SW How to get seat for non-paying infant

Liltx

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 27, 2001
Ok don't flame me but if there is an available seat I want to make sure we get it. So this is what my friend said to do.

1. Preboard

2. Sit in a non-reclining row like bulk head or very back.

3. Have your husband sit in the window seat and you sit with crying baby in the aisle seat (pinch 'em if you have too, JK)

Then if they want the seat they will have to crawl over you or ask you to move over with stated crying baby to sit in a seat that won't lean back. I bet they chose another empty seat.

Sounds like a plan right?

BTW we are flying from san antonio if you want to make sure you aren't on the flight with the crazy family.

Monica
 
The only problem is that if the flight is full, then you're stuck with the crying baby in the nonrecling seat. Also, bulkhead rows recline so do choose that one. Rows in front of exit rows don't recline, but you can't sit in them with an infant. Good luck trying to get a seat for your infant, my cousin is trying to decide if she should cancel her infant's seat on Southwest and take her chances getting one, or just keep the seat they paid for.
 
If you are definately not going to buy a seat for the baby then I think you should ask at the gate before you pre-board if the flight is full. Most of Southwest's flights are FULL. If the flight is full then sit with your DH and take turns holding the baby.

I won't flame you on your choice about not purchasing a seat for the baby. However, please don't make the trip uncomfortable for a total stranger that is just trying to get from point A to point B.

My 2 cents.
 
I have always PAID for my children to fly. This is a source of contention for me. But why should you be allowed to preboard with the people that have PAID for their children to sit in a seat. If you can't afford a seat, why not wait until you can? Or maybe, rethink some of your vacation plans and cut back elsewhere. Like a dinner or two? Your childs saftey should come first. All the time spent thinking of ways to get that free seat, may be better served trying to raise some funds for the flight.
 


Originally posted by Doesney
I have always PAID for my children to fly. This is a source of contention for me. But why should you be allowed to preboard with the people that have PAID for their children to sit in a seat. If you can't afford a seat, why not wait until you can? Or maybe, rethink some of your vacation plans and cut back elsewhere. Like a dinner or two? Your childs saftey should come first. All the time spent thinking of ways to get that free seat, may be better served trying to raise some funds for the flight.

Well said, ITA!!!!
 
Originally posted by Liltx
Ok don't flame me but if there is an available seat I want to make sure we get it. So this is what my friend said to do.

1. Preboard

2. Sit in a non-reclining row like bulk head or very back.

3. Have your husband sit in the window seat and you sit with crying baby in the aisle seat (pinch 'em if you have too, JK)

Then if they want the seat they will have to crawl over you or ask you to move over with stated crying baby to sit in a seat that won't lean back. I bet they chose another empty seat.

Sounds like a plan right?

BTW we are flying from san antonio if you want to make sure you aren't on the flight with the crazy family.

Monica


sounds like one of the most inconsiderate plans I have heard of lately. The fact that you would pinch your child to make him/her cry to save money, to expose the child to possible injury is nauseating. I suppose you are going to drag the child seat on also and block either the aisle or take overhead space just in case, right? Part with the dollars and buy a seat for the child, it is far safer .
 
I guess you didn't see the J/K part which means just kidding. I would never actually pinch my child! Actuallly the whole thing was meant to be a joke. I am not really going to do it but I guess that is part of how typing is different than in person.

As for paying $450 for a 15 month old I think that is a personal decision.

Sorry you didn't get the laugh about it I did.

Monica
 


Originally posted by Liltx

BTW we are flying from san antonio if you want to make sure you aren't on the flight with the crazy family.

Monica

See this is part of the joke too. Sorry if I offended anyone.

JUST A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monica
 
Sounds similar to what my no-longer 'friend' does.

She doesn't buy her under 2 year old a seat BUT then brings the car seat just in case AND books the window seat and aisle seat hoping no one will buy the middle seat. Then she does the same with the row across from her (they are a family of 5) and puts the 2 older kids over there.

Isn't that special?:rolleyes:
 
Again I was just kidding about the WHOLE thing.

The fact is (I don't know why I feel the need to explain other than I have a people pleasing disease as you will see below) that we are trying to be very considerate with our flight. We are paying almost $500 extra to fly non-stop during her nap time so she will sleep on my lap and not scream her head off. She doesn't do well in a car seat for very long. Well, no we can't afford to pay another $450 for a seat for her, it is a little more than a few dinners out for us. Besides that the one time I bought a seat for her (on another airline) they made me leave her in it for take off and landing and since I nurse her she srcreamed the whole time because her ears hurt. I tried to reason with them that she didn't HAVE to have a seat anyway but they said they would not take off unless she was secure, go figure. The rest of that trip we didn't even use her ticket. Maybe that was just a wierd attendent? Anyway the only other flight times are very early in the morning or late in the evening, both not good times for her to behave and sit still. SO we are paying more to keep others comfortable and ourselves too. Just remember everyone has their reasons for paying or not. For us it's not the best option. As you can see she will not be taking a seat or trying to take one.

Monica
 
Paying for a 15 month old is a personal decison, however to me it doesn't make a difference if the child is 15 months, 3 months or 3 years old. Once they're 2 you have to pay for them to have a seat so why not do that when they're under 2 as well? It's for the child's safety so to me it doesn't matter what age they are, if they'll be safer in a seat then I'll buy a seat. Also, most airlines will sell an infant fare for 50% of what the adult fare is. We're flying from DC to Orlando in 3 weeks and my 3 month old daughter's ticket is $97 while mine is $176, and from Newark to Orlando in June and her ticket is $110 (we're using miles for our tickets then, but I think they would have cost $224). So you might be able to get the 15 month old's ticket for $225, though in my opinion the $450 would still be worth it. Especially since once they're 2 you have to afford it, unless you plan on this being the last vacation for awhile. Once it's no longer an option not to pay for them, it doesn't seem to be a problem for people, but when it is an option people seem to not be able to afford it.

My daughter is also breastfed, but I plan to pump out milk and give it to her in a bottle during takeoff and landing to help her ears. Her dr said it would be fine to feed her in that position, but if I don't want to a pacifier would work almost as well.
 
No, you don't have to explain your decisions. You are the one who has to live with them.

You aren't doing anything wrong UNLESS you do the things you suggested in your original post.

I don't have a problem with parents not buying a seat for a child under 2. What I do have a problem with is when they don't buy them a seat BUT then proceed to do whatever trick in the book they can to try and get a seat for that child anyway even though they did pay for one. That's what I think most here are bothered by.

It kind of tough to joke about sore subjects like this.

Ps...fyi most airlines have 50% off tickets for children under 2. I've always bought my DD seats and always paid 50% off through Expedia.com with Delta. I know other airlines have the discount too.
 
Liltx, Please share how you got a non-stop flight from San Antonio to Orlando on Southwest. :D I thought the stupid Wright Ammendment didn't allow that. :mad: I would love to fly from Dallas to Orlando on SW but it was too much to buy a ticket to hop to the next state then another ticket to Orlando. AA was much cheaper.


On the other side of your story. When my daughter was barely 2 I had to buy her ticket for a flight on SW. Well, they oversold and the flight attendant made an announcement while looking directly at me to please place all lap children in your lap so that others could have a seat. I looked at her and said "Refund the money I paid for her seat and I'll be happy to." Nothing else was said.
 
I will look into the 50% off. They didn't list this when I purchased online, I guess American doesn't offer this?

Monica
 
Originally posted by Liltx
I will look into the 50% off. They didn't list this when I purchased online, I guess American doesn't offer this?

Monica

When I did a search on Expedia.com for 50% off fare to Orlando both Delta and AA had the discounted fare.

If you buy though Expedia.com you can get it. If you book through the airline's website, you will not see it and will have to call to get it.
 
My kids are 6 and 4 right now and I have always paid for a seat for them, except once. When my son was a newborn, I thought I would book a flight for DH and myself and told DH, "Well, no sense in paying for a seat, I can hold him". Bad Mistake!

The turbulance was really bad (we flew at night) and I thought my son was going to fly out of my arms at one point. I had DH hold on to him because I was a nervous wreck after that. That was the last time I flew without paying for a ticket for my kids.

I know this might be an extreme case, but it convinced me to purchase tickets from then on!

I do, however, hope you have a wonderful flight!! Southwest is so wonderful when you have a child (well they are to me anyway! LOL)

:)
 
Originally posted by Liltx
As for paying $450 for a 15 month old I think that is a personal decision.Monica

If you paid for $450.00 for a SW flight than I suspect you got robbed!

The major airlines are showing upi for 1/2 that. Then you could also buy a discounted ticket for your child.
 
AA gives the discounted rate but you have to call and get it. Our flights are on USAirways in May and Continental in June and both had the 50% rate. Also, my niece is on Delta and her ticket was 50% off. On Southwest, it's usually the same price as the lowest available fare (usually those promotional internet fares) according to what we were told when booking a flight for my cousins. The difference is that it is fully refundable. So that way I guess you could buy them a ticket, then if the flight is not sold out you can cancel the ticket the day before and then put the child in an empty seat. A Southwest agent told my cousins to do this with their 6 month old, but they're still skeptical that the flight won't be full so they're keeping the ticket for right now. The agent suggested that the call the day before their flight to see how many seats are left and then they can decide.
 
Originally posted by justhat
AA gives the discounted rate but you have to call and get it.

You can get AA discounted rate via Expedia.com and Delta too! Firsthand expereince with this...
 

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