Next to Disney World, the one place children want to spend the day is the kids lounge at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, right? Just ask the 9-year-old who was left there for eight hours because a United Airlines employee forgot about him.

The boy was en route from San Francisco to Ottawa and had a layover of two hours and 50 minutes. He was supposed to have been escorted from the lounge to the gate for his connecting flight, but no one came so he continued watching the same looped video for several more hours.

His mother contacted the airline when the boy didn’t get off the plane in Ottawa but was reportedly unable to receive any help. It wasn’t until the boy used a cell phone to call his mom that she was finally able to speak to a United staffer.

Says a United rep in a matter-of-fact tone, “He missed his flight — we put him on the next available flight.”

The airline, which raked in the most money from ancillary fees last year, says it is sorry for the error and has graciously decided to refund the child-care fee.

Boy, 9, left stranded by airline at O’Hare for eight hours [SunTimes.com]

Thanks to Leah for the tip!

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