Where do you stand on this?

[Magic Band Defender]

What disability causes a person to turn down the hot food options in the airport terminal, the hot food option that her mother brought on the plane and the sandwich option offered to her. And also makes all of the other food options in her booked fare class unacceptable. And at what point does it become the airlines responsibility to come up with a 4th or 5th option? And who is responsible for the consequences of not accommodating these requests? If it's the airline's responsibility, it's clear that their accommodation is an emergency landing and to book the person on another flight.

If they had an extra meal and a passenger offered to pay for it, why not sell it to them? If you can make money off of something that might otherwise go to waste and make a paying customer happy at the same time, why not? Airlines too often seem to have an attitude that passengers are inmates and not paying guests who have a choice. They could've used the good PR.

 

[NewRVLady]

New details-well lookey here-the flight attendants DID get her TWO DIFFERENT meals.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mother-chides-united-removing-autistic-teen-plane-30985175

The conflict came May 5 on the family's flight home to Portland from a trip to Disney World.

snippet-"The girl had refused to eat at a layover in Houston and had turned down nuts, raisins, a granola bar and Juliette's favorite blue Jolly Ranchers that the family had packed, Beegle said.

Beegle said Juliette wanted a hot meal, so Beegle bought a chicken sandwich on the plane and asked the flight crew to warm it in a microwave. The crew refused, she said, telling her the sandwich would get soggy.

Beegle said she told flight attendants that her daughter was about to have a tantrum, and that she could scratch someone.

After about 40 minutes, the mother said, the crew got the teen a hot serving of jambalaya from first class, "and she was perfectly happy."

They did-TWO meals

 

[cabanafrau]

I gave logical "reasons" behind my assumption. Unless you can prove me wrong, I don't see how your assumption is more valid or reasoned than mine.

What is the reasoning that all first class passengers don't show up or don't eat their meals? Not that it cannot happen, but that it is the expected norm that it should happen most of the time, I want to know the logic or reasoning behind those assertions.

I have never flown first class, but do you know with certainty that it is regular and common practice for first class passengers to be given more than one meal option -- hot meal option, once the flight is underway?

Those are the lines of reasoning I'm questioning. It's one thing to state that's what you think to make a point in an argument. It's quite another thing to have some basis of knowledge or reasoning to base it on. I gave my reasons backthread why I suspect it's likely extra meals are not onboard, which it appears in the flight in question there were not as it seems the meal was given up by another passenger to help this girl out.

 

[NHdisneylover]

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

Actually, a heck of a lot of us said it is understandable that, given how often the family had flown and apparently not had an issue, they failed to anticipate such a big problem this time and that having planned to feed the daughter a hot meal in Houston was reasonable. Lots of us do not blame the parents there--yep, it would have been better had they been more prepared or decided to take a later flight when their daughter refused to eat in Houston, etc but things happen and you make your best guess and if that fairly, well, sometimes things just don't go as smoothly one would like no big deal. BUT the moment the mother decided that meant that the airline was somehow required to provide steaming hot meals on a moments notice and then decided to sue when the airline reacted to the mother's statements about what harm her daughter could do, well, that is the problem.

And of course many people and corporations help out without being forced. Some people and companies don't care and do not want to do the right thing, but MANY do--why would you dismiss all the good ones in a sweeping comment like that?

 

[gwynne]

If they had an extra meal and a passenger offered to pay for it, why not sell it to them? If you can make money off of something that might otherwise go to waste and make a paying customer happy at the same time, why not? Airlines too often seem to have an attitude that passengers are inmates and not paying guests who have a choice. They could've used the good PR.

Sigh. You do have a choice. If you want first class services and amenities, book and pay for first class.
FA's are not your personal waitress or valet. They are not they to help the demanding get something they chose not to pay for. They follow airline policies and procedures. I'm pretty sure United has a policy on not passing out freebie food from first class.
Their main job is to keep crew and passengers safe. And as a passenger, I appreciate them.

 

[SMD]

Even though this child has apparently flown successfully many times, many people do not think she belongs on an airplane.

Can you point out where anyone has said that on this thread? You want to put words in other people's mouths so you have something to white knight for.

 

[NewRVLady]

Here is the jambalaya meal that was on their flight-that was served to her-(the JAMBALAYA part)

 

[Magic Band Defender]

What is the reasoning that all first class passengers don't show up or don't eat their meals? Not that it cannot happen, but that it is the expected norm that it should happen most of the time, I want to know the logic or reasoning behind those assertions.

I have never flown first class, but do you know with certainty that it is regular and common practice for first class passengers to be given more than one meal option -- hot meal option, once the flight is underway?

Those are the lines of reasoning I'm questioning. It's one thing to state that's what you think to make a point in an argument. It's quite another thing to have some basis of knowledge or reasoning to base it on. I gave my reasons backthread why I suspect it's likely extra meals are not onboard, which it appears in the flight in question there were not as it seems the meal was given up by another passenger to help this girl out.

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.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Sigh. You do have a choice. If you want first class services and amenities, book and pay for first class.
FA's are not your personal waitress or valet. They are not they to help the demanding get something they chose not to pay for. They follow airline policies and procedures. I'm pretty sure United has a policy on not passing out freebie food from first class.
Their main job is to keep crew and passengers safe. And as a passenger, I appreciate them.

At no point did I mention any food should have been free.

 

[SMD]

If they had an extra meal and a passenger offered to pay for it, why not sell it to them? If you can make money off of something that might otherwise go to waste and make a paying customer happy at the same time, why not? Airlines too often seem to have an attitude that passengers are inmates and not paying guests who have a choice. They could've used the good PR.

How should they sell it to her if there's no pricing for a first class meal in place? Should the flight attendant take some cash from the passenger and then explain why there's one less meal accounted for a extra cash? Should they ring it up as a sandwich and then have to explain why there's one more sandwich and one meal missing. It is unreasonable, and yes entitled to expect that. I could call the local news and tell them that Target wouldn't sell me a single soda that I ripped off a 6 pack or they wouldn't sell me an open box returned DVD player without the remote even though I offered to pay full price. But that's their prerogative and there is no disability exception. Maybe it would be exceptional customer service, but I have no room to publicly shame or threaten to sue people who don't choose to put their job in jeopardy to serve me in the manner that I want when it's not an offered service.

 

[NHdisneylover]

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.

DD likes to sit near the rear of the aircraft. She flies to the US from Europe a couple of times a year. She is not a picky eater, so is fine sitting there even thought they are nearly always out of one choice by the time they get to those last few rows. DS and I are pickier--this came up earlier this week as I was booking seats for DS and I for our summer flight--she wasn't sure I would remember that there are almost the exact right number of total meals so that those near the end are given whatever is left (the less popular item) with no choice.

and in first class on a domestic flight? there is a good likelihood that there was only one meal served (no options) and only enough brought on board for each booked passenger (per multiple reports on flyertalk--where a decent number of the posters work in the industry or fly very, very frequently).

 

[gwynne]

At no point did I mention any food should have been free.

So you're entitled to first class food if you offer to pay for a tray? It's not carry out. It's part of the package of first class amenities and service.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

Actually, a heck of a lot of us said it is understandable that, given how often the family had flown and apparently not had an issue, they failed to anticipate such a big problem this time and that having planned to feed the daughter a hot meal in Houston was reasonable. Lots of us do not blame the parents there--yep, it would have been better had they been more prepared or decided to take a later flight when their daughter refused to eat in Houston, etc but things happen and you make your best guess and if that fairly, well, sometimes things just don't go as smoothly one would like no big deal. BUT the moment the mother decided that meant that the airline was somehow required to provide steaming hot meals on a moments notice and then decided to sue when the airline reacted to the mother's statements about what harm her daughter could do, well, that is the problem.

And of course many people and corporations help out without being forced. Some people and companies don't care and do not want to do the right thing, but MANY do--why would you dismiss all the good ones in a sweeping comment like that?

Who exactly did I dismiss?

 

[barkley]

There is a big difference between feeling short changed and having a disability. For some people, the grass IS greener. A change in attitude is not enough for someone disabled. The ADA exists for a reason.

you do not serve as THIS disabled person's spokesperson nor for my son as to what impact a change in our personal attitudes or the attitudes of others can have on us. please do not lump all disabled people into one category nor decide what is or isn't "enough" for them-that is as individual as our personalities and diagnosis. I am a person first, I am a person with a disability second-don't presume to know me b/c you can visually see the second aspect of my life.

btw-the ADA DOES exist for a reason, the reason is "to provide legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees people with disabilities HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS EVERYONE ELSE to participate in the mainstream of American life...". it is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY and anti discrimination law-not one that affords special or better treatment-EQUAL. it is a law enacted to ensure our rights and opportunities are protected NOT TO CREATE ENTITLEMENT.

 

[cabanafrau]

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.

 

[morgan98]

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.

First class meal offerings on overseas flights to Europe are hot meals. I do not think you can assume the meal in first class of a flight from Houston to Portland will be the same. As a matter of fact, I can pretty much guarantee it is not. That is all.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

So you're entitled to first class food if you offer to pay for a tray? It's not carry out. It's part of the package of first class amenities and service.

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.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Who exactly did I dismiss?

When you said "No one is falling over themselves to make accommodations out of the goodness of their hearts, they had to be forced" then you dismissed all of those many people who in fact do go out of their way to help and accommodate without being forced.

 

[Magic Band Defender]

First class meal offerings on overseas flights to Europe are hot meals. I do not think you can assume the meal in first class of a flight from Houston to Portland will be the same. As a matter of fact, I can pretty much guarantee it is not. That is all.

They did have hot food aboard. That is all.

 

[cabanafrau]

Who exactly did I dismiss?

People who have gone out of their way out of the goodness of their hearts to help the disabled, not because they were legislated to do so.