An error in the American Airlines booking system has caused problems for a passenger several times.
A 101-year-old woman keeps being mistaken for a baby by the booking system. The system apparently cannot process the fact that Patricia was born in 1922 instead of 2022. Both she and the cabin crew had a laugh about the most recent incident. “It was funny that they thought I was just a little kid when I’m an old lady!,” Patricia told the BBC.
Yet the problem also causes difficulties. For example, during the initial confusion, no transportation had been arranged for the old lady at an airport. The staff expected a baby that could be carried. Yet the passenger turned out to be ‘slightly’ older than that. American Airlines was “friendly and helpful” in both cases. Still, Patricia hopes that the problem can be solved, because it is also more beneficial for her daughter Kris. “My poor daughter had to carry all our luggage and clothes almost a mile from one gate to the other,” she said. The airline has not yet responded to the request.
Patricia flies every year to visit family elsewhere in the United States. She traveled alone until she was 97. Due to medical complaints, she has since been dependent on the help of her family.
