[Mpls] Airport or NW Policy

[Anne McCandless]

This is an at large question to the group:   My 12 year old grand nephew flew down to New Orleans to spend Christmas with his uncles.  It was a Northwest fight, no-stop.  His mother, my niece, had to get there 2 1/2 hours ahead of time and stay with him not just until they boarded, but until the plane actually was in the air.  No NW employees had to do anything for him that they didn't do for every other passenger waiting for this flight.  For this, my niece had to pay $40 to NW.  This was not part of his ticket fare, this was in addition to it.   At the other end, his uncles paid nothing but did have to show valid ID, which I was glad to hear.  They were able to walk to the end of the concourse and meet him.   My question is, does anyone know what the $40 was for?  Is this a NW fee or an MSP airport fee?  What services did this pay for? Again, when she asked she was told this was not part of the ticket fare so it wasn't for any extra attention on board the plane.  This was, as far as we could figure out, for the privilege to walk to gate and wait for the plane to take off, which was required by NW so it wasn't really a privilege.  If anyone knows the reasoning, please let me know.  Right now, we just figure it's one of those fees they get charged just because they can.  She's a single mother of two children and $40 is alot of money.  In case anyone wonders how she could afford the trip, his uncles paid for the ticket.   Anne McCandless Jordan