Couple traveling with toddler won't fly United again after long wait on hot O'Hare Airport tarmac
The Kinnan family says they were so concerned by what they experienced Sunday that they're not flying with United Airlines anymore, canceling their premium credit card, and sharing their story in hopes others won't experience the same thing.
Angered by a recent flight from O'Hare to their home near Portland, Maine, Corey Kinnan posted his experience online, gaining more than 100,000 views and 17,000 likes.
Corey and his wife, Andrea, said they sat on the plane with no air conditioning for an hour while the temperature rose, and became so concerned about their infant son they had to use a bag of ice to keep him from overheating.
"We boarded early because we had the lap infant, and so then the plane just, like, it's like slowly boiling the frog," Corey said.
The last leg of their family vacation had them worrying about the safety of their 15-month-old son. The temperatures were already high when they boarded their flight, but after pulling away from the gate, they sat on the tarmac as their takeoff was delayed more than half an hour. It was 90° at O'Hare at the time, with a heat index of 95°.
"If I left my child in a hot car for over an hour, I would be in jail. Why is it okay for United to do this to my son?" Corey said.
Travel experts said the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation have no federal temperature requirements, leaving it up to the airlines.
"You know, the pavement is incredibly heated. You have air-conditioning systems aren't often at full power, and it could have been a very uncomfortable situation. So, I do see why this has caused some alarm," DePaul University transportation professor Joe Schwieterman said.
The Association of Flight Attendants said they've received more than 4,800 extreme temperature reports since they launched an app to track the issue in August 2018, averaging two per day – the vast majority of those complaints, nearly 82%, happening before departure.
Schwieterman said smaller regional flights are more likely to heat up.
"Those planes are lower to the ground. The air-conditioning systems have less power to them. There's more need to conserve before takeoff," he said.
The Kinnans have been left rethinking their future travel plans.
"We're not just fighting for ourselves. We're fighting for every single passenger that they do this to on a daily basis," Corey said.
The Kinnans say their son is now home, happy and healthy.
United Airlines said, when they looked into it, their crew didn't note any unusual temperatures or medical concerns on board.
"Our Customer Solutions team has been in close contact with the customer regarding his family's travel experience. The flight taxied for 30 minutes after pushing back from the gate and our crew was not made aware of any unusual temperatures or medical concerns on board. We provided the customer with travel certificates and miles as a gesture of goodwill," a United spokesperson said in an email.
Corey said they did not accept that offer, hoping to get the attention of government regulators for this issue.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
We think these 6 Delaware bars could have made USA TODAY's Bars of the Year 2025 list
We have no qualms with The Starboard being the lone Delaware bar named on USA TODAY's 2025 Bars of the Year list. In fact, it's pretty cool that any Delaware barroom made the cut when it came to the national list, just like when the Deer Park Tavern was included last year. But just like that historic Newark tavern, the Dewey Beach party bar is far from the only watering hole worthy of some national attention. Best Bars in America: How USA TODAY picked the 2025 finalists So we scanned our bar receipts and exhumed our alcohol-soaked memories of past bar nights out to come up with six other spots that could have landed on the list. northbeach 125 McKinley Ave., Dewey Beach; (302) 226-8673; Yes, northbeach is home to the coveted summer drink known as the Dewey Devil: a frozen pink drink made with light rum, 151-proof rum, blackberry brandy, orange juice, strawberries and cream. A perfect way to cool down under the sun. But the bar is more than super-tasty alcoholic brain freeze. Located right on Rehoboth Bay, the outdoor areas feel like the beach with sand on the ground and inside there's a beach club vibe with bands and DJs keeping the energy level high. The party spot has juiced its events calendar this year with a string of Bravo reality TV DJs coming in for special shows, including James Kennedy ("Vanderpump Rules," Kyle Cook ("Summer House") and Maddi Reese ("Southern Hospitality"). Be sure to try their Friday summertime happy hours when free pizza is served as part of their weekly "Pizza Toss" party. See last year's list: The best bars in America in 2024: See USA TODAY's 27 favorite spots Nomad Bar 905 Orange St., Wilmington; (302) 655-8800; If you're visiting from out of town, walk into a random downtown Wilmington bar and ask your bartender for a recommendation for your next stop, you'll likely hear about The Nomad. Word-of-mouth fuels this jazz bar, which hosts cover charge-free musical performances from local and regional jazz, rock, ska, reggae, soul, blues acts and more. There's no sign out front in lights that says "The Nomad" – instead there's just a standard neon "Open" sign. Once inside, the narrow space with brick walls has the feel of a downstairs Greenwich Village, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when it can be shoulder-to-shoulder with a diverse crowd at this community center of sorts. There is no kitchen on-site, so customers are welcome to bring their own food or order out and enjoy a snack or meal at the bar. It may have new owners, but they are keeping the impeccable vibes alive. Bottle & Cork 1807 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach; (302) 227-7272; There's no feeling quite as electric as a packed Bottle & Cork crowd anticipating the kickoff of a concert, whether it's a national act or Saturday's traditional Jam Session, which features a rotating crop of cover bands from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Open only during the warm months, this historic indoor/outdoor venue just feels like summer to those who know its concrete floor well – usually littered with crushed beer cans. First opened in 1936, the Cork has been part of the fabric of Dewey Beach for nearly a century and remains a go-to beach experience, open to only those 21 and older. Simmer Down 519 N. Market St., Wilmington; (302) 446-5600; Simmer Down may not have made the USA TODAY list, but it has made a best bar list. Opened in 2023, the handsome basement cocktail lounge at the Quoin Hotel was crowned as a top drink-slingers by Esquire magazine last year, along with 40 other bars across the country. It first opened as a if-you-know-you-know speakeasy, but that eventually was abandoned and now anyone can make a quick left at the hotel lobby and head downstairs to take in the breathtaking barroom mixing its exposed barrel-vaulted brick ceiling with a marble bar, comfy couches and classy cocktails. It has recently expanded its hours from being only open 16 hours a week to now Wednesday and Thursday 6 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Wilmington bar distinguished: This Delaware bar, open only 16 hours a week, is one of Esquire's 'best bars in America' Paradise Grill 27344 Bay Road, Long Neck; (302) 945-4500; If you want a big beach bar experience, but don't want to fight Coastal Highway traffic to get to Dewey or Rehoboth beaches, Paradise Grill is yours. Located on the Indian River Bay in Pot-Nets Bayside, palm trees and sand greet diners and partiers alike, along with live music on two stages (Beach Stage and Lagoon Stage) and its raw bar. With a bay view and tropical theme, if you have enough of their Key West rumrunners, you just might think you're in Key West as you look around with maybe-blurry vision. The Paradise brand is ever-growing with four sister spots including Paradise Pub and Seaside Grill in Long Neck, along with Paradise Landing and Seaside Fish House in Millsboro. By day, Paradise Grill is a Jimmy Buffett fan's dream of chill tunes, cold drinks and a tasty menu. By night, the volume turns up on the music and more of a nightclub vibe takes over the popular spot, which first opened in 2012. Big Chill Beach Club 27099 Coastal Highway, near Bethany Beach; (302) 402-5300; What Delaware bar has the best view? There's really no competition for Big Chill Beach Club with a 360-degree view of the beach, Indian River Inlet and Charles W. Cullen Memorial Bridge at the Delaware Seashore State Park. Featuring an elevated circular main bar under a large yellow umbrella, you may be at a bar, but you feel like you're still on the sandy beach with an ocean breeze blowing and seagulls squawking. The La Vida Hospitality bar/restaurant offers a tropical-themed food menu dotted with shrimp, mahi, lobster, poke bowls, kabobs and more, along with a drink menu soaked in margaritas and summer cocktails including six trademark crushes. Big Chill also hosts ticketed concerts by national beach acts, movie nights in the sand and full moon parties. Delaware Bar of the Year: Dewey Beach party bar named one of best in U.S. Their signature drink is a must-have. More Bars of the Year: The 29 best bars in America in 2025: See USA TODAY's top picks Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@ or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier). This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 6 Delaware bars worthy of USA TODAY's 2025 best bars list Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Riding Your Way Through Epic Universe
'I hope you have an epic experience,' my Lyft driver said with a bit of an ironically cheerful tone as he dropped me off at Universal's Epic Universe in Orlando, Fla. No worries. I was already primed to do just that. I had been reading about the park for the last couple of years, looking over designs, watching construction videos, imagining the worlds and anticipating the works. Now, I was on a mission. I booked two days at the park in June, only two weeks after its official May 22 opening, to experience each of its 11 rides and see if they lived up to what my imagination was conjuring. Here, the eight that I found worthy of attention, based on the ride experience, consistency of theming and just sheer fun. Surprise Favorite How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk As a roller coaster nerd, I went in expecting that I would be most wowed by the park's aggressive signature coaster, Stardust Racers. But I was even more taken by a family coaster in the How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk section. Hiccup's Wing Gliders is a pleasure from beginning to end. I love a well-thought-out themed coaster and this one has fun little tidbits all along the journey. I had a smile on my face the whole time. The concept is that the character Hiccup, from the 'How to Train Your Dragon' movies, has built a flying machine that helps Vikings (like you) soar. You encounter him and the dragon Toothless in animatronic form early on, then Toothless presses a button with his paw (adorable) and launches you into the main part of the ride. There are some delightful weightless moments, and the track weaves its way across green landscapes, directly over water (with impressive splash effects), into a tunnel and through mist. It even has a moment involving some hatching dragon eggs in which the ride goes briefly in reverse before launching you again. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Jason Momoa Prefers to Be Called a ‘Sensitive Alpha Male'
You will want to know what it feels like to be pulled by the strong hands of Jason Momoa from the cyan waters of the Pacific and then to flop, into the belly of a canoe, like some recently netted fish. It feels, I can tell you, wonderful. This was on a paradisiacal morning in mid-July, just off the Western coast of Oahu. From the wing of a bright orange outrigger canoe, Momoa, casual in a sleeveless shirt and striped pants, like a god on holiday, pointed out the beach where he had learned to surf, the reef where his umbilical cord is buried. His father, Joseph Momoa, lay beside him, cradling an enormous conch shell. 'Aloha, what's up, my boy?' Joseph said. 'What's up, Pops?' his son answered as the canoe sped through the water. 'This is awesome.' In mellow moments like these, I could almost forget the primal horror of sitting in a swimsuit next to a man who often tops most-handsome lists. A waterman in the canoe's stern gestured toward a cove famous for Galápagos sharks, and then suggested we take a dip. Most days, I avoid shark-infested seas. But Momoa, 45, seemed unconcerned. I jumped in. Built like a boulder, if boulders had bedroom eyes and smelled of musk and adventure, Momoa is a bruiser with a difference. Though undeniably an action star — he has played an alien, a barbarian, a warlord in 'Game of Thrones,' a swordmaster in the 'Dune' movies, a superhero who could absolutely crush a freestyle relay in 'Aquaman' — he pairs hypermasculinity with surprising sweetness. 'The thing that makes him an interesting actor is his enormous heart and empathy — all in the body of a Trojan god,' Emilia Clarke, who played his bride on the HBO megahit 'Game of Thrones,' would later tell me in an email. (Asked about the first time they met, Clarke wrote: 'I remember it vividly! He wrestled me to the ground in the foyer of the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast screaming 'WIFEY!!!'') Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
