Airtran...paid for my seats, but so did someone else!

[Lewisc]

You should always prepare your kids for the possibility of being split. Your flight gets canceled for mechanical or weather issues. There might not be seats together available for days. The few seats available together might, properly, be given to parents with much younger kids.

That said Airtran could have handled it better. I find it hard to believe they couldn't have found other volunteers to accept the upgrade (had the FA asked)

 

[greenclan67]

That was the problem, the FA never asked once, it was more about getting us into our seats and in the air! Time is money, and we don't mean anything I guess!

 

[kaytieeldr]

But I also wanted to vent a second because this is a pet peeve of mine. I can't see how this practice of seperating children from parents is even legal. In the event of an emergency, a stranger is not going to put the air mask on my child, have them duck and brace, get a barf bag for them, etc, etc. It's ridiculous and a safety hazard.

Why in the world do you think that? Many parents seem to have a pretty low opinion of the rest of the traveling public

It's 100% legal to separate a parent and child on a flight. It's 100% legal to leave the parent on the ground and put the child on the flight, starting at age five (and vice versa). Yes, the flight attendants are responsible for those children - but what experiences have you had with other traveling adults that gives you even an inkling that they wouldn't jump in to help a small - or larger - child seated next to them who needed assistance???????????? As long as you don't use some of the threats I've seen advocated here ("I hope he doesn't throw up on you"; "Johnny, don't cough on the nice man"; "Sing loud if you need anything, I'll be at the other end of the plane"), any reasonable person would help in an emergency. Heck, we'll even come get you if your kid needs to go to the bathroom. Just tell us where you're sitting.

 

[robinb]

BTW, the guy in the window seat who wouldn't move I'm sure totally regretted his decision as not only was DD crying the whole flight but my DS who was sick was coughing all over the whole entire time as I had to put him in the middle seat so I could at least try and keep a visual on DD's who were sitting away from me. I realize he didn't have to move as it wasn't his fault but it would have been nice if he had shown some compassion. I am sure he probably ended up with the flu a few days later.

I love karma .

 

[kaytieeldr]

That was the problem, the FA never asked once, it was more about getting us into our seats and in the air! Time is money, and we don't mean anything I guess!

You are important, but time is money. Flight attendants, gate agents, etc., don't have any way to know about specific passengers' flying concerns. While you weren't the last ones to board the plane, those people were also aboard while the FAs were trying to sort out your seating issues - so it's not that the plane was waiting for them. You could have quickly said, "Offer Business Class to the people in these (the double-assigned) seats)" or you could have turned to those people and offered them yourself. You could have rearranged the luggage when the seatbelt sign was turned off, or asked the flight attendants for help.

Since you're not going to fly any more, this won't help you - but chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, or just swallowing hard repeatedly clears one's ears during take-off and landing. I'm sure talking with you takes your daughter's mind off her problem, but these are actual physical solutions.

And to everyone else? JetBlue doesn't overbook

 

[greenclan67]

We loved Jetblue, and I don't think I said I would never fly again, but I would probably fly Jetblue again!

 

[ccgirl]

As the OP of this post, this is pretty much what happened to us! The plane also took off 10 mins earlier then it was supposed to! We maybe shouldn't have went to the bathroom and they called last boarding call when we were in the bathroom, when we came out, my hubby said they just called last boarding for our flight, why we never heard anything while we were walking around the airport is beyond me.
The people that were in our seats said they had paid for seat assignments when they booked their flights in January, I also paid for those same seats in September when I booked my flight, so how the hell does that happen???? I was frustrated because I had paid for the seats, and we had to seperate. I was angry because my daughter was sitting in a seat in front of me and over a row, and I couldn't do anything to comfort her, it made me sick as a mother to not be able to do anything.
The over-selling issue ticks me off as well. We had friends that flew back the day after us (yesterday) on the exact same flight, I just got off the phone with her, they didn't personally have the problem, but they were over sold by 6 tickets, and were asking people to give up their tickets. They were at the airport for almost 3.5 hours, and the two flights of Airtrans that went out before theirs, they were asking people to give up their seats! It's ridiculous really! I won't vent again, I just wanted to make a few things clear. Next year we will be doing the 24 hour drive instead, I am done flying for awhile!

Overselling a flight is very common and not exclusive to AirTran. They (airlines) have been doing this for years. That is very strange the the computer allowed multiple people to book the same seats. I would definitely contact them about that. However, please be advised that if you are not there when boarding begins, I believe they do have the right to reassign the seat. I know that is not what happened here but just wanted to mention that.

I just purchased airfare on AirTran and am very unsettled after reading your post. We have a group of 7 going and 2 are children. I have paid extra to purchase the seats when booking. The point of paying extra for seats in advance is to have the peace of mind you will be sitting together especially if you have children with you. I would be very upset. I even called AirTran before booking to inquire about the xtra price for seats as opposed to showing up and being assigned a seat. She said it is possible not to sit with your children if you don't pay the extra fee for seats. That is why I paid!
Getting seating 30 minutes or more before take-off is common and would expect that.

I flew AirTran for the first time a few months ago (and have again since). I was very nervous but it was the best airline I have flown on (and I used to fly often for business). The seats were cramped but other than that, it was outstanding. Each flight I have been on has left early. Please know that even though you paid for your seat, if you are are not there when they board they have a right to reassign your seat. I always get there and sit for 1 hr. prior to our flight so I am there in plenty of time.

 

[clanmcculloch]

OP, I really do feel for you. You're right that this shouldn't have happened. Even if you had have been at the gate when their first started boarding, there would have been a problem since it seems as though the computer allowed the seats to be double booked. I do understand overbooking flights, but it seems as though the computer system should not allow double booking of selected seats and then people who didn't pay for seats would be first the be bumped. It just doesn't seem right.

Since you're not going to fly any more, this won't help you - but chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, or just swallowing hard repeatedly clears one's ears during take-off and landing. I'm sure talking with you takes your daughter's mind off her problem, but these are actual physical solutions.

Unforunately this doesn't work for everybody. My DD10 gets bad ear pain when ascending and descending. She can feel the moment the plane starts going down from cruising altitude, long before anything is announced. We've tried everying you suggested and we always make sure she's had her regular allergy medicines plus a decongestant yet she always ended up in tears.

What ended up working for us is a product called Ear Planes. They're ear plugs that help regulate the air pressure changes in the ear. She can still feel the pressure but it no longer causes pain. Give them a try next time you fly. They're definitely worth the small cost.

 

[kkmauch]

Honestly, I'm really sorry to hear this happened. But as some others have said, it really seems to me like you showed up way too late. Especially at MCO, our flights there start boarding at 45 minutes. I totally understand being frustrated that two families were allowed to pay for the same seat reservations and ultimately one would need to be re-seated, but having arrived at the gate sooner likely would have given you or the other family more options. When traveling with children, needing to sit together, and especially at MCO, I don't think it is unreasonable to be at the gate at least 45 minutes early. We usualy grab our food and sit at the gate at about an hour before departing.

 

[carebee21]

Why in the world do you think that? Many parents seem to have a pretty low opinion of the rest of the traveling public

It's 100% legal to separate a parent and child on a flight. It's 100% legal to leave the parent on the ground and put the child on the flight, starting at age five (and vice versa). Yes, the flight attendants are responsible for those children - but what experiences have you had with other traveling adults that gives you even an inkling that they wouldn't jump in to help a small - or larger - child seated next to them who needed assistance???????????? As long as you don't use some of the threats I've seen advocated here ("I hope he doesn't throw up on you"; "Johnny, don't cough on the nice man"; "Sing loud if you need anything, I'll be at the other end of the plane"), any reasonable person would help in an emergency. Heck, we'll even come get you if your kid needs to go to the bathroom. Just tell us where you're sitting.

The key thing you said here is the that when an unsupervised child flies without parents, it's the flight attendants responsibility to care for the child. And the parent pays the airline extra for the "hassle" of the flight attendant checking up on the child, caring for the child, sitting the child in flight attendents eye view and ensuring the child gets to where they need to go.

And we fly very often, and have flown with my son every 1-2 months since he was 5 months old. You'd be suprised how some people act when they see a child, particularly a toddler. We've had people ask flight attendants to move the second they see a child. We've heard comments of, Oh great, a baby. It's going to scream the whole flight, etc, etc and the people say it loud enough to make sure you hear them. Some people just don't like children. And it's not their responsibility to attend to and care for some one elses child, because the airline decided to split up the child and parent.

And plain and simply if there was an emergency, I would hope anyone would help anyone else regardless of age, butit doesn't always happen that way. Haven't you watched the news where they have security cameras of people getting hit by cars and dying in the street or people getting beaten, raped, or robbed in plain view of others and those people continue walking by. Some people won't intervene or help others no matter what, and there's no way for me to tell what kind of person my unattended child is sitting by.

 

[Lewisc]

Some posters say there isn't any pixie dust on the transportation board. There is no hesitation to tell posters who are wrong.

We should follow the same standard with regards to Airtran.

Assuming the OP is giving complete information Airtran is wrong. Airtran's policy says passengers have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. OP got to the gate 24 minutes prior. OP had checked luggage Airtran knew they were at the airport. Absolutely no reason to release their seats.

The OP got through security with plenty of time to spare. Absolutely no reason why they couldn't take time to grab a snack and use the restroom.

The FA wanted to get everyone seated. Had the OP refused to be split the FA wold have either found other volunteers or try to deplane the OP and have them take a later flight.

I can't understand how many posters are trying to blame the OP. A passenger with an assigned seat doesn't have to get to the gate an hour before departure time or run the risk of another passenger getting their seats.

 

[seashoreCM]

As long as you don't use some of the threats I've seen advocated here ("I hope he doesn't ...").

Now what if I the parent did not say anything, and then something bad occurred in flight and, because I could have mitigated the problem had I sat next to my child, expected the airline to make it good.

Taking the kid to the rest room (when the seat belt sign is off) should be done by the parent without being asked.

 

[greenclan67]

Unforunately this doesn't work for everybody. My DD10 gets bad ear pain when ascending and descending. She can feel the moment the plane starts going down from cruising altitude, long before anything is announced. We've tried everying you suggested and we always make sure she's had her regular allergy medicines plus a decongestant yet she always ended up in tears.

What ended up working for us is a product called Ear Planes. They're ear plugs that help regulate the air pressure changes in the ear. She can still feel the pressure but it no longer causes pain. Give them a try next time you fly. They're definitely worth the small cost.
__________________
Thank you I will try that the next time!! What you described is exactly what my daughters ears do! She notices it long before we do, and it is very noticeable. She did ask for her earbuds this time to see if it would keep the canal open, it is painful for her, and we did give her a decongestant! I know how she feels, having had a cold last year when we flew, I was in a great deal of pain when landing, it was the worst ever! Thanks so much for the suggestion!

 

[greenclan67]

ome posters say there isn't any pixie dust on the transportation board. There is no hesitation to tell posters who are wrong.

We should follow the same standard with regards to Airtran.

Assuming the OP is giving complete information Airtranis wrong. Airtran's policy says passengers have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. OP got to the gate 24 minutes prior. OP had checked luggage Airtran knew they were at the airport. Absolutely no reason to release their seats.

The OP got through security with plenty of time to spare. Absolutely no reason why they couldn't take time to grab a snack and use the restroom.

The FA wanted to get everyone seated. Had the OP refused to be split the FA wold have either found other volunteers or try to deplane the OP and have them take a later flight.

I can't understand how many posters are trying to blame the OP. A passenger with an assigned seat doesn't have to get to the gate an hour before departure time or run the risk of another passenger getting their seats.

I am the OP, and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, you explained exactly what I was trying to convey accross to everyone! It is frustrating on my part, because I followed all the guidelines! I really don't feel like going to the bathroom a half hour prior to scheduled departure is to much to ask! With someone that is on antibiotics for a UTI, (even though I have an over-active bladder on top of it) seems reasonable to me!
Thanks again, I appreciate you making it clear, because it is exactly how I felt! I appreciate it!

 

[momof3poohlovers]

ome posters say there isn't any pixie dust on the transportation board. There is no hesitation to tell posters who are wrong.

We should follow the same standard with regards to Airtran.

Assuming the OP is giving complete information Airtranis wrong. Airtran's policy says passengers have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. OP got to the gate 24 minutes prior. OP had checked luggage Airtran knew they were at the airport. Absolutely no reason to release their seats.

The OP got through security with plenty of time to spare. Absolutely no reason why they couldn't take time to grab a snack and use the restroom.

The FA wanted to get everyone seated. Had the OP refused to be split the FA wold have either found other volunteers or try to deplane the OP and have them take a later flight.

I can't understand how many posters are trying to blame the OP. A passenger with an assigned seat doesn't have to get to the gate an hour before departure time or run the risk of another passenger getting their seats.

I completely agree.

I am not sure if your flight OP was the first leg of your journey or a non-stop but I have to wonder if your seats were given away at check-in. We were flying from Boston and had a layover in Denver. We checked-in in Boston and were given our boarding passes for both legs of our flight. Our problem occurred in Denver. There was a family in our seats (row of 3 and then the aisle seat across from us. I wonder if that family checked-in in Denver and wanted to sit together because they had small children too and so they bumped our seats without looking to see that a family was already in those seats. I'm not sure, just speculation. Because we already had our boarding passes and didn't check in again in Denver (just went to our gate), I had no clue they changed our seats. I otherwise don't see how the computer didn't catch it, I think someone manually had to override it.

As far as those mentioning that it is ok for kids to sit away from their parents because they allow children to fly by themselves, you have to be at least 5 years old to fly without an adult with you. My two youngest children at the time were 4 and just turned 2 so they would not have been allowed to fly by themselves so why should the airline force mine to sit off by themselves. I agree most people would definitely step up to the plate and help out but I know there was at least one case where a minor was flying by herself and was molested or groped by a man in the seat next to her.

If the airline decides to double book someone's seat or give it away for whatever reason why should it be up to me to ask people to move? I am busy trying to carry bags and take care of my children. I did what I was supposed to do, bought a ticket, paid for my seat and arrived on time. It should be up to the FA to figure it out, not me.

OP, btw, my DD who was 4 at the time is now 15 and doesn't remember a thing. She loves flying now. In time, hopefully she will forget. Although it's been 11 years for me and it still irritates me when I think about it. I think it is because I was so nervous as it is flying with 3 small kids by myself, then my son starting getting sick literally as we were heading to the airport so put all of that together and . Luckily we all arrived safely and we made it through. I just chalk it up as a learning experience.

 

[mickey2000]

Twice I have had flight times changed by almost 3 hours ! Once a seating problem !
Three strikes! Maybe its just me I will NEVER fly them again !
I don't care how cheap a ticket IMO I won't take the chance

 

[NotUrsula]

As far as those mentioning that it is ok for kids to sit away from their parents because they allow children to fly by themselves, you have to be at least 5 years old to fly without an adult with you. My two youngest children at the time were 4 and just turned 2 so they would not have been allowed to fly by themselves so why should the airline force mine to sit off by themselves. I agree most people would definitely step up to the plate and help out but I know there was at least one case where a minor was flying by herself and was molested or groped by a man in the seat next to her.

Technically, the rule about being 5 to fly alone applies only to flying without a companion "in the same class of service" -- there is nothing in the rule about sitting contiguously with an adult. The only exception to that is if the child is in a carseat -- THAT does require that they be seated next to an adult who will take responsibility for getting Jr. out of the seat in the event of an evacuation. (FAA regulation, not airline policy.)

I've been amused a few times on int'l flights when a parent will upgrade to F and try to leave a younger child seated alone in Coach. The FA's come down on that like the wrath of God. You either pony up the fee or you sit in steerage with your kids, because your child will NOT be allowed to pass the curtain and disturb other passengers in F.

In practice, most FA's will try to get a younger child seated within arm's reach of a parent because that is generally more pleasant for everyone on board, but if there is no carseat involved they are not empowered to force it.

PS: I've posted before that the UK law DOES require that their carriers seat children within arm's reach of a an accompanying adult until age 12. What is interesting about that is why. It seems that the CAA tested the way children and adults behaved in evacuation simulations when not seated together, and what they found was that the weak link was the parents, not the kids. The kids, being used to fire drills at school, stayed calm and did whatever the FA's told them to do and got right off the plane as they were told, but the adults panicked and tried to go against the evacuation flow in the dark to find their children, thereby blocking other passengers' egress and causing the plane to fail the evacuation time test.

PPS: I agree with Lewis re: the seats being released. If the OP was already checked in and reached the gate within the regulation time window, the airline is at fault for prematurely releasing the seats. In overbooking situations those people who check in after all seating positions have been filled will be given a security document only, not an actual boarding pass; they have to get that at the gate. However, it certainly is possible for a software bug to allow more than one party to reserve the same seat; I've seen it happen several times on legacy carriers when two passengers hand over BP's with the same seat assignment on them. Usually it if is possible the FA will upgrade whichever one checked in first.

 

[kkmauch]

I really think this whole discussion about kids being alone, how they react and how other passengers react (or commentary on their behavior around kids) are completely irrelevant. All of this could have been avoided with one of two things.

1. Airtran's online booking system correctly books and does not allow two people to reserve the same seats.

2. The family arrives earlier, on time, and recognizes the issue much sooner. They are either re-seated together, the other family is re-seated or other accomodations are made.

Simple really. And doesn't necessitate any human character judegment.

 

[maxiesmom]

Assuming the OP is giving complete information Airtran is wrong. Airtran's policy says passengers have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of their flight. OP got to the gate 24 minutes prior. OP had checked luggage Airtran knew they were at the airport. Absolutely no reason to release their seats.

This may be splitting hairs, but Airtran states if you are not at the gate 10 minutes prior to departure your reservation will be forfeit. That is not what happened to the OP. The OP still had a valid reservation, it is her seat assignment that got messed up.

Also, this happens on all airlines, not just Airtran. It is not something we should lynch just Airtran over. Avoiding flying on AT is not a guarantee of this never happening to you.

 

[crashbb]

This may be splitting hairs, but Airtran states if you are not at the gate 10 minutes prior to departure your reservation will be forfeit. That is not what happened to the OP. The OP still had a valid reservation, it is her seat assignment that got messed up.

Also, this happens on all airlines, not just Airtran. It is not something we should lynch just Airtran over. Avoiding flying on AT is not a guarantee of this never happening to you.

While I agree that it happens on all airlines, I also agree with Lewisc that the fault rests with Airtran. Had the OP chosen not to pre-purchase seats or shown up at gate as the doors were closing, I'd disagree, but she didn't (taking everything posted at face value).

It was pretty much luck of the draw as to which party boarded the plane first.