denied boarding for minor (on US to Canada flight due to no passport) - any advice?

All,

Advice appreciated. When attempting to travel to Canada today, the UA Service Manager denied my six year old son boarding (family of five trying to board). Our youngest son does not have a passport, but a U.S. birth certificate. Both parents were present. The Service Manager insisted that only a passport allows to travel internationally on United.

We had extensively checked on this issue:
- The Department of Homeland Security clearly allows travel for a six year old to Canada on a birth certificate (I showed print outs).
- The Canadian Border Services Agency clearly allows travel for a six year old to Canada on a birth certificate (I showed print outs).
- United’s 1K desk checked last night and confirmed that a birth certificate was sufficient in a call
- United’s Timatic website clearly spells out that children can travel on a birth certificate (scroll to “The following regulations apply to children/minors”).
- From personal experience, this was not an issue on other flights/airlines.

The result – a broken up family vacation, a sizable amount of money down the drain for hotel rooms etc. I understand an airline can superimpose rules over governmental requirements. But this is a case where two sources from United clearly state(d) that this mode of travel is allowed - how can a service manager override TIMATIC (and it is not an uncommon situation to have young kids travel without passports)?

Any advice on how to proceed with United on this issue?

Thanks,
Travelcomments