Families spilt up when flying?

[amldaley]

Thought this was interesting. Not surprising, but in light of the holiday travel season, I thought I would share!

http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Middle+Seat%3a+Flying+With+Little+Childre n%3f+Go+to+the+Back+of+the+Plane&fc_idx=1

[niccig]

Vomit.

One word that is guaranteed to get someone to change seats with you. We were bumped to another flight because would miss our connection and after I nicely asked a woman to swap seats, so we could be with DS and she refused, I told her DS gets motion sickness and needs help with the barf bag. She moved.

I am not having a stranger sit next to my child.

[Clarity]

The entire practice of splitting up families makes me really angry. We traveled as a family of 5 on and 1.5hr flight and they split us all up. Actually, I think they assigned only 1 ticket of the 5 purchased an actual seat location. We were the last to board and by then any available seats were spread out all over the plane. I received ZERO assistance from the flight attendants and I ended up being pretty bitchy with fellow passengers to get them to move. I told them if they wanted to be responsible for sitting next to, and caring for my TWO year old and my FOUR year old, that was fine, dh and I would sit elsewhere. Then I pretty much had to stare people down until they moved. It was pretty awful as the plane couldn't take off until we convinced people to move and seatbelted the carseats.

[maestramommy]

Well this is why we fly SW whenever possible, and I check in the minute my flight departure time comes up. I've heard of this happening a lot, and I really don't understand it all. illogical, from an overall CS standpoint. I mean, what happens when a frequent business flyer gets stuck next to a strange kid? Maybe the airlines don't care about the family of the kid, but I'm sure they would care about the business traveler?

I wouldn't mind flying in the rear, except that I and Dora tend to get airsick, and you never know when there's going to be a lot of turbulence.

[Multimama]

When I flew with my DS as a newborn they put him in a middle seat by himself and the person sitting next to him refused to move! :rotflmao:

[amldaley]

When I flew with my DS as a newborn they put him in a middle seat by himself and the person sitting next to him refused to move! :rotflmao:

So what did you do???????????????????????????????

[connor_mommy]

Thanks for sharing. We mainly fly on Alaska Airlines. I've had great customer service when it comes to getting my kids, ages 5 and 7 to sit with me. A few times we didn't have seat assignments because the website wouldn't let us choose one. They do block of a few row of seats for this situation. One time, I was traveling with my nursing lap baby, 2 year old and dh couldn't sit next to me. But when I said that a stranger might not like sitting next to me while I nursed, they quickly resolved the issue.

[JBaxter]

they did this to us on our last vacation. They put Jack Nathan and myself in an exit row. Someone HAD to move. LOL if you bring your car seat for the little ones they HAVE to give you a window seat. My older boys have moved for split up families before. The only people DH or the older boys wont move for is people wanting a free seat for a lap child. DH is a business flyer and has even taken a middle seat for a split mom and toddler.

[connor_mommy]

The entire practice of splitting up families makes me really angry. We traveled as a family of 5 on and 1.5hr flight and they split us all up. Actually, I think they assigned only 1 ticket of the 5 purchased an actual seat location. We were the last to board and by then any available seats were spread out all over the plane. I received ZERO assistance from the flight attendants and I ended up being pretty bitchy with fellow passengers to get them to move. I told them if they wanted to be responsible for sitting next to, and caring for my TWO year old and my FOUR year old, that was fine, dh and I would sit elsewhere. Then I pretty much had to stare people down until they moved. It was pretty awful as the plane couldn't take off until we convinced people to move and seatbelted the carseats.


I don't understand why people would so unwilling to move. Do they really want to sit next to and care for someone else's child? My 7 year old can talk on and on.

[sidmand]

This happened to us 1 1/2 years ago on a flight from Disney. My son (FOUR at the time) had to sit in a row by himself for the entire flight. Thanks to advice on here (although we haven't flown since) I would tell people next time that he projectile vomits or would have put my 2 yo/car seat riding daughter who cries the whole flight by herself so someone would move!

We had made sure our seats were together or at least two and two and it didn't happen.

[Multimama]

So what did you do???????????????????????????????

Well, he had his own ticket and carseat, which means he *couldn't* be seated in a middle seat so the flight attendants had to make someone move. They bribed some people in the back row with free drinks.

If that hadn't worked they would have had to issue new boarding passes for passengers and force them to move. They can do that.

[nfceagles]

I was on a SW flight a couple years ago and this was happening to someone else. The flight attendants could not get anyone to move. They asked over and over again. I couldn't move because I was seated with my 4 yo so it would have left me with the same problem. They offered bribes and warned that we couldn't take off until we got the situation resolved. Finally, a pilot who was flying home moved to an extra jumpseat. We paid extra for our seat assignments because I was so worried about this and SW's official policy offers no guarantee that families can be seated together. I think part of the problem is that some of the other passengers paid the extra fee for a seat assignment and they didn't want to give up something they had PAID for.

[TwoBees]

Man.
I'd give my kid instructions to throw one heck of a tantrum mid-flight if that happened to us. Although, to be honest, DH would throw one heck of a tantrum before DD ever ended up sitting by herself.

[kijip]

Anyone who won't move so a child can sit next to their parent is a horrible rotten person. And a moron to boot.

[maestramommy]

Anyone who won't move so a child can sit next to their parent is a horrible rotten person. And a moron to boot.

Or else they're childless and don't know any better:shrug:

[carolinamama]

Well this is why we fly SW whenever possible, and I check in the minute my flight departure time comes up. I've heard of this happening a lot, and I really don't understand it all. illogical, from an overall CS standpoint. I mean, what happens when a frequent business flyer gets stuck next to a strange kid? Maybe the airlines don't care about the family of the kid, but I'm sure they would care about the business traveler?


:yeahthat:

I would love to stick DS2 with a business traveller and then be a fly on the wall. :hysterical: That kid NEVER stops talking, if you ignore his comment or he doesn't get the response he wants, he will grab your head and turn it toward him to make sure you are paying attention to him, he is persistant with a capital P, and is a THREE year old little boy. Who on earth would want to deal with someone else's young child?! I never understand it when I hear stories of people not moving to sit a family together.

[g-mama]

This has happened to us many times. Only sometimes do we get to all sit five across. Once I sat separately while dh sat with all three kids. I wasn't complaining about that one, lol. Sometimes I sit with one, and dh sits with two, or vice versa. Once my oldest, who was probably 8 at the time, sat alone. It's not ideal, but it has happened to us a lot.

[kijip]

Or else they're childless and don't know any better:shrug:

Even they don't have children I think people should care enough about children to want them to be comfortable and safe with mom or dad or caregiver. And if they don't give a damn about kids at all, even those with stones for hearts should be smart enough to realize that sitting next to a small child who was planning to sit next to their parents is not exactly in their OWN self interest- talking, tantrums, dirty diapers, vomit etc. I see young single adults move around a lot, and I def. moved no issue when I travel alone both pre and post having my own children. So I am sticking with heartless and/or moronic.

I will say that I think travel has a way of making ordinary people behave in heartless and moronic ways.

[maestramommy]

Even they don't have children I think people should care enough about children to want them to be comfortable and safe with mom or dad or caregiver. And if they don't give a damn about kids at all, even those with stones for hearts should be smart enough to realize that sitting next to a small child who was planning to sit next to their parents is not exactly in their OWN self interest- talking, tantrums, dirty diapers, vomit etc. I see young single adults move around a lot, and I def. moved no issue when I travel alone both pre and post having my own children. So I am sticking with heartless and/or moronic.

I will say that I think travel has a way of making ordinary people behave in heartless and moronic ways.

Oh, I agree that they are being very selfish! But if you don't have kids, and aren't around kids much, you might not know it's not in your own self interest to fly next to someone's tiny tot and no parent around. I know that sounds incredible, but stranger things have happened.

We haven't flown together in ages. I mean, we've never been in a plane with 5 across, so we've split up since we had 2 kids. On our first trip with all 3 kids this summer, we took turns with Laurel alone or Dora and Arwyn. And we decided maybe we'll wait a while before flying again with Laurel :p Thank god for the kindhearted teen and his itouch, or that last hour would've really suuuuuuuuucked.

[georgiegirl]

Yikes! Who in their right mind would prefer a child sitting next to them than their parents. Both of my kids would freak if they couldn't sit next to me. I'm sure a business traveller would love sitting next to a kid who constantly tries to play with their laptop or to eat their snacks.

[niccig]

So this happened to my mother and us on a sleeper train was I was about 3. Mum said she booked 2 cabins next to each other. She and my 2 year old sister were to be in 1, and my 6 year old sister and I were to be in the one next door - not ideal, but she figure we would just be in there to sleep. She gets on the train and they've given her 2 cabins at opposite ends of the train. The conductor wouldn't move anyone, and apparently my older sister and I ran back and forth very loudly anytime we needed her - which was a lot. When the conductor spoke to her about the noise, she told him "this is why I booked 2 cabins beside each other and why I asked you to move someone." Knowing my mother, she would have encouraged us to run as loudly as possible. We were moved.

If you do get separated, you could always wait it out for about 30 mins, and when the person next to your child complains about the crying/talking/all the help they need - you can sweetly say "well, I can swap seats if you like?". Or say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

[trales]

We were just split in 3 different rows on a delta flight this weekend, on the way out Delta could have cared less, the flight attendant put DD and DH together and I was elsewhere. On the way home the gate agent put DD and DH together and I was elsewhere. The woman at Delta basically told me that just b/c I reserved seats meant nothing and I was lucky to get two of us together. I guess this is the new normal.

It really pisses me off. Why let you chose seats when you reserve 6 months in advance only to screw you with an equipment change at the end. The whole equipment change thing is BS anyway, it may have been a different plane, but it was the same configuration as the one I book on.

I hate flying Delta, but between NH and Detroit they are really the only option. I get to do it all again at christmas.

The Times had a article this weekend in the travel section that basically put the blame on parents.

[TwoBees]

If you do get separated, you could ... say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

:hysterical:

[amldaley]

if you do get separated, you could always wait it out for about 30 mins, and when the person next to your child complains about the crying/talking/all the help they need - you can sweetly say "well, i can swap seats if you like?". Or say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, i'll be back in 44 a reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"
:rotflmao:

[veronica]

We've only flown once and I was terrified of being split. We sat 3 on one side and one on the next aisle. Poor Dh, because I have a very hard time flying. Aside from motion sickness, my ears do not adjust and by the time we land, I have tears coming out of eyes from the pain. on the way back, we were split 2 and 2. I was terrified but the kids were so tired from Disney, they fell asleep before take-off and slept until we landed. We will enver again be that lucky!

[amldaley]

The Times had a article this weekend in the travel section that basically put the blame on parents.

Which Times? Can you find and share (b/c I would LOVE to see how they pin this on parents other than the mere fact that they are flying with kids AT ALL).

[TwoBees]

Which Times? Can you find and share (b/c I would LOVE to see how they pin this on parents other than the mere fact that they are flying with kids AT ALL).

I'm guessing it's this one, which I just ran to find after reading that post. I'm currently scanning it...

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/travel/traveling-with-kids-readers-prefer-you-didnt.html?ref=travel

[lizzywednesday]

We buy DD her own seat. She rides in a car seat.

Our flight to AZ is packed this year, DH says.

As if I wasn't already having panic attacks about going through security, which I despise at EWR, thinking about the possibility of my baby being split from me (DH, bless his heart, wouldn't be the best parent to pair with DD solo) makes me nauseated and fighting mad.

On the bright side, however, none of these stories seem to be from Continental.

[BabyMine]

If you do get separated, you could always wait it out for about 30 mins, and when the person next to your child complains about the crying/talking/all the help they need - you can sweetly say "well, I can swap seats if you like?". Or say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

:hysterical: I love it. I'm going to try this if it ever happens to us. I won't ask them if they want to trade seats though.

[niccig]

You could say:

"You don't want to move and want to sit by my child? Great. Thanks so much for agreeing to look after him for the next 5 hours. I'm absolutely exhausted, he's been throwing tantrums and screaming non-stop for days. I really need a nap, so this is great timing. See you when we land in Detroit" And start to walk away.

[jenfromnj]

We haven't flown with DS yet, but once when DH and I flew (pre-DS), we were split up and I was assigned the middle seat between 2 siblings, ages 3 and 5. I sought out their mom and dad (who were sitting together a few rows behind me!!), asked if they wanted to switch, then sort of tried to encourage it when they said no, and both parents refused!

It was actually kind of fun because they were reasonably well-behaved and pretty funny actually, but I can't imagine why anyone would refuse to move when keeping your seat means having an unattended kiddo who you don't know right at your elbow!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Anyone who won't move so a child can sit next to their parent is a horrible rotten person. And a moron to boot.

:yeahthat:

i agree. even before i had kids (and i was NOT a kid person before having them), i would have never refused to move so a kid could sit next to their parent. It makes NO sense. why would i want to sit next to a random kid for an entire flight? i would often agree to move so a wife could be near her husband, or whatever, so why not a child. it's almost like some people purposely want to be mean to a kid (or a parent) or something.



If you do get separated, you could always wait it out for about 30 mins, and when the person next to your child complains about the crying/talking/all the help they need - you can sweetly say "well, I can swap seats if you like?". Or say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

LOL this is genius. am so going to use this if we ever run into this situation. i can't believe some of these stories!! :eek: what is wrong with people, seriously.

we've flown with the kids several times (mostly on American) and thankfully always had passengers willing to switch with us. We usually take off or land in DFW, if that matters. DH and I used to live in Boston, and to us, people in the South are SO polite in comparison. Situations (involving kids, pregnant moms, etc) where strangers in NE would have either told me to F-off (or at best, totally ignored me).. here people are basically tripping over themselves to help. One guy in DFW, actually helped me carry DS's carseat and other stuff when we were in line to board, since i had my hands full with DD and DS.

i agree tho that a lot of airlines are getting more anti-family..the last time we flow on AA and found out that we couldn't take our BJCMD thru security (bc it was over 20 lbs) ...we had a 5 month old and 19 month old, our carry ons plus a carseat and NO STROLLER...OMG i wanted to CRY. the next time we fly, i don't know what were' gonna do. we might just take the Volo for DD and make DS walk, or something. i don't know.

[Nicsmom]

Anyone who won't move so a child can sit next to their parent is a horrible rotten person. And a moron to boot.

:yeahthat:

It happened t me once, and the lady who refused to move payed the price. I asked her to swap seats very nicely and she said in a very nasty way that there was no way she would give up her aisle seat. I warned her that sitting next to a lap toddler was going to be challenging and she said that she hated babies just the same she hated not seating in the aisle seat. Can you believe that???

Anyway, I'm sure that after a 5 hour flight next to DS2 she learned her lesson. It was so bad that when we landed, other people in the plane "jokingly" asked her how was her flight and one even told her she could not complain because she was warned. I did not feel guilty AT ALL.

[BayGirl2]

As a former frequent business traveler I can see it from both sides. If I'm flying 6000+ miles a week (coast to coast, weekly), spending 14 hours/week on planes, and paying full price fares to do it, I want my bulkhead aisle seat. I have work to get done, and I have trouble sleeping on planes, so my seating assignment directly affects my health and my career. (I am not exaggerating at all on this.) If an airline screws up and puts a kid or parent alone next to me I would be PO'd to be asked to move to a middle seat in the back of the plane. Really pi$$ed. There are many other people in other rows they could switch instead.

As a parent, of course I want to be seated with my children and spouse and would be equally pi$$ed if the airline separated us, as all the PP's have stated.

For the record, I have given up my preferred seat in the past for spouses or families to sit together, and I'm not a mean person. But I totally understand why people are resistant to switch. Its not that they are trying to be difficult, but the screw up was not their fault, and switching really may have a negative impact on them. There's also a crowd aspect, its hard to take the hit personally when there are many other passengers who could take the hit instead.

[BabyBearsMom]

You could say:

"You don't want to move and want to sit by my child? Great. Thanks so much for agreeing to look after him for the next 5 hours. I'm absolutely exhausted, he's been throwing tantrums and screaming non-stop for days. I really need a nap, so this is great timing. See you when we land in Detroit" And start to walk away.

You could follow my DH's suggestion, which is to say very loudly "What kind of pervert wants to sit next to someone's child without the parent around? Exactly what are your intentions during this flight?"

I prefer to say "Do you like those pants? Maybe you should put a towel over them because she is kind of a puker, mmkay!"

[niccig]

You could follow my DH's suggestion, which is to say very loudly "What kind of pervert wants to sit next to someone's child without the parent around? Exactly what are your intentions during this flight?"


Actually, the airline is opening themselves up to some potential trouble if a child is forced to seat apart from their parent and is seated next to some sicko.

[Nicsmom]

If an airline screws up and puts a kid or parent alone next to me I would be PO'd to be asked to move to a middle seat in the back of the plane. Really pi$$ed. There are many other people in other rows they could switch instead.

I would be more PO'd to sit next to a little kid than lose my aisle seat. And sometimes there are no other people in other rows that can switch. That was our situation. And let me tell you, sitting next to our DS2 for 5 hours is much more of a health hazard than sitting in a center seat.

[Multimama]

As a former frequent business traveler I can see it from both sides. If I'm flying 6000+ miles a week (coast to coast, weekly), spending 14 hours/week on planes, and paying full price fares to do it, I want my bulkhead aisle seat. I have work to get done, and I have trouble sleeping on planes, so my seating assignment directly affects my health and my career. (I am not exaggerating at all on this.) If an airline screws up and puts a kid or parent alone next to me I would be PO'd to be asked to move to a middle seat in the back of the plane. Really pi$$ed. There are many other people in other rows they could switch instead.

As a parent, of course I want to be seated with my children and spouse and would be equally pi$$ed if the airline separated us, as all the PP's have stated.

For the record, I have given up my preferred seat in the past for spouses or families to sit together, and I'm not a mean person. But I totally understand why people are resistant to switch. Its not that they are trying to be difficult, but the screw up was not their fault, and switching really may have a negative impact on them. There's also a crowd aspect, its hard to take the hit personally when there are many other passengers who could take the hit instead.

The way you put it makes sense, but people's actual actions often do not. On one of our most recent flights this business travel (I assume) chose to sit in his window seat trapped on the other side of my 3 year old's carseat (which isn't even technically allowed!) rather than switch to an aisle seat in the same row of the plane. That just doesn't make sense to me. It's just being stubborn for stubborn's sake not because it's better for anyone even that passenger.

[niccig]

I have work to get done, and I have trouble sleeping on planes, so my seating assignment directly affects my health and my career.

You're not going to get any work done if an unattended child is seated beside you.
I agree with being POed at the airline, but why take it out on the parent and child and make a difficult situation even worse?

[♥ms.pacman♥]

The way you put it makes sense, but people's actual actions often do not. On one of our most recent flights this business travel (I assume) chose to sit in his window seat trapped on the other side of my 3 year old's carseat (which isn't even technically allowed!) rather than switch to an aisle seat in the same row of the plane. That just doesn't make sense to me. It's just being stubborn for stubborn's sake not because it's better for anyone even that passenger.

:yeahthat:

i totally agree. i do think a lot of it stems from not wanting to do anything to help a stranger with kids. it's the whole attitude of "why should I do anything to help these people?"

my dh travels for work frequently (at least 4 flights a month, often more). sometimes he has a broken seat (that you cannot lean back on at all) or oftne times he's sitting next to a huge person whose hogging the arm rest. It sucks, but that's life. What else are you supposed to do? He always says that after flying with kids, flying by yourself (no matter what the circumstance) is a PICNIC. I have to agree. I used to think air travel was stressful, then i traveled with 1 kid, then two, so yeah, now i kinda scoff at whoever thinks that 3 hours sitting in a middle seat next to two quiet adults is so tortuous.

i still don't see how sitting in an middle seat between 2 adults is worse than sitting in any aisle seat next to an unattended toddler.

[BayGirl2]

You're not going to get any work done if an unattended child is seated beside you.
I agree with being POed at the airline, but why take it out on the parent and child and make a difficult situation even worse?

I was just about to add - In this situation I am pissed at the airline, not the parent. However for someone traveling that much, its likely this is not the first time that month, week, or even day that the airline has screwed them over. So I'm guessing their frustration is just coming out at whoever is in front of them at the minute. IME the airlines don't put much effort into avoiding/resolving these kind of issues and (some, not all) flight attendants are not particularly helpful. Although someone may be willing to eventually move vs. sit next to an unattended child, I can totally understand holding out to try to get the flight attendant to figure out another arrangement.

The situation shouldn't happen in the first place, and you really can't blame another passenger for being annoyed at having to give up what they want for something they didn't cause. I think the heat-of-the-moment, rushed feeling during boarding exacerbates this annoyance to an already travel stressed parent.

[BayGirl2]

The way you put it makes sense, but people's actual actions often do not. On one of our most recent flights this business travel (I assume) chose to sit in his window seat trapped on the other side of my 3 year old's carseat (which isn't even technically allowed!) rather than switch to an aisle seat in the same row of the plane. That just doesn't make sense to me. It's just being stubborn for stubborn's sake not because it's better for anyone even that passenger.

Some people prefer the window, they won't be interrupted to let others out if they are in the window seat. Not my preferred spot, but to each his own. Sometimes its things you may not be aware of, like the way the air flows. I wouldn't assume the person was being intentionally stubborn. They probably didn't want to have to get up 5 times to let a kid out.

Anyway, in the situation above, I don't see why it would matter to you if you were in the middle/aisle with child, as long as you were together? If the flight attendant allowed it (they shouldn't) and the window passenger didn't care, it sounds like a win-win to me.

[niccig]

He always says that after flying with kids, flying by yourself (no matter what the circumstance) is a PICNIC. I have to agree.

The best seat companions we have had, have been parents flying solo. DS and I flew to Australia by ourselves and were sitting next to a businessman. He sits down (aisle seat) and I immediately say "DS is a very good traveller, we've done this flight several times. " He had a boy about DS's age and even entertained DS for a little bit. 14 hours later we arrive, and he told me that DS handled the flight better than anyone else around us. He offered to help with our bags etc. I know people complain about kids on planes, but some kids are very experience travelers. DS complains on flight to Detroit as it's only 5 hours and he can't wach all the movies he wants.

[nfceagles]

Seats for unpaid lap babies are different from separating child from parent. No one should have to give up their paid seat for a toddler who didn't pay for a seat if that is their preference.

As for giving up a prized bulkhead seat, another passenger near the families' other ticket should be allowed to move to this generally superior seat in order to free up adjoining seats elsewhere for a parent and child, not vice versa.

In general though, I don't get why airlines can't use today's computing power to assure this problem doesn't exist at the start of a flight. A little more generosity with the bribes might help too, since they're the original cause of the problem.

[connor_mommy]

If you do get separated, you could always wait it out for about 30 mins, and when the person next to your child complains about the crying/talking/all the help they need - you can sweetly say "well, I can swap seats if you like?". Or say to the person "fine, here's his drink and snacks, he has to eat/drink when ascending or his ears hurt and he starts to scream. Here's his asthma inhaler, 2 puffs should be all he needs. Here are the marker pens and colouring book - make sure he doesn't colour on the seat. Here's his leapster, but he needs helps with getting the game started. Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

Love this!

[BayGirl2]

Seats for unpaid lap babies are different from separating child from parent. No one should have to give up their paid seat for a toddler who didn't pay for a seat if that is their preference.

As for giving up a prized bulkhead seat, another passenger near the families' other ticket should be allowed to move to this generally superior seat in order to free up adjoining seats elsewhere for a parent and child, not vice versa.

In general though, I don't get why airlines can't use today's computing power to assure this problem doesn't exist at the start of a flight. A little more generosity with the bribes might help too, since they're the original cause of the problem.

Exactly. I generally blame the airlines for this stuff. (Not individual flight attendants, there are some nice ones who will do their best.) I just don't think either party has more rights in this case - parents or non-parent travelers. The child should never have been separated in the first place, and the airline should be able to avoid it or at least do their best to fix it amicably when it happens. There's a severe lack of customer-service when flying now, and this is just one example.

[deborah_r]

Actually, the airline is opening themselves up to some potential trouble if a child is forced to seat apart from their parent and is seated next to some sicko.

That's where my mind goes immediately. My child sitting next to a complete stranger for an extended period of time, people all around them dozing or engrossed in movie or book. No way, no how! I don't know what I would do if this happened, but I suspect I would wig out so bad we'd be kicked off the plane anyway.

[sntm]

Anyway, in the situation above, I don't see why it would matter to you if you were in the middle/aisle with child, as long as you were together? If the flight attendant allowed it (they shouldn't) and the window passenger didn't care, it sounds like a win-win to me.

Car seats are supposed to only be installed in a window seat because they would block the window seat person from exiting in an emergency.

[Globetrotter]

Enjoy the flight, I'll be back in 44 A reading a book. Thanks for babysitting"

:bighand:

Gee, wish I had thought of that the times this has happened to us. I just don't understand why an adult won't move to let a kid be near their mom, especially when the kid is crying because of being separated (yes, this happened to us). Eventually, in that case, other people were kind enough to move around to make it happen. Ever since that incident, my kids ask me several times if I've made the seat assignments, and they get very nervous about SW boarding!

Despite this, it still happens. Last time a very nice man entertained ds - he didn't move because he also had a kid next to him, so that was understandable. My kids are great travelers at this age (even when they were younger) but it is still work to sit next to a child.

[overcome]

I haven't read all the responses, but I can attest to moronic flight attendants and passengers who have no interest in making it easy for me to sit w my (then) 5yo.

[BayGirl2]

Car seats are supposed to only be installed in a window seat because they would block the window seat person from exiting in an emergency.

I understand and agree its not a great thing to do. But the risk is on the airline and the window passenger. So if they are both ok with it, I'm just wondering why the PP minded.

[Nicsmom]

Seats for unpaid lap babies are different from separating child from parent. No one should have to give up their paid seat for a toddler who didn't pay for a seat if that is their preference.



True. No one should HAVE TO give up their seat. But If it were me, I would WANT TO.

[Multimama]

Some people prefer the window, they won't be interrupted to let others out if they are in the window seat. Not my preferred spot, but to each his own. Sometimes its things you may not be aware of, like the way the air flows. I wouldn't assume the person was being intentionally stubborn. They probably didn't want to have to get up 5 times to let a kid out.

Anyway, in the situation above, I don't see why it would matter to you if you were in the middle/aisle with child, as long as you were together? If the flight attendant allowed it (they shouldn't) and the window passenger didn't care, it sounds like a win-win to me.

In this case I wasn't sitting next to my child. I was sitting in an aisle seat on the other side of the aisle from my child while this man was sitting next to my child in his window seat. I don't care what the airflow is like, I would never insist on keeping my seat in that case. My child also cried because he had to sit next to this man, so yes, it mattered to me.

Also, as a PP said, it's actually against FAA regulations to have this seating arrangement. All passengers should have an unobstructed exit to an aisle. So in this case the passenger was endangering his own safety (or potentially my child's safety if he decided that despite having made his own seating choice he then wanted to clamber of my child to get to an exit in an emergency when my child needed help to exit the plane).

So, it's nice if he prefers a window, but I prefer people to follow FAA guidelines and I don't think having an aisle seat is really *that* much of a hardship for anyone. And if he had switched seats he would have been on the other side of the aisle, so no need to get up to let the child out.

ETA: I don't think that lap babies should be allowed on planes. Sitting next to one is horrible and people do not always have the option of giving up their seats.

[BayGirl2]

In this case I wasn't sitting next to my child. I was sitting in an aisle seat on the other side of the aisle from my child while this man was sitting next to my child in his window seat. I don't care what the airflow is like, I would never insist on keeping my seat in that case. My child also cried because he had to sit next to this man, so yes, it mattered to me.

Also, as a PP said, it's actually against FAA regulations to have this seating arrangement. All passengers should have an unobstructed exit to an aisle. So in this case the passenger was endangering his own safety (or potentially my child's safety if he decided that despite having made his own seating choice he then wanted to clamber of my child to get to an exit in an emergency when my child needed help to exit the plane).

So, it's nice if he prefers a window, but I prefer people to follow FAA guidelines and I don't think having an aisle seat is really *that* much of a hardship for anyone. And if he had switched seats he would have been on the other side of the aisle, so no need to get up to let the child out.

ETA: I don't think that lap babies should be allowed on planes. Sitting next to one is horrible and people do not always have the option of giving up their seats.

OK, thanks for clarifying. Makes more sense now, I was thinking it was a 3 across, not a 2 across row. I would think in that situation someone else would have been willing to switch from window to aisle from a different row to make it work. My point was just that you never know people's reasons - the guy may have been up late doing work and needed to sleep leaning against the window so he was awake enough to spend the evening with his own kids. Who knows? Or he could just be an a$$. Its really up to the FA's to enforce the regulations regardless.

The lap babies thing is tough and so dependent on the child. For a tiny baby, its sometimes better to be on a lap. Both of my DC's hated being in carseats until 6+ months. If I let them scream on a plane the way they scream in a car it would considered torture to the other passengers. Although I would prefer to have them in seats from a safety perspective, that would have been much more horrible.

[ellies mom]

I flew a couple of weeks ago and I gave up my window seat so a grandmother could sit with her 8 year old granddaughter (the grandfather had to sit elsewhere. I was flying SW and paid extra to get early check-in. It actually paid off because I ended up with my preferred aisle seat (I don't know why I chose a window seat originally).

That said, that is the type of thing you expect when flying SW but when I'm flying United or another not "low cost carrier" and I book 2-4 tickets on the same flight and it is clear that some of them are young children (they do ask for ages after all), then I fully expect for the seats to be near each other. Especially, if we call and clarify that we are traveling with a small child. It is crap to arrive at the airport and find out that the three of us are in three separate rows.

ETA- My trip a few weeks ago was my first solo trip in almost 8 years. I have to say I had forgotten how easy it is to travel without children. Packing was a breeze (and way lighter than usual). Getting through security was a breeze. Moving through the airport was quick. I won't even get into how much easier in-flight entertainment was. I was practically giddy it was so much easier.

[fivi2]

I flew a couple of weeks ago and I gave up my window seat so a grandmother could sit with her 8 year old granddaughter (the grandfather had to sit elsewhere. I was flying SW and paid extra to get early check-in. It actually paid off because I ended up with my preferred aisle seat (I don't know why I chose a window seat originally).

That said, that is the type of thing you expect when flying SW but when I'm flying United or another not "low cost carrier" and I book 2-4 tickets on the same flight and it is clear that some of them are young children (they do ask for ages after all), then I fully expect for the seats to be near each other. Especially, if we call and clarify that we are traveling with a small child. It is crap to arrive at the airport and find out that the three of us are in three separate rows.

See, I actually prefer SWA because I check in early enough (or pay the fee) so I get in A group. That way I *know* I will get the seats I want. I have had the regular airlines (American) try to switch me before when I confirmed every step of the way that I had to sit by my kids. (called to book instead of online, called and confirmed right before, etc. The gate people sorted it out before boarding, but I was freaking out. (I was alone with my 3 yo twins).

[momof2girls]

Anyone who won't move so a child can sit next to their parent is a horrible rotten person. And a moron to boot.

:yeahthat: Yes, really what has this world come to when people are so selfish? Not to mention that the airlines have twice messed up our seating (after I booked 9 months in advance and chose my seats so we would be together). I made a huge stink about it and refused to get on the plane if they could not put my then 3 and 5 yrs old girls with me or DH. Luckily it worked out, but it was so stressful!

[ellies mom]

See, I actually prefer SWA because I check in early enough (or pay the fee) so I get in A group. That way I *know* I will get the seats I want. I have had the regular airlines (American) try to switch me before when I confirmed every step of the way that I had to sit by my kids. (called to book instead of online, called and confirmed right before, etc. The gate people sorted it out before boarding, but I was freaking out. (I was alone with my 3 yo twins).

That is true about SWA. I paid extra for my flights and there was plenty of room when I got on. I will definitely go that route the next time we fly as a family (we've just avoided long distance traveling in general since DD2 came along). I do not know if there would have been that many open seats next to each other during "family boarding time" though. But considering SWA is self-seating, technically that is a risk you have to take. I think it might have been American that we flew where like you we confirmed repeatedly and were still separated until boarding time. That is quite honestly unacceptable. It is pretty sad that you are more likely to get seats together on a low-cost carrier that has self-seating than on a more expensive carrier with assigned seating. Add in two free checked bags and well, I can't see too many reasons to fly the more expensive carriers especially now that I can fly to the East Coast with SWA.