big seating problem with delta

[JAG107]

So we're leaving tonight, I just checked in using the delta app, and they have reassigned our seats from when we booked 10 months ago (all seats together), to each one in different rows! We are a family of 4, Dd4 and DS1 as a lap infant. How do they expect a 4 year old girl to sit next to strangers? I called delta, and they are useless. "You'll have to ask for reassignment at the boarding gate." The flight is fully booked. So they are going to boot other passengers from their seats to allow a switch? Very infuriating!

 

[DebbieB]

So we're leaving tonight, I just checked in using the delta app, and they have reassigned our seats from when we booked 10 months ago (all seats together), to each one in different rows! We are a family of 4, Dd4 and DS1 as a lap infant. How do they expect a 4 year old girl to sit next to strangers? I called delta, and they are useless. "You'll have to ask for reassignment at the boarding gate." The flight is fully booked. So they are going to boot other passengers from their seats to allow a switch? Very infuriating!

They may or may not. As a single business traveler, I've had Delta change my seat involuntarily to accomodate others. If not, you can see if someone will switch on the plane.

This is why I don't agree with "I will not fly Southwest because they don't assign seats". There's no guarantee with any airline.

Did you check your reservation since the time you bought it? You really have to keep an eye on it, airlines change plane types, which will sometimes throw the seating off. Delta is famous for this.

 

[deedeetoo]

When my daughter was just 2 yrs 9 mos Delta did this to us. The gate agents in Atlanta were extremely unhelpful. In fact when my husband started pushing the issue of how ridiculous it is to make a two year old sit by herself and refused to leave the desk, they threatened to call security. We decided to just get on the plane and see if we could switch then. Imagine our surprise when we found out the plane was almost empty. The gate area was so packed you could barely move but I think that's cause so many flights were messed up. It turned out there were weather problems somewhere and a lot of flights were delayed and canceled and people didn't make their connections. So we all ended up together but they did nothing for us at the gate. I hope your experience with the gate agents is better than our was.

 

[lillykat]

Go very early. We had this happen on both down and return trip. DD was 15 months. They moved us to all middle seats like 4-5 rows apart. They ended up giving us the second to last row going down but we ended up switching flights returning bc they told us it was overbooked and wouldn't be able to do anything until we get to the gate. We ended up with something better. I would go 3 hrs early if possible and see if they can move at least one adult with each child.

 

[JAG107]

Thanks for the tips! Wow, the airline industry sure has become a joke these past 15 years.

 

[starwart]

Thanks for the tips! Wow, the airline industry sure has become a joke these past 15 years.

Yes but mostly for the US airlines. Try flying with foreign airlines and you will notice the humongous difference. Big Foreign airlines and their staff treat you more with respect whereas USA airlines treat you as if you are a prisoner under their mercy.

 

[JAG107]

I read somewhere to just take a row when they board families with small kids if delta is uncooperative . I wonder how well that would work lol.

 

[redrosesix]

This happened to us on Air Canada a few years ago. We paid for advance seating and then they changed planes. So we were all separated with DD(then 7) at the other end of the plane.

good thing other passengers agreed to switch seats with us. Air Canada said since she was sitting alone we would have to pay the fee for her to travel as an Unattended Minor. It has happened to us on other airlines too, but the staff were more willing to fix it for us than the AC was.

yes, like PPs said, just go to the airport -- get there early. Ask everyone along the way if they can fix this. If the staff can't help ask the passengers. There are lots of people traveling alone, and also travellers like us who would agree to sit separately so that kids could sit with their moms. It will be fine.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you bring a carseat for her to sit in on the aircraft, they will have no choice but to seat one of the adults with her; it is a legal requirement per the FAA.

If the flight is truly full (not holding seats for gate release) what will probably happen is that they will look for a high-status coach passenger who is in a window seat, and upgrade that person to First to make room.

If you choose to use this solution, call and note it now that she will be using a carseat onboard.

 

[Gracie09]

I read somewhere to just take a row when they board families with small kids if delta is uncooperative . I wonder how well that would work lol.

Really all that will do is cause a delay on the plane because the people whose seats you took will now be looking for a fa to get you to move. Thereby holding the line up. Or they could also be a family and now they have the same issue you have but had no opportunity to rectify it.

Op call back, ask for a supervisor. If there is no one who can help you, ask when you check your bags and at the gate.

 

[maxiesmom]

I read somewhere to just take a row when they board families with small kids if delta is uncooperative . I wonder how well that would work lol.

Probably not well. The FAs will usually tell you to sit in the seats you are assigned, and then ask people to move. Being a bully and just taking seats would be very rude. You would have no way of knowing if the people in those seats were a family who needed them too.

Talk to the gate agents. They are your best bet at getting this fixed before you board the plane. And while it may not be ideal keep in mind your goal is to at minimum sit 2 and 2. All together would be great, but realize that may not happen.

 

[goofy4tink]

This is why I no longer fly Delta!!! Every single time I booked with them, my flights were changed. I completely understand equipment changes and route changes...especially when you book 10 months out. But to make more than two changes? And then to split up a party that originally booked together and that is on the same itinerary!!! One time, I booked my dd and I on a flight at 3:00 pm. I wasn't crazy about it, but it was the least expensive non-stop. Imagine my surprise when, about a month before departure, I see a change in my itinerary. They have cancelled our flight and...put me on a flight at 10am, and dd on a flight, with connections, at 1pm!!! Seriously? She was 9 y/o!
Called them immediately. I was told that the computer makes all the changes! They actually put both of us on the flight I had originally wanted, but it was too expensive...at 8am! But man, what a hassle and headache. No more Delta for me.

 

[supersnoop]

They hold back anywhere from 10 to 20 seats on the plane for airport assignment, usually the first and last two rows, so just get there early or check online that morning. You should be able to get some seats together.

If you take a car seat, the FAA requires it to go in a window seat, so that might help if you run into problems.

 

[JEWLSVERN]

Yeah this happens to us all the time. We usually end up in the last row but together. I would bring a car seat on board because it is an FAA requirement to use window seat and an adult/parent in the same row.
We always bring our car seats on board and they have always worked with us at the gate.

 

[JAG107]

Update: we got to the gate 3 hours early, and they were able to accommodate us! They thanked us for giving them early notice. In fact, I can't recall any time I've spent in an airport with such courteous staff, including TSA.(lax) They have all been super helpful, so kudos to delta and everyone on the board for helping too!

 

[Junebugwv]

We have been loyal Delta flyers for many years. The changes have not been pleasant as I now expect them to cancel or change flights. I no longer fly Delta if I am traveling with grand kids.

 

[aubriee]

This is why I no longer fly Delta!!! Every single time I booked with them, my flights were changed. I completely understand equipment changes and route changes...especially when you book 10 months out. But to make more than two changes? And then to split up a party that originally booked together and that is on the same itinerary!!! One time, I booked my dd and I on a flight at 3:00 pm. I wasn't crazy about it, but it was the least expensive non-stop. Imagine my surprise when, about a month before departure, I see a change in my itinerary. They have cancelled our flight and...put me on a flight at 10am, and dd on a flight, with connections, at 1pm!!! Seriously? She was 9 y/o!
Called them immediately. I was told that the computer makes all the changes! They actually put both of us on the flight I had originally wanted, but it was too expensive...at 8am! But man, what a hassle and headache. No more Delta for me.

I posted on here a couple years ago about our experience with American Airlines in Feb 2011. Months before, I had booked airline tickets for me, my husband, and our three y/o grandson, making sure we were sitting together. About a month out, I got an email saying our flights had changed. When I went online to check, they showed me and my husband had been moved to an earlier flight coming home, but they'd left our 3 y/o grandson on the first flight, that was leaving MCO an hour after ours. I called to get it straightened out and for some reason the rep had a hard time understanding why I was upset. She just kept saying that our flight had been way overbooked and they had to move some of us to an earlier flight and that we could just wait in Dallas for our grandson's flight to land an hour after ours. I finally said, "Yeah, like I'm going to walk off and leave a 3 y/o in the Orlando airport alone. I'll just hand him his boarding pass and tell him to get on the next plane." At that point, she laughed and said, "oh yeah, you did say he was three. Sorry, I was thinking thirty. No I guess that won't work.". When I booked the tickets originally, I had checked the box saying two adults and one child. Anyway, she put me on hold, then came back to tell me she had moved someone off our new flight so she could put our grandson on the flight with us and that she'd also gotten us seats together again. I kept an eye on those flights up until the night we flew to Orlando, but was not taking a computer with us, so couldn't keep an eye on the return flight while we were down there. The morning we checked out of POFQ, I got the boarding passes from the DME desk, but didn't bother looking at them, until we were on the DME bus on the way to the airport. Sure enough, someone had went in and changed our seats and we were sitting all over the plane. This was the first time our 3 y/o grandson had ever flown (beside the trip down there a week earlier). No way was he going to be willing to sit alone, next to strangers. We went straight to the AA check in desk, where we were told that apparently they'd had an equipment change again and our seats had gotten scrambled again. They said the flight was full and there was nothing they could do, but to ask the gate agent to handle it. When we got to the gate, the agent told us to ask the FA on the plane to have someone move and it wouldn't be a problem, as no one would want to sit by a upset 3 y/o. However, it didn't come to that. A little while later that same GA called us up to the desk and said she had gotten us seats in the first economy row (just past first class) and we were all sitting together. Apparently they were holding some seats back.

 

[delilah]

I read somewhere to just take a row when they board families with small kids if delta is uncooperative . I wonder how well that would work lol.

This has happened to us. We are a family of three, and I usually pay to have alll of our seats together at the tiime I book our flights. It is really irritating when somebody just takes your seats. Even if I don't say anything, I feel like telling them that I paid $45 for those seats, so, if you hand me $45 right now, I will go away.

One time, my son and I were travelling, just the two of us. Some chick decided she wanted the window seat. She was asked to move. Actually, I was very nice. I asked my son whether he wanted the middle seat next to me, or the aisle seat, which is what I had purchased for him. He wanted the middle seat, so she lucked out. This particular flight was one where the airline had changed from 2-3 rows to 3-3 rows. It gets old, happens almost every trip that somebody tries to take our seat.

 

[redrosesix]

This has happened to us. We are a family of three, and I usually pay to have alll of our seats together at the tiime I book our flights. It is really irritating when somebody just takes your seats. Even if I don't say anything, I feel like telling them that I paid $45 for those seats, so, if you hand me $45 right now, I will go away.

One time, my son and I were travelling, just the two of us. Some chick decided she wanted the window seat. She was asked to move. Actually, I was very nice. I asked my son whether he wanted the middle seat next to me, or the aisle seat, which is what I had purchased for him. He wanted the middle seat, so she lucked out. This particular flight was one where the airline had changed from 2-3 rows to 3-3 rows. It gets old, happens almost every trip that somebody tries to take our seat.

Wow - I thought people were just taking our seats by mistake I'm usually traveling alone with my DD, so I guess they get that we would like to sit together and taking our seats just isn't cool. or maybe it's that I just don't see any reason for somebody to be sitting in my seat.

not sure how they'd handle it in the US if you asked the people to move and they didn't. But in Canada the mounties would be coming on and making them move... off the flight. They'd be lucky if they weren't arrested. I'd be surprised if your Homeland Security didn't have the same ideas, since I'd be very suspicious of somebody who absolutely had to have a certain seat, or anyone who was being uncooperative while still on the ground -- family or not, those people can cause a lot of trouble at 30,000 feet.

 

[seashoreCM]

This happened to us on Air Canada a few years ago. We paid for advance seating and then they changed planes. So we were all separated with DD(then 7) at the other end of the plane.

good thing other passengers agreed to switch seats with us. Air Canada said since she was sitting alone we would have to pay the fee for her to travel as an Unattended Minor. It has happened to us on other airlines too, but the staff were more willing to fix it for us than the AC was..

This is one situation where it pays to bring the original hard copy of your reservations.

Assuming you did make seating assignments together to begin with, you could have summoned the ground complaint resolution officer and captain together to help resolve the situation. To waive the fee, not necessarily get seats together.