*2.5 yo

My husband, our 2.5 up and I were booked in three different rows on one flight, so we called Delta well in advance. They told us to call back 24 hrs before the flight. We did. They told us to talk to the agent when we checked in, who told us to ask the gate agent, who told us to ask the gate agent at the second airport (we were together on our first flight), who didn't even look up, shrugged, and said somebody would probably switch with us. That was it. Someone did switch, but why did Delta keep telling us they would help if they really planned to do nothing at all?

I hate the Southwest system, I love the bags fly free thing and the staff.

We had to split up during parts of our flights last year flying to California...DH and one kid sat across the aisle, we took turns. At one point (kids were 2 and 4) they sat together watching our DVD player.
2 year old was a terrible flyer, I have my fingers crossed for this year. She would have a tantrum if we wouldn't get up and let her roam the aisles, wouldn't stay in her seat, was afraid of the airplane potty, kicked seat in front, etc. Ugh.

Even if you pay for priority boarding on Southwest, you have to hope the plane isn't continuing from another city -- or else even with A1 boarding you can get on the plane to find every window and aisle seat taken.

I think Southwest is really a longitudinal study in human behavior -- it's literally designed to bring out the worst in people.

I hate the Southwest system. Love the prices. They do have an option where you can pay $16 extra per ticket to get priority boarding. I guess if you have children it would be worth the money so you don't have to worry.
I also read that most airlines are going to start charging extra for all window and aisle seats. It will cost a fortune to try to all travel together. It already does!

I would laugh my ass off if someone refused to switch seats and got stuck next to my three year old (primarily because he's a complete extrovert and wouldn't be afraid). After 20 minutes or so of "what are you doing? why? what's that? I can't see," I feel very certain they would change their mind!

Anonymous wrote:http://moneyland.time.com/2012/05/31/hey-airlines-do-you-really-want-to-split-families-up-on-planes-really/?hpt=hp_t2

We fly a couple times a year as a family of 4. I never pay extra to choose my seats and we have always been given seats together. While I understand its a possibility, I cant fathom a situation in which a 3 y.o. would be 5 rows away from a parent, next to strangers. Has this ever happened to anyone or is it one of those hypothetical arguments?

I flew with my then 2.5, 8 and 11 year olds two years ago. I booked all of our seats together. Yet, when we arrived at the airport, the airline had moved our seats so that one kid was five rows behind me and another three rows behind me. The other was with me. The person who had the aisle seat next to me would not switch seats with either of my kids. When the flight attendant asked if anyone would be willing to move, no one did. Eventually the people who were in the last two rows of the plane figures out how to reorganize their party and I got the last row with my kids - once we were in the air, the little one sat on my lap and the other two were in the seats. It worked out but it was not an easy or pleasant experience.

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.

I'd be pleased to plunk my 5 yo down next to someone who refused to change seats. Good luck with that.

Anonymous wrote:If you have 3-5 children, how can you expect to sit all together? My heart breaks for people traveling with 1-2 kids, but c'mon!

No child should be seated away from a parent. They don't have to be near both parents, but they shouldn't be seated alone no matter how many siblings they have.

I think it's appalling that the airlines are trying to charge for the privilege of sitting together with small children. I'm more surprised/shocked that anyone would want to sit next to someone else's small child for the duration of a flight, no matter what kind of seat! I love traveling with my daughter, but even I get tired of having to entertain her for a whole flight. Why anyone would want to sit next to someone else's kid is just beyond me.

I saw a recent story on the news that families would have to pay to sit together. I think it's really crazy that the airline folks aren't a little more helpful. They expect passengers to do their own lobbying. I think a pleasant but forceful request from an agent would be much more effective than a mom having to beg someone to move.

I've had to book seats separately before (either because none were available together either when I booked the tickets or at check-in time, for airlines that make you wait until then). I've always arrived at the gate to find that the agents have assigned us new seats together. I think when you check "child" when you book, they know to match you up - I'm pretty sure that is one reason why they hold back seats from seat selection at the time of booking.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You wonder why people won't give up aisle/window seats? Because either a) they paid extra for these seats or b) they chose their seating in advance.

Or c) they're douchebags who deserve to spend the next several hours next to a whimpering kid.

I was once on one of those tiny little puddle jumpers and the flight attendent announced that the plane couldn't take off until the people distributed more evenly throughout the plane. NO ONE in front would move toward the back.