDee]

I know I'd be fired.

'My kid will beat people and send me to the hospital if we wait in line' - spoken by the one and only Autism Hippie.

'Thats assault. You can then expect to be arrested, removed, and possibly charged.' Annnnnnd fired.

Yeah, she's...something, isn't she?