20 year old daughter having to spend night at JFK airport.

[DaughterStranded]

Not an AIBU, but posting for traffic as really worried.
20 year old DD has arrived at JFK airport to find connecting flight to South Carolina cancelled due to signalling issues. The next connecting flight will go 7am tomorrow morning. There are no earlier flights to any nearby airports available.
DD has decided to spend the night at JFK airport. I am worried she will fall asleep and get robbed of her phone/money. Anyone else had this situation to deal with? Any advice or tips anyone?

Oh yeah with a friend ? 20 years ago. Not the same

@flyinghen She asked airline Jetblue for assistance and they refused. They said it was signalling issues caused by factors outside their control and that they weren't obliged to offer help in this situation.

the airline will provide her with accommodation and transport and also meal vouchers.

Thats completely airline dependent when it's the US. And Jetblue is the Ryanair of the USA.

Ah right, I was flying with American Airlines. That's rubbish OP. I've just had a look through and seen people saying you've got a hotel for her? What a great mum!

Just to add, I work in the US multiple times per year and have had many delays/cancellations.

Even if you're booked with someone like Virgin Atlantic if there's a connecting flight to get you to your Virgin flight, which you've actually booked through VA but it's with a codeshare partner (eg Delta), you're getting sod all if the connection gets cancelled and screws up your other flights.

It's not the UK/EU.

@AllyCart Not good 😕

Jesus Christ. It's certainly isn't a crime to worry and care about a young adult being stranded at an airport! I would have felt very vulnerable in that situation at 20 and my mum would have been worried about me and absolutely paid for a hotel if needed.

Why so much vitrol for caring ? Honestly think this sort of thing must hit a raw nerve with people who didn't have that sort ot support from a parent.

Glad you were able to help your DD, op

Yep. It's a different world with regard to compensation/assistance, unfortunately.

Was interested to read up-thread that it's apparently changed/changing, though. I haven't heard about that and not yet seen anything about it from corporate travel co's, etc.

My parents would have been like that PP and I wish they were more like you! And I will be to my own children.

Agree completely.

Yes, it might have been OK. And yes, it might possibly have contributed in some small way to building DD's resilience. But some things are just not worth worrying about, and to my mind, that includes allowing a young woman to sleep alone on a chair in a big-city airport.

Glad it all worked out @DaughterStranded

Ignore the resilience brigade out there. There’s a time and a place for that and as a woman who has done some pretty questionable things when left on my own at that age… JFK at night or wandering off to find a hotel is not something I would do even in my ahem advanced years and maturity.

With a friend.. yes then it’s a grand adventure. Tired and alone yeah not so much.

Thanks for the feedback on the hotel too!

Book a hotel for her for the night.

There are plugs at airport to charge mobile phones
Should find free water filling stations near washrooms
Should be able to find chairs or floor to sleep on
Shops to buy food, books, magazines

No need for a hotel

All the comforts & facilities of a big airport

Glad to read you found a way to get something.

Lesson learnt about choosing cowboy airlines. Have the plan B ready for any such trips in future.

Totally understandable. There is absolutely nothing on this earth that would make me less concerned about my children regardless of age. As long as I have breath in my body I'll be there for them as will their father, well done OP.

Yes, this.

I've spent many a night sleeping in airports. A night on a bench in Changi Airport seemed much safer than wandering around Singapore looking for a hostel at 9pm at age 20. Even having just watched Bangkok Hilton in Australia!

I sent a postcard home to my parents once a fortnight or so.

its all in the past now but I once got stuck in an airport because I lost my passport. I got permission to return to the UK with another form of ID the following day but meanwhile I couldn't leave even to an airport hotel becasue no passport. I was exhausted and paid to go into the premium lounge where they had wonderful reclining seats in little cubicles. I slept really well. It wasn't cheap but much cheaper than a hotel. And there were showers, food, etc.

Stronger together. It's a sign of weakness & more concerning to be afraid to ask for help. Nobody is an Island.

To be fair though, I think if you were going to pick somewhere to get stranded in a city or airport, Singapore would be high on the list of best places to do it. Other than around Orchard Rd, perhaps.

Slightly off-topic but there are some really nice lounges in Changi airport if you have access to them - perhaps unlikely as a young person going off travelling, admittedly!

I doubt if she'll get any sleep. I had to do the same at a different air port and there were announcements and noise throughout the night.

It isn't about not asking for help though. It's about assessing your own situation and putting yourself in the best place to get help if you need it.

Exactly 👍

JetBlue isn’t really all that cowboy. Huge carrier out of JFK. And anyway, there is no lesson because no US carrier will usually pay for delays caused by weather or anything else out of their hands. They’d go broke.

Ohhhh the carefree days of sleeping in an airport undeterred! I've done it countless times.

You use your bag as a pillow (and thereby blocking anyone pick pocketing you), and put your arm through the strap. It's actually probably one of the safest public places you can sleep - security guards and police just a stone's throw away. And often the big ones always have flights all through the night, so it's not like it's desolate!

I'm sure my Mum was thinking the same thing though, not that it ever crossed my mind at the time.

American Airlines will not usually compensate for events beyond their control, either.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/conditions-of-carriage.jsp

Do airlines really pay for accommodations due to weather problems in Europe?