Family claims Delta threw them off overbooked flight

The Schear family alleges they were on a Los Angeles-bound flight when Delta employees asked them to give up their 2-year-old son's seat.

[pilgrum]

"you will go to jail and your kids will be put in foster care" they used to give you free peanuts now they ruin your family.

[ashaman]

You guys missed the biggest part of this story. The delta rep threatened that their kids WOULD GO TO FOSTER CARE if they didn't get off the flight. Super crazy.

[BillE-zigi]

You watch, cell phones will be banned from planes.

[Andrea-hizo]

To say you're gonna take my child into foster care?!? I would've lost it

[wingnutdawns]

A crew member threatening to destroy a family by threatening jail time because they refused to gibe up their 2-year -old's seat for another passenger?Besides It is not safe to hold a child on the lap and the seat had been paid Obviously money talks louder than common courtesy and sense.

[thomasalias]

I hope Delta receives the same backlash as United.

[chesurow]

The Dad is a saint for holding it together and staying calm. Airlines need fines for every instance a person needs to leave the plane due to overbooking - this is insane!

[CRaschNET]

Sounds like Delta wanted to jack the family so they make more money.

[blueberrysalt]

Guys we found United airlines sister delta

[lukemaxwell]

I bet all the airlines had a meeting that said, "Hey, let's screw up some people's lives."

[williamfey_]

I think the best way to deal with US domestic airlines are to invite airlines from outside of the US like Singapore airlines or Garuda Indonesia

[orangemartyrs]

The Delta Airlines "person helping" is a LIAR - Here are the rules - You're not required to, BUT both the Federal Aviation Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend that you use an FAA-approved child restraint device. That means either an approved car seat or the CARES harness (see below).

[Dicertification]

How do intimidation charges work in the US? I know in many regions what that airline employee did would be considered intimidation and could be charged with it.

[BayAreaSun]

Video is a wonderful thing to have. Clearly, clearly the woman speaking to the father has no clue whatsoever on how to deal with customers. Customer service is a perspective. You basically treat the customer and in this case the family on board the same way you want to be treated. Words are carefully used and tone along with sympathy are a better way of coming to a resolution. Forcing a family to get off the plane after you have taken their money is not good for business. I bet the seats were given to airline employees who fly for free all over the world.

[tusiegirl]

I would have gotten off in solidarity. Not one passenger helped prove a point to Delta or a family in need. Stoopid Delta.

[JazzBliss]

This is just disgusting. Who the hell would threaten this family that they would take their kids away. This was so wrong

[PacifierMusic]

We need some federal regulations around overbooking hotels and airlines. This is getting ridiculous.

[JC-evns]

Wow did she really just threaten them by saying they would be put in jail and their kids would be put in foster care??? That's fucked up

[xanaduxanadu]

That airline employee was completely uninformed. Here is a copied statement from the Delta website regarding infant and child seating:

"Infant & Child Seating:
We want you and your children to have the safest, most comfortable flight possible. For kids under the age of two, we recommend you purchase a seat on the aircraft and use an approved child safety seat."

There's additional information but it's clear that airline employee was wrong. The written policies (as well as FAA recommendations) are quite different from her threats and for her to tell this passenger that he should have thought ahead to plan for a hotel room is crazy. To threaten the family with taking their children away is incomprehensible. I would sue Delta for monetary compensation, mental and physical anguish, harrasment, threats and court/lawyer costs. It's difficult enough traveling with a toddler, let alone two toddlers but to be forced to hold a two year old for 6 hours in a paid tiny 17 inch seat is beyond unfair. All this to squeeze another body on board. You'd think airline employees would be extra careful after that Dr. Dao fiasco!

[jtboy]

they threatened to have that child put into FUCKING foster care. I know what it's like to go through foster care and it's an absolute hell.