Is it fair game to expect you to surrender your preferred first class seat so that a teenage unaccompanied minor “can remain in the sight” of a flight attendant? One Global Services member seated in first class was not happy with his treatment on a recent United Airlines flight.
Man Moved From First Class Seat To Accommodate Unaccompanied Minor On United Airlines Flight
A Live And Let’s Fly reader who is a member of United’s invite-only Global Services tier for big spenders shared his story with us.
- He was traveling on an Embraer E-175 on a United Express flight operated by Mesa
- He had selected seat 1A
- Upon boarding, he found his seat was occupied by a teenage girl who looked about 14 years old
- When he told her that she was in his seat, the flight attendant interjected that she had been moved into that seat because she was an unaccompanied minor
- He was directed to seat 2C (the configuration in first class is 1-2 so he went from having a private seat with extra legroom to a seat with someone next to him and less space)
- There was no apology or any sort of gratitude; he was just ordered to move even though he had specifically chosen that seat
- He was also told that if the cabin had been full, he would have been downgraded so that the unaccompanied minor could fly first class in seat 1A, because the flight attendant had to keep her in her “line of sight”
- The E-175 has two flight attendants onboard…
- A gate agent came onboard for an unrelated matter and when he expressed his surprise at being moved without even asking, she turned it on him and accused him of “attacking a little girl”
Let’s talk about “the rules” but also what should happen in situations like this. According to United’s contract of carriage, specific seat assignments are not guaranteed and he was accommodated in first class. No harm, no foul?
Not so fast. I see a number of failures here that I think justify his annoyance. First, why should an unaccompanied minor force another passenger to move seats? Does a 14-year-old–or any child for that matter–really need a “solo” seat if their parents or guardians deem them fit enough to travel alone? Is a 14-year-old really a “little girl?”
Side note: the canard about free upgrades to first class for unaccompanied minors is false.
And how rude it is just to take the seat and not even tell him as he boarded? Here’s how United should have handed it if it really did have to move him:
Sir, I’m so sorry but we need your seat for a child traveling unaccompanied. I’m moving you back one row, still in first class, and do apologize. We thank you for your Global Services status and for choosing United. We appreciate your flexibility and I’ll take great care of you onboard.
For the record, though, I don’t think he should have been moved in the first place…
CONCLUSION
Like so many things in life, it’s often not about the ask, but how you are asked. Sure, he was moved to an inferior seat, but it’s really not about the specific seat within first class. Rather, it’s about moving him without telling him and then getting upset at him when he acted surprised. That’s not “Good leads the way.”
Personally, I think this is unacceptable from the FA. Especially getting upset at him when he had complied without much protest from what’s indicated here.
@Malik … Better to be safe than sorry . Solo seat is appropriate considering the low quality of potential people about , including the male FA with the camera in the lav .
The GS ought to have meekly accepted it was for the safety of the child , and cheerfully moved his seat .
( Hopefully , the GS did not express “entitlement” , nor have a hissy fit , nor run crying to his congressman because the sergeant was mean to him .)
It’s the parent(s) responsibility to purchase a 1st class ticket (or seat where FA can have a visual at all times) for their childs safety! The FA handled it incorrectly. The person who paid for 1A needs an apology as well as compensation. This will start a trend of purchasing an economy ticket for a minor traveling solo knowing that they will be upgraded. Communication is key and how you communicate is more important!
No apology and no compensation .
The GS needs to grow up , so he will advance in his crybaby kindergarten .
Absolutely he does First Class on an Embryer (SP) is hardly 1st class…
Absolutely, parents should have to pay for a first class ticket or travel with your kid! That man who was forced to give up his seat should be compensated.
I agree 100%. If the parents wanted the 14 year old to be watched in first class they should have purchased that ticket for her. Also, 14 is not really a “child.” The argument would hold more water if she was 8. A normal 14 year old is perfectly capable of sitting alone on a plane.
It’s not clear if she was upgraded for free or her parents purchased a first class ticket. But what the gate agent said is 100% wrong.
I’m sure that the majority of FAs on US carriers are nice people, but there are a few folks who aren’t the happiest of campers. In my opinion, it wouldn’t hurt for US carriers to take a page out of certain foreign carriers when training FAs which include how to deal with passengers in circumstances that have some tension.
This reminds me of an incident when I was flying AF to SEA in J where they wanted a man to switch seats with a 13 year old so the teenager could be closer to the front. The man was a bit upset and I stepped in because I just thought it was for the best and actually got preferential treatment by the FAs such as being constantly checked on if I needed something, two desserts, etc. Long story short, FAs are generally great when people are willing to make the change and throw them a bone, but it’s just really weird that this FA here was acting that way and regardless of the circumstance and shouldn’t have treated this person in such manner (assuming that this is the full story)
Something is off here. When I was much younger I flew unaccompanied minor all the time to Europe. I had a normal economy seat, not in direct line of sight of anyone.
Exactly this! I flew UA as an unaccompanied minor when I was younger (30 years ago). I never had a first class seat either. What UA did doesn’t seem to be the norm.
You are correct, something is very off in this story. I literally flew in from San Juan to Houston yesterday and we had an unaccompanied minor of about 12-13 in coach in the rear. She disembarked first at the request of the flight crew to allow her to make a tight connection which everyone (on a packed 737-8) agreed to. The story above sounds like a one-off by a poorly trained FA probably at some outstation or on a puddle-jumper.
I’m sure it is a one-off…the question is just on what [crazy] basis the decision was made to put her in 1A.
Sheer LAZINESS on the part of the flight attendant(s), that’s what — not to mention absolutely unacceptable rudeness. Other posters are correct in mentioning that unaccompanied minors DO fly in regular economy seats every day (parents who could afford first class could afford fly with them). I just want to know if he was (instantly) reimbursed for his seat– which should have been HIS choice to give up in the first place.
You literally flew? Do you have video?
We are more aware now about predators on public transport. When I was 14, it happened to me, and I was too afraid to say a word to anyone. I am now 80, and the memory still makes me queasy. Better to simply prevent it. Oh, and it possibly keeps the kids from smoking in the bathroom, too.
@Linda … +1 . You are correct .
Well the United express flights have FAs that are not main UA FAs right? They can be an iffy bunch. But that really doesn’t excuse the gate agent.
I’d suck it up onboard & request miles or a flight credit for the service lapse afterwards & call it a day. If I get $100 future flight credit for my trouble I wouldn’t care less about being moved
The airlines charge a $100 for the UM to be monitored (not watched) during the flight and escorted on and off the plane to their parents or other relative that was approved of through prior notification. The child could have been monitored from almost any seat except an emergency exit.
Actually, with American, United, and Delta, it’s a $150 fee – each way – so $300 total on top of the ticket price. And some of them allow 2-4 children (depending on the airline) to travel together on a single UM fee. The exception is Southwest, which charges a $50 each way on top of the ticket price, and I think that is per child. A SW gate agent takes them onto the plane, makes the flight attendants aware, and then they’re seated in the front row before any other passengers board. SW also allows them to travel without the UM fee starting at age 12, and then will allow a parent or guardian to get a gate pass to accompany the minor to / meet them at the gate.
And 1B would actually be easier for the FA to see the UA from. On that plane, you can be a bit hidden from the jump seat. We all know there is so very much turbulence that there may not be any service these days…
@ Matthew — Typical UA (or AA) treatment.
First of all, this clearly occurred on a regional jet and not a mainline United Airlines flight. UA does not own these planes and does not employ the gate agents or flight attendants. UA contracts with 5 different companies to provide planes and crew to fly under the title of United Express. Stop blaming UA and figure out which regional airline was responsible.
I will not. I’m so tired of people arguing that a United flight number eight United livery sold by United is not a United flight just because it is operated by a contractor.
100% correct. United is responsible for everything that happens on that flight.
Sorry Rita. As long as it is marketed as United when selling, they take the hit for negative experiences. And they do. Only employees uncomfortable with the situation lay this blame back on the regional. If it is about fairness, many regional employees took fleck for Dr. Dao.
OK…So, next time I fly with my kid, I can just declare her an unaccompanied minor and she gets a free upgrade to first class. Nice !
That’s what I was thinking too!
We’ve all read accounts of children being molested on planes, there’s no fault in UAX wanting to isolate the girl. The way it was handled, assuming we know the full story, is the problem. Any of the “A” seats would have been fine, to move a Global Services pax is almost unthinkable especially without consent.
However in the grand scheme of things this really is small potatoes
I’ve been a f/a for UA for 38 yrs.. I have never ever heard of an UM being moved to the forward cabin to specifically be “in the sight” of the f/a… and I can’t imagine the rules for UM’s differ from mainline UA to UAX in order for this to happen.
Yes, but you do have the authority to control what you want to do in the cabin, right?
I may have control in different situations; but to bring a UM that has purchased an economy ticket, and upgrade them for free to a first class seat, just to “keep an eye” on them?? That’s something I’ll never do or risk… these days, with social media available, it’s very easily for the company to track you down and then have an investigation as to why this happened. In the meantime, while under investigation, you’re not allowed to fly until the investigation is complete. No matter how long it takes…And for what?? to keep an “eye on a kid” without a justifiable reason? Not.
You may want to check to see if there have been any changes to the “United Airlines”-rules for seating-unaccompanied-minors. This changes can often be hidden, due to company-bureaucracy, from the employees who have to implement them. It happened to me in at least one job I have held.
I’ve been a f/a for UA for 38 yrs.. I have never ever heard of an UM being moved to the forward cabin to specifically be “in the sight” of the f/a… and I can’t imagine the rules for UM’s differ from mainline UA to UAX in order for this to happen.
This is making a mountain out of a molehill. The first class passenger was just seated in another first class seat. So what is the big deal? Additionally, it was a short flight on an express flight. What? Maybe an hour? OMG, how can anyone possibly go thru such an ordeal? Ha. Let’s focus on some real issues. This is a nothing burger.
You miss the forest for the trees, Dale. This is about customer service, airline rules, and politeness. Whether the flight was 1h or 10h makes no difference.
Matthew makes the case that:
(a) There’s no rule that requires a UM being upgraded or kept in the line of sight of an FA at all times.
(b) Even if that rule were to exist, it’s not an excuse to be discourteous.
The FA basically told the pax: I make the rules, just shut up and don’t complain, or else. The FA even shamed the pax when he dared raise the topic with the gate agent who boarded the plane.
The fact that the pax spends enough on UA to be GS makes all this even more egregious.
It’s always small potatoes when it happens to someone else
Exactly. Thank you. Fair is fair. If his money paid for the seat, it’s HIS seat. If UA ‘s “line of sight” is so important to them, they’ll figure out –like everyone else does– how to reserve the appropriate seats before selling them to other people. Common sense.
Have a funny feeling this UM may have been a relative of another UA employee and received special treatment (not normal policy) treatment. How they treated the traveler was needlessly inconsiderate!
My godson flew as an unaccompanied minor to/from his mom’s in Kansas from the age of 10 for summer break. He made, I think, seven trips total (5 summers, plus a couple holidays) as an unaccompanied minor, with the additional fees for the service, until he aged out of it at 15 and could fly without the UM fees. I bought his ticket for whichever airline had the best price at the time, so he’s flown Southwest, Delta, American, and United. And on every flight, he’s always been assigned an economy first-row (bulkhead) seat. I’ve never heard of any UM flying in first class, unless that is the level of service that was purchased (+ the UM service fee). All the flight attendants are aware of any UMs on their flight, and they’re ALL told to keep an eye on them – no single flight attendant is assigned the solo task of watching any UM.
Perhaps this particular FA had a (kin) relationship to this child and got her preferential treatment? Who knows? Most flight attendants are exceptionally nice, but there are a few loons out there.
Got to agree with everything based on my own experience of flying as an UM.
Especially with some FAs being a bit paranoid. Once was flying with my cousin who looks nothing like me and is about 15 years older. But, one FA thought that they were trafficking me and called the authorities right when we landed at IAD. Took about six hours to clear that up.
That is commuter, not mainline United, not United. Why do you always bait?
For all intents and purposes it IS United. Get your head out of the sand.
This seems odd to me. But I would like to think that I was a sort of person who would be okay with giving up my seat for a child, whether or not I was properly thanked. I don’t care if she is 14, she’s still a child.
I was in economy years ago and sitting next to an unaccompanied minor. He was probably about 10 . I started talking to him and found out through a series of calamities that he hadn’t had anything to eat all day and it was pretty late in the day. I called the stewardess and told her. She found him some food and moved him to first class and came back to offer me a free drink
@Marilyn … +1 . You are correct .
Let’s all give Marilyn a pat on the back…oops…she already did it!
I really appreciate hearing from former FAs. It just confirms the thing everyone is saying, although differently.
The FA was a lazy piece of shit and didn”t want to walk over to check on the UAM. Instead it was easier to inconvenience the gentleman hwo had booked that seat.
United sucks. Whether it’s this experience, or the killing of pets in their baggage hold, or deplaning POCs, or whatever, it’s clear that ALL their FAs and GAs should be fired, and nonunion people who WANT a job and are willing to DO THE JOB should be hired.
I cancelled my SWA affinity card in 2021 and haven’t flown them since. I cancelled my UAL affinity card in 2022 and haven’t flown them since. Just waiting for DL to screw up so I can stop flying commercial entirely.
Go JSX go AERO go Falcon.
Ehud, do you hate everybody and everything in your life or are you just having a miserable day?
Let’s not forget that “United Breaks Guitars” (see there song by Dave Carrol) … look it up total PR dusaster6.
She is a youth traveler at 14, not unaccompanied minor. The flight attendant was wrong to move her to first class. The parents aren’t paying the airlines for that service.
A story about absolutely nothing of importance!
Aren’t most stories on travel blogs? It doesn’t have to be important to be interesting
You were interested enough to read and comment
I’ve flown my daughter, 10 and 11 at the time, as an unaccompanied minor. It is expensive but I very much appreciate the program. They are generally sat in the very last row of the plane near the galley so the FAs can keep a close eye on them. I presume most airline systems hold those seats for that purpose (and rest seats for FAs if the plane isn’t full I presume) but may release them at some point. I think some airlines max out the number of UMs based on this seating maybe at 6 for a 3×3 plane. That said, I’ve never thought about how the UM program works if purchasing a first class ticket for the minor. If that was the case, this seems to be the most appropriate seating. If the minor was a coach passenger, then I guess it would be based on if the plane had a rear galley. If not, the UM should be in the front row. As such, maybe the airline should have blocked that seat until near flight time in case of a UM? Anyway as a parent and one that also flies solo in various cabins, I would certainly agree that the airline did the right thing seating the UM as they did but should still do something to compensate the adult for slightly downgrading their seat. Of course the FAs and gate agents should be polite about it but of course we are only hearing one side of that story.
Tell me if I am wrong but they can do what they want with you.
If parents allow minor to fly on their own, no need for airline to take extra care of the minor, it should be treated like a regular pax, or parents and airlines do allow minors on their own. Simple as that.
I have to conclude that you have never been a parent to a child. As the producer/director Ron Howard has said: “You never stop being a parent”.
Just a bunch if dudes (with the exception of Marilyn. Thank you!) mansplaning to their own vacuum what children should be capable of doing, how FAs should be doing their jobs, and feeling sympathy for a first class passenger who was asked to move seats to another first class seat so that FA could keep an eye on an unaccompanied minor.
If a customer paid to be in a certain class and seat, then the airline is obligated to have the paying customer in that seat that the customer bought by the contract of carriage unless the customer breaks this (i.e missing the flight on their own volition, canceling, being a nuisance, etc). If the airline breaks the contract of carriage, which means that they failed to uphold their side of this stipulation, then they are obligated to compensate and that is the point being addressed by many folks here. No mansplaining or mental gymnastics involved- just people talking about the rules and how the rules were clearly not followed.
@Malik … I disagree , based on my antipathy to legalistic jargon .
When the issue is about safety of a minor , practical common sense is the answer . Not contract jargon .
In this case , the FA was correct .
Can we title the thread, “Entitled GS reseated in same cabin, and pouts”
A GS would know, of all travelers, that seat assignments aren’t guaranteed.
Do you also blame rape victims for “asking for it” by dressing provocatively?
@Matthew … Women who are forced-upon are generally innocent , regardless of how they dress .
Many humans are uncouth and prey on the weak or defenseless .
If the passenger could not politely accept his new seat assignment , the pilot ought to have asked him to leave the aircraft . Then he can complain all he wishes to the police in the terminal . Problem solved .
This is the Entire Reason for seating the underage minor in the FC seat .
The decision was made , and the GS was only slightly inconvenienced .
Pathetic try.
You must be behind on clicks or credit card apps this week to try and make that analogy.
Whoa! I think that analogy is hyperbolic! That said, I’ll introduce some of my own:
I like the term “entitled” though. In the case of someone traveling in 1st class, that is the definition of “entitled” and not in a bad way. If you buy or have earned more luxurious accommodations, are you not entitled to them? On the other hand, why is an UM “entitled” to literally the best seat on the plane and even an upgrade? The issue wasn’t being monitored (since 1st class has everyone under a greater level of service) but providing maximum privacy ostensibly because the UM was female and the FA was female.
Imagine if this special treatment was accorded because of, say, race (particularly if they were white and the victim passenger was non-white.)
Boys can get groped just as much as girls can (check out all the news stories about female teachers molesting their students.)
Conclusion: I have learned (the easy, not hard way) that the best way to handle these things is to accept that someone who CAN abuse their authority and DOES won’t handle confrontation very well but also, gently questioning is help to establish that there was ill intent (which he did). He certainly has notified United about it and will see what happens particularly since this story will now set the precedent of me paying $100 to upgrade my 8 year old daughter to fly in first class!
That’s the problem with “regional carriers.” While they technically represent United, they often forget how the real United would treat a Global Services customer or any other first class customer.
Unfortunately the regional carriers want to carry the United livery their employees are often not up to standards.
The GS customer should contact the REAL United.
It’s a MESA crew, so no surprises on how the FA treated the customer.
I just wonder of how many who are dissing this man would feel if this had of happened to them? We all know the answer… By the way, the flight attendant and the gate agent mishandled this event. This man deserved both an apology and compensation.
Oh poor you David. What kind of fit do you throw because you didn’t get the just perfect first class seat on an express flight? Are you also the guy that complains that the dry cleaner didn’t iron your underpants just right or your Chardonnay isn’t chilled to the right temperature?
Do I detect a little jealousy? I would be upset as well. He chose that seat for a reason. If UA wants these kids in first class to watch them, then make their parents pay for and reserve a first class seat. It should be a company-wide policy so as to avoid these issues. This was definitely handled poorly by the airline.
@Aj Morgan
Such attacks
I guess ad hominem attacks are now in vogue?
You’d make a stronger case without them.
Bottom line is, none of us know the situation. Maybe the UM was related to an airline employee. Maybe the UM was on an unaccompanied trip but had been victimized before and thus needed some sort of preferential treatment. Maybe the UM had an unknown medical condition or disability. Or maybe the UM was being given preferential treatment because the FA didn’t know the rules and did the wrong thing. But…we don’t know!
What we do know, however, is that a GS member was so upset that they not only complained to the FA, but then complained to the gate agent, and then took it a step further to publicly complain here. I get it, you’re a GS member and you’re upset that you didn’t get the seat you selected. Complain to United. That is what they are there for. I will say, as a year’s long 1K member with United, they have always been good to me about handling customer service issues in a way that I felt heard and appreciated.
But, let’s reign in your entitlement a bit when it comes to publicly shaming United and everyone involved because you were switched from one first class seat to the next. I’m sorry you didn’t get to have everything your way, but life isn’t fair and there are so many bigger problems in the world for the rest of us to care about. I would care if I was moved from 1A to 2B and I certainly don’t care that someone else was.
And by the way Matthew, did you really intend to equate someone losing out on a first class seat to a rape victim? Seriously? I think you owe all of your readers an apology for that comment.
I’m not making that link at all. But victim blamers are not appreciated in any context and tend to ALWAYS blame victims, hence my earlier comment.
Yes you did, that’s EXACTLY HIW IT READS May you or a female family member never know rape. Shame on you
I agree that the passenger has a ‘right’ to be upset because his seat was taken from him. The fact is he should have asked, in a kind way, how the airline had the legal-right-to-do-that. He then should have requested compensation from UA for the cost of the flight, and any ‘points’ he used to book it. The fact is that the best way to live nowadays, is to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, if you were in their respective situations”. If the passenger had a daughter, then he may have reacted differently. He does deserve compensation for the seating change, and the stress it caused him.
Spot on!
And yes he did make that analogy, he’s apathetic and one day may that come to bite him.
This just demonstrates the lack of humanity that it takes to become a GS. For whatever reason, the FA made a judgment call and moved the minor and moved the GS. What if it was your (the GS)’s) daughter? Deal with it.
That’s why I don’t fly UA. They don’t train FA properly. I remember a few years ago, UA overbooked the flight, and they forced a Chicago doctor to later flight. When that doctor refused due to patient’s appointment next morning, they beat him up and dragged him out. Eventually, that case was settled with undisclosed amount of money without admitting wrong doing legally.
In this case, this 14 years old girl can sit in the back because there will be another FA in the back who can watch her. My theory is this girl must know someone or related to someone.
Come on, is anyone at all surprised that this happened?
They did correct thing for her safety . Girls that age have been SA’d on flights. Better that he sit alone. They gave him a seat of equal value so he is owed nothing.
Since there was an open seat in Row 2, couldn’t the unaccompanied minor be given that seat? The flight attendants could keep an eye on her in that row just as easily as if she was in the first row. Everyone’s happy, and nobody gets inconvenienced.
Not to impugn the character of this GS In the rest of the world you will not see an unaccompanied minor girl seated in a window seat next to a man. in most western countries it is illegal to do so. I do not know UA’s policies on this particular subject.
This doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been done in a more polite way.
Illegal?
What is it with UA and shoving people out of First Class?
Do you know how to read?
In the 70’s me my sister rode on several airlines going back and forth to see our dad. We never sat in first class unless paid for and we never sat in the front so the stewardess could watch us. At 14 I needed no help from the attendant, I found our boarding area and I didn’t need anyone to watch us. When I was younger they helped us change planes but no one needed to watch us on the plane.
There is no line of sight difference between 1A and 2C for the FA. It’s a made up story. If anything 1A is more removed from “line of sight” since it’s a window seat and 2C is an aisle seat. Plus,, how much time did the FA spend behind a curtain during the flight ignoring the line of sight. It’s not a huge plane. Where’s the kid going to go anyway?
On one hand, this bothers me. On the other hand, I see the logic of the FA. You know there’s an empty F seat, but it’s on the 2-seat side. Move 1A to 2C, and you get no stranger next to the UM, which would not have been possible if Y was full. But, yes, the FA should have used your script.
Airline staff in America have gone mad. They domas they please and there is zero accountability. This just doesn’t happen in the (normal) rest of the world.
To both passenger and author: If that’s all it takes to get you upset you’re in dire need of a life.
Why not purchase the 1st class for the UM in the 1st place? Obviously they’re was one available or the GS member wouldn’t have be moved to it. Simply pay the extra $$’s for 1st class ticket in the 1st place, plus the additional fee for monitoring said UM instead of expecting special treatment at the cost of a long standing GS member. I feel this wasn’t a last minute trip for the UM. But scheduled ahead of time. This is the responsibility of the parent. Sure it’s extra $$, but isn’t your child worth the extra $$ for a safe, enjoyable trip? Do your job as a parent, and not expect sacrifices from others. THEN, if, for some reason a change is necessary in the 1st class section, people may be a lot more acommodating vsreassigning them from coach seats.
Problem solved.
Maybe there was another reason to move the kid up, like a health concern that the FA was notified of, hence the keeping on eye on them Maybe the FA spoke with the agent working the flight and had their buy-in on the move.
We have 1 side of the story, how about post the rest….Dr. Dau….
I think placing the child in 1A was the perfect choice since she would not be able to continuously kick the seat in front of her.
Lighten up, people. Half the readers in this comment section are now having a bad day because somebody they don’t even know was reassigned a first class seat on a short regional trip. Get a grip.
Kicking? She was 14!
It’s called satire.
United CEO Scott Kirby was interviewed on a podcast about a month ago. He talked about how Spirit and Frontier treat their passengers like garbage. Scott should take a look at United’s customer service.
Todd?
Hey that’s my brother’s name! Is that you brother? Well, I do remember mom dropping you on your head a lot as a baby. Maybe that explains things.
Sorry Emily, meant for Todd
I 100% think that United should have handled it better. But to ask if a 14 year old unaccompanied minor needs to be sat alone and have the flight attendant watch them. The answer is unequivocally yes. When you fly as an unaccompanied minor you pay the airline to have the flight attendants watch your child. Her parents didn’t just send her alone they paid a lot of money so that he would be kept safe. Not that long ago a 13 year old child who was separated from her parents on a red eye got assaulted. So yes United should have dealt with it better but also the child needed to be kept safe and it’s the flight attendant’s job to do so that’s why the tickets cost so much money.
Does anyone know if the young lady had a first class ticket and it was just a swap within the cabin? I have been asked to swap seats if first for various reason associated with passengers have special needs (mobility).
Some people do pay for their unaccompanied minors to fly first class.
As someone who traveled a lot unaccompanied from 6 till about 15/16. I was never put in a first class seat so they could “keep an eye on me”. I was always in whatever seat my parents got me, and someone would get me to meet my parents or grandparents. They had zero reason to move this guy, not to mention, the girl could have been put in the open seat instead of 1.
Have we considered that the UM could have been a First Class purchased customer and the seat change within cabin was to accommodate eyeliner view from the galley workspace? I understand some tact was needed regarding the change, but commentary has gone rogue without details. If the cabin was purchased, the move seems reasonable as actual seat assignments are not guaranteed in contract of carriage, contrary to widespread belief.
But yes, better communication would have this not having this escalation. Such a small effort.
At 56 years old, I have never ridden in 1st class either by purchase of a ticket or an upgrade! As a child, I have travelled many times unaccompanied either alone or with my younger brother. When alone, I sat in many different seats on the plane. As a child, I would have been so upset if someone was bumped and treated unkindly just to accommodate me. I would not have wanted to take anyone’s seat!
Seems really not good customer service. The airline should have compensated him in some way and apologized. I don’t really get it in any case, I started flying alone when I was 11 years old, back and forth between my parents, one lived in India, one lived in New York. But that was me…
They really should be nicer to the passenger they inconvenienced.
How do you know the UmnR wasn’t on a first class ticket? She was. I know this for a fact
No one ever said she wasn’t.
I reported what the gate agent said.
If this was your kid, why does a 14-year-old need to displace another passenger from his chosen seat.
On the one hand, it definitely could have been handled in a better fashion. On the other hand we don’t know if a) the GS got an upgrade for free because he is GS (I didn’t see paid first seat in the article), or, if b) the kid’s parents paid for first class and the FA thought, hmmm 14-year old girl sitting alone or next to strange person? Safer to put her alone.
Also I see where Matthew said seats are not guaranteed and you may need to be moved, so, yeah, this is essentially just a minor change in a seating assignment that could have been handled slightly more politely. In the grand scheme of things though- it is the most minor of disappointments even to a GS to not get the solo first class seat versus having someone next to them. It wouldn’t have even crossed my mind to complain in my head or otherwise if I saw a 14-year old girl there and was asked to change- but then again, I am a grown woman and have been a young woman traveling alone and been treated in an uncomfortable manner. So maybe that is where my empathy lies.
Two final points- For every situation- you can either assume the best and let it go, or assume the worst, focus on the negative and hold onto a minor inconvenience. Secondly- if it hasn’t happened to you (being harassed when alone as a young woman) doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen and isn’t a big deal to a young woman when it happens.
Geesh some of the comments are crazy. My personal opinion is that people didn’t start caring nearly as much about the specific seat they got until the airlines starting charging for them. Once that barrier was broken, the whole CoC stuff about being sold travel and not a seat becomes nonsense. Even in C/F, where most airlines do not (yet) charge for seats, choosing your seat for free is part of the service package you purchase. In this world, it becomes much more annoying when you get booted from your chosen seat. And, yes, as is usually the case, the biggest problem isn’t what happened, but how it was handled.
It’s noted on the website. Select 1A at your peril, it is subject to being reassigned at the whim of the airline.