Teddy Bear Banned
Source: Carter Baran on Unsplash
Easyjet stops girl, six, taking teddy bear on flight
A mother has criticised Easyjet for stopping her six-year-old daughter taking her teddy bear on a flight because it was classed as "excess baggage".
Alba Aprciado-Peris was told by a check-in worker that Bebe the bear was banned from joining her on the flight from Glasgow to Stansted.The bear, which was given to Alba as a present, was wrapped up in a carrier bag which the check-in attendant classed as an extra piece of luggage.
The worker then told Alba's mother Amparo Peris-Bordes, 38, she would have to pay £9 to put the teddy in the hold.
After a *heated discussion Ms Peris-Bordes decided to post Bebe to their house in Willingham, Cambridgeshire.
She said the incident had ruined a weekend break in Scotland earlier this month.
"I was totally stunned when they said Alba couldn't have the bear in the cabin with her," said Ms Peris-Bordes, a publisher who moved from Spain to Britain several years ago.
"I was carrying a big waterproof coat that was much bigger than the teddy and was allowed to take that on - it was just a complete lack of common sense.
"Bebe was in a plastic bag because Alba didn't want her to get wet because it was raining. The check-in person said it counted as an extra bag even though we took the teddy out - it was just ridiculous.
"It's hard enough for me as an adult to understand why Bebe couldn't come on board with us, let alone explain it to a confused little girl. I didn't want to pay excess baggage. I felt I'd already paid for our tickets. Also, Alba didn't like the thought of her teddy travelling alone in the big, dark hold."
Easyjet have now offered to pay the cost of Bebe's postage and blamed the incident on a lack of common sense.
A spokesman said although the bear was technically too big for hand luggage the check-in attendant should not have been so strict.
"We have a strict baggage allowance on all our flights and this bear was not a small bear - it could not fit into their hand baggage," he said.
"However we do see that a common sense approach should have been taken and so this time we are offering to reimburse the parent concerned for postage.
"It is worth passengers considering that while we have restrictions as to size, unlike other airlines we have no restrictions on weight."
Have you ever had a problem checking-in at the airport?
Confusing words:
A*discussion is a conversation with an exhange of opinions and ideas, a *heated discussion is more animated while an argument (una discusión) is when you disagree and are angry.
- We had a useful discussion about the best way to proceed.
- The boys had a heated discussion about the result of the football match.
- She hasn't heard from her boyfriend since they had an argument last week.
When did you last have an argument with someone? What was it about?
Do you have many arguments?
Comments
Alba was a person like the rest and she paid her flight seat like the rest. She only took a teddy bear as baggage, therefore it wasn´t excess baggage, consequently the banning of Easyjet was unfair. In addition, Alba was going to take her teddy bear on her lap and it wouldn´t occupy place, that is, it wasn´t true that it was baggage. When I take glasses, hat, wallet and so on, I don´t take baggage.
It wasn´t only a total lack of common sense, but a stupid decision. It´s possible that a robot had behaved better and it had ratiocinated, but the check-in worker not even thought about it.
It reminds me the case of the prison warden that you told me several years ago, when you flew to Scotland. Do you remember it?
I have arguments like the rest, but, generally speaking, barristers don´t have many arguments usually because there are a lot of people for whom life isn´t important. Be careful.
See you.
I haven't flown with Easyjet for two or three years now. After boycotting British Airways for 15 years, I switched back to them and touch wood, I haven't missed any connecting flights. They have, however, cancelled or rescheduled my flights umpteen times.
I found the post I wrote which refers to the prison warden:
http://madteachergraham2.blogspot.com/2015/08/another-stressful-flight.html
You never wrote a comment on another of my Easyjet experiences:
http://madteachergraham2.blogspot.com/2017/01/kick-kids-and-parents-off-flights.html
I agree that in this case the Easyjet employee didn't apply common sense but I also reckon the mother of the child would be similar to the one I mention in the latter link.
Alba was a person like any other passenger; her seat had been paid for like all the others. She only took a teddy bear as baggage, therefore it wasn´t excess baggage, consequently the actions of Easyjet were unfair. In addition, Alba was going to take her teddy bear on her lap and it wouldn´t have occupied space, that is, it wasn´t true that it was baggage. When I take glasses, hat, wallet and so on, I don´t take baggage.
It wasn´t only a total lack of common sense, but a stupid decision. It´s possible that a robot would have behaved better and it had ratiocinated, but the check-in worker didn't eveb think about it.
It reminds me of the case of the prison warden that you told me about several years ago, when you flew to Scotland. Do you remember it?
I have arguments like everybody else, but, generally speaking, barristers don´t usually have many arguments because there are a lot of people for whom life isn´t important. Be careful.