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83-year-old woman boards wrong US Airways flight, ends up in Puerto Rico
Ever go to pick someone up at the airport and realize that their flight has been delayed? Bummer, right? Well, now imagine that the person you're picking up is your 83-year-old, wheelchair-bound mother, and she's been accidentally put on a plane to Puerto Rico. Looks like you'll be waiting at baggage claim for a while.
This is precisely what happened a couple days ago to Vera Kuemmel, who was supposed to be picking up her mother from a Tampa* airport after her mother's trip to New York. But things went a little haywire as Elfriede Kuemmel (a great name for an 83-year-old woman, by the way) was trying to switch planes in Philadelphia.
Elfriede, who was seated in a wheelchair and helped to her (or not her) plane by a US Airways attendant, accidentally ended up on a flight headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico, instead of one arriving in Tampa, Florida.
In San Juan, the woman was (let's hope) profusely apologized to and soon put up at a hotel and provided with food until the next flight to Tampa.
A US Airways spokesperson says she's not sure how the passenger's incorrect boarding pass didn't set off alarm bells, but says "we're looking into what we could have done on our end to prevent that."
I don't know, maybe, check the woman's boarding pass?
On the plus side, Elfriede says she did enjoy the first class flight back to Tampa. Hey, take it when you can get it, right?
More here.
*correction made
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
cannotbelievethis Nov 20th 2008 9:30PM
WOW - First we read that security is lacking at the security checkpoints in the airports, now they're putting little old ladies on planes, without checking their ticket?
Seems like the ability to READ is lacking in our airport employees.
Ray Nov 20th 2008 9:47PM
US Airways can not read? Neither can the author!
Tampa BAY is not a city. It is an actual body of water, where people can boat and fish. Tampa is the name of the city. Just like there is the state of Michigan and then there is Lake Michigan.
msdemeanor Nov 20th 2008 9:51PM
Pet peeve...the city is Tampa, the airport is Tampa International, Tampa bay is a body of water.
Owen Nov 20th 2008 10:02PM
Who cares if she's 83? She couldn't open her big pie hole and tell someone she was on the wrong flight?
Lisa Nov 20th 2008 10:12PM
It's very possible she didn't realize she was on the wrong plane. Not everyone has spent their life jet setting.
Ellen Nov 23rd 2008 12:39PM
Maybe you should shut your pie-hole and think before you speak! You were NOT there and do NOT know the whole story!
The fact is that she asked at the counter before boarding the plane if this was her gate and was told "yes". She then boarded the plane and handed her boarding pass to the agent at the gate. So maybe it is the erros of US Air employees!! They also should have done a head count before the plane left. This is horrible security...how in this day of heightened security is someone allowed to board a plane that they do not have a ticket for and let alone stay on the flight??!! And as far as the "announcements" that are made on board the plane - who the hell can ever understand what they are saying??!
alonza Nov 20th 2008 10:49PM
here's a guess...the wheelchair people employed by the airline don't speak english very well and can't read and everyone's too politically correct to check! Duh! Here in Denver all the wheelchair attendants look bored and dazed and resentful to anybody white and they sure are not fluent in English. Wherever they came from, though, this is a cushy job for them and they hardly even have to try and they can't be fired because then they will claim discrimination. Not a good world for white men. Bum rap for hard working white guys.
Corie Nov 20th 2008 11:26PM
Oh good grief!!!!! What does race have to do with this article. Stop whinning!!! You are pathetic.
mari Nov 21st 2008 10:27AM
Maybe the idiots at the airline check in should've pasted a sticker across her forehead with the flight #. This way, the idiot employees can deliver her to the correct airplane.
She probably assumed that it was the correct plane. People when your older relatives travel, tell them to speak up if possible.
Vince Nov 21st 2008 10:48AM
This incident was noticed because it involved an elderly(Yes,I said elderly) handicapped passenger. The fact is, it's not an isolated event. Maybe this lady's mistake can be excused because of her age, but young, able passengers with their heads up the wrong place, board, and remain on the wrong flight, despite the boarding agent, and flight attendants making flight number and destination announcements. -----retired pilot - major airline.
Julie Nov 21st 2008 6:54PM
I actually thought this was funny. I've also gotten on the wrong flight before. I should have been landing in Newark and found myself in Houston... and didn't realize it until the pilot said "Welcome to Houston."
gregdon89081 Feb 16th 2009 10:49AM
I boarded the wrong flight before. Lucky it was going to where my real flight was going, just got there 2 hours earlier.