Can't choose seats on Northwest? Experts?

[kaytieeldr]

I'm not sure how you would know whether I was mean. The seats were assigned and the section was full before I ever had a chance to choose a seat. That is--last Saturday no seats were assigned, Sunday, we were assigned to seats all over the plane. I don't really think I have a mean bone in my body. Sorry

Maybe based on what you posted? I mean, it appears your apparent next action regarding your seating on the plane will involve "I think I might just be mean enough to give the row mates specific instructions on what to do if he should get a nose bleed or motion sickness, letting them know I am in the window seat 5 rows back."

 

[westjones]

We are in the same boat ... we loved ATA from INDY to MCO and used it for years. We will fly NW for our May trip (may 26-june 5)

I miss ATA also! We have been flying NW since then (and will fly NW in two weeks for our spring break trip), but for summer we found Airtran to be the best price. You may want to check them out for your next flight out of Indy. They had seats in June for $79 each way (direct) and for a week they had a special that offered seats for $69 each way (we had already bought though).

This will be our first time on Airtran but I have read good reviews of them on this board. I am hoping this airline works out. It is nice having direct flights to MCO.

DJ

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

We flew nw last August and had no problem getting seats together, there were 7 of us. I just went on the website at the 90 day mark. We wanted to fly nw again in June, but couldn't afford their prices, I sure hope Delta works out. With 11 of us, price made a big difference.

 

[my2kidsmom]

I am like you...USAir has my 8yoDD and my4yoDS sitting in seperate rows...seperate from DH and I. When I called to alert them, the person on the phone told me, "Well, can't you check on them during the flight?" Um, NO!!! I'm hoping the person at the desk can change it before we travel, or I can change them myself...the people sitting next to my kids will not like me very much...especially since they are not in the same row and will not have the same access to the DVD player!!

I feel your pain and I am sure that the people sitting next to your child will only to happily change seats with you (rather than have to deal with someone else's kid)...at least that what I'm hoping

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Reading this has me quite distured. What if, God forbid, something happened during the flight. I wouldn't want to rely on a stranger to take care of my kids!

 

[angel's momma]

Reading this has me quite distured. What if, God forbid, something happened during the flight. I wouldn't want to rely on a stranger to take care of my kids!

We've only flown once, so I can't confirm this, but we were told that airlines typically try to accommodate you when it comes to sitting next to a child - that they will ask if someone is willing to move for you.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We've only flown once, so I can't confirm this, but we were told that airlines typically try to accommodate you when it comes to sitting next to a child - that they will ask if someone is willing to move for you.

I have never had my DD not seated by DH or I and usually we were all in the same row. I just don't understand why they wouldn't try to seat parties together in the first place. From this thread it seems like it happens a lot.

 

[delilah]

I don't know why they split up our particular party, either. I can only assume it was to keep other parties together. So, we are a party of three. The three other parties who share our rows were kept together. That gives the airline a 75% rating on keeping parties together. (I don't know this for a fact, I am just supposing).

It worries me, too, about having to sit away from my son. He is afraid that somebody might try to kidnap him. I just explained to him to stay in his seat until mom or dad can get to him. Another time when we were split 2 on one side, one on the other, we just happened to meet our rowmates in the waiting area before the flight. This was a mom and a little girl my son's age. They played together before the flight, and were friends by the time the plane took off. The mom wisely decided that it would be better to let my 6yo son stay in the middle seat of the row instead of my 6'2", 230lb husband.
So, it turned out OK, but it was a happy coincidence, and I have dealt with many people who are no where near so agreeable.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I wouldn't give up just yet. Many of the other posters on here had great advice.

The airlines will try to accomodate you, but keep in mind that they have to do the balancing act of accomodating everyone. That includes the families who fly maybe once or twice a year and want to be seated together as well as their frequent fliers, the business travellers who make up a large block of their business and log thousands (and in many cases hundreds of thousands) of miles each year.

It may not be resolved with that first customer service rep in that first call -- keep calling until you can get the seats reassigned. If you have to, ask for their manager. You may have been speaking to a CSR who's only been there a few weeks and doesn't know every trick in the book. The manager, OTOH, may have a solution and can assign you seats together. Even then, I would call every so often to make sure the seats weren't changed by another CSR to accomodate another passenger or family.

If all else fails, get to the airport early (I would recommend at least 2 hours before flight time) and have the agent at baggage check-in or at the gate assign you seats together. At the very least they should be able to get you two seats together so either you or DH will be with your son.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I flew NWA out of Minneapolis, into Boston. There was a family of 5 coming onto the plane really late, like right before take-off. The attendants were very good with them, juggled seats around and asked kindly for people to swap and so on so they all could sit together. They had really small children as well. I always fly NWA and have never had seat assignment problems. (knock on wood!)

 

[delilah]

We nearly always get to the airport at least two hours ahead of time. Many times, we have been the first ones in the waiting area. I noticed yesterday that NWA is trying to sell the exit row seats, which, of course, we can't use. But, perhaps somebody else will decide to get them, and, then I can change our seats. I am checking twice a day--before I leave for work in the morning, and when I get home in the evening. So far, no takers for the exit rows.