Airline: Conjoined QC infants count as 2 passengers
Lars Jacoby
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 3, 2007 01:36 PM

In two weeks Mandy Bailey of Queen Creek is planning on taking her 1-year-old conjoined twin daughters Emma and Taylor on their first plane ride on Delta Air Lines to a family get-together in Maryland.

But due to airline policy that doesn't cover her unique situation, Bailey's travel plans are up in the air.

Because the twins, who are joined at the chest and share a heart, have their own lungs, Delta said Bailey must buy an extra seat because both children need access to an oxygen mask in case of an emergency, according to Bailey's account of her dealings with Delta.





Airline representatives did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Bailey said the representatives were always professional in her dealing with them, but laughs when she talks of the solution they gave her.

"They mulled it over for a day and got back to me and told me 'this is all we can think of' and then said to call American Red Cross to see if they'll pay for it," said Bailey of the proposed solution.

"The flight is the important thing. It's just I can't believe that what they said - "call American Red Cross," Bailey said.

The trip will be the first time she's had the chance to get together with her sisters in a long time. The twins were cleared to fly last week and Bailey was hoping everyone would get the chance to see them.

Both Mandy and her husband Tor agreed: "We don't want this to turn into a case of poor us." But, Mandy added, "Something so simple like a flight shouldn't be such a big deal."

In all there's four people flying, the twins, Bailey and her sister-in-law Shar Lybbert.

Because the tickets were booked using Bailey's frequent flier miles, the two adults are not sitting together. Bailey is in first class and Lybbert is booked in coach.

However, Bailey said the Delta representative told her it wouldn't matter if they were together since one more seat would still be needed.

According to Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, two regulations come into play, dealing with oxygen supply and child seating.

An airline must provide emergency oxygen for every passenger. But with the two girls on their mother's lap, there would be a shortage of oxygen masks, Bailey said Delta told her.

FAA regulation states that a child under the age of 2 can be held in an adult's lap.

Gregor said he's never heard of such a situation.

"Do people fly with conjoined twins? I am sure they do," Gregor said. "Has the issue ever come up? Maybe. But I am certainly unaware of it."




SO PowerglideING WHAT? THEY ARE 2 INDIVIDUALS YOU BUY TWO PowerglideING TICKETS YOU DUMB PowerglideTART!

Well, I was gonna be a bit more diplomatic about it than you, but yeah, if they need two masks they get two seats.

[PICTURE THAT IS PROBABLY A BIT MUCH]

That is quite a nice ass... Please say it's a women right?



And Move FROM INH?

I think its a real girl... Though the move FROM INH is a bit err weird.

whoops, I forgot about the picture

*scrubs*

Smack that Starscream




Edit/