Family flying together, 2 young kids

[kkmauch]

My sister and I are flying to Disney in 10 days!!! We're bringing her two little kids for their first trip (6 and 4 yrs old). When we got the tix I was the only one who could get a confirmed seat. Now they can't pick a seat online or on the phone. The plane looks like it is all sold out. How can we make sure the kids are seated near one of us? It doesn't matter how, we can be split up, but we don't want them alone at all. We're on United. How do we fix this and get assigned seats?

 

[mechteach]

There are two possibilities here:

1) The airplane really is almost sold out, with only middle seats left.
2) Only the non-Economy Plus section of the plane is full, and there are plenty of seats in the E+ section. (I am assuming that you are not a status flier with United - if you aren't, the E+ section will look full when you look at the seat map.)

If #1 is the case, you really have to just rely on the help of the United gate agents, flight attendants, and your fellow passengers to be able to sit with the children. Since you were able to have a seat assigned, I assume that it is a more "desirable" seat - an aisle or a window - which will make one of the switches a little easier. Be nice about asking, and you should be fine. As a solo traveler, I have been asked to switch from an aisle to a middle before to accommodate a family - I wasn't happy about it, but I understood their predicament.

If #2 is the case, you are in much better shape, and may even end up with a nicer seat on the plane. When you/your sister check-in, you will either be able to see the E+ seat map and select a seat (rare, but it happens), or you will be given a "DM" card that says you will be assigned a seat at the gate. If the latter happens, be sure to tell the check-in agent (if you are speaking to one, and not just using a kiosk) and the gate agent that you have 2 young children with you, and they will almost certainly do their best to seat you together (maybe as 2 & 2, or 3 & 1).

Good luck!

(PS - If you want, you can post/PM me the flight number, and I can look at the loads and the E+ seat map.)

 

[bradisgoofy]

I don't know if this will work, I would also get to the airport at least 3 hours early so hopefully you will beat some of the other unassigned seat passengers and get seats together.

 

[Hannathy]

You can't guarantee it so prepare the kids now to sit alone or close to you. Make sure they have their own backpacks or bags with their books, games, snacks to be kept under their own seats. If all middle are left you may be in middle seats in the same row or in front or behind each other. They will be fine, kids adapt much better than adults or adults give them credit for.
Whoever has the assigned seat should try to get the middle seat next to them for the 4 yr old and try to get the 6 yr old close. AT 6 and 4 they can put their own seat belts on and handle a glass of soda or juice and know when they have to go to the BR. , so relax and tell them about their fun adventure.
(my kids have sat by themselves at those ages and lived to fly another day!)

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

When you/your sister check-in, you will either be able to see the E+ seat map and select a seat (rare, but it happens)

If you want to sit in economy plus on United, you need to be an elite member or pay the additional cost. It's highly unlikely you will be seated there without paying.

If I were you, I would call United and ask for a seat assignment. If you have to wait until you arrive at the airport, you should be able to get seats together for one adult and one child, especially if you are willing to take a middle seat.

I would also get to the airport at least 3 hours early

This would be excessively early, especially when you have to keep two young children entertained for that long, plus during the plane trip.

 

[kkmauch]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We tried calling last night and they told us they couldn't assign a seat over the phone. So, I guess we wait until we get to the airport. We don't all have to sit together and we'll easily take a middle seat. I just was hoping we could at least sit 2 and 2.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Don't worry about this too much. A number of seats should be released the day of the flight and chances are good that you'll be able to get your 2 sets of 2 seats.

 

[jkjjhuddle]

This happened to us on US air. They were great. We called and while they could not tell us our seat they were able to notate that the kids were minors and first time fliers and they made sure they were seated with one of us. My DH was in one part of the plane with one child and I had the other. It was fine. Not sure if you could have them at least notate that.

 

[cindym]

I have been asked to move away from my adult daughter a couple of times so that a family could sit together. It isn't a problem and you will find out that someone will move for you. In fact we even got $50 worth of travel vouchers one time. We didn't ask for them they were just handed to us after we agreed to move to separate seats. The only problem was that my daughter had our breakfast items (granola bars etc) and I forgot to get some of them. It was a long flight with no snacks!!

 

[flying_babyb]

thanks for this thread! im worried about my aunts girls 9 and 11 and first time flyers and were going as a family of 5. they want to sit with there mom so bad so hopefully it works out.

 

[bavaria]

United is very different from virtually all other US carriers and you cannot compare to other airlines. A few posters have tried to point this out, but it needs explaining as I don't think that OP understands.

There may well be seats together in Economy +, FOR A FEE. United does an excellent job of protecting this revenue stream, and will offer it to non-elites FOR A FEE during booking, during check in, and at the gate. Passengers with no seat assignment who do not want to pay the fee will not be assigned a seat until the very end if there are no seats together in Economy -, usually once boarding has already begun.

I see this every week; people don't want to pay, but hope to get the 'upgrade' for free. It is a big gamble as loads are higher than they have ever been and flights are leaving with very few open seats , so the best thing if you want to guarantee seats together is to pay for at least a few of those seats.

If you choose not to pay, and take the gamble, expect a few scattered (probably middle) seats at the very last minute to be assigned. And because others did pay the fee, they will be less likely to give up those seats for those who chose to gamble.

Again, it is very different from virtually every other US carrier, and I would suggest that anyone who is concerned does pay for the upgrade as a way to get seats together. OP, if it is offered during OLCI I would definitely take it for peace of mind, if it means seats together.

 

[mechteach]

United is very different from virtually all other US carriers and you cannot compare to other airlines. A few posters have tried to point this out, but it needs explaining as I don't think that OP understands.

There may well be seats together in Economy +, FOR A FEE. United does an excellent job of protecting this revenue stream, and will offer it to non-elites FOR A FEE during booking, during check in, and at the gate. Passengers with no seat assignment who do not want to pay the fee will not be assigned a seat until the very end if there are no seats together in Economy -, usually once boarding has already begun.

<snip>

This is an excellent explanation of E+ for the uninitiated. It is indeed very different from USAir, American, etc. I would disagree just slightly, though, that the E+ seats are always assigned to non-paying, non-elites at the very end of the process. While most United agents are trained well enough to do this, there still seem to be some stations where the agents try to be more "accommodating," and put people in E+ 10-15 minutes before boarding begins. This is a HUGE gamble, however, and I agree in urging the OP to look into paying what may be a modest fee for the E+ upgrade at check-in time.

 

[NotUrsula]

Be prepared that they may be sitting alone, especially the 6 yo. The FA's will go to great lengths to try to get an accompanying adult seated next to a 4 yo, but the base age for flying unaccompanied is 5, so they won't go so far for a 6 yo. Make sure that they have quiet entertainment, a water bottle and snacks in a bag that each child is carrying.

If the 4 yo is still under 40 lbs., you might want to consider taking a 5-pt. carseat for that child -- being in it will guarantee that he/she is in a window seat with an adult along side, because that is an FAA regulation for carseat use. If you plan to do this, call the airline and tell them that she will be traveling in a carseat; they may be able to give you an assignment for those two seats under those circumstances.

Get to the airport as early as possible, and tell both the ticket agent and the gate agent about the problem, so that *if* they can get you contiguous seats, they will. If you cannot get contiguous assignments from the ticket agent, take whatever they can give you and try again at the gate -- you have to have boarding passes to go through TSA security. (And I disagree that 3 hours is too early in this situation -- seats that are held for assignment at the airport go first-come, so the odds get worse as you get closer to departure time. I wouldn't go further than 4 hours out, though.)

If there is just nothing left but middle seats, keep an eye out for situations where there are open middles stacked one behind another. While not ideal, of course, that at least puts the adult in arm's reach of the child, and in a position to talk when necessary. In that situation, it is best to seat the adult behind the child, because it is easier for the smaller child to turn around in a coach seat, and easier for the adult to keep an eye on how the child is behaving.

I haven't flown UA with a child since they implemented E+, but a tactic that has worked for me in the past (on other airlines with somewhat similar policies) in a situation where I needed two seats but only had one, is to offer to pay to upgrade a single traveler other than myself. The GA can look at passenger status and seat assignments and may be able to find someone suitable who will be happy to take a "free" upgrade and open up that needed coach seat pair. (It's not that I have an issue with paying to upgrade myself and a child, but sometimes the only seats left in either category are singles, which means that you've got to find a party of one to be able to make the switch.)

Also, just as a general rule when trying to negotiate for seats: always suggest taking the least desirable of the available seats for yourself when trying to work a trade for a contiguous pair. You are far more likely to find someone willing to go toward the front of the plane than the rear, or into an aisle seat than a middle. (I know that this is obvious to those who fly fairly often, but people who almost never fly are sometimes unaware that there is more value placed on certain locations and positions than others, so this is just an open FYI.)