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Southwest Strays From Its “Family-Friendly” Rep After Kicking Mom and 2-Year-Old Toddler Off Plane
Pamela Root gives her son, Adam, an afternoon snack in the kitchen on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News)
I’m not surprised. I never agreed that Southwest Airlines was a family-friendly airline. This was simply a title that they gave themselves and one that’s used by some passengers because they don’t charge baggage fees. Being family-friendly means that you actually cater to the family traveler, no matter how difficult this type of customer service can be.
From what I read in today’s story, this incident has more to do with the airline attendants than it does the actual airline. I don’t care how great an airline is, if it has cranky workers, then, forget about it. This San Jose mom simply ran into a crew that didn’t want to be bothered with children that day. So sorry.
I’ll keep you posted on this one.
Silicon Valley Mercury News, Lisa Fernandez
Pamela Root’s 2-year-old son was screaming for the Southwest Airlines plane to “Go! Plane! Go!”
“I want Daddy!” Adam shouted. Over and over again.
Despite her embarrassment, the stay-at-home San Jose mom remained confident that once the plane took off and she fed him, Adam would calm down and take a nap — just as he had on the half-dozen other plane rides with Mom.
The flight crew wasn’t willing to find out.
Root and her son, Adam, were on their way home to San Jose when they were kicked off Monday’s Southwest Flight 637.
“I left, rather embarrassed,” Root said Thursday. “Then, I was so mad, I almost cried.”
With her luggage heading back home without her, Root was stuck in
Amarillo, Texas, and forced to buy a portable crib and diapers and stay another night with her parents. Still fuming, she wants Southwest to apologize and compensate her for the flight and things she bought. Adam’s father, Mike Root, a software engineer at Symantec, who was waiting for them in San Jose, is also livid.
Southwest, with its fun and family-friendly reputation, immediately began looking into the matter on Thursday at the request of the Mercury News. Spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said it’s “very rare” to ask someone to leave a flight, and especially “unusual” to remove a crying child.
Root, 38, said she thought she had a foolproof flying routine with her son. Wait until takeoff to feed Adam so his ears wouldn’t hurt. (READ MORE)
NEWS UPDATE: FAA Revokes the License of Pilots for Missing Stop
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) means business. I just learned that the pilots who missed their stop due
to a “heated conversation” are in HOT water. Their licenses are revoked. Do you agree or disagree with this action?
I agree. Unless, they tell the truth as to why this happened. I think we deserve to know.
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal regulators have revoked the licenses of the two Northwest Airlines pilots who flew past their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles last week.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday the pilots had violated numerous regulations, including failing to comply with air traffic control instructions and clearances and operating carelessly and recklessly.
The pilots – first officer Richard Cole of Salem, Ore., and captain Timothy Cheney of Gig Harbor, Wash. – told investigators they lost track of time and place while working on their laptop computers.
The pilots’ union had cautioned against a rush to judgment. The pilots, who said they had no previous accidents or safety incidents, have 10 days to appeal the emergency revocation.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Question Arise Whether Tipping the Maid is Standard, Even in Today’s Economy
I found this question to be enlightening. Tipping for me has always felt wonderful, as if I am actually making a difference in humanity. But I can honestly say, even I have checked out of a hotel, several times, without leaving a tip 
After reading today’s article, I’m on board.
On the Sopt, Catherine Hamm
Question: When traveling throughout the U.S., how much should we leave for the maid? Does it depend on whether it’s a motel, hotel, charming inn, etc.?
– Ellen Switkes, Sherman Oaks
Answer: Switkes gets a gold star for being thoughtful enough to remember to tip the housekeepers. Many people do not.
The experts I spoke with agreed that housekeeping staff should be remembered with something monetary, but that’s where the unanimity ended. They disagreed on how much, where and even when the tip should be presented, so it’s no wonder we mere mortals have trouble with this one.
It’s a relatively new topic for tipping, so that may explain why it’s not yet standard, like the 20% we often add to a restaurant bill. Taking care of the housekeeping staff has come about in only the last 10 to 15 years, said Joe McInerney, president and chief executive of the American Hotel & Lodging Assn., based in Washington.
Having spent the last year of my college life as a dormitory janitor, I applaud the tip idea. My year of clean living taught me that many people who think they don’t have to clean up after themselves behave, by and large, like pigs. The hotel maid is letting you indulge your inner swine, so be kind.
How kind? Shawn Gracey, general manager of HotelIcon, an independent boutique hotel in downtown Houston, said $1 to $3 kind. So did McInerney, adding that it didn’t matter whether the housekeeper worked at the Ritz or the Rodeway. Steven Parker, the general manager of the Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles, fell in the middle of that range at “a couple of dollars” a day. (READ MORE)
Heated Discussion Chosen As the Blame for Pilots Missing Their Stop
Hmmm, I’m not buying this one and neither is the National Transportation Board.
Come on folks, where is the integrity in this world? Can we not trust anyone?
Seems Northwest pilots on the flight from San Diego to Minneapolis missed the Minneapolis airport, and are now saying that they were in such an engaging conversation that they didn’t realize that they’d missed the stop. It took them about 150 miles past the airport before they realized the mishap. Many believe the pilots fell asleep due to fatigue.
I must admit, this is a little scary and the sad thing is, there really isn’t anything that we can do about it.
And another thing, we’re pretty thorough here at FTS, for some reason we’re just hearing about this incident that apparently occurred on Wednesday. That, in and of itself is questionable.
Bloomberg News, Angela Greiling Keane and Mary Jane Credeur
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) — A Delta Air Lines Inc. Northwest flight overshot the Minneapolis airport after the pilots became engaged in a “heated discussion over airline policy,” they told U.S. safety investigators.
The pilots said they “lost situational awareness” and contact with air traffic controllers, causing them to fly northeast about 150 miles (241 kilometers) past the airport on Oct. 21, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
The safety board is looking into “anything that’s a possibility,” including whether the pilots fell asleep, Keith Holloway, an NTSB spokesman, said today. Distraction and fatigue are drawing the attention of U.S. safety officials, who also are investigating if those issues contributed to a Pinnacle Airlines Corp. crash near Buffalo, New York, in February that killed 50.
The Northwest pilots “were either asleep or completely checked out,” said John Nance, a retired Air Force and commercial airline pilot with 40 years of flying. The episode is “extremely worrisome” because it means the crew must have missed repeated calls from traffic controllers on their headsets. (READ MORE)
Delay at Newark Liberty Airport Due to Sick Passenger
Ladies and gentlemen, why is this even making the news?
Oh! I remember, it’s flu season and the media is doing its part to ensure that we (the people) are on the up and up about who’s sick and may be contagious. Keep in mind, the media is using the Swine Flu (H1N1) as a scare tactic to increase its ratings.
I guess with all the H1N1 talk, those little white bags in the seat pockets will no longer suffice. So much for the company who was hired to manufacture those little cute bags…hmm, I wonder how their bottom line is doing?
As you travel along the globe with your children, just use common sense. You don’t have to be fearful.
For the fun of it, here’s the story…
New Jersey Newsroom, Noah Cohen
An American Airlines flight from Newark to Dallas was delayed for two hours Tuesday morning after a passenger vomited and members of the passenger’s family reported feeling sick.
Flight No. 1485 returned to the gate and officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were called in along with emergency medical workers.
“There was one sick passenger who had mild gastrointestinal illness with possibly some dehydration,” said Christine Pearson, a CDC spokeswoman.
Other members of the sick person’s family were also on board and taken by ambulance to University Hospital in Newark for evaluation. The CDC will seek follow up information from the hospital but does not plan to investigate further, Pearson said.
The plane was scheduled to leave at 9:20 a.m. from Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport and arrive at 12:20 p.m. in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport but was delayed until 11:19 a.m. and landed at 1:26 p.m., according to American Airlines flight information.
American Airlines spokesman Ned Raynolds said the plane was not evacuated or cleaned because medical staff did not feel there was a threat to other passengers. He said the family arrived sick on a Continental Airlines flight from Paris. The Star-Ledger reported the family was from Pakistan and had arrived in the area from Paris on Monday.
A message seeking comment from Continental was not immediately returned. (READ MORE)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists OK Flying a Few Days Before Due Date
I understand that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have approved taking flight as late as 38 weeks for healthy, pregnant women, but I think it’s our [pregnant women] responsiblity to draw the line.
For me, my rule is no flying after 30 weeks.
Can you imagine? Airline attendants already become agitated when you press the button to ask for an extra pillow, I certainly wouldn’t want them taking part in something as sacred as the birth of my child. Although this is enlightening news, I recommend staying grounded once you reach 30-35 weeks.
Daily Press, Judith Graham
The Boston woman was in her 38th week of pregnancy when a close family member died in New York City.
She asked her obstetrician, Dr. William Barth Jr. of Massachusetts General Hospital, if traveling to the funeral was out of the question.
No, it’s fine to make a quick plane trip, the doctor remembers telling his patient after he examined her. “I thought the likelihood of labor was low, and this was an important occasion,” he said.
Indeed, occasional air travel is safe for healthy pregnant women, according to a new committee opinion issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
That holds true even in the last month of pregnancy, although most doctors generally prefer that women stop air travel around 36 weeks in case they go into early labor, said Barth, chairman of ACOG’s Committee on Obstetric Practice.
“Exercise normal precautions” by drinking lots of water, getting up and walking, wearing support stockings and keeping your seat belt fastened while seated, he advises soon-to-be moms who choose to fly. Because pregnant women are at increased risk of blood clots, these measures are “even more important,” Barth said.
If your stomach has been on a roll during pregnancy, consider taking an anti-nausea pill before getting on a plane. Also, avoid consuming foods or drinks that can cause gas because gas will expand in your stomach at high altitudes.
Some airlines require a note from a doctor if a pregnant woman wants to travel up to a month before her due date. “It’s not that flying is particularly dangerous at that time,” Barth said. “It’s that the probability of going into labor is higher,” and airlines want to avoid that possibility.
If you have control over your schedule, traveling by plane in mid-pregnancy (14 to 28 weeks) is preferable because that’s when the risks of miscarriage and premature labor are lowest, according to the Mayo Clinic. (READ MORE)
Holiday Travel Forecast Calls For Lots of Advanced Planning and Expected Bag Loss
Going anywhere this holiday season?
Today’s article is great info that you can use to prep for what’s to be expected during your travels in the airport this season, as if you didn’t already know :/.
All this talk about the Swine Flu has many on the lookout for avoiding bacteria infested places and double dosing their Airborne intake before they board the plane.
MSNBC Travel, Harriet Baskas
As our memories of summer vacations fade, it’s time to start making travel plans for the holidays.
Coordinating schedules with friends, family and the airlines is hard enough, but this year there are business headlines and health news we must factor into our decisions.
Flight delays down, lost bags up
Statistics released by the Transportation Department earlier this month show complaints about lost luggage inched higher in August while airlines showed a slight improvement in on-time arrivals.
Airlines may be having an easier time getting from here to there because fewer people are flying and there are fewer jets in the air. According to a report released by the Brookings Institution, however, delays will most certainly get worse — especially in the 26 metropolitan hubs that serve about 75 percent of all domestic travelers.
The authors of the Brookings report had some ideas on how to ease and avert future congestion in the skies (investing in high-speed rail for short haul travel is one of them), but fliers booked on full flights this holiday season might keep their sanity — and their luggage — if they keep these tips in mind:
Airfares are generally lower than last year due to reduced demand, but they will likely rise, as they traditionally do, around the holidays. (READ MORE)
New Airline Safety Bill Requires Airlines to Disclose Separate Commuter Jet Company
Many passengers are not aware of this, but large airlines contract smaller airlines, which sometimes result in inexperienced pilots. Well, the House of Representatives say no more! On Wednesday, the House passed the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. It’s a measure that will put more restrictions on pilot training and subcontracting.
I thought this might be a good FYI for you FTS readers.
MSNBC, Luke Russert
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009, 409 to 11.
The bill requires that commercial airline pilots have an FAA airline transport license, which is given to pilots who have mastered flight training and have 1500 hours of in flight time. The bill also requires that the FAA teach pilots safety maneuvers in the event of a stalling. Also, airlines will now have to disclose on a passenger’s ticket whether they will be traveling on a separate commuter jet company that is contracted by the larger commercial airline company.
Passed with huge bipartisan support, the bill was brought on by the terrible crash of Continental Connections Flight 3407 that occurred in February over Clarence Center, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. The crash of Flight 3407 is now believed to have been a case of pilot error, specifically brought on by the inexperience of pilots hired by Colgan Air, an airline that was contracted by Continental for the short flight from Newark, NJ to Buffalo, NY.
Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY), who represent the Congressional districts that cover Western New York, passionately pushed for the bill’s passage on the floor of the House. Both representatives will hold a press conference today with family members of some of the fifty people lost in the crash.
Slightly Used Hotel Soap Set to Save Lives in Africa
The hotel industry has a new life saving initiative, thanks to Derrick Kayongo. He started the Global Soap Project and is hoping that hotels across the world will participate in an effort to save those in Africa.What a great idea! The Family Travel Suite team plans to take part in this global initiative, somehow.
Global Atlanta.com, David Beasley
A common practice in the United States that probably goes unnoticed by most people completely baffled Derreck Kayongo.
He arrived in the U.S. from Africa 15 years ago and was staying at a hotel in Philadelphia, when he noticed that the cleaning crew would replace the bathroom soap each day, even if the bars were only slightly used.
“I called my Dad back home and told him, ‘You wouldn’t believe what happens here. They throw away soap that is used only once,’” said Mr. Kayongo.
His father, a former soap maker in Uganda, chalked it up to America’s wealth. People there can afford to waste soap, he said.
“We laughed about it,” said Mr. Kayongo. “But the idea stuck in my head. What if we took some of this soap back home, recycled it, made brand new soap and gave it to people who didn’t have a single bar of soap?” (READ MORE)
Hyatt Regency in San Diego Has Just the Treat to Attract Families for Halloween
The Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego has this Halloween covered, and is doing what it takes to lure the family traveler to its property. I hear this is the place to take the kids for great Halloween themed water slides, candy stations and most importantly, low room rates.
The marketing team took this on considering they are a stone throw away from SeaWorld and want to cash in on the family crowd. I say, great job! Thanks for thinking about what you (the hotel) can do to make our lives as parents easier, while amusing our kids, and oh yeah, helping make memories.
The Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal Blogger, Jen Leo
Is your neighborhood a dud when it comes to Halloween? If you’re thinking about taking a quick getaway over Halloween weekend this year and haunted hotels and haunted houses are a bit too scary or inappropriate for your kids, you might want to consider a quick jaunt down to San Diego. The Hyatt Regency Mission Bay near Sea World is ramping up the Halloween fun for guests from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, and the room rates won’t scare you one bit.
Halloween travel deal: Room rates starting at $135 per night come with lots of family-friendly Halloween activities, including:
> Three waterslides with haunted music, spooky sounds and lights that will have kids lined up until 10 p.m.
>A spooky family movie in the pool, Halloween s’mores and monster-themed hula-hoop contest.
>Trick-or-treating at several locations in the hotel.
> Halloween-themed pool cabanas for adults.
“We encourage kids to trick-or-treat in costume in our safe family environment and enjoy our many spooky activities ranging from haunted waterslides to Halloween family s’mores,” said Prescott Yee, director of guest services and recreation at the HR Mission Bay.
Tip: Sea World is less than a mile away and having Spooktacular events through Nov. 1.
When: Oct. 30-Nov. 1.
