[Cecil Terwilliger]

Last month, the Alberta couple missed their plane home from Las Vegas because Alaska Airlines gave away their tickets when the couple was forced to change their eight-month-old baby's exploding diaper just before boarding.

Last month, the family was scheduled to fly back to Edmonton through Seattle on Alaska Airlines at 3:15 p.m., after marrying in Las Vegas.

Blais said they passed through security more than 20 minutes before their plane was scheduled to take off. But as they were approaching the counter, Levi soiled himself.

"It turned out to be one of those big messes," Blais said.

Roberge rushed to the bathroom to deal with Levi, while at the gate, Blais told the agent what happened and said his wife would be there in five minutes.

"She basically said 'I'll give you two minutes,'" Blais said. If they weren't back by then, Blais said they were told the airline would give away their seats.

Blais ran to the bathroom and yelled for his wife to hurry. Inside, Roberge scrambled to get Levi's diaper changed and clothes back on. But when she came out, it was too late. The agent had given away her seat.

With only enough baby supplies to get them through the night, he got on the phone and booked the next available tickets home, on a one-way WestJet flight, at a cost of more than $1,000 for the two of them.

Within days of the site going up, an Alaska Airlines representative had posted the company' side of the story in the comments section.

For flights leaving Las Vegas, the airline requires passengers to be at the gate 40 minutes before departure, wrote Elliot Pesut, the company's social media manager. If passengers are late, their reservations can be cancelled.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Diaper+...#ixzz14kyssxTn

Not exactly a groundbreaking story but I'm curious how other CPers feel.

Not enough evidence for me to 100% say either way but I feel this falls on the parents.

It sounds like they would have had enough time to clean up after their kid if they'd have gotten thru security on time. However, what if the kid poops himself 30 seconds before they board, regardless of when they passed thru security?

If the airline says that they had to get on the plane then they should have taken their stinking child onto the plane and let the other passengers and staff suffer. Then go change him after the seatbelt sign turns off. I guess they didn't think of that though.

Personally I think it is just a natural hazard of flying. You have a variable that may or may not cause you problems at any second and you have to be prepared to deal with that.

On the other hand the airline could have been a little more forgiving but how? If it isn't one excuse then it is another. They can't hold every plane for every excuse.

I feel bad for the parents. I really do. But they had to know travelling with a kid is somewhat of a risk. Just like the thread about bringing a kid to a Flames game or movie. Feel free to do it but you have to be prepared to leave if your kid won't be quiet.

If I were the airline I would have refunded their money if not for the fact that they didn't get thru security until 20 minutes before their flight. For an international flight everyone knows to arrive early. The way the article is phrased it leads me to believe the kid soiled himself while they were waiting at security or immediately after and the reason they missed the flight is because they couldn't clean up their kid in time and make the flight.

I don't think for a second the kid soiled himself while they were just about to board, just based on how I read taht article.

Big thing for me too is that they booked $1000 last minute flights because they ran out of baby supplies. What a load of bullpoo. What they don't sell baby supplies in the US?