78-year-old Patricia, who was born in 1922, has been booking flights through her daughter Kris for the past three years as she faces challenges with walking and seeing due to her age. Despite her daughter inputting her correct year of birth, 1922, the airline’s computers consistently interpret it as 2022, resulting in Patricia being registered as a two-year-old toddler in the flight records. This error has led to some inconvenient situations, such as airport staff expecting a child instead of an elderly passenger.
On a recent flight between Chicago and Michigan, the mix-up occurred again, causing confusion for both Patricia and Kris. In previous flights, Patricia has had to wait for a wheelchair and experienced delays due to the incorrect birth year in the system. Despite these issues, the American Airlines crew has always been courteous and accommodating, although the company has not responded to inquiries about the matter.
Patricia is a former nurse who travels annually to visit her family and escape the cold winters of Chicago. Regardless of the ongoing glitch with her age in the airline’s system, she continues to fly with American Airlines and appreciates the professionalism of the flight crew. The airport’s computer system struggles to process a birth year so far in the past, leading to the age discrepancy in the bookings. However, Patricia remains determined to continue traveling and exploring new places.