Was the child ever left alone? No. Airline staff at the gate stepped up and made sure the child was reunited with her father, despite the person whose job it was going awol. So what’s the big deal here?
The company that handles these things is a ground assistant company....the same people that make you wait on an empty plane for 30-40 minutes if you need a wheelchair (Google Frank Gardner).
So ultimately, the child was not abandoned, they were not in danger, but it may have taken slightly longer than it need have done.
Huh, well maybe I should be quiet because Frank Gardner just sat quietly and waited without making a fuss..... oh wait.... he was shouting on social media straight away.... and guess what, they investigated and apologised. https://www.theguardian.com/society/...e_iOSApp_Other
Your example encourages me to keep on demanding an investigation, thanks.
Except that in your case someone stepped up and took charge and made sure your child got where she was supposed to be. In Frank’s case that didn’t happen and I would say that is a significant difference.
As a user of the UM service I am glad that the OP is taking this up with Swiss.
Cock ups happen - but as this is slightly more than luggage going missing I would expect Swiss to hold their hands up and try to find out where it went wrong and to give the OP assurance that they will review their processes etc to prevent it happening again.
OP’s contract was with Swiss and they are responsible, ultimately.
Just for clarification, it's this bit that did not happen? After landing, our assistance staff will welcome the child at the gate and take him or her through passport control and customs. or is it also
The person who is collecting the child must arrive punctually at the terminal, be a legal adult and have identification.
Who on earth would ever fly to Paris? Given check-in times and travelling from CDG or Orly, the TGV is quicker and more convenient.
I reckon you've got another line of push back via Frank Gardner if you're so inclined
Since posting in this thread yesterday, I've spoken to two people regarding what happened with your daughter. First was my best mate, who I called to find out where we're going for espresso martinis this weekend. She's former Special Branch anti-terrorist squad who was based at a UK airport. I can't repeat her response here (curse filter), but to sum up, "No effing way! If that had happened on my watch I'd have had someone's guts for garters". Second was my OH who worked beyond security at LHR for 2yrs just before we moved to Switzerland. He was utterly disgusted and recommended his form of getting a decent response from an airline. His 'trick' was to send recorded delivery letters to 8 board members. He had a reply, written apology and unsoliticed compensation within the week.
So despite some of the more disparaging remarks in this thread, the people close to me with direct experience, wholeheartedly believe you should push this all the way.
It seems to me that "The person who is collecting the child must arrive punctually at the terminal, be a legal adult and have identification." is not the chaperone, but rather the individual who is taking the child away from the airport.
Therefore the chaperone not being there only applies to "After landing, our assistance staff will welcome the child at the gate and take him or her through passport control and customs"
The failure here is that the assistance staff didn't turn up - so someone else took over. It is not known, but it is presumed, that the person who took over had not been through certain police checks.
There is a contact us link for people with similar experiences. Just wrote to them. As it's not a mobility issue I am not sure if they will care, but I think the same sub-contractors are responsible for UMs and people with mobility issues (i.e. providing a temporary wheelchair to at least get him off the plane).
Thanks, I was hoping it was the case. That reassures me a little.
Well put it this way, my OH was IT support on the automated baggage handling system, He worked in a room 3 levels underground, had no contact with the public or the baggage, and he had to get a CRB check purely because he was airside. Also, I've done an aircraft inspection at LHR (airline wanted us to see their new upgrade of the A380 cabins). We were taken to an office where our photos were taken for temp passes, and a rudimentary criminal check made.
Good. In that case, praise her highly in all your correspondence, saying how grateful you were that she showed the initiative to be bold enough to step into the gap and do the right and pragmatic thing to care for your child, when the person who should have been doing so was not there.
Don't worry, that is what I am doing.... not that anyone at Swiss seems to read them anyway.
My ex was unable to read her name, distracted as he was by the whole situation, so I couldn't identify her even if I wanted to. However, she said she would issue a complaint about the assistance service not turning up so the airport might know who she is. And honestly, what else could she do with my child once it was clear that the escort was not coming? Poor woman should not have been put in that position!