During an unexpected layover in Charlotte, the children were told they would be placed in a “comfort room for unaccompanied minors with a bed and private bathroom,” according to the complaint. Instead, the boys were kept in a “lost room” at the airport, where they spent the night on a couch with a light on, according to the complaint.
Attorney Elizabeth Eilender, who represents Vencil, said Vencil did not learn of the situation until the next morning and had difficulty contacting airline representatives at “the number where the children were supposed to be.” Ta. she stated. An airline representative refunded Bencil’s $150 escort fee after receiving her complaint. Eilender said more needs to be done to help airlines better monitor children.
“The purpose of this lawsuit is to call attention to the problem that American Airlines has in serving unaccompanied minors,” Eilender told The Washington Post. “Airports are probably the worst place in the world to leave children behind.”
Eilender said his client also wants to find out about previous incidents involving unaccompanied minors at the airline. Last summer, when a 12-year-old girl was left behind. Wandering alone through the Miami International Airport terminal. American Airlines said in a statement responding to the lawsuit that it has contacted Mr. Vencil and is reviewing the complaint.
“The safety and comfort of our customers, including unaccompanied minors, is our top priority and we are committed to providing a positive experience for everyone traveling with us.” the airline told the Post.
American Airlines requires children between the ages of 5 and 14 to use the Unaccompanied Minor service when traveling alone. According to the airline’s website. Vencil’s lawsuit alleges that the treatment her sons received did not meet the standards of care promised by American Airlines.
American Airlines’ website states, “In the rare event that your child needs to stay overnight due to a missed connection, we will arrange for overnight accommodations, meals, and supervision.” “I’ll call you if something like this happens.”
When Vencil filed a complaint with American Airlines after the incident, an airline representative told her to provide special supervision and a “warm and friendly treatment” to minors traveling alone, according to emails included in the complaint. He said in an email that he has undergone special training.
“Despite these safety measures, we are disappointed to learn that your child was not cared for,” American Airlines’ customer service team wrote. “Due to the circumstances you have described, I have authorized a refund of the unaccompanied minor fee you paid.”
Vencil declined to speak to the Post, but says in her complaint that she feared the incident had caused her children to be injured, missing, or abducted, and that she spent several hours ” He said he suffered “severe emotional distress” and “unnecessary panic.”
“This is a feeling no parent wants to feel,” Vencil said in the article. Good Morning America interview.