Airline will bump someone from their window seat up on my request for medical issue how do you handle confrontation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read all responses but the fact that the OP’s post has gotten so many people agitated is kind of weird.
I’m thinking this is displacement- when you’re actually upset about someone or something else but it’s not acceptable to voice or admit that so you find another target.

We hate trolls/idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BS excuse to get a window.

He could have sat in either of the very middle two seats and then he wouldn't have to get up for anyone.

-- -xx- --

YES! A middle seat in the middle row sounds perfect for someone with a back issue. They'd never ever have to get up. The aisle people would just use their own aisles.

Yes but the doctor said we need to keep pressure off the lower back and to lean and get a window seat. That's what the doctor said until full recovery. We just are following the doctor note for air travel.

Did the doctor also tell you that you have to travel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BS excuse to get a window.

He could have sat in either of the very middle two seats and then he wouldn't have to get up for anyone.

-- -xx- --

YES! A middle seat in the middle row sounds perfect for someone with a back issue. They'd never ever have to get up. The aisle people would just use their own aisles.

Yes but the doctor said we need to keep pressure off the lower back and to lean and get a window seat. That's what the doctor said until full recovery. We just are following the doctor note for air travel.

Did the doctor also tell you that you have to travel?

I think the doctor always travels in economy.

[Anonymous]

I think OP is borrowing trouble. There is no indication that anyone will say anything. If so, she can politely explain. That’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think OP is borrowing trouble. There is no indication that anyone will say anything. If so, she can politely explain. That’s it.

No, they are definitely going to kick her azz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I did some more research into why the airline had so many pages of forms and insisted on a formal request with a doctor’s note, and even followed up with the agent about privacy. It turns out it’s federal law:

Air Carrier Access Act (49 U.S.C. § 41705)
"The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits discrimination by U.S. and foreign air carriers on the basis of physical or mental disability."

Implementing Regulation (14 CFR § 382.85(a)(1)(ii))
"However, you must assign to the passenger any seat, not already assigned to another passenger that accommodates the passenger's needs, even if that seat is not available for assignment to the general passenger population at the time of the request."

Because of these requirements, airlines provide a formal online accommodation form, to document the condition, attach the doctor’s note, and trigger their Accessibility Desk so they can legally reassign a seat that meets your needs (and bump another passenger "to the extent practicable").

I also went on chat again and asked the agent about confidentiality, and they confirmed that flight attendants are trained to handle these accommodations discreetly. So if another passenger questions our seats, I’ll refer them to the crew. Lesson learned: Since no one needs to share personal health details, everyone should stay in their own assigned seats and let the airline manage any reassignments internally.

I can't imagine how nasty everyone is here and will definitely be less open about what's going on I guess these rules and laws are here to help folks out who have medical issues.

DCUM doesn’t tolerate idiots, OP. Now you know.

Am i the total idiot? No one else pointed out this law? I thought DCUM was full of lawyers, and as everyone is calling me dumb, smart people? Or at least smarter than me?

Smarter than *I*. But we wouldn't expect you to know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have book another flight or sprung for an upgraded seat.

+10000

"...needs a window seat to minimize movement. We originally booked middle seats because no window seats were available,...."


The answer is that you should have selected another flight that met your needs. Unless this was a new and recent injury, it was on you to book ahead in the correct seats.

If so why do they have this medical request form that is backed by the law?

Here's what you posted. "However, you must assign to the passenger any seat, not already assigned to another passenger that accommodates the passenger's needs, even if that seat is not available for assignment to the general passenger population at the time of the request."

If another passenger has already been assigned that seat, you are out of luck. You can have 10,000 medical forms and you are still out of luck.

Airlines sometimes block seats, though, and they arent available to anyone. In that case, the airline must give you those seats as an accomodation even though they are not available. It does NOT mean that you get someone else's seat.

[Anonymous]

I know it's hard to understand, OP. Let me try to help

The source you quoted, c the one you said was a law proving your point, and that you were casting shade about nobody else citing?

That's because it says the opposite of what you think it says: "any seat NOT ALREADY ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER PASSENGER." It might be a blocked seat, but the requirement is NOT actually to bump someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, this doesn’t make sense, with a 242 configuration there isn’t really a middle seat that would need to move for someone by a window, because there are just window and aisle seats on the sides. There was no reason for you to need to move your husband from his middle middle seat, other than perhaps your own personal preference.

+1 if I bought a first class window ticket you better believe I’d be asking to change back because a 242 doesn’t support op’s need for a window at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know it's hard to understand, OP. Let me try to help

The source you quoted, c the one you said was a law proving your point, and that you were casting shade about nobody else citing?

That's because it says the opposite of what you think it says: "any seat NOT ALREADY ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER PASSENGER." It might be a blocked seat, but the requirement is NOT actually to bump someone.

Here’s the official e‑CFR page spelling out the requirement to reassign (swap out) another passenger’s seat to meet your documented medical need:

14 CFR § 382.85(a)(1)(ii)
"However, you must assign to the passenger any seat, not already assigned to another passenger that accommodates the passenger’s needs, even if that seat is not available for assignment to the general passenger population at the time of the request."

This obligates the carrier to free up, by moving another passenger, any appropriate seat to honor your accommodation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BS excuse to get a window.

He could have sat in either of the very middle two seats and then he wouldn't have to get up for anyone.

-- -xx- --

YES! A middle seat in the middle row sounds perfect for someone with a back issue. They'd never ever have to get up. The aisle people would just use their own aisles.

Yes but the doctor said we need to keep pressure off the lower back and to lean and get a window seat. That's what the doctor said until full recovery. We just are following the doctor note for air travel.

JUST STAY HOME THEN until the full recovery.

In less its an emergency, flying makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

OP here I feel like you all made me out to be like this lol. I honestly feel like this after travelling Emirites/Qatar a now flying US domestic.lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also booked a first class window seat because it's the only way I can sleep. You should have booked your flight earlier like I did. I paid $1,800 for my flight. I would be pissed if I was moved. You should have planned better.

Do you have a medical condition? We have never requested a seat based on medical condition and were referred to do so when we chatted with the agent. We had to submit a doctors note to the medical and disability request form.

Yes, I have insomnia.

You were able to get a window seat for insomnia?

No, I booked a first class window seat way in advance so I could sleep. I never told anyone I had insomnia. I'm not stupid. Just rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here I feel like you all made me out to be like this lol. I honestly feel like this after travelling Emirites/Qatar a now flying US domestic.lol

Maybe buy yourself an education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have book another flight or sprung for an upgraded seat.

+10000

"...needs a window seat to minimize movement. We originally booked middle seats because no window seats were available,...."


The answer is that you should have selected another flight that met your needs. Unless this was a new and recent injury, it was on you to book ahead in the correct seats.

If so why do they have this medical request form that is backed by the law?

Here's what you posted. "However, you must assign to the passenger any seat, not already assigned to another passenger that accommodates the passenger's needs, even if that seat is not available for assignment to the general passenger population at the time of the request."

If another passenger has already been assigned that seat, you are out of luck. You can have 10,000 medical forms and you are still out of luck.

Airlines sometimes block seats, though, and they arent available to anyone. In that case, the airline must give you those seats as an accomodation even though they are not available. It does NOT mean that you get someone else's seat.

This makes the most sense.