Father Expresses Dissatisfaction with United Airlines’ Treatment of Special Needs Child during Flight
Uttiya Basu took to social media to voice his dissatisfaction with what he characterized as disrespectful and patronizing treatment received by his three-year-old child with special needs during a United Airlines flight.
Basu shared his experience on Twitter, recounting that he, along with his wife and child, was aboard flight UA 83 from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The family had booked United’s Polaris business class seats for the journey.
Informing United about his child’s needs four weeks prior to the flight, Basu claimed the airline neglected to provide the child’s meal as requested.
In a tweet dated August 4, 2023, Basu wrote, “This is a distressing account of my unfortunate encounter with @united service. We purchased a FULL PRICE (USD 23K) business class ticket on their Polaris class on UA83 – DEL-EWR. The flight was initially delayed by nearly two hours. We managed the delay in the lounge.”
According to Basu, his child slept for the first nine hours of the flight. Upon waking, Basu’s wife arranged a meal from her tray for their child.
While waiting for the child’s meal, Basu reported that his son became upset due to the unfamiliar surroundings. Basu took it upon himself to carry the child and soothe him by walking along the aisle.
Basu noted that his son eventually calmed down, enjoyed his meal, and engaged with toys and the In-flight entertainment (IFE) screen. Delighted by finding his favorite shows on the IFE, the child began to express his excitement audibly.
At this juncture, a United flight attendant approached Basu’s wife and allegedly said, “Ma’am, your child must remain quiet. It’s quiet time, and everyone is trying to sleep. You’re not managing to keep him quiet. You need to silence him.”
Despite explanations from Basu’s wife, the flight attendant persisted, saying, “I have two children, and I understand how to handle them. You need to do something.”
When Basu shared the interaction, he tweeted, “Flight Attendant – ‘I have two children, and I understand how to handle them. You need to do SOMETHING’. My wife – ‘we’re engaging and playing with him’. Flight Attendant – ‘NO, YOU’RE NOT!! You’re just SITTING there.’ She turned to me and said, ‘You can walk him around. That might help!'”
Basu claimed the flight attendant “compelled” them to walk their child down the aisle, which resulted in more loud expressions of unhappiness from the child.
He went on to advise, “To anyone considering United flights, particularly with young children or those with special needs, I recommend exploring alternative airlines. United seems to have a low tolerance for children laughing or being excited!”
In a subsequent tweet, Basu mentioned that United’s response to his complaints was a $100 travel voucher, which he found inadequate.
He tweeted, “United’s response was, ‘We apologize for your experience. Here’s a USD 100 travel voucher.’ I requested a report on the actions taken and an apology to my wife for the discourteous and condescending behavior of the flight attendant. I didn’t ask for a voucher and a standard letter.”
Basu noted that neither the flight attendant nor the airline had extended an apology to his family. He disclosed that he had sent a formal letter to United’s head of customer service and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the incident.
As of now, United has not issued a statement regarding the matter.