Sitting with child on Southwest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Um, when my kids go to temple without me, when they go to see a friend performing at a concert or play, etc. Strangers are not inherently dangerous. Besides, haven't you taught your kids to use their mouths? "What the hell are you doing?! Don't TOUCH me! Are you a PEDOPHILE?!" My kids know when to speak up.

are they forced to sit down and not get up like in a plane environment? Do the people next to them have blankets on their laps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

School buses. Kids all over the country do it every single day.
-not the pp you quoted.

Your kids are sitting next to random, grown adults by themselves on school buses every single day?

This! Sitting next to friends on a bus is different than grown adults in a small airplane seat.

We flew SW in April and pre-boarded with an 11 yr old. He is a very independent kid, on our ski trip he took off on his own multiple times, still he did not want to sit next to strangers on a plane for 4 hours. So my husband pre-boarded with him while I boarded with my older child in our assigned spot. SW gate agent did not care at all when they pre-boarded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

School buses. Kids all over the country do it every single day.
-not the pp you quoted.

guess I should have been more specific… strange adults. With no background checks.

Exactly what do you think will happen? They will also be surrounded by other adults. If you were sitting on a plane and saw a small child being harmed by a stranger, would you just mind your own business? Or would you speak up/intervene?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Um, when my kids go to temple without me, when they go to see a friend performing at a concert or play, etc. Strangers are not inherently dangerous. Besides, haven't you taught your kids to use their mouths? "What the hell are you doing?! Don't TOUCH me! Are you a PEDOPHILE?!" My kids know when to speak up.

but will they? Really?

There are grown women who have been assaulted on planes. They often admit to just freezing as it was happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Yup, and those strangers are gonna love it my when 10 year old starts reaching for the barf bag

I'm an adult and sometimes puke on planes. No big deal. I've been getting motion sickness since I was a baby. I haven't needed help after throwing up since I was like 4 or 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Um, when my kids go to temple without me, when they go to see a friend performing at a concert or play, etc. Strangers are not inherently dangerous. Besides, haven't you taught your kids to use their mouths? "What the hell are you doing?! Don't TOUCH me! Are you a PEDOPHILE?!" My kids know when to speak up.

but will they? Really?

There are grown women who have been assaulted on planes. They often admit to just freezing as it was happening.

Yep, they will, and I know that because they have spoken up. You think I can control who stands near us on a crowded train or bus? Nope. "Why are you touching me?" gets a lot of attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

School buses. Kids all over the country do it every single day.
-not the pp you quoted.

guess I should have been more specific… strange adults. With no background checks.

Exactly what do you think will happen? They will also be surrounded by other adults. If you were sitting on a plane and saw a small child being harmed by a stranger, would you just mind your own business? Or would you speak up/intervene?

Who is going to see or hear something on a loud plane where people are squished together? See it at all, or see it with enough confidence that they'd make a stink on the plane when they dont even know the adult isnt the kid's parent? Plus once it's happening the harm has already started, even if the kid yells and stands up.

ES kids shouldn't be seated away from parents, and I'm actually surprised airlines even allow the potential for in-flight drama over it. I think flying an unaccompanied minor is kinda nuts too but at least there the airline takes charge of the kid. That's not what's happening in open seating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Um, when my kids go to temple without me, when they go to see a friend performing at a concert or play, etc. Strangers are not inherently dangerous. Besides, haven't you taught your kids to use their mouths? "What the hell are you doing?! Don't TOUCH me! Are you a PEDOPHILE?!" My kids know when to speak up.

are they forced to sit down and not get up like in a plane environment? Do the people next to them have blankets on their laps?

Look, you can't walk around fearing everyone. Something like 1-5% of the population is a pedophile. Odds are in your kid's favor here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

School buses. Kids all over the country do it every single day.
-not the pp you quoted.

guess I should have been more specific… strange adults. With no background checks.

Exactly what do you think will happen? They will also be surrounded by other adults. If you were sitting on a plane and saw a small child being harmed by a stranger, would you just mind your own business? Or would you speak up/intervene?

Who is going to see or hear something on a loud plane where people are squished together? See it at all, or see it with enough confidence that they'd make a stink on the plane when they dont even know the adult isnt the kid's parent? Plus once it's happening the harm has already started, even if the kid yells and stands up.

ES kids shouldn't be seated away from parents, and I'm actually surprised airlines even allow the potential for in-flight drama over it. I think flying an unaccompanied minor is kinda nuts too but at least there the airline takes charge of the kid. That's not what's happening in open seating.

Yeah--squished together--so other people are there too. If your 13 year old is sitting in the middle seat and the guy in the window seat is lying on top of her trying to rape her, you really think the person in the aisle seat is just going to stare straight ahead pretending it's not happening?

[Anonymous]

OP we fly SW regularly with kid(s). Sometimes we have to switch flights and miss the 24 check in time. I have found that if you are C10 or higher you can get seats together on sold out flights. Our last one we bought a 6am flight at 10 pm the night before. When we checked in we were C9 and C10. All the early birds were sold out and I was worried. We still got an aisle and a middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The last flight they announced any MINOR could do family boarding. I don’t think you’ll have any problem. Set an alarm to check in right at 24 hours in advance to be absolutely sure.

Call me horrible, but I think it should be limited to small kids. The Southwest policy is seven and under. I would not normally care, but I've had three flights recently where I paid for early check-in and wound up in the B group. I don't think it's fair that people who paid to board earlier should have to defer to those who did not pay and who don't fit the criteria for family boarding.

I think any child still in elementary school should qualify. It's rare there are SO many children on one flight that this is a huge burden. So IMHO, it should be 11 and under. Or I guess 12, depending on if you use 5th or 6th as the cut off age.

My oldest is 8, and she would not be happy if we were separated. Of course I'd pay if I had to to ensure it.

Have you ever flown to MCO? LOL. But I get what you are saying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Yup, and those strangers are gonna love it my when 10 year old starts reaching for the barf bag

I'm an adult and sometimes puke on planes. No big deal. I've been getting motion sickness since I was a baby. I haven't needed help after throwing up since I was like 4 or 5.

Well you are just so special and independent. Want an award? or better yet to sit next to my puking kid who needs help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Yup, and those strangers are gonna love it my when 10 year old starts reaching for the barf bag

I'm an adult and sometimes puke on planes. No big deal. I've been getting motion sickness since I was a baby. I haven't needed help after throwing up since I was like 4 or 5.

Well you are just so special and independent. Want an award? or better yet to sit next to my puking kid who needs help?

Why would a 13 year old need help puking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The last flight they announced any MINOR could do family boarding. I don’t think you’ll have any problem. Set an alarm to check in right at 24 hours in advance to be absolutely sure.

Call me horrible, but I think it should be limited to small kids. The Southwest policy is seven and under. I would not normally care, but I've had three flights recently where I paid for early check-in and wound up in the B group. I don't think it's fair that people who paid to board earlier should have to defer to those who did not pay and who don't fit the criteria for family boarding.

Seven is young and that's likely why Southwest employees choose not to enforce it. If it was a more common sense age, then sure, be more strict about it. But believe me, flight attendants would rather kids just be sitting with their parents and letting them board with family boarding is the surest way to guarantee that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your 10 yr old can't sit without you for a couple of hours??? This shouldn't be an issue.

I’m not the OP but it’s not about not sitting with me. It’s about sitting next to complete strangers in a somewhat confined space. Where else would you force an young child to sit a few inches from a stranger with no parent present? It’s asinine.

Yup, and those strangers are gonna love it my when 10 year old starts reaching for the barf bag

I'm an adult and sometimes puke on planes. No big deal. I've been getting motion sickness since I was a baby. I haven't needed help after throwing up since I was like 4 or 5.

Well you are just so special and independent. Want an award? or better yet to sit next to my puking kid who needs help?

Why would a 13 year old need help puking?

So you're ok with them puking on you then? Good to know!