The trending story of a family thrown off a United Airlines flight from Houston to Portland beckons us to consider how airlines should compassionately and effectively accommodate disabled travelers while balancing concerns of safety and the comfort of other passengers.
The story has permeated throughout all modes of media over the last several days, but for those living under a rock, here is a brief summary:
- Beegle family of four flying from Orlando to Portland, Oregon via Houston in economy class on United
- Daughter, Juliette, 15 years old, suffers from autism and has trouble flying
- Juliette refused to eat during Houston layover and became hungry onboard IAH-PDX flight
- Donna, mother, purchased a hot chicken sandwich from the buy-on-board menu but Juliette refused to eat that, claiming it was lukewarm
- Donna asked FA if she could purchase food from first class, explaining that her daughter needed a hot meal but FA refuses
- Juliette becomes disruptive, loudly crying and screaming from her seat
- Donna implores the FA to bring her a first class meal, saying she has Plat status with United
- Juliette continues to be disruptive
- Donna finally warns FA that if Juliette does not get food she will have a “meltdown” and may “scratch” someone
- FA, either providing a crew meal or an uneaten first class meal, brings a hot meal back to Juliette and she clams down
- Minutes later, captain announces a diversion to Salt Lake City “due to a passenger in the back having issues.”
- Beegle family unaware at this point captain is referring to them
- In SLC, police escort Beegle family off plane; they are rebooked on Delta to PDX at United’s expense
Here is a YouTube video of the incident:
Although my gut reaction was to side with United immediately, let’s tease out the controversy a bit more. I try to be an empathetic person and do want to give the Beegles as much benefit of the doubt as possible. You can read Donna’s account here.
I take Beegle at her word when she said she tried to feed Juliette in Houston and I cannot blame a mother for trying to protect her daughter from meltdown. Thus, though asking for a first class meal seems tawdry, I will not hold that against her. Still a bit strange that she did not first ask to reheat the purchased chicken sandwich.
Her words describing the captain struck a chord with me—
The officer told us “The captain is not comfortable flying to Portland with your daughter on the plane. You have to leave the plane.” The captain had never seen Juliette nor had he come out of the front cabin.
When I was thrown off a United flight over a misunderstanding over onboard photography, my ejection was also described almost verbatim, as an issue of the Captain’s comfort—
A few minutes later a Global Services rep came onboard and asked to have a word with me, motioning for me to follow him. As I walked up front, I noticed the FA who had reprimanded me earlier ducked into the front galley and out of sight.
He was direct—”The captain is not comfortable with you on this flight. You’ll need to gather your things and we’ll find another way to get you to Istanbul.” I was flabbergasted.
That makes me immediately sympathetic to Beegles, for I still hold the captain of my ill-fated IST flight in contempt for delegating in-flight safety to a lying FA. Here too, it appears the Captain never actually spoke to the family or met Juliette.
But that is where the similarities end in our two stories. Beegle crossed a line when she threatened the safety of the flight and those passengers around her if she did not get her way.
True, the hot food did seem to diffuse the situation, as all reports indicate Juliette was sitting quietly watching the movie as the plane descended into SLC and even as police entered the aircraft to escort her off, but imagine the following—say the FAs had ignored the threat and gone back to galley to gab. Suddenly, Juliette attacks another passenger, scratching him and drawing blood.
Suddenly, instead of a theoretical lawsuit from the Beegles that may well be dismissed, United is looking at a serious lawsuit from a passenger claiming United ignored a direct threat from a passenger. FAs are condemned for being derelict in their duty and United receives and even harsher press criticism than it is experiencing in the aftermath of this incident.
This was a situation in which there was no ideal solution – just two bad alternatives and I support the United flight crew in this case for ultimately deciding that Juliette was a ticking time bomb and that a diversion better protected all those in the zone of danger from peril.
Had it been me, I think I would have offered two options – duct tape Juliette to her seat or divert. Good one Matthew! Can you imagine the press – “United Airlines Duct Tapes Autistic Teenage Girl to Her Seat”?
Bottom line, this was a no-win situation and the flight crew made the right call. Threats of this nature are simply unacceptable.
The Beegle family is suing and Donna claims that the object is not a handsome out-of-court settlement but for United flight crews to be properly trained on how to handle autistic passengers. These children are precious and for the most part we cannot blame them for acting the way they do. That is indeed what makes this situation so difficult.
We need to hear from experts as to whether food does avert meltdowns or just delays them – or perhaps there is no correlation at all. In any case, UA flight crews should be trained on how to handle special-needs passengers with dignity and compassion (I think a lot of them already do a great job of that) but that is a separate matter from how UA crews should respond to threats.
As easy as it is to condemn United here, I think the oft-maligned carrier made the right call in this difficult situation.
It is hard to tell how much bad behavior is today excused on the grounds that it is caused by an illness but this story is emblematic. People don’t judge us by our intentions but by our actions and they don’t judge parents by their child’s diagnosis but by their children’s behavior. If your kid is sick, well you know what? Stay home or drive. Sorry but an airline cabin is not supposed to look sound or feel like a hospital emergency room.
To you, the hateful author, and all other haters in the comments I will say this – I wish you to become a parent to an Autistic child. This will either beat that hateful small minded crap out of you or land you in jail for abuse of said child. From what most of you are saying you know absolutely nothing about Autism, which is pathetic, considering how common the condition is. Author’s account of the events is also wrong. Airline’s actions were simply inexcusable and as to you – you will be treated as you treat, sir.
So why not enlighten us? What do you think happened?
I really think everyone is missing the big picture here. We are talking about a likely $10 meal here which the passenger said she would pay for. I’m sure this was not some big grand scheme to get a first class meal in coach. The problem these days is compassion and no one has it anymore. If something as simple as a hot meal would have helped then that was a tiny task to be done. Shame on united if they do not have a few extra meals on hand in case they are needed . What if a TA drops one in first class I’m sure they have spares. Sorry United dropped the ball on this one for sure.
Are you purposely being obtuse Matthew or are you trolling? I don’t understand how you can be this kind of person. There is no explaining living with an autistic child or family member. There is no particular autism . Every one of them are different, with different sensory issues.
Mrs. Beegle threatened the safety of others. You cannot allow a passenger like that to remain onboard – it is to much of a legal liability.
Say the one making up assumptions suggesting to duct tap a Minor which is abuse yeah you have no place to speak. Personally that comment alone you should be fired
Lol.
“Well, if your kid sick, then stay at home or drive”….. Did no one ever hug you when you were little? Were you never loved? because I feel like you’re one of those….. I think it’s called being a psychopath. I wish you the empathy and love you show others, which is none.
All airlines accept special instructions prior to flights. What I want to know is whether this family alerted United regarding the requirement of a hot meal in preparation. Seems like a trigger for this child so all resources should have been leveraged.
Have you ever interacted with children on the spectrum? Beegle wasn’t making threats to anyone’s safety, she was merely warning the FA’s what may happen if her daughter wasn’t accommodated. Autistic children can’t help their reactions and neither can their parents. I can totally understand why the captain decided to divert the flight, but the Beegles have nothing to apologize for.
I believe the flight attendant she have better training with people with disabilities. It is not surprising to me that these aging flight attendants have no clue how to be supporting with people with disabilities. They went to school when people with disabilities were in separate classrooms and they never had to work with them.
I know they have a difficult job with anxious and rude people, however, they are very inflexible and sometimes just very cold to unusual circumstances. They would do well with some training nurses and teachers have in order to meet the special needs of the disabled.
Food isn’t an instant pacifier for autistic people. Every autistic person has different needs, just like neurotypical people. In this case, the girl had a thing about food temperature, and she already had enough to deal with being on a flight. I wasn’t there so I can’t say whether she truly created a risk. The whole situation could probably have been avoided if the family had spoken to the airline ahead of time. If they did, and this still happened, they have every right to feel aggrieved. As it stands, there isn’t enough information in the public domain to know the rights & wrongs of it. I know I’ve been on long haul flights with people drinking and yahooing and nobody was taken off.
Why I’m sure they did you all making assumptions
I’m of two minds on this one. My cousin’s son is autistic, at the severe end of the spectrum, and will on occasion throw tantrums and become uncontrollable for seemingly no reason. I strongly hesitate to give flight crews carte blanche to throw off passengers with special needs under the guise that they are “threatening”, especially where the passenger suffers from a condition where they and/or their caretaker have little control over the behavior. The question I have is, did the family notify United in advance that they were traveling with a child with special needs? Did they request special accommodations in advance, such as access to a hot meal? From my experience, the airlines are usually reasonable with such requests as long as they are notified properly in advance.
Also, without actually being there, I have to wonder if the family actually voiced a “threat” to surrounding passengers. It’s possible they were being obnoxious. It’s also possible they were simply informing the crew of the behavior that was possible if their daughter didn’t receive a meal quickly.
I understand that special needs people might need to travel, however, whose responsibility is it to control their behavior on a plane? Flight Attendants have enough to do these days when planes are normally full. As to the need for further training on autistic people…that is ludicrous at best. How many special needs types do they need to be trained in over and above all of the necessary safety training? As to why the Captain didn’t talk to the family….did it occur to anyone that he is supposed to be on the flight deck? Any threat in a crowded airliner must be taken seriously and handled in an appropriate manner. I feel United made the right decision.
Looking at your picture, I feel your probably in your 80’s, so I hope the nursing home is treating you has well has you deserve.
Excuses you what type of male are you . Clearly Many of you need training about special needs and education. Not every behavior is able to change. It takes year or possible the one in question doesn’t understand
No sympathy for the family. Knowing this child is prone to tantrums and the like, they should have sedated her before the flight not left her in a state likely to impact upon other passengers. Or provided for some form of restraint in the case of such tantrums. UA crew did what they should have to provide safety to the other 100+ passengers. BTW who’s the guy in the undershirt who’s the first to leave the plane?
I’m late to the game, but you sir are an absolute disgraceful piece of trash. Sedate a child for a medical condition that she has no control over nor asked for….how about whenever you fly…you get forcefully sedated because hey, I think your a threat…or better yet…how about we just gather all the people with illnesses like these and euthanize them.
Dear sir, I did not know that Hitler followers were still alive. There, at the Am Spiegelgrund clinic Autistic people were considered a “life unworthy of life” and euthanized against our will. If you are really into Nazis, you should go to Russia and join Putin. At some point, even he is going to grow tired of your incessant stupidity and euthanize you. That will be more than you deserve, sir, but oh well…
I’m hoping your just trolling because if not then you r a horrible human being and I have no help for you or empathy or respect. I guess either way troll or not, I feel that way.
Matthew: Did you ever receive an apology and/or compensation from United?
@PSSTEVE: No apology from United.
Seriously I have zero sympathy for this family. First IMHO and all due respect to people living with kids “diagnosed” with Autism, it’s bunk. Had I grown up in the 80’s chances are I would have been diagnosed with ADHD. Instead I just got my rear end smacked here and there to keep me in line. These people are not entitled to make everyone else’s flight miserable or awkward. Period. Flying is not a constitutional right. The new generation of everyone wins and everyone gets a ribbon are now the ones having kids and it’s going to get worse. Mark my words. I salute the Captain for making the decision to divert and boot them. Maybe they should try NetJets or Greyhound next time.
You’re an absolute moron. Autism is not ADHD. Do research before making yourself look a fool.
Wow, you really are a horrible human being.
The parents should try to get the child in the wings for autism program. Which helps autistic people to deal with the sights and sounds of flying.
Probably the most reasonable and balanced take I’ve read on the situation. You are correct in that the crew had to choose between a suite of bad options. I bet nobody here who’s commenting, including myself, has ever been in a similar position.
I have a disabled son. One of the realities of raising a child with a disability is it does put limits on what you can and can’t do. I’m really sorry but if your child can’t fly without a good chance of a violent meltdown, then your child can’t fly, and you have to live with that.
As far as the family apologizing, because the US is such a litigious society, nobody in these situations ever apologizes, as it can be construed as an admission of guilt. Hence you never got an apology from United, Matthew, and you never will.
“Juliette refused to eat during Houston layover”
So the parents just boarded the plane anyway knowing their daughter’s hunger would likely be an issue. I guess lets just make it somebody else’s problem.
Clearly you do didn’t listen but ok
I was diagnosed with high functioning autism. I also fly dozens of times a year both alone and with family. I’ve never caused a plane to have to be landed prematurely. Nor have I even been so much as lightly reprimanded by the cabin crew.
I’m really sick of people using autism as an excuse for behaving poorly, as it makes all of us look insane, and leads to further discrimination.
There are degrees of severity in this disorder….low functioning individuals can’t tolerate the stimulus overload. You should know this.
I have a feeling your not autistic, because you would know better than this. You would know the different levels and different sensory issues so that leads me to believe you’re full of shit.
If you knew a thing about any type of disabilities you know everyone has different things that they can’t control
I guess common sense just left the building (or the plane). Children running around screaming: nobody cares. Children kicking seats and bothering other passengers: nobody cares. Passengers getting drunk and aggressive: no problem, we’ll just keep flying.
One passenger with a problem that was easily solved and could have been prevented if the cabin crew had been willing to exercise the slightest flexibility: Emergency landing.
Thank u
Some of the comments above are horrible. You should all be ashamed of yourself. The author of this article included. She had sensory overload it happens you can only do so much. You can’t stop or predict every episode, it happens. I sense a lack of understanding in some of your comments but then again, they’re all self-centered and apparently lack general empathy for out fellow humans . But we can let a baby scream on the flight the whole way and have to endure it and say oh it’s a baby so it’s OK. I pray none of you have to deal with a child with a disability. Yes, I have a daughter with autism, not as severe as this young lady. I’m sick of the insensitive questions and having to explain everything to people, so they can feel more comfortable.
Matthew, You are wrong.
Mrs. Beagle never threatened the safety of other. She said that when her daughter has a melt down, she acts out by scratching others. A simple “ADA REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION” of a left over hot meal from First Class would suffice.
It is amazing how the details of this event have changed from the truth to biased interpretations of the truth.
My wife and I are both disabled travelers. We have been treated horribly by flight crews when they could easily accommodate our needs. Instead, they pull control freak moves that make matters worse. We both qualify to BUMP VIPs from VIP seats in the same class of seats. Rarely do we get accommodated. It is not safe for an amputee to get stuck in a cramped seat where they prosthetic leg can get snagged in the seat in front.
We stopped flying because of this. We bought a motorhome so we can make the 9-13 hour trips we do regularly to see family so we don’t have to put up with the CRAP dished out by the airlines. Alaska, Southwest, American, Untied, …. they all treat us like crap.
How is even remotely ok to suggest duct taping anyone. Secondly how you know about a threat what threat? You are disgusting matt