Families of 4 how do you sit on a plane that's 3 and 3???

[ms.ojo]

Our kids are still young, 6 and 3. So I prefer to split them w/ me and dh vs. having one parent sit in the middle of both and the other read or sleep peacefully in another row. You can guess which parent I am! LOL I want to "share the work" and to be fair, dh doesn't mind...but the kids both want to sit w/ Mom. We did the Ds Mom dd aisle Dad stranger stranger ONCE .... never again!!!

Lately we have flown stranger ds Mom aisle Dad dd stranger and sometimes that results in 1 of us having an extra seat as people don't want to climb over to be next to the window. Then it's easier to allow the kids to move around if the weather cooperates.

We have been fortunate a few times to have very uncrowded planes. And everyone on the plane as far as I could tell was able to spread out so no one was in a middle seat. That's wonderful!

I hope this doesn't turn into a solo bus. traveler vs. family rant. I'm not looking to go down that road...Basically I'm just curious (and hopeful for a better solution) as to how other families of 4 sit on a 3 by 3 seating plane? Does anyone try sitting in front/behind each other vs. across? Is that easier to hand out snacks/play toys?

 

[MinnieGirl33]

My boys are older but we do DS, DS, DH, aisle, me, stranger, stranger.

DH sits with the boys & the portable DVD player which is fine by me cuz that means I get to read/snooze.

I know kids can be a handful. Maybe you could switch with DH midway through so each of you gets some "quiet" time & each gets some "parent" time?

Good luck!

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

We sit 2 and 2 in the middle and aisle seats. So even though we are not togther, we are close enough. The kids switch with each other halfway through the plane ride so they each get a chance with the other parent.

 

[Snoozan]

We've done it a couple of ways when travelling with our boys. It used to be DS,DS,me and Dad across the aisle alot. That really didn't seem fair to Mom, but like OP said, both kids wanted to sit with Mom! We have also done 2 and 2 in front of each other. that way the youngest could kick his brother's seat so he wasn't bothering a stranger.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

also done 2 and 2 in front of each other. that way the youngest could kick his brother's seat so he wasn't bothering a stranger.

That made me laugh.

It never fails that either DS12 or I end up infront of a kicking child. It's become a joke with us.

Thank you for being considerate of others.

 

[seashoreCM]

BCDE is probably the best and BCBC or DEDE is perfectly OK unless kids want to be at the window in which case you will be forced to do something like ABAB or EFEF. Also ABCD or CDEF is OK if you prefer and the kids are good about sharing the window.

Avoid ABEF.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[tjmw2727]

We've done it a couple of ways when travelling with our boys. It used to be DS,DS,me and Dad across the aisle alot. That really didn't seem fair to Mom, but like OP said, both kids wanted to sit with Mom! We have also done 2 and 2 in front of each other. that way the youngest could kick his brother's seat so he wasn't bothering a stranger.

Yes, this is what we did until the kids were older, esp when the youngest was still in a carseat on the airplane. Except dh or I sat in front of the potential kicker.

Now we just sit 2/2 and travel with a "buddy", dh and older dd, me and younger dd then switch for the return trip. This is nice on a full flight when we have to separate by many rows, ideally we book two sets of aisle middle and if we are lucky we get the same row. We pack activities, snacks and drinks for each of us individually so there isn't a need for passing stuff around infllight.

HTH
TJ

 

[Hannathy]

We used to sit child at window parent middle wherever we could get this arrangement. Now because my Dh wants a window as much as my DD we sit her at a window, DH at a window and DS at a window and me in the middle next to him. We have been sitting this way since she was 7 ! Everyone is HAPPY with this arrangement and we don't stress over if we are together on the plane usually we are close but have been in different parts of the plane.

 

[ms.ojo]

BCDE is probably the best and BCBC or DEDE is perfectly OK unless kids want to be at the window in which case you will be forced to do something like ABAB or EFEF. Also ABCD or CDEF is OK if you prefer and the kids are good about sharing the window.

Avoid ABEF.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

OK, good thing I had my cup of coffee this morning to sift through this alphabet. LOL

 

[pbharris4]

I'll be picking my seats in about 2 hrs, but our plane has 2 seats and then 3 seats (a 717). The plan is to get on the side with 2 seats and have DD and myself in front and then DD(3) and DH behind us. If those aren't available then we'll either do DH and 2 DD on the 3 seats and either me in front of the 3yo kicker or across the aisle.

Good thing you did have your coffee...I am not sure I even undersstand what I just wrote!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I don't have kids, but DBF and I took my nephews to Florida/Sarasota and we flew 2 and 2 in front of each other. Him with one kid, me with the other.

Like this:

(bf) (dn)
(dn) (me)

It was nice because the kids didn't fight or bother each other, both were very comfortable, but the bad part was that the kids both "took over" laid heads and arms on our shoulders, laps, etc. BF and I held electronics, etc. When the kids fell asleep, BF and I passed notes. That was kind of cute- made us feel like teenagers again.

We did have some sore necks and shoulders, but the kids were ready to go play when we touched down, lol!

What a taste of parenthood.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

We fly 2 and 2, one behind the other, window-middle configuration (ABAB or EFEF). We swap kids on various legs of the flight.

We are flying in a couple of weeks, and when I called to get seats, without even asking, the agent gave me ABCD for all 4 legs. I made her go back and change it to the ABAB or EFEF configuration.

 

[4shinystars]

We're doing ABAB on all our flights. First time in 7 years flying, and both DD's want window seats. I figured it was easier than 3 and 1. It should be fun.

 

[momofbgtwins]

Since we always fly SW, here's our system...even suggested by the FA! Our kids aren't 4 yet, so we have advance boarding. First, I ask at the desk if the flight is full. If not, we head to one of the last row of seats. DH and DS sit aisle & window, and DD and I sit aisle & window. No one has yet tried to sit in the middle seat, so the kids get to stretch out and nap. Of course that wouldn't work if the flight is full. If that's the case, then I sit with the kids on one side, and DH sits in the aisle seat across the aisle from us.

 

[ms.ojo]

Since we always fly SW, here's our system...even suggested by the FA! Our kids aren't 4 yet, so we have advance boarding. First, I ask at the desk if the flight is full. If not, we head to one of the last row of seats. DH and DS sit aisle & window, and DD and I sit aisle & window. No one has yet tried to sit in the middle seat, so the kids get to stretch out and nap. Of course that wouldn't work if the flight is full. If that's the case, then I sit with the kids on one side, and DH sits in the aisle seat across the aisle from us.

We have done this too on a less than full flight. It is definitely the nicest way to go. Also puts us closer to the lavs for my young daughter's little bladder.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i sit in the middle with the baby in the window seat and then book dh and ds7 to sit directly behind us

11stranger
11stranger

 

[juligrl]

The two times that we flew as a family we flew mom & me in a row then dad & sister in the seats behind us. Sister and I switched parents on the return trip, but our parents sat next to stranger so we kids could have a window seat.

 

[english rose 47]

We are 5 hope to get 3 & 2 obviously DD 7 DGS the @ & DGD x2 and me the 3 Hope for 2 window seats. What is all this about advanced seating ???? How does this work we are going thru AAA. Sorry more alphabet soup!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

For 3x3, we either go:

kid parent kid ailse parent stranger stranger

or

kid parent stranger aisle
kid parent stranger aisle

I prefer the former, because I prefer aisle seats, but the latter is okay, because kids take up less room, making middle seats less unpleasant.

If we get a 3x2 plane, we take two rows on the "2-side".

 

[NJDad18]

We sit 3 across and then one across the aisle. Kids always want DW to sit with them. I can relax with my Ipod and magazine.