Anton, a 14-year-old unaccompanied minor (UM) travelling on 30 June from Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, to New York Newark on United Airlines, then onward with SAS (in codeshare with United Airlines) to Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden, to visit his grandparents, had the time of his life. But not Brenda, his worried mother. What happened?
At Raleigh, Brenda learned that United would require the teen to travel as an unaccompanied minor. They charged her a $150 fee for the service. Note that United doesn’t usually accept unaccompanied minors on connecting itineraries, let alone international partner itineraries, but they made an exception — and things went very wrong. (source: View from the Wing)
In Newark, a United Airlines representative had to pick up Anton and put him on SAS flight SK904 to Stockholm Arlanda, but he wrongly dropped him on Eurowings flight EW1113 (operated by Brussels Airlines) to Dusseldorf, Germany. Just before take-off – and after Anton told the flight attendants he was on the wrong flight, the Airbus A330 (OO-SFJ) headed back to the gate, as seen on flightradar24 data.
@United @SAS my son is in the wrong plane!!! EWR you put him on a plane to Germany!!!!
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
I can’t get through on any of you phone numbers. He is an unaccompanied minor going to ARN. You probably put another kid in his place who is supposed to go to Germany. The ARN is due to take off any second. The Eurowings to DUS has stopped on the runway. Do something! – call me!
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Meanwhile, Brenda unsuccessfully tried to contact United Airlines.
As Anton was too late to catch his SAS flight to Arlanda, the airline rebooked him on another flight via Copenhagen, Denmark …
Seven hours later than scheduled, Anton finally arrived in Sweden. Worried Brenda stayed awake all night to follow up on her son.
Aviation24.be reached out to United Airlines and SAS for a comment.
On the incident, United Airlines said: “The safety and well-being of all of our customers is our top priority, and we have been in frequent contact with the young man’s family to confirm his safety and to apologize for this issue.
Once Eurowings recognized that he had boarded the wrong aircraft in Newark, the plane returned to the gate – before taking off. Our staff then assisted the young customer to ensure that he boarded the correct rebooked flight later that evening. We have confirmed that this young customer safely reached his destination.”
Still on hold. @united #NeverUnitedAir don’t trust them. pic.twitter.com/BhBt7W8POA
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
The representative literally just told me “he won’t be put on the wrong plane”. He WAS put on the wrong plane. It almost took off! No sense of urgency @United
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Priceless. @United is blaming @SAS, but I paid United. 1hr45minutes and this is what she told me, plus “I can’t promise anyone will call you back.” #NeverUnitedAir
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Okay – we are now at one hour! He told the flight attendant at 4:50. No one has called us!!!
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Update – they are letting him off the plane and NO ONE has called me!
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
It has now been 3 hours since my 14yo son said “I think they put me on the wrong plane and it is about to take off for Germany (instead of Sweden!).” @United still has not called back and our son is on his own in @EWR. #NeverUnitedAir
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Friends – thanks for your concern. He is now on his own in @EWR and buying himself food. Thanks @United for STILL not caring for our child even though you forced us to pay your fee. #NeverUnitedAir
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
And @United still has not had eyes on him. Seriously! At least @SAS stepped up. But now he is waiting for an 11:30pm flight and then a stopover in Copenhagen. United wouldn’t let him unaccompanied through Newark but they are fine forcing him unaccompanied in Europe.
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
We purchased this exact connection so we could be in contact by phone during the transition. He is an experienced traveler and it would have been entirely fine. But they sequestered him in a room for minors, then put him on the wrong plane. #NeverUnitedAir
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
@eurowings should never have let him on but at they did turn the plane around when it was taxiing. He was heckled in the @eurowings plane but it was @United fault! @SAS helped him rebook but he now has to wait until 11:30pm and connect through Copenhagen. Never #UnitedAirlines
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) June 30, 2019
Yup. They literally had to turn the plane around just moments before takeoff. Someone yelled out that he should apologize to everyone. 😓 But he was put on the plane by @United. An entire flight had to be diverted because of @United terrible unaccompanied minor program.
— Brenda Berg (@BrendaBerg) July 1, 2019
