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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's amazing to me how the airlines have managed to deflect attention from the fact that they are causing this problem.

They sell off seats, including the ones someone has already selected, and then let us tear each other to pieces.

I think an airline is obligated to let one parent sit next to a child under 5 (and probably under 9), and I would certainly volunteer to move my seat in those circumstances.

If it's a second parent (or just two adults) then I would probably look at where their seat is, how young the kid is, etc.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Who flies with two preschoolers?

[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.

NP here, and you really sound like the entitled one. Assuming everyone has the means to pay for more expensive flights (and only those who do should travel) or the flexibility to leave at other times of day and then demanding explanations from the flight attendant (who is not going to have any idea at all about people's original bookings)? People like you are the ones making a mountain out of a molehill.

[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.

How may times have you been on a plane? You don't seem to know much about how airlines operate - the flight attendant would not know how/ when/ at what rate the family booked the ticket, and whether the airline changed seats after booking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I do fly for business. And I do work on the plane. But I also fly for pleasure. I was being slightly tongue in cheek here in case you missed that. But really, even when I fly for business I'm not a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

You are too smart and logical for this discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

Who flies with two preschoolers?

Are you for real? Throw a rock and you'll hit a family with two children under the age of five, it's hardly like the Duggars are on your flight.

[Anonymous]

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.

me neither. plus I usually pay extra for my seats....

[Anonymous]

I believe the airlines reserve the right to reassing seats as they see fit. If they see fit to move you for a family with kids, suck it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Sounds like you haven't figured it out yet yourself. There will be all sort of impediments to working while traveling, most of us figure out how to get through.

[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.

NP here, and you really sound like the entitled one. Assuming everyone has the means to pay for more expensive flights (and only those who do should travel) or the flexibility to leave at other times of day and then demanding explanations from the flight attendant (who is not going to have any idea at all about people's original bookings)? People like you are the ones making a mountain out of a molehill.

Hilarious. NP but if I bought the seat then, yeah, I am entitled to that seat. Booking a cheap seat and then expecting mine? No.

[Anonymous]

Whether or not I would switch depends on the attitude of the parents and on the length of the flight. I would not give up my aisle seat for a long flight.

I also would not give up my aisle seat on a short flight to parents with entitled or disrespectful attitudes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

HAHAHAHAHA You don't have kids, do you? If you think that some "noise canceling headphones" would stop my 3 year old from pestering the shit out of you, you have no clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Actually, it IS the perfect place to molest kids:

http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-07-15/news/predators-are-free-to-move-about-the-cabin/

http://www.kcra.com/Mom-Teen-Molested-While-Flying-Alone/-/11798090/12679364/-/b5f557/-/index.html

http://articles.cnn.com/2001-08-08/travel/northwest.molest_1_flight-attendants-flight-risk-investigators?_s=PM:TRAVEL

http://digitaljournal.com/article/239593

[Anonymous]

Frankly, I'm perfectly happy to sit in the middle seat of row 25 while Joe Schmo in his aisle seat on row 15 has to entertain my toddler. Go for it, buddy.