Runner-up Vu Hoang My recently shared her personal experience when she was treated coldly and united by staff at Lien Khuong airport, Da Lat while she was playing with her young child.
Hoang My's article has created a debate with multi-dimensional opinions about the service of supporting mothers and children at airports and airlines.
Pregnant women, infants, young children, the elderly or people with disabilities are priority subjects for many airports and airlines in the world.
In many countries, they enjoy attentive private care and support regimes to experience the most comfortable flight.
At Gimbo International Airport (Korea), pregnant women, children and those accompanying them are classified as vulnerable to traffic.
Electric cars with drivers are arranged so that future mothers or any passengers with newborns/children can easily move from the airport metro station to the counter to complete the procedures safely.
The airport also arranges 5 waiting rooms for pregnant women at domestic stations with amenities such as changing tables, washing pots, water purifiers, sofas, etc. Families with young children can rent a xool from the Information Counter and present their ID cards. The airport also provides priority checkpoints for pregnant passengers and those accompanying children.
For international terminals, Gimbo International Airport has a Ewha Medical Center to serve emergency cases. The airport also arranges priority seats for pregnant women and those accompanying children.
Passengers traveling with children can board the priority plane by following the crew's instructions.
Not only at the airport, airlines also proactively support passengers accompanying families with young children and pregnant women.
Accordingly, United Airlines (USA) prioritizes families with children getting on the plane first to have more time to stabilize seats and arrange luggage.
ANA Airlines (Korea) provides support services including escorting pregnant women from the check-in counter at the airport to the boarding gate, where passengers can board the plane early. However, passengers in need need to contact the airline by phone at least 72 hours before departure to request this service.
Pregnant women are still within 28 days before the due date of birth must not sit in the escape row. Passengers are pregnant, with children supported at the airport or transit airport. The airport staff will escort the passenger from the gate to the plane to the lobby, the area to welcome passengers or the gate to the plane for the transfer flight.
In Vietnam, some airports and airlines also play a good role in supporting customers who are pregnant women and families with young children.
To support and help take care of babies conveniently every time they travel long flights with their relatives, Noi Bai International Airport has arranged 2 baby care rooms in the international lounge area. The room is fully equipped with necessary equipment such as handhasting faucets, trash bins, hammocks, diaper changing tables, FIDs screen...
In addition, at the international evacuation lounge to the 3rd and 4th floors of domestic evacuation, there will also be a children's play area to serve young passengers while waiting to board the plane.
Vietjet Air carries out health care services for pregnant women. Accordingly, customers will be given priority for support services for check-in procedures and quick baggage receipt, taken by car to move from the departure hall to the foot of the plane, providing some amenities to help customers feel comfortable and reduce discomfort on the flight.
From June 15, 2019, Vietnam Airlines officially opened check-in counters for families with elderly people and children at all domestic airports.
Families traveling with the elderly over 65 years old or children under 12 years old will be given priority to check in for flights at a separate counter. This is a service that has been deployed by many airlines in the world such as 5-star Lufthansa (Germany), Brishtish Airways (UK), Emirates (UAE) ...
