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My opinion may be different from most of those commenting on the article.
While I do find the trend about whining and attempting to shame on social media exceptionally annoying, and wonder why no one on this trip was prepared for such a situation (credit card, extra cash, etc.), I'm surprised American didn't fully comp rooms for them. It's not their fault the flight was cancelled late at night and they were stuck there in an uncomfortable situation.
I've had flights cancelled before, but it was in the middle of the day, not at night in some dump.
Nine high school students and their 11 adult companions were forced to sleep on the floor of Chicago O'Hare International Airport's baggage claim after American Airlines canceled their flight home on Sunday. According to one of the students' coaches on the trip, the airlines only offered them a "discount" on accommodations.
The Trevor G. Browne High School students traveled from Phoenix to Washington, D.C. to compete in the National Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition. A coach, KC Stockbridge, who is an Arizona State University law student, said that they performed well all weekend, only to have a disappointing and frustrating experience on their way home.
There were ELEVEN adults with those nine HS students. Surely one of them could have found a better solution. Or they could have called one of their parent.
The flight was cancelled die to weather. American was under no obligation to do anything. This group are not special snowflakes just because they were students who were participating in a moot court competition.
PS The article implies that they sold the goodies of their own back. What they did was sell those hoodies as part of a fund raising campaign - like when kids sell candy bars or gift wrap. Which is a huge rip of to everyone except the company that manufactured the hoodies. They would have been better off with a Go Fund Me page or a car wash.
If this is the brain pool for our future attorneys, we're all in trouble.
It must not have been a big deal as it never made it to our news, tv or print, and everything air travel related at ORD or MDW is reported, especially stranded youth groups.
BTW, who the heok is stupid enough to pack prescription drugs in checked luggage? And why do the "kids" even HAVE checked luggage????? They were in D.C.for a couple of days - and that checked bag cost extra money!!!! Must've sold a lot of them hoodies.
I find most of these comments funny because most of the people saying them would be screaming mad at the airline if their flight was canceled and they had to sleep in the airport. The only sad thing about this is that it isn't news because it is so common and has been for years. I can remember having to sleep in airports 30 years ago. Cattle on their way to slaughter have more rights to food and rest if they're delayed than paying passengers on US airlines.
BTDT, didn't realize it was a newsworthy thing. The airlines aren't responsible for the weather, last I knew.
I assume there were other travelers on that plane too? I guess they don't count.
I'd think this is more a local 'human interest' story for that team
Do we know it was cancelled for weather? I do recall there being storms last weekend in the Southeast.. Don't know about the midwest. Though, some people don't understand that weather in one area can affect things elsewhere. This is one reason that airlines will always say "Weather" was the cause of a cancellation, whether it was or not.
If the cancellation was due to crew scheduling or maintenance issues.. While I certainly would appreciate them cancelling the flight rather than making it a one way flight to the site of the crash.. Those are things that are within the control of the airline.
I find most of these comments funny because most of the people saying them would be screaming mad at the airline if their flight was canceled and they had to sleep in the airport. The only sad thing about this is that it isn't news because it is so common and has been for years. I can remember having to sleep in airports 30 years ago. Cattle on their way to slaughter have more rights to food and rest if they're delayed than paying passengers on US airlines.
Yep. On one occasion I was given a voucher for an airport hotel. I called them repeatedly. They said their shuttle came by every 20 minutes. It didn't. After about an hour I yielded to the temptation of the "Hilton O'Hare" sign across the road and got a room (it was about 2 AM by then). Fortunately I was on business and the company picked it up. Another time I got a "distressed passenger" discount voucher and called the hotel; they were full up. The airline was just printing them and handing them out like candy to make people go away. It was AA in both cases, but in general, I assume that regardless of the cause, the airline is just going to tell you what flight you're on the next day and tell you to go away until then.
Yep. On one occasion I was given a voucher for an airport hotel. I called them repeatedly. They said their shuttle came by every 20 minutes. It didn't. After about an hour I yielded to the temptation of the "Hilton O'Hare" sign across the road and got a room (it was about 2 AM by then). Fortunately I was on business and the company picked it up. Another time I got a "distressed passenger" discount voucher and called the hotel; they were full up. The airline was just printing them and handing them out like candy to make people go away. It was AA in both cases, but in general, I assume that regardless of the cause, the airline is just going to tell you what flight you're on the next day and tell you to go away until then.
My husband travels frequently for business. He had many similar bad experiences. Stuff happen
However, can't believe they packed their meds in their suitcases. This meant they had to leave the secure area. Then with 11 adults and 9 teenagers, they complained. "There was no security check between us and the rest of the city and anyone could come creep around or try to prey on our kids,'' he said. Phoenix isn't a small town, they should be able to cope in Chicago.
I'm just disappointed that when we explicitly told the employees that we were concerned for our kids, they wouldn't even listen to us. We weren't asking for special treatment," Stockbridge said in his Facebook post.
Actually, they were asking for special treatment. Someone had to have credit card to for a couple of hotel rooms. Whatever the discount amount was, twenty people could have bunked together in four or five rooms.
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