Check your airline seats

[goofy4tink]

Happens all the time, with any airline that allows you to choose your seats before flight time. You need to check on your flights all the time...especially when you book way in advance. They can make changes right up to flight time in fact. My dh and dd were flying down to meet me at WDW. Dh always checks (and doublechecks and triple checks!!) the flight status starting the day before he leaves. So, he checks on their JetBlue flight...leaves at 3:00ish. It is now noontime. Everything is fine. So, they get in the car and head to the airport....45 mins away. They get there just before 1ish, to find that the flight was cancelled! He was told that they would put him on the last flight of the day, at 5:45, no problem. Well, it was a problem...he had a connection in NY before flying to MCO..if they left at 5:45, it was going to be kind of hard to make that 6:10 flight!!. Oh, says the Jetblue person. Well, long story short, they were able to get them on a flight that was boarding at that minute....ran through security (thank God they didn't have bags to check, I had done that), ran to the gate and were the last to board. DH had warned dd that they would most likely not be sitting together but at least they were on the plane. Well...they got two seats together. But, they now had to spend about 4 hours, cooling their heels, in NY, waiting for their connection.
So, things change...even that close to departure time. Be prepared to deal with it.

Oh, and that whole issue of people giving up their seats to allow parents to be seated with their kids? Sure, it's a nice thing to do. But here's the rub...if I've paid extra to get a particular seat, there is no way I am giving it up unless I get the same type seat. I have long legs and don't choose to sit in regular leg room seats unless I absolutely have to.....Delta for instance, but I don't fly them very often anymore. So, I pay for extra leg room. Or, I book an exit row seat.

My 'please, can someone change seats so a mom can sit with her young son?' story??? I was flying SW. I was in the first A group. I sat there, at the gate, patiently waiting for boarding to be called. I watched this lady walking around with her son. Back and forth...for an hour or so, at least. She would disappear and then reappear. I couldn't figure it out. The son was probably about 4 or so...didn't seem to have any 'visible' issue. I just figured she was trying to keep him from being bored. So...boarding is called, I get on and choose a seat..towards the front since I'm about 20th in line. Then the B's get on, then the C's. Well everyone has now boarded, they are getting ready to close the door, when there is some kind of commotion. Yep, it's that mother with her son. They have just arrived and want to be seated together, as close to the front as possible. Um, really?? Now, I wasn't in a position to move...there was a couple seated next to me, so it wouldn't have made any difference if I had given up my seat. But...even if I could have I wouldn't have. That woman could have boarded with all the other passengers. She was there in plenty of time. But she chose to remain at the gate rather than getting in the line to board. If she had had an issue with her ds, she could have explained it to the gate agent who quite possibly could have allowed them to board earlier.

I love flying SW...I love not having to constantly check my flights to see if there have been any changes. Yes, there could be a change but it doesn't happen often enough with SW to warrent any kind of worry. But when you choose a seat beforehand, you do need to worry and you do need to be watchful of your flight info.

 

[ccgirl]

We had confirmed confirmed our seats before we left but when we got to the off airport check in facility we found out they had changed aircraft and we had lost our seats with the kids. The staff was kind enough to call and get us together so check your seats.

Happens fairly frequently, unfortunately. I review the airlines plane size and book seats that don't have to be changed. For example, on AirTran, if the original plane was 3x3 I would book seats on the side that would remain a 3 if the plane size was decreased. Hasn't let me down yet.

Please post which airline this was? Thanks

As the OP indicated it was Delta but all but SW do this.

OMG - I never thought of this happening. There is no way an airline would split up a Parent and a child under the age of 2 (20 months), right? We bought DD her own seat and I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I couldn't sit with her. ):

Unfortunately, it can happen. Although very rare. As the below post indicates they will try to give freebies until someone gives up their seat.

They would ask someone to switch seats with you. I was on a flight with my kids where a 5 year old didn't have a seat next to her father. NO ONE would give up their seat so they could sit together. Finally after the FA offered up a bunch of freebies someone finally got up. I felt bad.

Yes. I have seen this happen quite frequently.

That is true simply because SWA doesn't assign seats! Otherwise, I'm sure there would be seat changes on SWA as well.

True that they do not assign seats. However, even if they assigned seats this would not happen because SW is the only domestic airline, that I am aware of, that only flies one size plane.

 

[maxiesmom]

This has happned to me more times than I can count. I have never had a FA ask another passanger to switch, they've told me I have to ask. It's a pain, but I've never had someone say no. They give dirty looks and all, but their alternative is to sit next to my two year old in his car seat while he cries for his mommy.

I have to ask: Do you watch your seat assignments after you have purchased your tickets? I have lost my seat assignment after the flight time changed by just 5 minutes. So it pays to keep an eye on your flight and your seats after you have booked.

Also, when asking to switch, try and offer up the better seat to the person you are asking to switch. If you have an aisle seat and a middle seat elsewhere, offer to give up the aisle seat. Always try and trade the "better" seat. That way you may get more happy takers.

 

[seashoreCM]

It is quite correct for the FA to bribe others to switch seats. No need to feel bad.

It is quite correct for the FA to quietly and quickly hand out the 300 or so miles so the persons "accidentally" given the handicapped seats would move for a handicapped person.

There is a difference between someone who telephones in a day after the flight changed and seats were lost and even then could not get seats together, compared with someone who dilly dallied about the gate area and lost out on choosing seats by boarding last. But it is almost impossible to determine who is who at boarding time.

 

[alaska8]

FYI...when you are purchasing a ticket on an airline (and seat assignments are at no cost) and you are asked to chose seats please bear in mind that you are mearly putting in a seat preference (ie window, aisle etc) there is no guarranttee. The cost of the ticket is for transportation from point a to point b in a seat. Check your airlines website there is never any mention of guarrantteed seat preference.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I have to ask: Do you watch your seat assignments after you have purchased your tickets? I have lost my seat assignment after the flight time changed by just 5 minutes. So it pays to keep an eye on your flight and your seats after you have booked.

Also, when asking to switch, try and offer up the better seat to the person you are asking to switch. If you have an aisle seat and a middle seat elsewhere, offer to give up the aisle seat. Always try and trade the "better" seat. That way you may get more happy takers.

I appreciate the good ideas and hope they can help someone, but that two year old is now 9 and last time we flew a full flight and were separated, he sat next to a kid his age and they played with their DSis together.
Years of air travel have taught my kids to roll with it.

 

[pura77]

Thanks for all the great feedback so we can avoid losing our seats next time we fly.