This doesn't bother me I just say no.

I would make an exception if it was a truly young child separate from parents.

Most people asking do not have that as a reason. What pisses me off and I've had it happen more than once is people just sit in the seat they want (that is my seat) and I get there and they are "confused". And then you have to confront them. I had a lady argue with me for a while about my aisle seat she was sitting in. Sorry ma'am. Get out of my seat. I have seen people do this to younger more timid flyers in their 20s who cave to this BS tactic and just give them the seat to avoid a scene.

If someone asks me, they have to offer a better seat, i.e., window for mddle, exit row for non-exit row, business class for economy, etc. You get the picture. Make it worth my while.

Anonymous wrote:There was a guy on my last flight who was in the emergency row with a very religious couple who had a lap baby. He claimed he didn't want to sit next to a baby, but the vibe was really that he didn't want to be near Jewish people either. It started getting loud so I told the flight attendant I love babies and would be happy to switch with the man from my aisle seat if that would help.

He agreed and I whispered to the couple that I was jewish too, and spent a three hour flight with extra leg room, a window seat and playing patty cake with a cute baby.

Lap babies (and young children) aren't allowed to sit in the exit row, so this makes no sense.

We travelled with family friends this year. We booked our seats together, because that is what we like to do, and they bought the cheapest seat possible. They ended up scattered all over the plane with their 11 year old, who had not flown since he was 4, by himself. Their son was not happy and the people sitting next to him or his parents didn't want to give up the window or aisle seats they had paid for. We always make sure that one of us is sitting with our child. He is a good kid and could handle sitting solo, he is 12 and has flown a good amount, but I wouldn't want to have him get sick or something and need to find us or inconvenience a stranger.

Airlines should allow people to book their seats together with only one seat upcharged. At the very least, it would stop the people who just buy the cheapest seats possible and hope that the people who did pay for the aisle or window seat are willing to swap so they don't have to sit next to the toddler or 5 year old on their own. But the desire to make as much money off of every seat is getting in the way of basic common sense.

Anonymous wrote:My 7 year gets motion sickness Op, you can definitely keep them seated next to you. I’ll be napping.

Same. My DD once threw up all over my lap on a flight. Thank goodness I was the one sitting next to her!

as a family we booked 1 window, 1 middle, and 2 aisle seats. Paid extra for all except the middle. A guy asked us to give up our aisle so his wife could sit with him. My kid spoke up and said no. So it does go both ways where people try to split up families for their own benefit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flying back to DC a week ago we had our flight canceled because of the storm. They rebooked us through a different city, but put us in center seats all over the airplane. We had previously paid to all sit together but we had to take the rebooked flight or stay overseas until after the storm. There were no other seats or flights. I have two small kids, 5 and 8 yo. It was a a 5 hour long international flight. The gate agent said she had no way of seating us together so we'd have to ask on the plane.

What exactly should I have done differently?

Nothing, some times you can't get your way.

If you pay for a service, you should get it. I’m always amazed how American consumers are okay with the airline industry screwing them over like that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flying back to DC a week ago we had our flight canceled because of the storm. They rebooked us through a different city, but put us in center seats all over the airplane. We had previously paid to all sit together but we had to take the rebooked flight or stay overseas until after the storm. There were no other seats or flights. I have two small kids, 5 and 8 yo. It was a a 5 hour long international flight. The gate agent said she had no way of seating us together so we'd have to ask on the plane.

What exactly should I have done differently?

Nothing, some times you can't get your way.

I didn’t feel one bit of remorse when my 9 year old started puking next to the lady who wouldn’t switch. She was in a middle seat too.

You should have stayed overseas until after the storm when you child was well enough to fly.

Anonymous wrote:I've seen people saying their flights got changed and they ended up with seats they didn't pick. But I also see people decline to change ALL THE TIME.

Yes, we get moved, even sometimes when we've paid a modest seat fee.

Air travel in coach is not special or gracious. I treat it like a bus or subway. If somebody has a reasonable request that doesn't disadvantage me, I'll move.

I usually like windows and put my kids in middle seats so we rarely get asked.

Anonymous wrote:Flying back to DC a week ago we had our flight canceled because of the storm. They rebooked us through a different city, but put us in center seats all over the airplane. We had previously paid to all sit together but we had to take the rebooked flight or stay overseas until after the storm. There were no other seats or flights. I have two small kids, 5 and 8 yo. It was a a 5 hour long international flight. The gate agent said she had no way of seating us together so we'd have to ask on the plane.

What exactly should I have done differently?

Sounds like the gate agent just didn't want to deal with it. They absolutely can switch seats around and try to accommodate families or at least try to get you as close as possible - I see them do it all the time.

Anonymous wrote:You are what’s wrong with the human race.
I flew Iceland Air with my spouse and our 4yo. They assigned us 2 seats in the emergency row and one in the back. Then when I sat with the 4yo they said she wasn’t allowed in the emergency row. I’m certainly not having my 4yo sit alone that far away from us. Luckily some complete strangers said they would switch with us.

I’ve switched a row with someone and ordered a vegetarian meal. When they brought the meal to my original seat the person said, “ she’s in the seat behind me” they gave it to me. Took 5 extra seconds if that.

I don’t think you should give up a window or aisle seat for a middle if you paid for it. But any other scenario. Just be kind.

Yes, OP has no idea why they’re apart. I’ve been split up from my family because we got bumped from another flight. I have really small kids and have been shocked by stories of people saying the flight attendants were going to make a 4 year old do an international flight by themselves! I’ve also switched people who were seated apart for whatever reason— an elderly couple, a young family, etc. Many seat assignments happen due to no fault of the passenger. And even if they screwed up and didn’t realize they’d be apart, I’d still help if I was in the position. It helps to be kind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flying back to DC a week ago we had our flight canceled because of the storm. They rebooked us through a different city, but put us in center seats all over the airplane. We had previously paid to all sit together but we had to take the rebooked flight or stay overseas until after the storm. There were no other seats or flights. I have two small kids, 5 and 8 yo. It was a a 5 hour long international flight. The gate agent said she had no way of seating us together so we'd have to ask on the plane.

What exactly should I have done differently?

Nothing, some times you can't get your way.

I didn’t feel one bit of remorse when my 9 year old started puking next to the lady who wouldn’t switch. She was in a middle seat too.

I always always always try to book DH and I's seats together. I dont really mind sitting apart, but he doesnt like it. That said, we've had a few times where the airline has changed our flights and we are seated apart. If I ever ask someone to change, I always offer the better seat to them. I'd never offer someone a middle seat and take their aisle/window. I also would never accept that trade, and I think it's absurd that anyone would try that.

Anonymous wrote:Because they don't want to shell out the money to pick their seats ahead of time.

I’ve had it happen to me that only emergency aisle seats were available and the airline told me they’d move seats around to accommodate us. They didn’t. When my kids and I boarded the stewardess told us we couldn’t sit there and to ask people to move. It was awful.

We flew business class to Asia and the airlines of changed planes so the seating assignment got messed up. Everyone was happy to switch I guess the aholes are in economy like op