TOTALLY GEEKED!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Unaccompanied minor groped on flight.


On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Unaccompanied minor groped on flight.
Permalink  
 


The first warning sign came before the plane had even taken off.

Chad Cameron Camp had his choice of seats on the half-empty American Airlines flight from Dallas to Portland, Ore. But Camp, 26, curiously chose a middle seat — right next to an unaccompanied 13-year-old girl, the FBI said in a statement.

Flight attendants offered to move Camp to another seat where he would have more room, but he declined.

“No, I’m fine,” he said, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Washington Post..

When a flight attendant returned for drink service a half hour later, she saw Camp’s hand on the teenager’s crotch, according to the complaint.

She also saw “a single tear coming down the victim’s cheek.”

Flight attendants separated Camp and the teenager for the rest of the voyage. And as soon as the plane landed, the unaccompanied minor was rushed off the plane.

When Camp exited the plane, he was arrested and charged with abusive sexual contact, according to the FBI.

The teenager’s attorney, however, says that the airline failed to protect its vulnerable passenger.

“This was 30 minutes of hell for this young lady,” said Brent Goodfellow, a lawyer representing the girl, who scoffed at the idea that his client had been saved by a heroic flight attendant.

“If I have my tray table down or my seat back two inches during the improper time, those guys are going to be on me immediately,” Goodfellow told The Post. “This girl got abused for 30 minutes and no one was to be found.”

“The family paid $300 extra and this is what they get?” he said, adding that his clients are “absolutely going to sue the airline.”

American Airlines said it takes “these matters very seriously” and is fully cooperating with law enforcement.

“American cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to providing a safe and pleasant travel experience for them,” the airline said in a statement to CNN.

As Goodfellow points out, however, this is not the only recent case of a child allegedly being sexually abused aboard an American Airlines flight.

In July 2015, a Pakistani doctor was similarly accused of groping an unaccompanied girl aboard an AA flight from New York to Chicago. Mohammad Asif Chaudhry, 57, was visiting relatives in the United States last summer when he allegedly moved from his assigned seat to sit next to the girl, who was between 12 and 16 years of age.

The girl woke up from a nap to find the doctor inappropriately touching her, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court against Chaudhry and American Airlines.

“I can’t move cause the seat belt sign is on and I want to get away,” the girl said in desperate texts to her mother, the Associated Press reported. “Mommy, I’m scared.”

Chaudhry said that the contact was inadvertent, however. He was acquitted by a federal judge in November. The lawsuit against him and American Airlines continues in an Iowa court.

After the incident, American Airlines issued a nearly identical statement to the one last week.

“It’s a mockery,” Goodfellow said of the boilerplate statements. “It’s like a slap in the face.”

He said the airline’s reaction was also identical: Move the accused man to the back, move the girl to the front and call the FBI, which handles incidents aboard flights.

Wednesday’s incident allegedly began brewing the moment Camp boarded the airplane.

The girl was flying home to the Portland area after visiting her father in San Antonio. She boarded the flight first.

Camp was wearing headphones and talking to himself when he sat down in his assigned seat, 21-B, right next to the girl.

“The first word out of his mouth was ‘F—,'” the attorney said.

If that wasn’t enough of a warning, Goodfellow said, then flight attendants should have realized there was a problem when Camp declined to move to an empty row — or at least to the aisle seat.

“That’s a big red flag,” the attorney said. “Anybody who has ever flown more than a couple of hours and knows that if there is any empty seat that is not the middle seat, of course they are going to move.”

Camp mumbled and cursed to himself before attempting to make small talk, according to the complaint. He began leaning toward her, forcing her to lean away.

Camp then allegedly began brushing up against her upper arm and shoulder while ostensibly turning the pages of a magazine.

“Each time he turned the page he used his elbow to brush up against the victim’s shoulder and upper arm area. The victim attempted to move away from Camp’s physical contact, and each time she withdrew, he would laugh,” the complaint states. “After finishing with the magazine, Camp leaned toward the victim to place the magazine in the seat pocket in front of the victim. Camp instead dropped the magazine on the victim’s shoes.”

Later, while pretending to look out the window, Camp leaned across the girl again, putting his face just inches from hers, the complaint continues.

When the girl declined Camp’s offer to share his headphones, he allegedly threw them in her lap.

Camp then repeatedly placed his hand on the girl’s knee and upper thigh, according to the complaint.

“She had to push his hand off of her and cross her legs,” Goodfellow told The Post.

“What are you doing?” she asked him. But Camp just laughed and did it again, according to the complaint.

“She was frightened and trapped,” the complaint says.

“She was touched over 15 times,” Goodfellow said.

The incident only stopped when a female flight attendant came by to serve drinks and spotted Camp’s hand on the girl’s crotch, according to the complaint.

That’s also when the flight attendant noticed that the girl was crying.

When confronted, Camp denied doing anything wrong, according to the complaint. And when the flight attendant told him to move, he initially tried to slide over just one seat, to the aisle, according to Goodfellow. Instead, the flight attendant moved Camp to the back of the plane and put the girl near the front.

As soon as the plane reached its gate in Portland, the girl was ushered off so that she could meet her stepfather and give a statement to authorities.

When Camp exited the plane, he was detained by Port of Portland officials and then arrested by FBI agents, according to a statement from the bureau.

Camp later pleaded not guilty, the Oregonian reported.

According to the complaint, another passenger on the flight had seen Camp consume “four mixed alcoholic drinks” in an hour while sitting at the airport bar, although he did not appear drunk at the time.

Even after Camp’s arrest, the girl’s terrifying ordeal wasn’t over.

Before he could be taken to Multnomah County jail, the girl happened to walk past Camp, then detained, on the way to the airport restroom — an experience Goodfellow described as “absolutely traumatizing.”

“She could see Camp [in the airport terminal] and returned to her stepfather frightened and crying,” according to the complaint.

The attorney accused American Airlines of “extorting” separated families by charging them extra to let unaccompanied minors travel without providing any meaningful protection.

The girl’s father paid an additional $300 round-trip for her to visit him.

In August 2014, American Airlines began requiring parents to pay $150 extra each way for unaccompanied minors ages 12-14 to fly. Previously, only unaccompanied minors ages 4-11 were required to use the service.

“This age range not only ensures the safest possible travel for our youngest customers, it’s consistent with US Airways policy before the close of our merger,” American told its employees, according to the Dallas Morning News.

“Our unaccompanied minor service is to ensure your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, chaperoned during connections and released to the appropriate person at their destination,” the airline’s website states.

“Parents are assuming they are going to be getting bodyguard service” for $300, but they are not, he added.

Camp never should have been given a seat next to the girl in the first place, Goodfellow argued. He cited some airline policies barring men from sitting next to unaccompanied minors.

Those policies have come under attack, however, from men who claim that they are sexist.

In 2012, an Australian firefighter said he felt like a “pedophile” when a Virgin Australia flight attendant asked him to move from his seat next to two unaccompanied boys, according to CNN. After a public uproar, Virgin said it was reviewing its policy.

“Basically, he felt like a pedophile precisely because he was treated like one,” Joshua Gans wrote in Forbes shortly after the incident.

Other airlines, including British Airways, Qantas and Air New Zealand have also been criticized for similar policies.

Boris Johnson, ex-mayor of London, wrote an op-ed in 2006 about being asked to move on a British Airways flight before he revealed to the flight attendant that the kids were actually his.

British Airways changed its policy in 2010 after being successfully sued by Luxembourgian businessman Mirko Fischer, who complained that he had been treated like a “child molester” by the airline, according to the Telegraph.

Allegations of abuse against unaccompanied minors are relatively rare. In 2013, an off-duty Delta pilot was accused of groping an unaccompanied girl on a flight from Detroit to Salt Lake City.

Such cases date back to at least 1990, when a Michigan man was arrested for allegedly fondling a 9-year-old girl who was traveling with her 7-year-old sister aboard a Northwest Airlines flight.

“Airlines and flight attendants say it’s the first such incident they know of and doubt it could happen except under unusual circumstances,” the Seattle Times reported, noting that the alleged incident happened during an overnight flight when the lights were dimmed.

At the same time, however, the newspaper said the incident had “raised a new concern: youngsters being sexually molested en route.”

Goodfellow said airlines don’t necessarily need to revert to bans on men sitting next to unaccompanied minors.

He said there are simple, nondiscriminatory steps an airline can take, such as sitting unaccompanied minors in aisle seats in front or rear rows, where they are closest to and most easily seen by flight attendants.

Whenever possible, unaccompanied minors should also have an empty seat next to them for protection, he said.

On Thursday, Camp appeared briefly in U.S. District Court in Portland. His attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, the Oregonianreported. The attorney could not be reached for comment late Sunday night.

No matter the outcome of Camp’s case, Goodfellow said the incident had permanently affected the 13-year-old girl.

“She doesn’t want to be on an airplane ever again,” he said. “This is going to affect the rest of her life.”



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Why didn't the flight attendant move the girl? Unaccompanied minors are supposed to be close the the flight attendant station. You pay the extra fee for a flight attendant to be assigned to the child and watch over them.

The airline absolutely failed in its duty.

__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Mod/Penguin lover/Princess!

Status: Offline
Posts: 13089
Date:
Permalink  
 

That poor girl.cry

American Airlines failed her. Big time.



__________________

Ohioan by birth, Texan by choice!



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

The flight attendant should have moved her. That guy's actions were very questionable. Nobody wants the middle seat if they can get a better one.

I don't understand why the girl didn't scream & push his hand away. At 13 I would have broken his damn arm if he tried that with me. I assuming she was on the aisle. She could have jumped up.

__________________
FNW


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 18704
Date:
Permalink  
 

She probably didn't want to get in trouble with the airline personnel. Personally, as the victim of gropes, you don't expect it. It's shocking, and you aren't sure what to do at the time. You don't want to make a scene. You're embarrassed. You wonder if you provoked it. There are a multitude of feelings that come over you, and at 13, you are not equipped to sort through those feelings.

They should have moved the girl close to airline personnel where they could keep an eye on her for safety.

__________________

#it's5o'clocksomewhere



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2279
Date:
Permalink  
 

Sorry, but I dont understand why we are blaming the airline or flight attendant for something a bad man did. The moment the attendant saw something, she DID something about it. How was she supposed to know something might happen? To be honest, if I am gonna put a my child on an airplane by himself (btw I WOULDNT) I will be teaching my child about stranger danger, and speak up, and "STOP TOUCHING ME!". So if anything, the parents are just as much at fault.

__________________


My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Status: Offline
Posts: 38325
Date:
Permalink  
 

This is why I don't think minors should be allowed to fly unaccompanied.

The whole thing could have been avoided.

__________________

A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1758
Date:
Permalink  
 

Cheerios that's what I thought. Why didn't she say something before the flight attendant saw it? I would have raised Cain.

__________________
That's Mrs. Face to you!


On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Cheerios4606 wrote:

Sorry, but I dont understand why we are blaming the airline or flight attendant for something a bad man did. The moment the attendant saw something, she DID something about it. How was she supposed to know something might happen? To be honest, if I am gonna put a my child on an airplane by himself (btw I WOULDNT) I will be teaching my child about stranger danger, and speak up, and "STOP TOUCHING ME!". So if anything, the parents are just as much at fault.


 Because you pay the airline hundreds of dollars more for a round trip flight so that they watch your kid and make sure they get from point A to point B safely.  Otherwise - what the hell are those extra fees for if they are just going to board a plane and be on their own like everyone else?



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

Cheerios4606 wrote:

Sorry, but I dont understand why we are blaming the airline or flight attendant for something a bad man did. The moment the attendant saw something, she DID something about it. How was she supposed to know something might happen? To be honest, if I am gonna put a my child on an airplane by himself (btw I WOULDNT) I will be teaching my child about stranger danger, and speak up, and "STOP TOUCHING ME!". So if anything, the parents are just as much at fault.


I said more or less the same thing on a different board & got piled on for blaming the victim.  Crazy right? 



__________________


On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Well, she's 13, not 23. And we did the unaccompanied minor thing with DN. We signed her over to a flight attendant, were assured she would be monitored at all times, and she was placed in a seat by herself back by the flight attendants.

__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Frozen Sucks!

Status: Offline
Posts: 24384
Date:
Permalink  
 

Why are these kids not seated in the first row in clear view? Also, since when did airlines start charging a fee? The certainly are responsible if they are going to charge.

__________________

Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.

Frozen is the bestest movie ever, NOT!



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:

Why are these kids not seated in the first row in clear view? Also, since when did airlines start charging a fee? The certainly are responsible if they are going to charge.


 They are supposed to be seated right by the flight attendants.  The screw up here was not moving her immediately when that man refused to move.



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1849
Date:
Permalink  
 

Do airplanes not have call buttons for the flight attendant anymore? Pretty sure someone would come quickly if she screamed or tried to get away.

That said, the one time I flew as an unaccompanied minor I was seated alone in the row nearest the galley area.
If this dude said he wasn't moving, they should have told the girl she needed to sit in some other row because of airline policy or something.

__________________


Frozen Sucks!

Status: Offline
Posts: 24384
Date:
Permalink  
 

Tangerine wrote:

Do airplanes not have call buttons for the flight attendant anymore? Pretty sure someone would come quickly if she screamed or tried to get away.

That said, the one time I flew as an unaccompanied minor I was seated alone in the row nearest the galley area.
If this dude said he wasn't moving, they should have told the girl she needed to sit in some other row because of airline policy or something.


 She probably didn't know those exist.



__________________

Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.

Frozen is the bestest movie ever, NOT!



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Tangerine wrote:

Do airplanes not have call buttons for the flight attendant anymore? Pretty sure someone would come quickly if she screamed or tried to get away.

That said, the one time I flew as an unaccompanied minor I was seated alone in the row nearest the galley area.
If this dude said he wasn't moving, they should have told the girl she needed to sit in some other row because of airline policy or something.


 She probably didn't know those exist.


 The flight attendant should have told her about it when she seated her. 



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 9186
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lawyerlady wrote:

Why didn't the flight attendant move the girl? Unaccompanied minors are supposed to be close the the flight attendant station. You pay the extra fee for a flight attendant to be assigned to the child and watch over them.

The airline absolutely failed in its duty.


  That was my first thought. They should have moved the girl.



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 25897
Date:
Permalink  
 

I really dont' think i would be comfortable sending my child to fly alone. But, then again, I don't fly a lot so maybe if i did i would feel more comfortable with it. But, yes, shame on the Airline for not monitoring the minor.

__________________

https://politicsandstuff.proboards.com/



Vette's SS

Status: Offline
Posts: 5001
Date:
Permalink  
 

I flew UM a lot as a kid (Divorced parents who lived several states away). My sister and I were always placed in the first rows.

__________________


Owl drink to that!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4799
Date:
Permalink  
 

How scary for this girl! She probably was scared to death and thought he would hurt her if she said anything.

__________________

Was it a bad day?

Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

VetteGirl wrote:

How scary for this girl! She probably was scared to death and thought he would hurt her if she said anything.


 Exactly.



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1944
Date:
Permalink  
 

The airline should have policy on unaccompanied minors.
Many airlines charge a fee for this and should make certain the unaccompanied minor is in view of an attendant and not seated next to a perv. jeeeze.
Poor girl.

__________________


Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7536
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I really dont' think i would be comfortable sending my child to fly alone. But, then again, I don't fly a lot so maybe if i did i would feel more comfortable with it. But, yes, shame on the Airline for not monitoring the minor.


 I do fly regularly and I wouldn't send any child under 15 alone. Would you put your child on a Greyhound bus alone?! It's basically the same thing. No way. They should have put her in the seats by the galley. However, not every man is a perv. If my DH had been seated next to her, he probably would have responded the same way as the OP and wouldn't have thought a thing of it. Of course he wouldn't have molested her, but he wouldn't have been concerned about sitting next to her either. I don't like when we assume the worst of every male until it's proven that they are not a molester. 

This poor girl. I hope she isn't too traumatized and can move past this incident. 

 



__________________

Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite ! 



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Mellow Momma wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I really dont' think i would be comfortable sending my child to fly alone. But, then again, I don't fly a lot so maybe if i did i would feel more comfortable with it. But, yes, shame on the Airline for not monitoring the minor.


 I do fly regularly and I wouldn't send any child under 15 alone. Would you put your child on a Greyhound bus alone?! It's basically the same thing. No way. They should have put her in the seats by the galley. However, not every man is a perv. If my DH had been seated next to her, he probably would have responded the same way as the OP and wouldn't have thought a thing of it. Of course he wouldn't have molested her, but he wouldn't have been concerned about sitting next to her either. I don't like when we assume the worst of every male until it's proven that they are not a molester. 

This poor girl. I hope she isn't too traumatized and can move past this incident. 

 


 No, you don't assume every man is a perv, but at the same time, you don't put young girls with strange men they don't know b/c of the possibility.  And frankly, just plain comfort of not having to sit next to a strange man.  



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1973
Date:
Permalink  
 

Millions of years ago when I worked for a major airline, they charged 50% extra for an unaccompanied child (international flights and international carrier). The child was seated near the galley and one of the cabin attendants was charged to keep an eye on him/her almost all the time.... I think the 50% was because of an extra attendant on the flight.....

__________________

Just take it easy and think it over.



Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7536
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lawyerlady wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I really dont' think i would be comfortable sending my child to fly alone. But, then again, I don't fly a lot so maybe if i did i would feel more comfortable with it. But, yes, shame on the Airline for not monitoring the minor.


 I do fly regularly and I wouldn't send any child under 15 alone. Would you put your child on a Greyhound bus alone?! It's basically the same thing. No way. They should have put her in the seats by the galley. However, not every man is a perv. If my DH had been seated next to her, he probably would have responded the same way as the OP and wouldn't have thought a thing of it. Of course he wouldn't have molested her, but he wouldn't have been concerned about sitting next to her either. I don't like when we assume the worst of every male until it's proven that they are not a molester. 

This poor girl. I hope she isn't too traumatized and can move past this incident. 

 


 No, you don't assume every man is a perv, but at the same time, you don't put young girls with strange men they don't know b/c of the possibility.  And frankly, just plain comfort of not having to sit next to a strange man.  


 So sitting next to a man they don't know is so off putting that a child would need moved?! Would you say the same thing if the child was sitting next to a "strange" woman?! If not, why not?! It's because we assume the worst of men until proven otherwise. That's not right. Women are just as likely to be horrible. 



__________________

Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite ! 



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Mellow Momma wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

I really dont' think i would be comfortable sending my child to fly alone. But, then again, I don't fly a lot so maybe if i did i would feel more comfortable with it. But, yes, shame on the Airline for not monitoring the minor.


 I do fly regularly and I wouldn't send any child under 15 alone. Would you put your child on a Greyhound bus alone?! It's basically the same thing. No way. They should have put her in the seats by the galley. However, not every man is a perv. If my DH had been seated next to her, he probably would have responded the same way as the OP and wouldn't have thought a thing of it. Of course he wouldn't have molested her, but he wouldn't have been concerned about sitting next to her either. I don't like when we assume the worst of every male until it's proven that they are not a molester. 

This poor girl. I hope she isn't too traumatized and can move past this incident. 

 


 No, you don't assume every man is a perv, but at the same time, you don't put young girls with strange men they don't know b/c of the possibility.  And frankly, just plain comfort of not having to sit next to a strange man.  


 So sitting next to a man they don't know is so off putting that a child would need moved?! Would you say the same thing if the child was sitting next to a "strange" woman?! If not, why not?! It's because we assume the worst of men until proven otherwise. That's not right. Women are just as likely to be horrible. 


 Because she is a young woman.  Pretend that young girls don't or shouldn't feel uncomfortable around grown men they don't know.  We teach them all the time to stay out of situations that can put them in situations where they are vulnerable.  You don't get to change reality and common sense over some ridiculous need to defend perfectly honorable men.  The plain fact that this happened PROVES the need to be wary.  



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Status: Offline
Posts: 7536
Date:
Permalink  
 

Teenage girls should not feel uncomfortable around men they don't know! How ridiculous! They should feel cautious - just as they would if they were seated next to a woman they don't know. Be cautious about what you say and do. But to say that every man is someone to be wary of is ridiculous. The fact that the man seated next to her did something wrong proves nothing. He had brown hair -- does that prove that girls should be wary of every man with brown hair?! Of course not! Some men are felons. Some are not. To say that girls should be wary of all men because some are felons is ridiculous.

__________________

Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite ! 



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Mellow Momma wrote:

Teenage girls should not feel uncomfortable around men they don't know! How ridiculous! They should feel cautious - just as they would if they were seated next to a woman they don't know. Be cautious about what you say and do. But to say that every man is someone to be wary of is ridiculous. The fact that the man seated next to her did something wrong proves nothing. He had brown hair -- does that prove that girls should be wary of every man with brown hair?! Of course not! Some men are felons. Some are not. To say that girls should be wary of all men because some are felons is ridiculous.


 You know damn well the chances of a strange man being a perv is about 1000 times the chances the woman will be.  

And young girls should be wary of ALL men they don't know - simply because they don't know them.  



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3029
Date:
Permalink  
 

Young people (children) should be wary of people (men and women) they don't know. But not all people are bad people so we shouldn't automatically assume nefarious intent just because they are male or black or tattooed or bald or whatever. Point of fact, very few (as a percentage of total demographic) are bad.


Now, back to the OP:
The airline absolutely dropped the ball on this one though. The parents paid the extra fee so the unaccompanied minor should have been under close supervision of at least one attendant. Heck, the flight was "half empty" according to the article. They probably could have tasked an attendant to supervise her the whole trip.

__________________


My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

I think it was telling that this guy chose a middle seat next to her when the plane wasn't full & declined to move when the attendant offered him a more comfortable option. Nobody wants a middle seat if they don't have to. He chose to sit next to her. He wasn't assigned that seat. That should have factored on someone's creep o meter.

__________________


Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

My boys flew alone, but it was 15+ years ago. I don't remember paying extra. They always sat in the very front seat & wore tags on lanyards. When they arrived at my folks, no one but the person that I had named could pick them up.

I don't know if airlines have different policies on unaccompanied minors?

flan

__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

My brother & I flew together unattended fairly often back in the 70s. We were young enough that my brother couldn't read yet. The attendants always fussed over us & often we got to go up into the ****pit with the pilot for a few minutes. I don't really remember where we sat.

__________________


My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Status: Offline
Posts: 38325
Date:
Permalink  
 

I'm pretty laid back when it comes to things I let my kids do alone.

But flying?

I just can't.

My mind goes into overdrive thinking about all the "what ifs".

And something like the OP wouldn't even be the first thing I thought of.

Shoot, Caitlyn is talking about goin to Hawaii next year with friends and I'm already getting nervous about it.



__________________

A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2279
Date:
Permalink  
 

So they paid extra money to make sure the attendants kept an eye on her. And they did. The moment they saw something wrong, they moved her and had the guy arrested. I still don't understand why we are faulting them because they didn't assume this man was going to do something bad. Hindsite is 20/20, but I still cannot see how him saying his "seat was fine" is the same thing as him saying "I am gonna do bad things to the teenager sitting next to me".

__________________


Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

Cheerios4606 wrote:

So they paid extra money to make sure the attendants kept an eye on her. And they did. The moment they saw something wrong, they moved her and had the guy arrested. I still don't understand why we are faulting them because they didn't assume this man was going to do something bad. Hindsite is 20/20, but I still cannot see how him saying his "seat was fine" is the same thing as him saying "I am gonna do bad things to the teenager sitting next to me".


 IF the plane was NOT full and he CHOSE a seat next to a lone teen girl...THAT should have raised alarms.

flan



__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

lilyofcourse wrote:

I'm pretty laid back when it comes to things I let my kids do alone.

But flying?

I just can't.

My mind goes into overdrive thinking about all the "what ifs".

And something like the OP wouldn't even be the first thing I thought of.

Shoot, Caitlyn is talking about goin to Hawaii next year with friends and I'm already getting nervous about it.


 You are afraid to fly. Many people are not.

flan



__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2279
Date:
Permalink  
 

flan327 wrote:
Cheerios4606 wrote:

So they paid extra money to make sure the attendants kept an eye on her. And they did. The moment they saw something wrong, they moved her and had the guy arrested. I still don't understand why we are faulting them because they didn't assume this man was going to do something bad. Hindsite is 20/20, but I still cannot see how him saying his "seat was fine" is the same thing as him saying "I am gonna do bad things to the teenager sitting next to me".


 IF the plane was NOT full and he CHOSE a seat next to a lone teen girl...THAT should have raised alarms.

flan


 Hrm... good point. So just as they offered 'him' a different seat... I wonder why they didn't verbalize the same offer to the gal. So perhaps there is a point to be made. Maybe. But then we go back to the part also as to why didnt mom and dad teach their daughter about stranger danger and bad people do bad things and this is what you do if something bad happens? I am not blaming the victim, I am just wondering why the parents didnt do more to protect her KNOWING she was going to be unaccompanied on the plane.



__________________


Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

Good point! Even preschoolers are taught "Good touch, bad touch."

flan

__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

On another board there was a several page long discussion this yesterday. A few of the women who had been victims themselves explained that even when you know what to do your brain can't process it in the moment & you just freeze. There was a lot more detail than that but in their telling it made sense.

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2279
Date:
Permalink  
 

Such a sad thing to hear about. I hope the girl is able to get some help through this.

But if mom and dad are going to sue the airline, I think it only fair that they also put themselves on the list of people to 'blame' for this. A case could be made that they are just as guilty for not ensuring she knew when and how to speak up, as the airline not moving her when a man sat next to her. If they want to use the excuse "she got frozen in the moment", then the airlines could come back with their own counter of "the man did nothing wrong by sitting next to her".

Ugh. Sad all the way around that we have to reduce this situation to tit for tat type tactics.



__________________


My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

In a similarly related story British Airway got sued a while back by a male passenger because he was asked to move away from a minor child flying alone as per their safety regulations. He was discriminated against & they had to change their procedures for minors flying alone. It's a no win situation.

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2279
Date:
Permalink  
 

Well... it is very possible this precedent will mean mom and pop wont get to sue the airline.

__________________


My dog name is Sasha, too!

Status: Offline
Posts: 6679
Date:
Permalink  
 

It is terrible what happened to the girl but I'm not really for suing the airline. Everyone sues for everything & it makes me sick.

__________________


My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Status: Offline
Posts: 38325
Date:
Permalink  
 

flan327 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

I'm pretty laid back when it comes to things I let my kids do alone.

But flying?

I just can't.

My mind goes into overdrive thinking about all the "what ifs".

And something like the OP wouldn't even be the first thing I thought of.

Shoot, Caitlyn is talking about goin to Hawaii next year with friends and I'm already getting nervous about it.


 You are afraid to fly. Many people are not.

flan


 No. I am not.

 



__________________

A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.



Itty bitty's Grammy

Status: Offline
Posts: 28124
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lexxy wrote:

On another board there was a several page long discussion this yesterday. A few of the women who had been victims themselves explained that even when you know what to do your brain can't process it in the moment & you just freeze. There was a lot more detail than that but in their telling it made sense.


 That makes sense, Lexxy. I think it depends on your personality as well.

And maybe the guy did threaten her.

flan



__________________

You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars.



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lexxy wrote:

In a similarly related story British Airway got sued a while back by a male passenger because he was asked to move away from a minor child flying alone as per their safety regulations. He was discriminated against & they had to change their procedures for minors flying alone. It's a no win situation.


 The answer is to have a specific place for unaccompanied minors or move the MINOR.  



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Status: Offline
Posts: 27192
Date:
Permalink  
 

Cheerios4606 wrote:
flan327 wrote:
Cheerios4606 wrote:

So they paid extra money to make sure the attendants kept an eye on her. And they did. The moment they saw something wrong, they moved her and had the guy arrested. I still don't understand why we are faulting them because they didn't assume this man was going to do something bad. Hindsite is 20/20, but I still cannot see how him saying his "seat was fine" is the same thing as him saying "I am gonna do bad things to the teenager sitting next to me".


 IF the plane was NOT full and he CHOSE a seat next to a lone teen girl...THAT should have raised alarms.

flan


 Hrm... good point. So just as they offered 'him' a different seat... I wonder why they didn't verbalize the same offer to the gal. So perhaps there is a point to be made. Maybe. But then we go back to the part also as to why didnt mom and dad teach their daughter about stranger danger and bad people do bad things and this is what you do if something bad happens? I am not blaming the victim, I am just wondering why the parents didnt do more to protect her KNOWING she was going to be unaccompanied on the plane.


 Because she not actually supposed to be.  They paid $300 to have her babysat.



__________________

LawyerLady

 

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. 



Owl drink to that!

Status: Offline
Posts: 4799
Date:
Permalink  
 

Lawyerlady wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:

Teenage girls should not feel uncomfortable around men they don't know! How ridiculous! They should feel cautious - just as they would if they were seated next to a woman they don't know. Be cautious about what you say and do. But to say that every man is someone to be wary of is ridiculous. The fact that the man seated next to her did something wrong proves nothing. He had brown hair -- does that prove that girls should be wary of every man with brown hair?! Of course not! Some men are felons. Some are not. To say that girls should be wary of all men because some are felons is ridiculous.


 You know damn well the chances of a strange man being a perv is about 1000 times the chances the woman will be.  

And young girls should be wary of ALL men they don't know - simply because they don't know them.  


 Also,  any man who is NOT a perv would know better than to put himself in a position like that and wouldn't sit next to an adolescent girl in the first place. 



__________________

Was it a bad day?

Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?



Hooker

Status: Offline
Posts: 12666
Date:
Permalink  
 

VetteGirl wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:

Teenage girls should not feel uncomfortable around men they don't know! How ridiculous! They should feel cautious - just as they would if they were seated next to a woman they don't know. Be cautious about what you say and do. But to say that every man is someone to be wary of is ridiculous. The fact that the man seated next to her did something wrong proves nothing. He had brown hair -- does that prove that girls should be wary of every man with brown hair?! Of course not! Some men are felons. Some are not. To say that girls should be wary of all men because some are felons is ridiculous.


 You know damn well the chances of a strange man being a perv is about 1000 times the chances the woman will be.  

And young girls should be wary of ALL men they don't know - simply because they don't know them.  


 Also,  any man who is NOT a perv would know better than to put himself in a position like that and wouldn't sit next to an adolescent girl in the first place. 


Absolutely... 



__________________

America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...

1 2  >  Last»  | Page of 2  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard