Bob, you are a good friend and I meant only to point out the bias. I feel for your friend's horror but can't for a moment understand how they thought this was a good idea. Case in point, I took my family, all 5 of us, on another airline in June and what should have been a one-stop and 6hrs turned into a two-stop and 13hrs. At every juncture, the airline failed to deliver what one might consider a base "human experience". Given your "day job", I imagine you are interested in root cause and paths to improvement but after millions of my own miles flown, I really do wonder if we're not just on a downward spiral. Suffice to say, as absurd as the UM practice remains, I hope someone in a position of power (private, not public) is able to take this well documented experience and find a path to improvement. While attitude and culture of personnel is problematic, there are clearly opportunities for technology like a mandatory phone, foursquare-like check-ins, map-like tracking, radio tags, etc. You should be protective but pointing blame at UA doesn't abdicate a parent's responsibility, no matter how incompetent a company or personnel.

Bob, you seem selective about what comments to show on your blog. They all seem to support your contention that UA is bad and lost your friend's child. I'm not a fan of UA, quite the contrary, avoid the airline. Which makes this situation even more peculiar given friend's elite status. Suffice to say, UA never actually lost their daughter. They treated the child like they treat all passengers: crap. I could be flip and add -- what do you expect for $99? Suffice to say, I'd never put my own child in the care of strangers on a cross-country flight. Heck, I don't even trust my bag to the airline, why would I trust my child, aged parent, pet .. and yes, guitar -- or any possession I dearly loved. Your friend's should have known. Moreover, they should have given the child a cell phone. Moreover, they should have accompanied the child to Grand Rapids -- nice to take your kid to camp. Experience to treasure. I suggest you accept a more balanced view in your blog. Given the coverage of this story -- comments on major media seem to be running 50/50 for/against UA but mostly condeming the parents for their stupidity. Let's see if you post this one.

Great comments! To Chris' question, I don't think it matters whether or not you are long term with a customer -- many orgs have a goal to keep hard fought customer relationships for a long time if not for-ever. The goal is not to fail customers but fail opportunities that aren't progressing so that scarce resources are optimized on the best opportunities, regardless of customer. Go ahead -- be honest, clean out your pipe of losing fodder. You and your org will be the better for it! Good luck and good selling!