Has anyone not been able to sit with their young kids on a flight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been on plenty of flights where people have been asked to move, but those were mostly southwest where there is no assigned seating (though some were assigned, it just didn't work out for the family when they booked). For example, two kids seated together but away from parents, or one parent away from the remaining family when there was more than one young child.

I was also thinking that you could have the same issue when flying with:
- the elderly
- mentally disabled/special needs
- a friend or relative who needs mental/emotional support while flying due to a phobia

So it would be really, really difficult to set a standard that is fair for everyone, since there are so many reasons why you could justify seating people together.

I have to agree with this, unfortunately. Having kids costs more money, it's just a fact. You have the option to pay the fees and sit together, so if you choose not to I kind of think that's on you.

But aren't the fees ridiculous to begin with? Even if there is no need, you should be able to seat with those with whom you are flying unless space is truly limited. Airlines are really being a-holes to try to charge for something so basic. We should not just accept such fees as a given.

Airlines are a business--and a not-always-profitable one at that. Window seats, bulkheads, etc. are preferable to passengers so they are willing to pay for them. We've gotten used to getting these things for free but that doesn't mean they have no economic value, and it doesn't mean airlines are assholes for charging money for something that has value. When you go to a concert or the theater, you pay more for better seats, right? This is no different.

Once you understand that it's not unreasonable for airlines to charge for better seats, it is very hard to come up with a system that would allow an exception for families. Some people book months in advance, or they have status on the airline, or, as a PP pointed out, they may have other types of special needs that would make it important to sit next to someone. Nobody is in a gracious good mood while flying and they're not going to take it well if they're booted out of the seat they paid for. If airlines want to stay in business they have to keep business travelers and loyal customers happy. Families are way down the list.

This doesn't make airlines assholes, it makes them businesses, who by the way have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to maximize profit and stay in business. It's absolutely shitty to be separated from your family but maybe it's your responsibility to make sure you sit with them, by booking early or paying more, rather than the airline's responsibility to give away a seat that they could have charged for, or your fellow passenger's responsibility to give up a more comfortable seat.

One thing I do think airlines can fairly do is seat families as close together as possible without screwing anyone else over. For example, mom and kid are both in middle seats but mom is directly behind kid. Or perhaps they can sit together in the back row that nobody wants. But this requires families to book very early, and of course you don't want to give up your right to comparison shop for ticket prices or plan a last-minute getaway.

[Anonymous]

Why don't they just raise prices across the board and give a discount for middle seats instead?

The end result is the same (windows and aisles cost more), but people will be much less pissed off because they're not getting hit with extra fees and they can choose to save money by picking the cheaper middle seats.

I personally have never had an issue with rude people and DC (now 3.5yrs) and I fly relatively often (3x/yr or so) and have since he was about 8wks old. It's always just been the two of us and we've been booked separately once, when he was 2, and the agents fixed it right away.

Unaccompianed minors start at age 5, so I can see airlines not wanting to make adjustments for kids that age and older. Under 5 though . . . it seems like it would be in everyone's best interest to make sure the kid is sitting with at least one parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't they just raise prices across the board and give a discount for middle seats instead?

The end result is the same (windows and aisles cost more), but people will be much less pissed off because they're not getting hit with extra fees and they can choose to save money by picking the cheaper middle seats.

I personally have never had an issue with rude people and DC (now 3.5yrs) and I fly relatively often (3x/yr or so) and have since he was about 8wks old. It's always just been the two of us and we've been booked separately once, when he was 2, and the agents fixed it right away.

Unaccompianed minors start at age 5, so I can see airlines not wanting to make adjustments for kids that age and older. Under 5 though . . . it seems like it would be in everyone's best interest to make sure the kid is sitting with at least one parent.

I completely agree. If they are too young to fly unaccompanied per the airlines own policy then the airline has a responsibility to ensure they are seated with the accompanying adult. It is just common sense and putting their own policy in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fly Southwest and it happens all the time -- people will NOT give up their window or aisle seats, so you end up plunking your kid in a middle seat.

Always amazes me when I see it happen. I would give up my seat in a minute, but I always end up in the middle, too.

Once a woman with 3 little ones and a baby got on late because their prior flight was late, and her kids ended up scattered throughout the plane -- literally one in Row and one in the very last row. She was beside herself.

That is why, despite their otherwise good business model, I only flew Southwest once. Never again.

[Anonymous]

I was a FF and it only happened to me once, when a 5-6 yo was plopped on the middle seat next to me. I'd assumed she was an unaccompanied minor, as there was no announcement or request to move; after the takeoff she told me her parents were both on the flight. She talked my ear off the whole time, so maybe the parents were just happy to have a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the agent won't help you get the seats you need, ask the flight attendant. I used to do this all the time when I was a flight attendant. They are not always any more effective than you would be but many are willing to try to help.

This, plus the million other reasons that airlines make travel miserable, are the reasons why I left the industry and refuse to fly unless absolutely necessary.

Oh, I remember those days, when most, if not all flight attendants were nice, helpful people...
A lot has changed in the past decade... The Economy service was better than than the First class service now.

[Anonymous]

These stories are outrageous. I don't fly often with DS, but recently experienced not being able to get seats together online. I called and was assured seats were held exactly for situations like ours. At the airport, we got two seats in the same row of three. No one else was seated in the third seat. So, everything worked out, but it's just incredible that it's not a standard policy to keep young kids with at least one parent. As passengers, we should do something. This thread makes me not want to fly with DS to a family reunion this summer. It makes driving (even a long distance) look much more appealing.

[Anonymous]

I flew back from CA on a redeye once for business and had secured a window seat, the only seat that doesn't make me throw up, near the front of the plane. As I was settling in, the stewardess asked if I would switch with a guy who had boarded with his young son (maybe 18 months). I agreed. I got a middle seat next to the bathroom. It was hell, and the guy didn't even thank me.

If it happens again, I will offer to watch the kid instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Finally on one flight a nice gay male FA said, what you need to do is pull out the vomit bag and say, she gets sick on flights so you'll want this, and hand them the bag.

This has always been my plan! That, and tell them "she knows ONE knock-knock joke."

We've been lucky, though, and always either had seats assigned together to start, or had the check-in agent switch us at the airport. This last flight, friendly agents fixed it so that the two of us had a row of three seats to ourselves. Of course, one agent was so busy flirting with my very cute and social kid that he put the wrong tag on my checked suitcase, and it went to NY for a day. Oh, well. Small price to pay.

[Anonymous]

The airlines are not going to change if they aren't forced to. Start complaining to your congressmen and the FAA about this. They could easily regulate this nonsense if they wanted to, but they will only want to if enough of us complain. If I had booked seats together and the airline changed them so I couldn't sit next to my child, I would raise holy hell, not with the gate agent, who is useless, but with my 2 Senetors and right on down the line to the CEO of the airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't they just raise prices across the board and give a discount for middle seats instead?

The end result is the same (windows and aisles cost more), but people will be much less pissed off because they're not getting hit with extra fees and they can choose to save money by picking the cheaper middle seats.

I personally have never had an issue with rude people and DC (now 3.5yrs) and I fly relatively often (3x/yr or so) and have since he was about 8wks old. It's always just been the two of us and we've been booked separately once, when he was 2, and the agents fixed it right away.

Unaccompianed minors start at age 5, so I can see airlines not wanting to make adjustments for kids that age and older. Under 5 though . . . it seems like it would be in everyone's best interest to make sure the kid is sitting with at least one parent.

I completely agree. If they are too young to fly unaccompanied per the airlines own policy then the airline has a responsibility to ensure they are seated with the accompanying adult. It is just common sense and putting their own policy in place.

I don't disagree that kids and parents should be together but your premise is flawed. If you are on the same plane as your child, even in different parts of the plane, he is not unaccompanied in the same way as a child who has nobody on the plane with him. You will escort him onto the plane and off the plane, make sure he doesn't get lost, and you can get up and attend to him if he is sick or has an emergency. It really doesn't involve the same safety and liability concerns as a child traveling truly unaccompanied. So, while it is annoying, it's not inconsistent for airlines to require an adult to be on the plane with a young child but not let them sit together.

[Anonymous]

If I just paid extra $$ for my seat. Hell no, you cannot have it. I don't care how young your kid is.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if this happens when you buy a seat for a child under 2? If I'm buying a seat for my baby so that he can be in his car seat, I'd be pretty pissed if I was then told that we were in separate seats and I just have to hold him anyway...

[Anonymous]

oh my, if I got seperated from my kids it would not be good. They both always get airsick! Good luck w/ that. If someone was rude and wouldn't move I might not warn them

[Anonymous]

My cousin just recently boarded a flight with her DH and 4 young kids - all 6 single middle seats spread across the plane. She said people took one look at them and it took about .5 of a second before fellow passengers were leaping out of their seat offering to change with them. Within 5 minutes they had 4 together and 2 together and before the flight left all 6 were together.

Just look super frazzled, lug gear and bring 2 tired, grumpy 3 yr old twins with you! Worked for them.