[priti_24]

My mother Shakuntala Jindal (age 66 years) was travelling alone from mumbai to Calgary and had a connecting flight at Newark airport. I had requested for wheelchair assistance for her and had informed the airlines that she cannot communicate in english. I was assured that she will be taken care of. At Newark airport she was denied wheelchair assistance and even after she begged, cried and pleaded for help fearing missing her onwards connection she was not heard. She had to arrange for a wheelchair on her own at the united airlines counter and the person assisting her on wheelchair even after been informed by her of her flight number was not only incompetent enough to take her to the desired gate but had no idea what to do. She was stranded on the airport (whereabouts unknown for this duration) for over 6 hours. During this time she missed her flight and was in a constant state of trauma. She faced extreme threat to her safety. Me and my family members constantly made telephone calls to the united airlines customer care which yielded in no help. We not receive any slightest help in finding her from the airlines. The entire family suffered extreme state of emotional trauma concerned about her well being and health. United airlines was incapable of providing the assistance I had asked for her. We were even misinformed at the first place that she will have easy transfer gate to gate without having to go through immigration. The airlines is responsible for what my mother and my entire family suffered this morning for over 8 hours. I request an immediate attention and action from the united airlines authorities for my complaint. Thank you.

[pattis]

Why would you let your mother who is unable to communicate in English travel alone? Perhaps her begging and pleading was unacknowledged because she was unable to communicate properly.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Sidewaysrob]

Pattis victum blameing is wrong and abusive.

The lady in question should have been tracked, identified, cared for and accomidated as promissed even if she was speaking Klingon.

Thats the point of pre-notifying the airlines

[pattis]

So every airport in every country should have someone who is capable of speaking every language? Right!

[Sidewaysrob]

No
What the customer asked for and expected was and should have recived after getting the assurance given:
The Airline should have treated this person like an un-accompanied minor.
The person should have been "Tagged" either electronically or with an actual tag.
Then when the wheel chair picked up the passenger for the flight change the Attendent Person would know Non-English Speaking, disability, destination, connecting flight # and does not need to speak Hindu or Japanese or....
If that is not the service available, don't reassure the customer that "she will be taken care of"
This is simply a case of a poorly trained booking agent or neglegent Airline Ground Staff.
Either way dispicable behaviour.