airplane -- seats not together with 5 year olds

[Anonymous]

I was recently on a flight where they forced some people to switch because they couldn't have two lap babies in the same row because of the number of oxygen masks. Shit happens sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about airlines set an age limit on when child can fly without sitting next to parent? Then if kids are under that age and no seats are available together, airlines will not let parents book that flight. Please do not book separate seats and expect other passengers to accomodate your needs. What if passengers seated next to you or child have a lap child? They surely will not switch their aisle for a middle seat.

Rules exist for children in car seats, for example. Every airline I have flown has indicated that the car seat must be placed in a seat that does not obstruct aisle access. Usually, this means "window seat. I flew internationally with DD when she was almost 1 and we were seated in the center section of a large plane (3 seats wide). I was told that the seat had to be placed in the middle seat, so that the passengers in the aisle seats on both sides could access the aisle.

That said, I think the likelihood of airlines "not allowing" someone to book a flight is unlikely. For starters, you don't select passengers until the end of the booking process. They require the age of the child to be entered, so I suspect that they COULD prioritize seating a parent and a child under a certain age together (they have the data) but choose not to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, if someone tried to make me responsible for taking care of their child because they did not plan ahead to make sure they were seated with their minor -- I would do nothing for their child but ring the call button every time the child fussed or needed something. I would certainly not attend to their child myself, because someone that irresponsible and deluded would also probably be ridiculously and irrationally litigious.

Of course no one can "make you" take care of their child. Hell, I'd be perfectly happy to leave my 5 yo in a different seat so I could fly for 5 hours in peace. If you want to ring the call button every five minutes, that's fine with me too. I'm sure the flight attendant will manage to find a better seating arrangement in a hurry, in that case. The PPs saying "here's my kid's diaper bag, please giver her a bottle" don't actually expect anyone to DO that. They're just spelling out exactly what it means when you refuse to change seats. Of course you don't have to give a bottle or change a diaper, but you'll probably open your eyes and realize you're about to be sitting next to a screaming baby without its mother to comfort it for the next several hours. Maybe it's the airline's fault or maybe it's the mother's. Who knows? Sometimes your day just doesn't go as you planned and you have to suck it up.

But what another poster was saying, is...I would show you my noise canceling headphones and let your child cry for 5 hours.

Also, after that 6 year old was molested when left alone for 3 minutes in a men's room I'm surprised so many of you helicopter moms would leave your children in the care of strangers. Enjoy your peaceful flight.

Except the flight attendants aren't going to allow that to happen. They'll find another seating arrangement instead. That's why the PP's are going to these lengths of saying, ok cool enjoy my baby while I chill out 15 rows back. Because they've tried working with the airline, they've tried working with the flight attendant, and they've tried working with the passengers, and no one is willing to help. So at that point, you just have to throw up your hands and say, ok, great. If you want this problem, that you could have solved but refused to, here it is.

I'm not saying that OP is in the right for booking seats that aren't together (rather than the situation where the airline switches equipment), but you don't know which situation it is when someone is asking you to switch so they can sit with their child. Is it really that hard to show a little kindness?

And you're not leaving your child ALONE in a room with some rando stranger like the bathroom incident. There are at all times several other people surrounding your child on the plane. If you're that hysterical about your kid being possibly molested, I'm surprised you let him leave the damn house.

[Anonymous]

So you will happily give up your window or aisle seat for a middle seat on a cross-country flight?

Happily? I wouldn't go THAT far, but yes, I posted earlier. Eleven hours was the longest flight I've switched from aisle to middle. On that flight I wound up sitting next to a helicopter mechanic who was flying home from Djibouti and he was very interesting to talk to. I find that things tend to work out better when I act out of kindness and decency versus continually trying to fight what's rightfully mine. Your mileage may vary, obviously.

Me too - I gave up my aisle on a 10 hour transatlantic flight to let a husband and his nervous wife site together and accepted the crappy middle seat on the other side of the plane. Because it was the decent thing to do. Was I as relaxed or comfortable as I could have been? No. Would I do it again? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, if someone tried to make me responsible for taking care of their child because they did not plan ahead to make sure they were seated with their minor -- I would do nothing for their child but ring the call button every time the child fussed or needed something. I would certainly not attend to their child myself, because someone that irresponsible and deluded would also probably be ridiculously and irrationally litigious.

Of course no one can "make you" take care of their child. Hell, I'd be perfectly happy to leave my 5 yo in a different seat so I could fly for 5 hours in peace. If you want to ring the call button every five minutes, that's fine with me too. I'm sure the flight attendant will manage to find a better seating arrangement in a hurry, in that case. The PPs saying "here's my kid's diaper bag, please giver her a bottle" don't actually expect anyone to DO that. They're just spelling out exactly what it means when you refuse to change seats. Of course you don't have to give a bottle or change a diaper, but you'll probably open your eyes and realize you're about to be sitting next to a screaming baby without its mother to comfort it for the next several hours. Maybe it's the airline's fault or maybe it's the mother's. Who knows? Sometimes your day just doesn't go as you planned and you have to suck it up.

But what another poster was saying, is...I would show you my noise canceling headphones and let your child cry for 5 hours.

Also, after that 6 year old was molested when left alone for 3 minutes in a men's room I'm surprised so many of you helicopter moms would leave your children in the care of strangers. Enjoy your peaceful flight.

Except the flight attendants aren't going to allow that to happen. They'll find another seating arrangement instead. That's why the PP's are going to these lengths of saying, ok cool enjoy my baby while I chill out 15 rows back. Because they've tried working with the airline, they've tried working with the flight attendant, and they've tried working with the passengers, and no one is willing to help. So at that point, you just have to throw up your hands and say, ok, great. If you want this problem, that you could have solved but refused to, here it is.

I'm not saying that OP is in the right for booking seats that aren't together (rather than the situation where the airline switches equipment), but you don't know which situation it is when someone is asking you to switch so they can sit with their child. Is it really that hard to show a little kindness?

And you're not leaving your child ALONE in a room with some rando stranger like the bathroom incident. There are at all times several other people surrounding your child on the plane. If you're that hysterical about your kid being possibly molested, I'm surprised you let him leave the damn house.

I repeat - the other seating arrangement here is a lap baby. If it's a 3 yo it's a different story.

[Anonymous]

This horse dead yet?

[Anonymous]

Do not worry OP. I fly every year overseas with my 3 kids. Hardly ever got seats together and I never had any problem with people switching. As soon as they see young kids, they run away from being seated next to them.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure if you pull out a $50 or $100 bill you could find someone to switch seats with you, no problem.

[Anonymous]

I would only ever fly Southwest in your situation, OP. Pay $15 for one adult to get on with the A group and you're set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would only ever fly Southwest in your situation, OP. Pay $15 for one adult to get on with the A group and you're set.

We'll be flying Southwest this summer (4 of us) and would like to have seats together (either 3+1 or 2+2). Are you saying that if I buy early-bird for only myself, I can board early and save seats for DH+2DCs? Wouldn't this be frowned upon? I was planning to get 3 early-birds and have one DC sit next to window, I take aisle seat, and other DC take seat across aisle. Then DH can board anytime after and get that middle seat between DC and myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would only ever fly Southwest in your situation, OP. Pay $15 for one adult to get on with the A group and you're set.

We'll be flying Southwest this summer (4 of us) and would like to have seats together (either 3+1 or 2+2). Are you saying that if I buy early-bird for only myself, I can board early and save seats for DH+2DCs? Wouldn't this be frowned upon? I was planning to get 3 early-birds and have one DC sit next to window, I take aisle seat, and other DC take seat across aisle. Then DH can board anytime after and get that middle seat between DC and myself.

I have flown SW numerous times and have never had a problem getting 3 together without upgrading. For a long time we got family boarding and now I just set an alarm for 24 hrs out and check in as soon as possible which generally gets me into the high BS at least. If you're OK with 2 + 2, those being window+middle and towards the back I doubt you'll need any earl boarding at all. And at most 2 early boarders to head towards the back and get 2 aisles. The other 2 could then get on and most likely get 3+1 or at worst the aisle and middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would only ever fly Southwest in your situation, OP. Pay $15 for one adult to get on with the A group and you're set.

We'll be flying Southwest this summer (4 of us) and would like to have seats together (either 3+1 or 2+2). Are you saying that if I buy early-bird for only myself, I can board early and save seats for DH+2DCs? Wouldn't this be frowned upon? I was planning to get 3 early-birds and have one DC sit next to window, I take aisle seat, and other DC take seat across aisle. Then DH can board anytime after and get that middle seat between DC and myself.

No. People can get snippy about saving seats. Just pay the $60 and have peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, if someone tried to make me responsible for taking care of their child because they did not plan ahead to make sure they were seated with their minor -- I would do nothing for their child but ring the call button every time the child fussed or needed something. I would certainly not attend to their child myself, because someone that irresponsible and deluded would also probably be ridiculously and irrationally litigious.

Of course no one can "make you" take care of their child. Hell, I'd be perfectly happy to leave my 5 yo in a different seat so I could fly for 5 hours in peace. If you want to ring the call button every five minutes, that's fine with me too. I'm sure the flight attendant will manage to find a better seating arrangement in a hurry, in that case. The PPs saying "here's my kid's diaper bag, please giver her a bottle" don't actually expect anyone to DO that. They're just spelling out exactly what it means when you refuse to change seats. Of course you don't have to give a bottle or change a diaper, but you'll probably open your eyes and realize you're about to be sitting next to a screaming baby without its mother to comfort it for the next several hours. Maybe it's the airline's fault or maybe it's the mother's. Who knows? Sometimes your day just doesn't go as you planned and you have to suck it up.

But what another poster was saying, is...I would show you my noise canceling headphones and let your child cry for 5 hours.

Also, after that 6 year old was molested when left alone for 3 minutes in a men's room I'm surprised so many of you helicopter moms would leave your children in the care of strangers. Enjoy your peaceful flight.

Except the flight attendants aren't going to allow that to happen. They'll find another seating arrangement instead. That's why the PP's are going to these lengths of saying, ok cool enjoy my baby while I chill out 15 rows back. Because they've tried working with the airline, they've tried working with the flight attendant, and they've tried working with the passengers, and no one is willing to help. So at that point, you just have to throw up your hands and say, ok, great. If you want this problem, that you could have solved but refused to, here it is.

I'm not saying that OP is in the right for booking seats that aren't together (rather than the situation where the airline switches equipment), but you don't know which situation it is when someone is asking you to switch so they can sit with their child. Is it really that hard to show a little kindness?

And you're not leaving your child ALONE in a room with some rando stranger like the bathroom incident. There are at all times several other people surrounding your child on the plane. If you're that hysterical about your kid being possibly molested, I'm surprised you let him leave the damn house.

I'm using hyperbole to prove a point. And you actually are leaving your child alone with strangers.

[Anonymous]

Let your 5 year old use your ipad, make sure he has enough to do and to eat. You may get accommodated, but you may not. No one switched with us one time. Teach your 5 year old where the call button is. Show him how to use the on board entertainment system and if you can get 3 middle seats in a row, such that dad is in front, child in middle and mom behind, so his parents are near.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, if someone tried to make me responsible for taking care of their child because they did not plan ahead to make sure they were seated with their minor -- I would do nothing for their child but ring the call button every time the child fussed or needed something. I would certainly not attend to their child myself, because someone that irresponsible and deluded would also probably be ridiculously and irrationally litigious.

Of course no one can "make you" take care of their child. Hell, I'd be perfectly happy to leave my 5 yo in a different seat so I could fly for 5 hours in peace. If you want to ring the call button every five minutes, that's fine with me too. I'm sure the flight attendant will manage to find a better seating arrangement in a hurry, in that case. The PPs saying "here's my kid's diaper bag, please giver her a bottle" don't actually expect anyone to DO that. They're just spelling out exactly what it means when you refuse to change seats. Of course you don't have to give a bottle or change a diaper, but you'll probably open your eyes and realize you're about to be sitting next to a screaming baby without its mother to comfort it for the next several hours. Maybe it's the airline's fault or maybe it's the mother's. Who knows? Sometimes your day just doesn't go as you planned and you have to suck it up.

But what another poster was saying, is...I would show you my noise canceling headphones and let your child cry for 5 hours.

Also, after that 6 year old was molested when left alone for 3 minutes in a men's room I'm surprised so many of you helicopter moms would leave your children in the care of strangers. Enjoy your peaceful flight.

Except the flight attendants aren't going to allow that to happen. They'll find another seating arrangement instead. That's why the PP's are going to these lengths of saying, ok cool enjoy my baby while I chill out 15 rows back. Because they've tried working with the airline, they've tried working with the flight attendant, and they've tried working with the passengers, and no one is willing to help. So at that point, you just have to throw up your hands and say, ok, great. If you want this problem, that you could have solved but refused to, here it is.

I'm not saying that OP is in the right for booking seats that aren't together (rather than the situation where the airline switches equipment), but you don't know which situation it is when someone is asking you to switch so they can sit with their child. Is it really that hard to show a little kindness?

And you're not leaving your child ALONE in a room with some rando stranger like the bathroom incident. There are at all times several other people surrounding your child on the plane. If you're that hysterical about your kid being possibly molested, I'm surprised you let him leave the damn house.

I'm using hyperbole to prove a point. And you actually are leaving your child alone with strangers.

You do understand the difference between leaving a child in a room with only one man who is a stranger and leaving a child in an open space among many different strangers, do you not? Unless you happen to be seating him among a group of 20 all traveling to the Molesters 'R Us Conference, it's nearly impossible for something like that to happen.