Joan and Robert Vanderhorst had flown without issue with their 16-year-old son Bede, who has Down Syndrome, at least 30 times, Robert told the New York Daily News. This time, on a "lark," they decided to spend an extra $625 to fly first class. "My wife said, 'Oh Bede's never flown first class. He'll be so excited,'" Robert recounted.So after the airlines spent a bazillion dollars installing zombie-proof steel doors to the cockpit to keep out terrorists, they are concerned that a boy with Down syndrome would "disrupt the pilot."
And yet, while the family was waiting to board from Newark, New Jersey back home to their Porterville home, near Bakersfield on Sunday, an American Airlines representative pulled them aside and said the pilot thought Bede was a "flight risk."..
Robert said he and his wife were told that their son's behavior could disrupt the pilot, since their first class seats were close to the cockpit, KTLA reports. But Robert insisted, "My son is no different from a 4 or 5 year old as far as behavior."
An American Airlines spokesman said the boy was agitated and running around the gate area and thus deemed "not ready to fly," the Associated Press reports. But Robert said his son did not run, make any loud noises or cause any other distractions.
The family was escorted from the gate by Port Authority and transferred--to the coach section--of an United Airlines flight. They were not refunded for their upgrade fee, according to KTLA.
07 September 2012
Down syndrome child not allowed to fly first class
Perhaps there's more to the backstory than what is included in this Huffington Post column, but what is there is not very complimentary toward American Airlines:
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Considering the airline and the parents gave completely conflicting statements about his behavior before boarding, I have to wonder if this isn't a case of them being used to behavior that disrupts others.
ReplyDeleteI also have to wonder if what the airline actually meant was "we don't want to disrupt the other people in the first class cabin, but saying 'pilot' somehow makes our argument more valid".
"saying 'pilot' somehow makes our argument more valid"
DeleteAbsolutely. I wonder if there are restrictions on small children and infants travelling first class. ?
I have a feeling it might have been due ro a concern about noise disrupting the pilots rather than the passenger in question tearing the door down
ReplyDeleteParents CLAIM down syndrome child not allowed to fly first class
ReplyDeleteParents with something to gain make a claim that might be potentially worth a quick settlement to shut up especially when settling can be cheaper.
Posting these sort of 1-sided obviously biased stories is something that I thought this place was not about
American Airlines has publicly admitted that they did not allow the child to fly. Here is their defense:
Deletehttp://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2012/09/american-airlines-responds-to-flap-over-down-syndrome-flier/840426/1
I love how The anonymous guy comes in to your wonderful blog, then insults you, while actually knowing nothing about his own false claims.
DeleteKeep up the good work minnesotastan.
-E (I'll start marking my posts now, I've made a few since i found your blog 2 days ago ;)
+1 to the parents being numb to how upsetting their children can be...
ReplyDeleteWhile I think everyone to should have the right to travel, 'first class' is more than that and it is sold as something more. I realize this is a 'first world problem' but I am LIVID when my flight, that I have paid extra to ensure is as painless and relaxing as possible, still exposes me to a screaming child, the smells of the unwashed masses, or even turbulence that deprives me of taking advantage of the perks f.c. flying is supposed to offer.
If a giddy young adult was bouncing around in their seat while I was trying to recover from the stress of my week... I'm sure I would not be the only one in f.c. demanding compensation.
If you want to participate in society, you have to deal with society. Try to be little less irritated and a little more compassionate, friend.
DeleteAnd that, my gullible friend, is precisely what your "I have more money than you, so I'm better than you" attitude had gotten you. Don't you see how any fool with enough money to waste it on a first-class ticket is merely buying themself the illusion of exclusivity - of belonging to the privileged set? Airlines don't give a damn about your upper-class-wannabe whining - they just want to sell the illusion to as many suckers as possible. Suck it up, Buttercup. Unless you have the coin to charter your own planes, you're just going to have to put up with the unwashed masses - in ANY class.
DeleteUnwashed masses?
DeleteReally.... that's.... I don't even know how to properly reply to that. I'll say this. You're a fool. A fool without class, but with money (so you claim)
How long has it been since the "masses" have been "unwashed"? Or how long has it been since someone who wasn't channeling Marie Antoinette said such a thing.
-E
-E, I'm glad you've "signed on" for comments, but one caution. My policy here is to try to delete comments in which readers insult other readers. It's o.k. (and encouraged) to trash someone's argument or logic or bias, but "ad hominem" personal comments I will delete.
DeleteIn other words, please phrase criticism as "That's a foolish argument" rather than "You're a fool."
That said, welcome.