United Airlines could not be bothered to keep an eye on carry-on item of unaccompanied minor... not even for 100 bucks.
I'm not sure if this is actually in the fine print, but, since when are unaccompanied minors responsible for looking after their carry-on items? I mean, like I said, it might be in the fine, fine print somewhere, but I just looked at United Airline's policy, and didn't see anything about it. So, I find it a tiny bit audacious that I was given a curt reply when I asked the counter agent if it was possible that the (attending) supervisor please help my daughter look after her backpack (ie: make sure she didn't leave it on the plane, etc.,) I was interrupted before I could finish my sentence, and told, "The child is responsible for her own bag". I mean, he was downright dismissive. (At least patronize me a little bit for my money.)
Again, I'm not going to argue if it's in the fine print somewhere, and maybe I just didn't see it, but there's a lot to be said for attitude. My mom just plunked down 100 bucks, after all. They've been vague about the 'exact age' at which a child is still required to travel as a UM, and the accompanying fee (at least, they were vague with my mom at the point of ticket purchase over the phone). It became a 'find-out-for-myself' venture, so here's what I surmised from their print: At 12, the unaccompanied minor thing is optional. At any rate (and just to be on the safe-side, since we could not afford to be wrong in the event it was "required" after all), we went ahead and opted for it. (Which is probably honestly a good thing, since the poor kid had to be at the damned airport at 3:30 in the morning.) While keeping in mind, this service "might" just be optional at this point, I thought it would be best for her to have some 'assistance', so that the poor, groggy child would not miss her connecting flight in Denver. And, I thought that maybe (just maybe) the agents could possibly go out of their way (although I know it's asking a LOT), to maybe remind her to 'get her backpack' if she starts to walk away from it. (But then again, what was I thinking? (And for curious minds: No. It was not busy at that agent's counter. The flight wasn't even full.)
Well, I'm going to just (as nicely as I can) remind United that we have other choices when it comes to choosing our airlines. And this is not our first rodeo. My daughter's been flying as a UM since she was 5. And, this is the first time any agent (for any of the airlines we've flown) informed me that they would not be looking after my daughter's bags.
Again, maybe it's just 'their policy', but honestly, for a service (especially one THAT expensive), don't you think it would be a nice, little, extra 'perk', to reassure a parent that the crewmember assigned would also 'help' (or even put just a tiny bit of effort forth) to help a child look after their things? I mean, what is the purpose for a UM fee anyway? I'd say it is to HELP child who needs assistance with things? Like, making their connecting flight, and... keeping their bags on their person.) Just saying.
And what about people in wheelchairs? I've seen airlines take on the courteous task of 'wheeling people' to/from their gates, etc., Was it just my imagination? Or had I not seen one agent wheeling a customer, while another agent holds a carry-on bag for the wheelchair-patron? * (And, isn't this free-of-charge? Like, a courtesy??) Well, let's hear it from the horse's mouth:
*FROM UNITED'S WHEELCHAIR POLICY:
"If you use United's wheelchair service, we will provide an attendant at no charge to assist you in moving through the airport. This service is intended to assist passengers in moving to or from the gate area or the plane. Wheelchair attendants may provide assistance in getting passengers to an airport lavatory but cannot provide any assistance within the lavatory. If an attendant is not wanted, we will, where possible, provide you with a United wheelchair for independent use. You may be required to leave your driver's license as security until the wheelchair is returned."
THEN, A FEW PARAGRAPHS DOWN:
"If you need extra time at the gate to board, you will usually have the opportunity to "pre-board" prior to others in order to be safely and comfortably seated. If you use your own wheelchair at the gate, you may wish to check in and board early so United personnel can prepare and load your wheelchair."
But, to bother an agent to help a KID look after a bag after a service they paid for? Geez...
If they can't be bothered (for the 100 dollars) to possibly help make sure any bags, or personal effects remain with a child they've been assigned to look-after, then we'll just keep in mind that there are airlines that would have no problem with our business, if it means taking on the very difficult task of 'keeping-an-eye-out' for a kid's backpack, in the melee' of escorting a kid from one gate to the next.
Just thought you all would like to know what you can expect from United's Unaccompanied Minor services.
The short of it is (at least in my experience), they can't be bothered.
Again, I'm not going to argue if it's in the fine print somewhere, and maybe I just didn't see it, but there's a lot to be said for attitude. My mom just plunked down 100 bucks, after all. They've been vague about the 'exact age' at which a child is still required to travel as a UM, and the accompanying fee (at least, they were vague with my mom at the point of ticket purchase over the phone). It became a 'find-out-for-myself' venture, so here's what I surmised from their print: At 12, the unaccompanied minor thing is optional. At any rate (and just to be on the safe-side, since we could not afford to be wrong in the event it was "required" after all), we went ahead and opted for it. (Which is probably honestly a good thing, since the poor kid had to be at the damned airport at 3:30 in the morning.) While keeping in mind, this service "might" just be optional at this point, I thought it would be best for her to have some 'assistance', so that the poor, groggy child would not miss her connecting flight in Denver. And, I thought that maybe (just maybe) the agents could possibly go out of their way (although I know it's asking a LOT), to maybe remind her to 'get her backpack' if she starts to walk away from it. (But then again, what was I thinking? (And for curious minds: No. It was not busy at that agent's counter. The flight wasn't even full.)
Well, I'm going to just (as nicely as I can) remind United that we have other choices when it comes to choosing our airlines. And this is not our first rodeo. My daughter's been flying as a UM since she was 5. And, this is the first time any agent (for any of the airlines we've flown) informed me that they would not be looking after my daughter's bags.
Again, maybe it's just 'their policy', but honestly, for a service (especially one THAT expensive), don't you think it would be a nice, little, extra 'perk', to reassure a parent that the crewmember assigned would also 'help' (or even put just a tiny bit of effort forth) to help a child look after their things? I mean, what is the purpose for a UM fee anyway? I'd say it is to HELP child who needs assistance with things? Like, making their connecting flight, and... keeping their bags on their person.) Just saying.
And what about people in wheelchairs? I've seen airlines take on the courteous task of 'wheeling people' to/from their gates, etc., Was it just my imagination? Or had I not seen one agent wheeling a customer, while another agent holds a carry-on bag for the wheelchair-patron? * (And, isn't this free-of-charge? Like, a courtesy??) Well, let's hear it from the horse's mouth:
"If you use United's wheelchair service, we will provide an attendant at no charge to assist you in moving through the airport. This service is intended to assist passengers in moving to or from the gate area or the plane. Wheelchair attendants may provide assistance in getting passengers to an airport lavatory but cannot provide any assistance within the lavatory. If an attendant is not wanted, we will, where possible, provide you with a United wheelchair for independent use. You may be required to leave your driver's license as security until the wheelchair is returned."
THEN, A FEW PARAGRAPHS DOWN:
"If you need extra time at the gate to board, you will usually have the opportunity to "pre-board" prior to others in order to be safely and comfortably seated. If you use your own wheelchair at the gate, you may wish to check in and board early so United personnel can prepare and load your wheelchair."
But, to bother an agent to help a KID look after a bag after a service they paid for? Geez...
If they can't be bothered (for the 100 dollars) to possibly help make sure any bags, or personal effects remain with a child they've been assigned to look-after, then we'll just keep in mind that there are airlines that would have no problem with our business, if it means taking on the very difficult task of 'keeping-an-eye-out' for a kid's backpack, in the melee' of escorting a kid from one gate to the next.
Just thought you all would like to know what you can expect from United's Unaccompanied Minor services.
The short of it is (at least in my experience), they can't be bothered.
Amen! I've always wondered about the service I was getting for this $100 fee... especially after my 7-year-old granddaughter had to remind the United agent at the gate for her connecting flight that she hadn't been escorted onto the plane yet and everyone else had boarded, at which point they had to have a crew member come back up the ramp to get her... ahem... what, exactly does my $100 buy again? Not very reassuring to think she could have spent hours alone in a large airport.
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