Reply to airplane -- seats not together with 5 year olds

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]We booked our vacation flight to California about a month out[/b] -- but there were no seats available next to each other... and only middle seats available.  Our twins are 5 yrs old.  Have people generally had luck with people switching seats (even tho they have windows & aisles, probably don't want to sit next to needy, possibly crying 5 year olds??)  or other options/suggestions for how to handle? [/quote]

I would have had more sympathy for you - but you need to plan better. You are now asking people who have windows and aisle seats to accommodate you because you didn't get your act together or aren't willing to pay more. [/quote]

I'm not the OP, but how far in advance, exactly, would be required for your sympathy? Last Christmas, I booked flights from DC to Portland in October (so 3 months in advance) and we were still seated in 3 separate aisles (me, DH and 4 year old DD). The gate agent said, "Sorry, it's a full flight, I can't switch anyone. You'll have just ask on the plane if someone will switch with you."

Not sure what they or you expect people to do in such a situation or the OP's situation. Should the children sit alone, next to the strangers who paid more? [/quote]

3 months out for Xmas isn't a lot. Moreover, you need to not just take the cheapest fare, but find the airline and the fare that works for you. Anyhow, 3 different AISLE seats are a whole other kettle of fish, as PP has said.[/quote]

PP here. I misspoke. I meant seats in 3 different ROWS. At least one of them was a window seat, as we'd planned to use DD's carseat. I don't remember what the other 2 were except that they were not in that row.

People have a limited number of choices. Booking holiday travel 3 months out is completely reasonable, given that many people's schedules are not always predictable. Additionally, I chose the airline, flight and fare that worked best for our family based on timing, connections and price. I'm glad that you have the freedom to plan all your travel a year in advance and pay as much as you have to so that everyone can sit together, but down here in the real world where mortals do not always have the flexibility to plan way, way in advance and also do not have all the money ever minted, 3 months out + request to have minor child seated with at least one parent is not an unreasonable request. [b]My issue is with the airline, not the other passengers, but when the airline foists the responsibility onto the passengers to work it out themselves, the ire of the passengers who have to either trade seats or not trade seats and sit next to someone else's kid should also be directed at the airline, for creating this situation[/b].[/quote]

Whose responsibility should it be though? The airline should force someone out of their seat? [/quote]

Well, my daughter was 4 at the time. The airline's unaccompanied minor program does not begin until age 5. So yes, the airline should force someone out of their seat in order to comply with their own policy. You select the ages of children at booking, so this should actually not be a difficult ask. I could not find any policy specifically related to children between the ages of 2 (when they need a seat) and 5 (when they are permitted to travel alone) and I could not get any clarification on whether "alone" applies to children whose parents/guardians are on the plane but seated elsewhere.

Either way, it is the airline's responsibility to accommodate passengers' needs, including the needs of families traveling with small children to have at least one parent seated next to a child.[/quote]

Unaccompanied minor means that there isn't a parent or guardian on the plane, not that Ashley doesn't get to sit next to Mumsy.  [/quote]

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