LOS ANGELES, Jul 26 – A Hawaii woman who was forced to hold her child on lap during flight decided to sue United Airlines, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. According to Hawaii News Now reported Tuesday, Shirley Yamauchi, who is working in Kapolei Middle School of Hawaii, said she hopes her lawsuit will help protect other passengers from this type of treatment.
“United said they would change and I want to see that happen. I don’t want anymore passengers possibly in danger,” Yamauchi was quoted as saying by Hawaii News Now. Her attorney said he’s ready for a trial. Yamauchi had to hold her 2-year-old son on her lap for a more than 3-hour flight, the final leg of an 18-hour flight from Hawaii to Boston, despite paying nearly US$1,000 (RM4,000) for his seat.
When they boarded the flight after five hours layover in Houston on June 29, another passenger showed up, claiming the seat of the toddler as his. Yamauchi complained to a flight attendant that she bought the seat three month ago, but the latter only shrugged and said the flight was full, then walked away. United Airlines issued an apology five days later after the flight.
Yamauchi said the airline gave her free upgrades and perks on her return trip back to Hawaii from Boston, but she felt the gestures were not genuine. United Airlines have been in hot water several times in recent months. In April, the airline came under fire after a doctor was violently dragged from a flight to make room for airline employees. The incident eventually led to an undisclosed settlement between the airline and the doctor. — Bernama
