Family Scrambles to Fly Nine-Year-Old to Dallas Amid Southwest Airlines Disruptions

A North Texas family said the flight disruptions on Southwest Airlines this week left them scrambling for options for their child who was flying on his own.

UNACCOMPANIED MINOR TRAVEL

After spending Christmas with his dad in Hawaii, 9-year-old Nathan Williams was planning to fly back to the mainland the day after Christmas on Southwest Airlines.

Maria Adams, Nathan’s mom, says the parent in Hawaii took Nathan to the airport to check-in. That’s when they said they learned Nathan wouldn’t be able to fly as an unaccompanied minor.

Adams told NBC 5 Responds, the family had questions, “So how does that work? And what are you doing with my son's ticket?”

Adams said Nathan was scheduled to fly from Hawaii to California. There, a family friend would pick him up and take Nathan to San Diego where the adult would fly with Nathan to Dallas the next day. Adams said it wasn’t clear how or when Nathan would be able to fly out of Honolulu and if he’d be able to catch his next flight.

“I tried calling Southwest, but it was just busy, or it would hang up on me,” Adams said.

The family later received notification the flight from Honolulu was canceled. They paid for a one-way ticket on another airline to get Nathan to California where the family friend took him to San Diego. After delays there, Nathan got back to his mom and stepdad, James, in North Texas.

“I felt very relieved,” said Nathan. “I never wanted to go through that again.”

COMMUNICATION FRUSTRATIONS

The family said they reached out to NBC 5 Responds over the lack of communication from the airline.

“Had they advised us an hour or two hours prior saying, listen, unaccompanied minors are not flying today, but that didn't occur,” said James Adams. “He had to get to the airport for them to tell them, look, we're not going to be able to fly him today.”

Southwest Airlines told NBC 5 Responds, in part, “Due to the scale of disruption and to ensure unaccompanied minors were not stuck at airports, we suspended unaccompanied minor and young traveler programs until our operations stabilized.”

The airline also said it was planning to return to normal operations on Friday and said it’s offering additional assistance for customers who were affected by the disruption.

A spokesperson also wrote, in part, “We’re deeply sorry to hear about their plight and disruption.”

According to Southwest Airlines’ website, unaccompanied children ages 5 through 11 years old may be allowed to travel alone on non-stop or same plane service. Under the terms and conditions, it says the airline reserves the right not to transport unaccompanied minors on flights that may be diverted or canceled due to weather or other operational disruptions.

Maria Adams said, she hopes the airline will communicate with the family.

“To call us, to contact us, to email us or message us on all platforms that we used to try to get a hold of them,” Adams said.

In the meantime, Adams said she’s requesting a refund for the flight Nathan didn’t take.

Consumers directly impacted by flight cancellations and disruptions can submit requests for refunds or reimbursements here.

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