Edmonton couple misses flight because of diaper trouble...

[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?

[Slava]

The kid didn't want to go back to Edmonton. Can't blame him really!

[Reggie Dunlop]

This is why the Oilers fly charter.

[jolinar of malkshor]

I think they both have a bit of blame. They probably were taking their sweet time getting to the gate. But the airline could have been a little more accommodating and at least booked them on the next flight at no extra cost.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Sorry about the formatting. I keep fixing it and every time I hit save changes it goes back to adding like 10 spaces in between paragraphs.

[vanisleflamesfan]

I feel very little sympathy for anyone even trying to bring a baby onto an airplane.

/smug, single, no kids self-rightousness.

[shermanator]

A whole 20 minutes before the plane was to take off hey? Sounds like they were pushing it pretty close before the baby did their thing.

Can't blame them too much since it was unexpected, but airlines don't delay planes so that passengers can get on at the last second. Deal with it.

[pylon]

20 minutes before take off? With a kid? I go by the hour rule as do most sensible travellers. No one to blame but themselves. The fact that their kid sharted everywhere just makes the story funnier, and me less sympathetic. Yes folks, we'll hold up a 60 million dollar plane, burning fuel on the tarmac, and inconvenience 150 other people because you have crappy time management.

[FurnaceFace]

Just a minor error, it wasn't an international flight, they were going LV to Seattle.

I guess the unknown part is why they weren't through security earlier. While Alaska is within their rules to do what they did, it seems like they could have bent the rules slightly given the circumstances. It's not like they were a bunch of drunk guys who were in the bar at McCarran and ignored things.

What I am surprised at is they sent their bags on ahead without them. I thought that was a big no no these days. That seems to contravene all the new "OMG terrorists!!!1111!11" rules in place now. I guess maybe that's just an international thing.

EDIT. They got their cash:

Tonight we were contacted by a director at Alaska Airlines to resolve this issue. They have apologized for what happened and offered to reimburse my family $1000 (what it cost us to get home). It goes to show that one employee's actions doesn't always represent the whole company and it seems Alaska Airlines didn't thouroughly understand exactly what happened at the gate that day.

[Regulator75]

They should check and see if the parents are Brother and Sister?

[Dion]

Good to hear the parents got thier cash. I wonder what disiplinary actions will be taken against said employee. Maybe a course in customer service.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Dion

Good to hear the parents got thier cash. I wonder what disiplinary actions will be taken against said employee. Maybe a course in customer service.

Sorry, this is another case of "the customer is always right" being abused. If I was in the same situation, I would be too embarrassed to come forward knowing full well, I was at fault for the situation. The ONLY reason the airline paid them off is to save the negative publicity.... period. $1000 is peanuts to make the problem go away.

And btw, do they train people to do those pathetic "I was wronged" faces for newspaper photos?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by pylon

Sorry, this is another case of "the customer is always right" being abused. If I was in the same situation, I would be too embarrassed to come forward knowing full well, I was at fault for the same situation, going both ways on my trip. The ONLY reason the airline paid them off is to save the negative publicity.... period. $1000 is peanuts to make the problem go away.

I think this was a case where a little compassion and understanding would have avoided this situation. The first person the gate agent handed her ticket too refused it as they understood. Besides when do parents know when thier kid is going to have an accident.

[STeeLy]

going through security 20 minutes before departure time is cutting it close, even if it is just LAS.

Yes rules are rules, but under some extraordinary circumstances (like a baby who just took a huge dump), I think that rules should/could be bent a little bit. I have no idea how to change a diaper as I've never had to do such a job. But I don't imagine it'd cause the flight a major delay.

If you're going to a business meeting and the meeting is an hour after your flight is scheduled to arrives, I'd throw the blame on the person who booked that flight if the flight is delayed and the person can't get to the meeting on time. When it comes to flying, it is ESSENTIAL to have enough time prior to the flight and enough time between the flight arriving and whatever you have to do while there.

I'm with the crowd that says both sides are to blame in this one.

[Russic]

Sorry, but if my kid destroys his pants while boarding a plane I'm not going to give 2 damns about the comfort of the other passengers. Change him on the plane ... not fun but better than missing. We don't know why they cut it so close, but I certainly wouldn't try to board a flight leaving only 20 minutes.

[GoFlamesGo89]

Why is everyone hung up on the 20 minutes thing? The kid had his poop just before boarding, so if they went through security 3 hours early, its not likely the kid would have done his thing any earlier.

Unless his explosion was a direct result of some offensive security handling...

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Why not wait until the next flight? Because you're out of baby supplies? I bet you the baby supplies you need won't cost $1000.

[Roast Beef]

I'd put them on the no fly list just for naming their kid Levi.

[Jake]

Unless I'm missing something it doesn't really matter when they got to the gate. If the kid decided to soil itself a few minutes before take off, then it doesn't matter how early they got there.

20 minutes before the plane is supposed to take off is way to close though. Kinda hard to take sides without knowing more. Maybe they had good reason for being late, such as a massive check-in line, late cab, etc. I've experienced d-bag people working at the airport so I have sympathy if that was the case.

[Jake]

double post.