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SoCal Family Thrown Off Overbooked Delta Flight Over Child's Seating

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A Southern California family says they were kicked off an overbooked Delta airplane because they refused to yield a seat held by their young son. The Schear family of Huntington Beach says they were flying from Hawaii to Los Angeles last week when airline staff asked them to give up a seat occupied by their 2-year-old son and carry him on their laps for the duration of the flight. (abc7.com) और अधिक...

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jbermo
jbermo 3
There should be a rule that all must be sorted prior to boarding. Once you walk past the gate (except for criminal / illegal infractions) your assigned seat is yours at your option - no exceptions.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
The problem is they were occupying a seat that wasn't theirs.
jbermo
jbermo 2
I believe the rule should be that once past the gate, possession of any boarding card or cards with a seat assignment means that those seats are yours. . . . . All to be treated as to if passing the gate is the finality, not the airplane blocking out or being airborne.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
The 2 year old was let on with a lap boarding pass accompanying the parents ticket.
jbermo
jbermo 1
If no assignment card in possession, possessing seat is trespass /illegal boarding. otherwise, once past the gate . . .
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
I think your missing the point that the child had a valid boarding pass. The pass was to sit in the lap of the parent. Once on the plane the parents tried to put the child in the seat next to them that wasn't theirs.
jbermo
jbermo 1
It would be easily agreed that a valid lap pass is not a valid seat assignment, and that possessing such other seat would be trespass. Of coarse age 2 and over requires a seat.
jbermo
jbermo 1
If so, the problem began at the gate. Who can argue a seat not being yours if you don't
posses the assignment card? Multiple assignment of a same seat is rare - otherwise . .
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
The problem began with the parents trying to use a ticket for someone who was not with them. From Deltas ticket rule page •Tickets are valid for the named passenger only and are not transferable.
Pretty self explanatory as to why they gave the seat to someone else.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/planning-a-trip/booking-information/fare-classes-and-tickets/ticket-rules-restrictions.html




Rules & Restrictions


Rules
•Fares and schedules are subject to change without notice.
•All fares are subject to the restrictions that apply to the particular fare.
•Seats are limited and all fares may not be available on all flights.
•Tickets are valid for the named passenger only and are not transferable.
•When you purchase a ticket here at delta.com, you can view the complete fare and ticket rules at the time of purchase. Look for the Taxes/Fees link next to every quoted fare during your shopping experience.
•Itineraries priced at delta.com include government-imposed transportation taxes & fees.
•Only the actual purchase of your delta.com e-ticket(s) will guarantee the quoted fare at delta.com.
•Your e-ticket purchased from delta.com can be canceled without penalty here if it qualifies for Risk-free Cancellation.
jbermo
jbermo 1
Once boarded, did the family have / have not an issued seat assignment card for the seat? If not, the family illegally occupied it, and were at the mercy of the true assignee to use it.

Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
The family did not have a valid ticket for the extra seat.
flyinchief
John Oddo 1
That empty seat he was talking about was supposed to be for his son, that went on an earlier flight, thus thats not his seat anymore!!
btweston
btweston 5
After reading the article it seems that this whole thing came down to a clerical error. I see many in the comments saying that since the named passenger never checked in then the seat was up for grabs. But, the article also mentions that Delta was aware that the gentleman was going to use the seat for the baby and allowed them to board as such. Then they realized that they would rather make more money and tried to get a standby passenger into that seat, which started the whole kerfuffle, and proceeded to try to pass of some fake FAA regulations (derr, babies can't sit in carseats... or something [they can]) as the reason for their decision.

Bad job by Delta all around. They could have prevented the whole thing by stopping them at the gate. The passengers would have been pissed, but this event never would have occurred.
Highflyer1950
Highflyer1950 2
I think you are spot on. I assume the family of 5, purchased 3 non refundable roundtrip tickets. Then the son had to go back a day early (change fee) and found a one way cheapo ticket (probably less than the change fee) and away he goes. Now the family of 4 have 3 tickets in their possession for the return portion and asks if the 2 year old can sit in that seat. The airline says sure however, your son is a no show as far as we are concerned and if we are oversold or can resell the seat we will and the kid has to sit on your lap. Always someone trying to game the system!
indy2001
indy2001 2
It's ironic that this happened to Delta so soon after the United O'Hare incident because (1) so many people held Delta up as the shining example of what an airline should be like, and (2) United has since altered their policies to be more in line with Delta.

Once again, the problem should have been resolved at the ticket counter when the Schears first checked in, or at the gate as they boarded. If the airline agents knew the 2-year-old was taking his older sibling's seat and they allowed the family to board anyway, then the onus is on Delta to justify pulling them off the plane. If the family somehow hid the fact that the younger child was going to occupy the seat -- unlikely IMO since IDs would have been required for everyone involved -- then the Schears have little to complain about other than being embarrassed.
jodiog
Jodi Ogden 2
I fly a lot. Please educate me though. How do you get to the gate without a boarding pass? It has to be shown at airport security so how does a passenger get to the gate without one? So, doesn't every passenger have a seat? (and I'm not necessarily referring to this incident but all of the overbooking hooha in the news right now).
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
Several ways, in this case anyone under 2 can get a boarding pass with a ticketed parent to fly on the parents lap. In other cases airlines can sell multiple tickets for the same seat knowing a certain percentage of passengers don't redeem their tickets, then the gate agent adjusts seating based on checked in passengers. Also, as the Dr. Dao case highlighted Airlines can bump a fair paying passenger seat for certain "must fly" passengers (this list is up to the airline but usually consists of certain employee groups required for continuing operations, certain federal employees, and certain emergency medical employees (I.E. transplant team member), etc.)
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
To be clear all these people have boarding passes, it is a ticket that they may or may not have.
shenghaohan
Shenghao Han 4
Since when people make such a big fuss about overbooking?
The only reasons this got reported was
1. A Legacy airline had been involved.
2. The story involving overbooked passengers.

In my mind, Delta as whole did nothing wrong in the incident, although the agent's methods dealing with it is not appropriate. (To be more specific the accusation/ didn't let family to continue the flight when they finally cooperated.)
Technically the family disobey the flight crew's instruction, and thus Delta had the right to eject them. And to Delta's defense, their ticket for 18 year old son was a no show, which is why all airlines overbook tickets in the first place.
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 1
Did you not read or comprehend the article? The seat was paid for!
glenhorton
Glen Horton 1
The parent's seat was paid. The child had a lap pass and must occupy the same seat as the parent.
96flstc
96flstc 3
For years we always purchased a seat for my son so he could travel in his approved car seat. As he used to say "the airplane with two A's" Never had any issues. Can't use them in exit rows, etc. www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_120-87C.pdf
monalisa75
monalisa75 2
I think the fault 's landed on DL agent, but the family was partially on fault too. They purchased a tix for their 18 y.o. son, but decided later that he'd fly out in HA. The family claimed they BOUGHT ANOTHER TIX through DL agent for the 18 y.o. and DL would allow the 2 y.o. to use the older bro's rsvn. He said she said now.

The fact was:
1. Yes, the family bought tix for everyone: 4 DL + addl HA
2. The family's MISTAKE was: they didn't get ANY WRITTEN FORM that DL agt okayed the exchange (rsvn from the 18 y.o. for the 2 y.o.)
3. Maybe originally, DL agt thought, it wasn't "necessary" to changed the name (coz a/l policy no-exchange) coz seats are avail. But now, last minute overbooking.....w/o the 18 y.o. info showed up as checked in pax, DL easily threw out the rsvn, and gave it to the overbooked pax.
4. DL SHOULDN'T threw out the family when they finally complied.

Someone here asked why no one came to the family;'s defense...well......airlines are being nasty lately, and they're sooooo easily involved the law enforcement (which seems like backing them up, regardless), thus no one would get involved. I don't want to be in a clink in a different city, coz of this type of situation.....if different matters, maybe I will.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
Or you know, it could be that bought a cheap non-transferable/ non-refundable ticket for the 18 year old, then sent him off on a different flight without ever talking to Delta. Then when arriving for this flight thought they would be able to just use the seat even though the older son never redeemed the ticket so the seat was given to another paying passenger, because they never bought a seat for the 2 year old.
zennermd
zennermd 2
Two things. 1st, does anyone know if her situation of the FAA regs are true? Was that kid not supposed to be in the car seat? 2nd, I like to think I would do the right thing as a fellow passenger and stand up for the family. I am kind of surprised after all that has happened in the airline industry lately, that people would have come to the families defense, but I guess that is just wishful thinking on my part.
pilotjag
pilotjag 3
I definitely agree with you. I would have come to the family's defense if I were on that flight. Considering the fact the couples children are 1 and 2 years old, it is not right for a family with kids that young to be kicked off. A fellow passenger on that flight should've stuck up for that family
linbb
linbb 3
Read the regs as the kid was NOT a paying passenger. Following your train of thought say a family had three kids of around that age taking up three seats and didn't have tickets why should they not either leave the flight or give up the seats as specified?
Kind of different isn't it when the legal thing to do is seat the non paying kid on your lap like it says or LEAVE the flight.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -5
Read the article. The "kid" was indeed a paying passenger. The family purchased that seat.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 4
Did the family have 4 paid tickets or 5? The story does not say so. Lap children do not have to pay for a ticket, but must ride on the parents lap. If the plane departed and the seat was empty, sure, they could have used the seat, but if the seat was needed for a paying passenger, the lap child would need to return to their assigned seat, which is in the lap of the parent who wishes to hold them. If everyone had a paid ticket on the DL flight, why send a family member home early? Did they buy 2 tickets for the son who flew home on the other flight? If the seat on the DL flight was for their older son, who flew out on another flight, how did the son get on the other flight??? They either purchased another ticket (that seems silly) or he flew standby and the family figured his seat would remain vacant on their DL flight and they would just take it for their lap child (which is flying free). If they just carried the child in their lap, like they originally planned, none of this happens.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 7
Sorry the ticket was not in the 2 year old child's name. The ticketed passenger never checked in.
btweston
btweston 0
Semantics. Also, "He says Delta knew he was planning to use the seat for his younger son when they boarded their return flight," according to the article.

So they paid for the seat, they must have gotten a boarding pass of some sort for that seat, and then it seams that the airline changed its mind.
shenghaohan
Shenghao Han 3
He says, which is an unreliable source. What he should have done is change the name to the 2 year old's.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
As for your question about regs,the FAA encourages their use if they are approved for air travel, mostly they cant be an impediment to evacuation for other passengers.

https://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
When I flew with my 18 month old daughter the instructions were clear if you wanted to have a seat for the child you had to buy a ticket, if you didn't want a ticket you could get a boarding pass but had to have the child in your lap for the duration of the flight. So my guess is they were not paying for the child's seat.
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 8
Yes, small children often travel free but don't have assigned seating and may need to be kept on a parent's lap. That is a gamble that some parents take when they decide not to pay for a seat -- the airlines are usually happy to let the child have a seat if available, but that isn't possible on an overbooked flight.

I feel bad for the family, but the child was not entitled to a seat and the family's refusal to give it up is what got them kicked off the flight.
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 2
From http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/delta-policies.html

INFANT & CHILDREN TRAVEL
Lap Infants: You may travel with one infant on your lap without purchasing a ticket, as long as the infant is under the age of two, you are at least 18 years old, you are the infant’s parent or legal guardian and you are traveling within the U.S.* If you are traveling with a newborn (less than 7 days old), you must provide a physician’s note. Call Reservations with additional questions on infant travel.
Infant Ticket Requirements: A ticket is required for children two and older, or if you: 1) are traveling with more than one infant (and already have one on your lap); 2) are traveling between countries; or, 3) wish to earn miles.

Children Traveling Alone: Delta’s Unaccompanied Minor Program is required for all children 5-14 years old and optional for children 15-17 years old who are traveling alone. The fee is $150 each way in addition to the ticketed adult fare. Review our “Children Traveling Alone” FAQs and call 1-800-325-8847 with questions.
*If traveling internationally with a lap infant, the cost is usually 10% of the adult fare, plus international taxes and surcharges.
Children’s Baggage: If children are traveling for free, they don’t have a baggage allowance; any baggage counts as part of the ticketed adult’s baggage allowance. If children are traveling on a ticket, the baggage allowance is based in part on the travel fare paid. See baggage guidelines for ticketed travel. Strollers and seat restraints can easily be checked at curbside, the ticket counter or the gate.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -4
If you read the article you will find that the seat was paid for by the family. The child was NOT flying free. The family originally intended the seat for their eldest son, but sent him home earlier and used his ticket for their 2-year-old instead. The family had every right to that paid for seat.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 4
Bernie, the article does not say how many tickets were purchased. They were a family of 5. Did they have 5 tickets for paid seats OR did they have 4 paid tickets plus a free lap child? The article, and the families narrative are very, very vague and make a world of difference.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -2
I think this is more a case of bad reporting than it is of either party being vague.
yr2012
matt jensen 6
You can't transfer names on tickets anymore - unless the names are identical.
btweston
btweston 1
The article indicates that the airline was aware of the situation and was, originally, going to allow them to use the seat.

Bad job by Delta.
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 4
Just because Delta was aware of the situation doesn't mean that the family is entitled to the seat. Delta would have let them have the seat if it had been available, but it was not because the plane was full (overbooked in fact).

The child was entitled to transportation on the lap of one of the parents, and that wasn't acceptable to them -- they tried to make a stink about it and lost. That's a risk you take when you argue with cabin crew instructions and try to go against the terms of the transportation policy.
yr2012
matt jensen 1
They just should have followed the f/a instructions, but no they have to record it and put it up on the www.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 3
As long as a paying pax doesn't show up...
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 7
Reread the article, "The airline staff tells him they need the seat because the flight is overbooked and the original passenger whose name was on the seat isn't using it."...

The ticket was still in the other sons name, that son never checked in so his seat was forfeited. The infant for all the airline knew was not a paying passenger.
btweston
btweston -2
Reread the article. "Delta knew he was planning to use the seat for his younger son when they boarded their return flight."
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 5
According to the article, Delta never says they were aware of anything. The father states that Delta was aware, but the statements from Delta are clear the seat hasn't been redeemed by the ticketed passenger. I will say the statement from the employee is complete BS, but at the end of the day the family did not purchase a seat for the 2 year old.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
Correction: I will say the statement from the employee about the car seat being not allowed is complete BS
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 3
So how do you think the son got home? Do you think the family bought another ticket, or had him re-booked for an earlier flight? If it is the latter, then the family really has no case whatsoever.

Regardless, the ticketed and named passenger didn't check in for the overbooked flight, so the family isn't entitled to the seat even though they paid for it. Tickets are not transferable.
Highflyer1950
Highflyer1950 6
Bernie, the only way you could be right is if the family purchased a ticket in the infants name and the 18 year old was on a fare ticket allowing an itinerary change. Just because the last names are the same doesn't allow interchangeability of seats on separate flights. I think the other guys are right....re-read the article.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -2
The family bought another ticket to send the oldest son home early.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 5
How do you know that? It is not stated in the article. Also, I find the following an odd statement to make when you are boarding a plane: "You need to do what's right," he tells the airline employee. "I bought the seat and you need to just leave us alone." That is an odd statement, unless he knew the seat was not paid for, but didn't want to have to carry the baby in his lap for 6 hours.....Before anything happened on the plane, the father seems a bit defensive, as if he knows something is going to come up.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -2
How on earth do you come to that conclusion? How did the son fly out early if not with another ticket? And how is saying that they bought the seat and to leave them alone an "odd statement" if you have in fact done that? Your conclusions make no logical sense.
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 2
>> How did the son fly out early if not with another ticket?

Surely the older son had a ticket. The question is whether they bought another ticket, or paid a rebooking fee and changed his itinerary to get on an earlier flight. But if that happened, then the ticket the father was holding and intending to use for one of the small children was void.

But as was mentioned before, it is all academic -- the ticket in question was in another traveler's name, and tickets aren't transferable.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -4
Your "guess" is wrong. Try reading the article instead of guessing.
CKY
CKY 6
Take your own advise. Read the article. The seat was bought for the 18-year-old originally, not the 2-year-old. As the original passenger didn't board, the seat was surrendered. If the passenger had changed the name on the ticket to the 2-year-old's name then the seat would belong to them but they didn't, therefore the 2-year-old is occupying a seat that is not his.

As for the car seat, it depends on the model, the car seat will say on the side on the safety warning sticker whether they are okay for aircraft use. Car seats usually have to be in the window if it's a single isle configuration plane. If it's a dual aisle, then on the sides it has to be in the window seat and in the center, it has to be in the centermost seat to prevent an evacuation hazard.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 -3
In the article that you supposedly read, it was stated that Delta knew they were using the ticket for the infant and were okay with that, allowing them to board. About the only thing Delta did right here is not having security goons drag them off the plane.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 5
Bernie....PLEASE re-read...it was the passenger who states "Delta knew". Delta did not say that. The more you make me re-read this article, the more I am convinced the passenger was trying to get away with something and got caught. DL agent didn't handle/explain it right, but Pax was ready for a confrontation before he even boarded the flight. Notice his statement when they were boarding:

"You need to do what's right," he tells the airline employee. "I bought the seat and you need to just leave us alone."

- I now think he KNEW he was doing something wrong, had told the airline, and now I believe the airline explained to him that he could not do that, but son #1 was already on his way home, so there was no way to undo the situation, and he was pissed. Camera's usually don't start filming until the triggering event has happened already....what happened before the video started rolling?
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 1
That statement you keep quoting is not from before they boarded, it's from when they were told to give up the seat after boarding.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 0
watkinssusan
mary susan watkins 1
the video I have seen shows one or two people in uniform telling the father he must move the child or be removed from the aircraft..someone also says if he does not do that, his children will be taken away ..this once again was a very poorly handled and communicated incident by delta personnel..the man states he had purchased the other seat for his teenage son who opted to go on another flight..it is never mentioned in the video by he ,his wife or the flight attendant whether or not the reservation for his son was cancelled,which in itself might have led to his misunderstanding..passengers are boarded by a computer reading of what is on a boarding pass as they enter the jetway, and by law, the names must match..if boarding is complete and a person is not shown as having gotten on board with that seat, his or her reservation is cancelled automatically and the seat is given to a standby passenger..this appears to have been the case here as the mention of standby is heard on the video...this was a 2 way disconnect of information and even if the man had paid for a ticket for his son who was not on the flight,the seat is considered available if no person with that name and a boarding pass was shown as getting on the flight..infants or children under 2 years of age as a general rule fly as a "lap child" and are not issued a boarding pass or seat,but are listed as "infant" for the captain..i worked gates for many years and unless rules have drastically changed, this is how its handled and its done prior to boarding the entire aircraft..the seat number, the name and the manifest must match,and if a flight is not full, a flight attendant may move people around to accommodate the travel needs of a family..this was a flight from Hawaii to the mainland per the report,so they probably did need a seat or two to accommodate others..there was no mention of oversales here either..

Doobs
Dee Lowry 1
This situation should have been resolved at the gate. Not on the plane. The Delta agent was pretty brutal to these people. Although, if your name is not on the boarding ticket...it's a no go. It's all about security. It all has to match up. Never do you hold an infant in your lap. That rule was initiated after UAL 232, July 19, 1989 in Sioux City by the AFA. All children should be buckeled in with an FAA approved car seat. Safest place for your child is in a government approved child safety restraint system. ( CRS ), not on your lap. Getting back to Flight 232-
A lap baby was killed, who would have survived if only that baby had a seat and appropriate restraints. Mother lived. Common sense and education about aviation rules and Regs to passengers might help alleviate these kind of situations. And Employees need to brush up on training. Let's face it...passengers wanted lower fares...they got it! But look what it did to the Commercial Aviation Industry!
Gumby2104
Michael Kenendy 1
WTF is wrong with airline mentality?! There is plenty to see and do CONUS...they cannot kick me out of my car! #BoycottAirTravel
whip5209
Ken McIntyre 1
..."Schear says he originally bought the seat for his 18-year-old son Mason, but then decided to send him home on an earlier flight so that he could use the seat for his younger child, Grayson, who was placed in a car seat"...
Can't do this. The 18 year old "no showed" and the seat was reassigned. This may or may not have been intentional on Schear's part.
The only thing Delta is guilty of is getting caught in the grey area of lap child vs. two year old. Got caught on that one myself a couple of times back in the day.
monalisa75
monalisa75 1
Quoted from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/05/527071539/delta-apologizes-to-family-that-was-kicked-off-a-plane-over-a-toddlers-seat

The last 2 paragraphs kills me:
- After flashing a thumbs-up, Schear then rises, saying, "We need someone to help with our car seats, to carry them off."
- "How'd you guys get on the aircraft?" the crew member asks, in a question that speaks volumes.

Hmmmm...yeah DL agent.....how did this family could get inside the cabin w/o your acknowledgement? So much for safety, huh?
bgaskill
brian Gaskill 1
First of all, how does anyone on here say Delta wasn't in the wrong. A FA tells the parents "You have to give up the seat or you're going to jail, your wife is going to jail and they'll take your kids from you"...nice. Intimidation...the key to covering up ones mistake.
Typically i hate listening to everyones complsints about flying...the sheer thought of paying a couple hundred bucks to get on a plane in LA and step off the plane 4 hours later in NYC is pretty amazing. If people want more room, free luggage amd a meal, pay the extra 200 and fly front...But this is ridiculous. Airlines hide behind rules that were made to keep terrorists off planes. They use the title "flight crew" to act like douche bags without regard for the paying customer. This family in no way threatened the safety of the flight, but there are the gate agents and FA's threatening federal prosecution because they arent complying with FC. Come on!!
And for those that will argue for Delta....here is an apology from the airline (Im sure they will enjoy their recent promise of 10k per for overbooked):

http://fortune.com/2017/05/05/delta-airline-overbooked-flight-video/
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
I think everyone here pretty much agrees that there was some out of line stuff, the car seat as well as your example shouldn't have been said. However, the child was in a seat that wasn't paid for and that was the instigating factor that started the confrontation.
bgaskill
brian Gaskill 1
Actually, as I understand after reading a few articles, family tries to get additional seat for child on way home. when it was full, Delta then booked a ticket on HA earlier, to help accommodate their need. So the ticket is purchased. And further, why would they let the family carry a large car seat onto the plane if there wasn't a ticket to go along with it..?
Don't help someone stretch what's allowed, then call them on it later, especially by citing an innacurate regulation.
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 1
The child was in a seat they paid for!
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 1
No the ticket wasn't redeemed as the named passenger didn't check in prior to departure, and the seat was given to someone else who paid for a seat.
chalet
chalet 1
Sue the hell out DELTA. Contact the lawyer who represented the doctor who was wrestled down by some cops and dragged out of that UNITED flight with bruises, knocking 2 teeth out, etc. The lawyer was able to extract a settlement worth several millions of dollars. This is the only thing that makes them act, lousy damn truckers (i.e. the ENTIRE US AIRLINE INDUSTRY)
yr2012
matt jensen 1
From DAL webpage: "Lap Infants: You may travel with one infant on your lap without purchasing a ticket, as long as the infant is under the age of two, you are at least 18 years old, you are the infant’s parent or legal guardian and you are traveling within the U.S.* If you are traveling with a newborn (less than 7 days old), you must provide a physician’s note. Call Reservations with additional questions on infant travel."

I'm guessing they purchased their tickets from a reseller like Travelocity or Expedia which is only interested in selling tickets and doesn't pay attention to the rules.
bgaskill
brian Gaskill 1
What is your point..? This doesnt say a 1 yr old cant have a paid seat?!? In fact, check Delta's website...they recommend buying a seat for your infant, so you have the room you need to attend.
louisjames
lou nagy 1
***FAMILY AT FAULT ***
THE INFANT *DID NOT PAY* for that seat; that is considered a "LAP CHILD"; just that, "LAP". If that seat is empty and no paying pax is occupying that seat, up to the discretion of flt crew for the infant to sit there. OVERBOOKING: ALL AIRLINES *HAVE TO OVERBOOK* due NO SHOWS; such as paying pax at times STAND BY FOR EARLIER flts. USE TO BE some airlines WOULD CHARGE A FEE if you wanted to stand by for an earlier flt, but along came FREQUENT FLYERS w/their PRESTIGE amount of REWARDS and "FAKE" (non flying) accumulative awards that the airline WOULD NOT CHARGE them the fee for stand by.....some airlines did it to themselves in relaxing THEIR POLICY. MUCH HAS TO DO WITH "NUMBERS", the NO-SHOW FACTOR and amount of LOAD FACTOR; just NUMBERS to make that carrier look its best. FAMILY IS AT FAULT at this one. Now they go on TV and "plead" their case. THEY ONLY MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK BAD. "FAKE" AWARDS: Airlines might want to look at THEIR OWN POLICY for F.F.AWARDS. You might have 100k miles in your 'bank', but only 10k might be "ACTUAL" flying rewards, the other using airlines logo credit card for 'other' purchases, (other than for flying)!
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 4
Your not related to a certain Mr. Hartman Esq., are you?
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 3
fpk2
fernando kosop 0
Delta, United and so many "others" are really "poor" on staff!!!! and "staff" will, eventually, put them out of business.
so many wake up calls and no answers!!!
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 2
As long as no one wants to pay for a better experience this is what you get.
bcanderson
Brian Anderson 0
The poor guy's mistake was that he was upfront about the child using his elder sibling's ticket. He should have kept his mouth shut and had the question arisen told the airline staff the baby's name was the name on the ticket.

His honesty simply gave Delta the right to take advantage of him, treat the ticket as a no show and take what he had paid for away from him.
Ruger9X19
Ruger9X19 4
The ticket would have been purchased with an adult DOB, they would need an ID to use the ticket.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 2
They sent the son home on another flight. Did they have 4 paid tickets or 5? DL from OGG and HA from OGG depart from LAX within 20 minutes of eachother (They are codeshare flights) I can easily see them sending their adult child home on Hawaiian, and figuring the seat he was taking up on DL could be used for their lap child. (You can carry a child on your lap, free of charge, until their 2nd birthday - only 1 per family). Yes, I am assuming the 1 year old was a lap child, BUT, there is something missing from the parents "narrative" as to what happened and the situation. Sure, DL agent could have handled it better (explained it better as well), but something is not right about this passengers story. (*** Believe me, I am no fan of flying anymore, it has become a miserable experience, unless you are a frequent flyer, or fly business or first class - oh well, maybe someday :-) ) HAve a great day everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
JimG4170L
Jim Goldfuss 1
By codeshare, I meant to say that DL and HA operate separate flights that go to LAX and depart very close to eachother. The HA flight operates as both a DL flight and An HA flight, thus my using the term codeshare...sorry if that confused anyone.....
pilotjag
pilotjag 0
Link to a Youtube video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7pM8IyxpTc&app=desktop
larryzee
Larry Zimmerman 0
Ask the agent/FA/rep, "Am I being denied boarding?" That will sort things out in a hurry.
joelwiley
joel wiley 0
Did the parents err in not informing Delta that they intended to use their paid-for seat for the 2yo? That should have alerted them the seat was not a no-show.
Bernie20910
Bernie20910 0
It says in the article that Delta was aware that they were using the older son's ticket for the younger son, and that Delta was okay with that.
louisjames
lou nagy -6
** AND THIS HAPPENED more than a month ago!! Family saw on TV all the "HOOPLAW" about overbooking, and people being "dragged" off of a flt, FAMILY JUST WANTED publicity. THE FATHER said HE DID NOT WANT ANY $$$, since he spent his own money in getting 3 new tkts at a 'walk up' price, paid for hotel rm and such....and his older son went home earlier, probably had to pay for changing his tkt; YEP, FAMILY IS AT FAULT here. FAMILY JUST MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK BAD!
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 3
HOOPLAW? Is that like jumping thru legal hoops???

लॉगिन

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