Families booking middle seats and then expecting others to switch with them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My experience is that we've not been able to book all the seats together. The aisle and window seats in all rows are the first to go and usually only the middle seats are left. When I have the option, I'll take a flight with better choices but I don't always have much of a choice. If the airlines would allow it, I'd let my little kids sit by themselves but, typically, the airlines won't allow it because the kids are capable of taking care of themselves in an emergency. The passengers on either side of them aren't likely to like it either because no one would be around to 'manage' my kid. I don't get irate when people don't want to change seats, I don't blame people but it's not my problem. It's the airline's problem to solve. Your anger is misdirected.

No you are exactly the type of person that is so obnoxious! When we search for flights, we too often see great fares and times but then see that there are only middle seats. We pass and end up on a more expensive flight or different time. I couldn't imagine being so obnoxious to actually book the middle seats anyway and then expect everyone else to move for me.

I have no problem switching seats if someone with small kids is separated because the airline screwed up and changed them. DH is over 6 feet so being in a middle seat for many hours is uncomfortable for him but he has switched with people.

From now on though I plan to ask the flight attendent why the family we are switching with is in middle seats. If its someone like you who intentionally booked the flight knowing you had only middle seats but really wanted to get that flight price or time then forget it.

You would spend more money to take a less convenient flight if the only seats available are middle seats? Really?

Not all of us have that much spare cash and vacation time to throw around. Not to mention that taking a "good time" might be the difference between a baby screaming the whole flight or not.

Seriously, this ranks as one of the most entitled, obnoxious posts I have seen on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Really???? Do you folks actually want to sit by my 2 and 4 year olds by yourself during a cross country flight?? Be my guest! Good luck with that!! That is essentially free babysitting for me!

I know people who work for airlines and have confirmed that they change the seats at the last minute. No investigation needed to figure that out, really. I have NEVER booked seats apart for my family. Why would I do that with 2 small children?

Many families do book only middle seats because on cheap fare deals these are the only seats that are left. When people miss their plane or a flight is cancelled rather than waiting for an even later flight they will jump on standby for middle seats only. These people expect that everyone will move for them. Why should my family get split up so the other family can save money!

This is all just another sign of decreasing levels of social trust. Ten years ago, I would never have thought twice about moving to allow a family to sit together. Now, you have to wonder if the inclination to do the right thing merely makes you vulnerable to those trying to take advantage of you. It's a sad dynamic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Really???? Do you folks actually want to sit by my 2 and 4 year olds by yourself during a cross country flight?? Be my guest! Good luck with that!! That is essentially free babysitting for me!

I know people who work for airlines and have confirmed that they change the seats at the last minute. No investigation needed to figure that out, really. I have NEVER booked seats apart for my family. Why would I do that with 2 small children?

Many families do book only middle seats because on cheap fare deals these are the only seats that are left. When people miss their plane or a flight is cancelled rather than waiting for an even later flight they will jump on standby for middle seats only. These people expect that everyone will move for them. Why should my family get split up so the other family can save money!

Isn't your family already "split up" if you have someone else's kid sitting in the middle seat next to you?

[Anonymous]

"We've been re-assigned to separated seats several times ... but every time started out with seats together"


exactly. this has happened to me several times! even when I booked months in advance and checked in the day before/24 hours before the flight, the airline changes it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have said yes, but these days more often than not I'm going to say "no" ... I'm not going to voluntarily get stuck in a middle seat for any flight longer than, say, an hour.

You're just dumb. Being a nice person aside, anyone who chooses to sit next to a preschooler they don't know over sitting in a middle seat is missing an essential part of their brain.

Or maybe you're a child molester...that's the only reason I can think of why someone would insist on sitting by a kid they don't know.

Right. Because a plane is a perfect place to molest a child. All those wtinesses and shit. WTF.

[Anonymous]

My experience has been that flight attendants give coupons for flying to people who are KIND enough to switch seats for families with children.

It's not always possible to get seats together.

I too would like to know how Sherlock Holmes (the OP) found out that this was intentional on her flights.

[Anonymous]

I will always give up my seat for a child. Because I'm not a bitch.

[Anonymous]

I also think there are different levels of sophistication when it comes to buying airfare. I travel internationally maybe once a year and domestically twice a year, all for fun since I never travel for work, and I have no idea that the fares obligate you to middle seats or not guaranteed seats. Is that true? i.e., when I buy a ticket on delta.com or expedia.com, etc., I pick the lowest fare and then I pick my seats (together). Are you saying that because of my type of fare (which is what, exactly?) the airline can disregard the seats we picked out? what option do you select to get better seats?

[Anonymous]

Whether I switch or not depends on where I'm sitting. If I'm already in the middle, sure, I will switch for the same or anything better. If it's a short flight (under 3 hours), I will probably switch any seat for a small child and parent.

But, if it is a long flight and I have a window seat, I'll probably say no. And for parents who think that I'll be providing babysitting for a kid stuck in the middle seat, guess again. I've got noise canceling headphones and your kid won't be interacting with me.

Luckily, this has never happened. Every time I have been asked to switch, it's been a pretty reasonable request.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will always give up my seat for a child. Because I'm not a bitch.

Seriously, people!! Look at it this way: if you're flying without a child, YOU'RE WITHOUT A CHILD! You can, holy cow, read a book! Listen to music! Zone out! Sounds like heaven and I don't care if this all takes place in a middle seat! I once changed seats to a middle seat because a child was kicking the seat. I don't care! I was reading a book uninterrupted for the first time in months! Kick away!

[Anonymous]

If a traveler paid extra to secure a particular seat, the airline should offer a refund if they give it up to accomodate a family. I would be annoyed to both pay extra and give up my seat..though I would do it for a very small child. We book very far in advance to ensure that we can have at least 2 seats together when possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My experience is that we've not been able to book all the seats together. The aisle and window seats in all rows are the first to go and usually only the middle seats are left. When I have the option, I'll take a flight with better choices but I don't always have much of a choice. If the airlines would allow it, I'd let my little kids sit by themselves but, typically, the airlines won't allow it because the kids are capable of taking care of themselves in an emergency. The passengers on either side of them aren't likely to like it either because no one would be around to 'manage' my kid. I don't get irate when people don't want to change seats, I don't blame people but it's not my problem. It's the airline's problem to solve. Your anger is misdirected.

No you are exactly the type of person that is so obnoxious! When we search for flights, we too often see great fares and times but then see that there are only middle seats. We pass and end up on a more expensive flight or different time. I couldn't imagine being so obnoxious to actually book the middle seats anyway and then expect everyone else to move for me.

I have no problem switching seats if someone with small kids is separated because the airline screwed up and changed them. DH is over 6 feet so being in a middle seat for many hours is uncomfortable for him but he has switched with people.

From now on though I plan to ask the flight attendent why the family we are switching with is in middle seats. If its someone like you who intentionally booked the flight knowing you had only middle seats but really wanted to get that flight price or time then forget it.

You would spend more money to take a less convenient flight if the only seats available are middle seats? Really?

Not all of us have that much spare cash and vacation time to throw around. Not to mention that taking a "good time" might be the difference between a baby screaming the whole flight or not.

Seriously, this ranks as one of the most entitled, obnoxious posts I have seen on DCUM.

Other than myself, I thought everyone posting on DCUM lived in NW DC and had a HHI of over $500,000/per annnum. Can it be that I am not the only middle class person hated by the poster who hates the middle class?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like OP made a stupid decision to delay a flight (probably at husband's stupid suggestion) and wants the rest of the world to be punished for the misery she had in the airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people who keep crowing that if you book early, you will avoid the problem, don't know jack shit about how airlines operate--airline change bookings all the time.

But, hey, if you want to sit next to my two preschoolers, so you can indignantly prove that you are somehow better prepared for life than me, you be my guest.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will always give up my seat for a child. Because I'm not a bitch.

Seriously, people!! Look at it this way: if you're flying without a child, YOU'RE WITHOUT A CHILD! You can, holy cow, read a book! Listen to music! Zone out! Sounds like heaven and I don't care if this all takes place in a middle seat! I once changed seats to a middle seat because a child was kicking the seat. I don't care! I was reading a book uninterrupted for the first time in months! Kick away!

Spoken like someone who doesn't fly frequently for business and doesn't need to work on the plane.