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Kids Fly Southwest Without Telling Parents - AOL Travel News
Ok--why should WN refund their fare?
The 15 yr old is too stooopid to travel alone, much less take 11 YO brother and another stooopid 13 YO. I'm hoping the parents are no longer procreating...
People say that this is a bad thing that shouldn't have happened. The way I see it, these kids had a good adventure that really is pretty safe - once you're in the air flying is incredibly safe, and they took a nonstop. Even if they had a connection, it's not that hard if you follow some basic (obvious) steps. You know, look at a monitor to find out your gate, then follow the signs to it. And really, there are plenty of employees and such around that it's not that hard to ask for help if needed. Replace the word "airport" with "shopping mall" and somehow nobody cares anymore (and I'm thinking of the Mall of America, which I grew up with).
As a former UM-runner at MSP, I say good on them. While the younger ones would have needed an older companion to stay off the program, we had stricter rules than most for UMs. A 15-year-old could navigate the airport just fine, and if the younger ones are friends they're not gonna run off or do anything stupid. Friends stick together pretty well.
Sponguebue--did you read the article? They flew to an airport that was 200 miles from Dollywood Theme Park (which was their target) yet the 15 YO had no clue it was 200 miles away. That's not quite the same as navigating within the confines of an airport. There was no connection--she was taking 2 younger children to a place about which she was clueless. When she got confused, she called Mom and Dad to get out of a jam. The girl was ST triple O D, stooopid.
I now know why WN refunded the tickets--it has to do with liability of entering into a legally binding contract with a minor for carriage. The parents had no knowledge nor did they purchase the tickets for the 3 minors involved.
Good on whom?? Maybe for the potentially dangerous person who might have offered them a ride to the park or may to the MoA instead? Where would they actually be going? Maybe to their deaths? Maybe an upset employee had a bad day or bad encounter with an irate pax and took them under their wing to get even with the airline...
Top it all off, they took 3 seats RT, got a refund, never went to Dollywood and created a potential lawsuit for the parents to sue WN. (do you NOT think they MIGHT??)
This girl was not very bright. Are you kidding? They didn't grow up at Mall of America--they haven't even grown up and they aren't in college or close to being responsible thinkers--pretty evident, or they would have just flown home and no one would have a clue. This was not an afternoon at the mall.
Would this would be acceptable for your teen daughter to do?
Ok, I read an article from my local paper when the story first came out, but saw no mention of Dollywood (it's there now). The way I imagined it, when one kid said they "just wanted to fly" I was thinking they meant fly to Nashville and back for the hell of it. In that case, there is a lot of planning that that kid should have learned about ahead of time.
Yes, it would be a bad idea to do it without parental consent at that age for those kids, but that's not WN's fault. What are they supposed to do, really? They fell within policy, and if there was something more crucial going on (family emergency in BNA) the ticketing agent would be in trouble for refusing to sell for no reason. Frankly, it's not really the ticketing agent's business to find out what they're doing, either. As for a lawsuit, for what? They received the transportation they paid for, and they didn't receive any special programs for being an unaccompanied minor - with the oldest at 15, it's not required by airline policy and I highly doubt there are any laws requiring a UM program for anyone, the only problem I see is if they paid for a UM program (which they didn't) and WN let them loose.
Oh, and a quick clarification: When I mentioned MOA, I meant that when I think of kids going to a shopping mall, I imagine that place over a smaller one. MOA is like a large airport terminal with less signage.
Well, now. A 15 year old girl taking the bull by the horns to show her kid brother, and a neighbor a good time at Dollywood. How about that. But was she stupid? At that age, I give her a pass. She, like most Americans today, don't know geography or have clues on distances from a geographical area to the next. Put a map in front of anyone and ask them to point to DELAWARE, see how many get it right. And add FEMALE persuation to the equation, and all map readings, map orientations and anything else to do with maps are like a "FORGET ABOUT IT FOR SURE". These kids are GPS types now if any. I'm surprised she didn't have one of those GPS deals on her cell phone. And if she was old enough to drive, or rent a vehicle, now that's a scarey thing. A 15 year old female in a car behind the wheel?
Palms--I can read a map!! And I have exceptional understanding of geography. But then I am over 50...15 itself implies stupidty in my book (maybe even defines it?!) My husband has a newly licensed 16 YO daughter (help us all) and despite his high IQ, we couldn't help her enough; she's been raised by her mother and her hillbilly husband....I am already predicting the first accident (cell phone, likely) will be inside a year (IF her mom lets her drive her Yukon Denali XL--pretty sure she can't afford insurance for the kid))
Giver her a pass on stupid? Pullleeeez.
Stupid is as stupid does! That girl did a stoopid thing.
Spongebue--if there hasn't been more than one lawyer offering to sue for them, I'd be shocked. (they don't need much of a reason, eh?) I'm not blaming WN or TSA--they didn't need escort and I wonder if she paid cash? No luggage? Sounds like teen terror...well, maybe that would the 15 yr old female driver (see palms29)
I'm just saying that no matter the circumstances, they actually did enter into a legal contract of carriage by selling the tickets to a minor which is not actually binding but then there's the issue of responsibility IF something went wrong and then there are those pesky lawyers, doncha know, Mr. Lundegaard?
These kids are so "grounded". And no I couldn't resisit. http://bestsmileys.com/lol/1.gif
That's like some home alone shiz