Rodriguez v. American Airlines, Inc.

386 F. Supp. 78, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12329
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedFebruary 8, 1974
DocketCiv. No. 869-71
StatusPublished

This text of 386 F. Supp. 78 (Rodriguez v. American Airlines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rodriguez v. American Airlines, Inc., 386 F. Supp. 78, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12329 (prd 1974).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

TOLEDO, Chief Judge.

This diversity action is before this Court pursuant to defendant’s motion for summary judgment, wherein it is alleged that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact, and that it is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.

[79]*79The decisive issue before the Court is whether plaintiff’s complaint can stand, notwithstanding the Passenger Tariff of defendant approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board. This tariff includes a provision which deals with the acceptance of children for transportation. Rule 25 of the Tariff reads as follows:

“.25 ACCEPTANCE OF CHILDREN
(A) Accompanied. Children under
12 years of age are accepted for
Age of Child
at last
birthday
Carrier
Under 5
years of age
All Carriers
years\of age
All Carriers
8 years of age
or over
All Carriers
transportation when accompanied on the same flight and in the same compartment by a passenger at least 12 years of age.
(B) Unaccompanied. Children under 12 years of age not accompanied on the same flight and in the same compartment by a passenger 12 years of age or over are accepted for transportation only under the following conditions:
Via all classes of service
Not accepted under any conditions.
Accepted only for on-line transportation and only when through service is provided without change of aircraft. The child must be brought to the airport of departure by a parent or responsible adult who remains with the child until enplaned and who must furnish carrier with satisfactory evidence that the child will be met by another parent or responsible adult upon deplaning at his destination. Not accepted if the flight on which the child holds a reservation is expected to terminate short of, or by-pass his destination.
(1) Accepted for on-line transportation. (2) Accepted for interline transportation only provided space has been confirmed to the first point of stop-over or to a point where the child is to be met by a parent or responsible adult upon deplaning.
(C) Fare. The fare applicable to the transportation of children will be
determined in accordance with Rule 115 (Children’s Fares).
[80]*80(D) Responsibilities of Carrier. Carrier will assume no financial or guardianship responsibilities for unaccompanied children beyond those applicable to an adult passenger.”

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The complaint filed by the herein plaintiffs include factual allegations which,- for the purpose of the present consideration, are not disputed by the defendant. Said allegations as supplemented by affidavits filed by plaintiffs, are the following:

1) William D. Conway and Ana R. Costas Rodriguez were married in 1964 at Ponce, Puerto Rico.

2) That in said marriage a child named Danielle Marie Conway was procreated in June 25, 1965.

3) That William D. Conway and Ana R. Costas Rodriguez were divorced and that the latter person has at all times exercised the custody and “patria potestas” of said child as per Court Decree entered.

4) That during the period of vacation months of July and August 1971, plaintiff Danielle Marie Conway, was sent to Dallas, Texas where Mr. William D. Conway resides.

5) That on August 28, 1971, the girl was forwarded back to her mother in Puerto Rico from Dallas, Texas in American Airlines Flight Number 98, coupon issued on August 26th, Serial Number 001-12-4-313632 of total value paid for of f 131.65.

6) That on said mentioned date the plaintiff child, Danielle Marie Conway was sent to Puerto Rico alone under the sole responsibility of American Airlines, its agents and employees in accordance to the terms agreed on August 26, 1971, with said mentioned defendant.

7) That the defendant assumed all the responsibility regarding the custody and care and delivery of the said mentioned plaintiff child to her mother in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

8) That plaintiff Ana R. Costas Rodriguez was awaiting for the delivery of her child by defendant company on a fixed day, fixed hour and fixed number of flight, at San Juan International Airport.

9) That to the astonishment of plaintiff Ana R. Costas Rodriguez, the then six year old girl was not delivered at the Airport of San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the hour of flight above mentioned and none of the personnel of American Airlines could give facts regarding the whereabouts of the said child.

10) That the chief stewardess in charge of the delivery of the child in San Juan, Puei’to Rico and the others, denied to plaintiff Ana R. Costas Rodriguez having any child under their custody.

11) That in view of the circumstances, plaintiff Ana R. Costas Rodriguez made a call to Dallas, Texas to the father of the child regarding the non-delivery and the whereabouts of the girl.

12) That the mental anguish of plaintiff Ana R. Costas Rodriguez went “in-crescendo” in view of the fact that her exhusband and father of the child told her that he personally delivered the girl to the chief stewardess of that particular flight, who acting within the scope of her employment accepted the responsibility of delivery of the child to her mother at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

13) That papers with proper identification and passenger’s ticket stating the fact that plaintiff Danielle Marie Conway was an unaccompanied child were prepared and affixed to her outer garment.

14) That the child was later boarded on an Eastern Airlines flight bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Were we to synthesize the factual allegations made by the plaintiffs, said allegations would be the following: On August 28, 1971, coplaintiff Danielle Marie Conway, a minor child of six years, was forwarded unaccompanied, in American Airlines flight number 98. The flight’s route established a departure from Dallas, Texas, an intermediate stop at Kennedy Airport in New York and a [81]*81final destination stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Both defendant and plaintiffs complied with Rule 25, for unaccompanied children, except that defendant, American Airlines, Inc., upon making the intermediate stop at Kennedy Airport in New York disembarked the child and left her alone and neglected at the airport; thus failing to deliver the child to her mother as scheduled. The child was later found in Kennedy Airport and boarded on an Eastern Airlines flight bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

STATEMENT OF LAW

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Bluebook (online)
386 F. Supp. 78, 1974 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12329, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rodriguez-v-american-airlines-inc-prd-1974.