Flight Seating Panic (long)

[onbelay]

We booked our vacation (in early December), including air travel, through Disney, as we found a fair price and flight times. We're leaving Feb 27. When booking through the Disney website, we were not able to choose flight seating. I received our flight confirmations today, and checked them online. Our problem is that, for our transfer out of Newwark..to Orlando, the four of us are sitting completely apart. My son is 4 and my daughter is 6... and I don't believe they will be comfortable with this. My wife and I aren't. I'm very surprised by this as our other flights are all ok. I went to the continental website and tried to change seats, but nothing was available except for the emergency exits, which we can't take because our kids are too young. (I would have paid for them.) Is there anything I can do to make sure that each child can at least sit with one parent. This will be our kids first flight and first trip to Disney.... and now I have knots in my stomach. Help.
Rich

 

[crashbb]

When are you flying?

I've written this before for someone else, but it works well here as well. My "steps to take if you cannot book seats together".

1) Try calling the airline. Airlines hold back some seats and may be able to open up enough so that all children are beside one adult (not necessarily all 4 of you together).

2) Keep checking - people cancel flights/change seats. Take a pair if you can get it (or a triple). For people in the "single seats", choose ones that other people may want so that you have good seats to trade (i.e. aisle seats near the front of the plane).

3) Do online check in at the 24 hour mark. The seats that are held back are now opened up plus some people may have been upgraded. You have a good chance of moving to seats that are together.

4) Get to the airport early and ask the check-in agent if there are together seats that you can move to (again, people may have moved/upgraded/canceled).

5) When you get to the gate, talk to the gate agent. Changes are still happening and they may be able to help you.

6) If all else fails and you get on the plane and you have all single seats, nicely ask people if they would mind trading (but know that they have every right to reject the request). You have much better odds if you are offering your "better" seat. For example, if one seat is in row 5 and the other seat is in row 32, you'll do much better asking the person beside you in row 32 to move up to row 5 (and you and your child sit in row 32) than the opposite.

7) If you are still separated, you can choose to deplane and take a later flight. Before considering this, make sure you know if there are still together seats available on a subsequent flight (and that there IS a subsequent). Also, this will likely be at a cost to you.

I have NEVER seen anyone get to step 7 (not saying it doesn't happen, I've just never seen it) and rarely step 6 (generally only on holiday flights with lots of families none of whom want to sit split up or even go one adult/one child one place and another adult/child somewhere else).

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Have you tried calling Continental? That may be your best solution.

 

[Lewisc]

Getting to the airport (gate) early may not be possible. The problem is with a connecting flight.

When is the next flight from Newark to Orlando on your airline. You may have to decide if you want to sit together or take the next flight.

Normally a passenger will move so a parent can sit next to a 4 year old but your flight could arrive late. You may be told to take your assigned seat so the plane can "push back".

 

[crashbb]

Getting to the airport (gate) early may not be possible. The problem is with a connecting flight.

When is the next flight from Newark to Orlando on your airline. You may have to decide if you want to sit together or take the next flight.

Normally a passenger will move so a parent can sit next to a 4 year old but your flight could arrive late. You may be told to take your assigned seat so the plane can "push back".

You're right, I forgot that change to my advice.

On the other hand, it means that their 24 hour window opens up earlier than those starting in Newark, giving them first dibs on the seats held back until check-in.

The other good news is that there are 11 non-stop flights a day (between Continental and United) between Newark to Orlando, so if worst come to worst and they do decide to take a different flight, there seem to be a number of options.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What IF - the OP takes those exit row seats? I know his family can't actually sit in them, but wouldn't that give them really good bargaining power with other passengers?

 

[crashbb]

OP - I just checked all the flights between EWR and MCO on 27-Feb. All of them have plenty of seats still available to be chosen (definitely enough for each child to be beside a parent - most with all four of you in the same row). I'm confused (and clearly bored).

Kaytieelder - I had the same thought. However, I know that on the airlines that I generally fly, a pop-up comes up if you choose those seats and you have to confirm that all passengers are eligible to fly sitting in those seats. Not sure I'd risk it.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

What IF - the OP takes those exit row seats? I know his family can't actually sit in them, but wouldn't that give them really good bargaining power with other passengers?

In order to be assigned to exit row seats, you have to certify (online or in person) that you meet the qualifications.

If anybody in the family is not qualified to sit in the exit row (for example, someone is under 15 years old), then nobody in the family is allowed to sit in the exit row, per FAA rules -- even if the non-qualified passenger (such as a child) is sitting with qualified passenger (such as the other parent). The reason is because any passenger in the exit row should only be concerned about performing the exit row duties, not about the safety of his or her child or disabled family member elsewhere in the plane.

The gate agent will not allow a family to board if they do not meet the qualifications for exit row seating, even if the passenger assigned to the exit row would be qualified if traveling alone.

I agree with the advice from crashbb in this thread.

Call the airline at once. Explain the situation.

If the airline cannot fix the seating on the phone, get to the airport early and ask the check-in agent for seats together. Airlines hold back seats for airport assignment.

 

[NotUrsula]

CrashBB's recommendations are spot-on.

In practice, the airline is likely to move heaven and earth to get one of you seated with the 4 yo. However, they are NOT likely to be willing to go quite so far to get you seated directly next to the 6 yo, because technically, she is old enough to fly as an unaccompanied minor. (They WILL try, but they are not empowered to force someone in an assigned seat to move to accomodate this type of request.)

Try to be flexible; it's not the end of the world unless she is disabled in some way, because you will still be in the same cabin, and you can get up to check on her occasionally under most circumstances. Just to be on the safe side, you should prepare her in advance for the possibility of not being seated directly next to Mom or Dad, and make sure that she is carrying her own bag with all of the things she will need on the flight, such as snacks or entertainment.

If your 4 yo will be riding in an approved 5-pt harness carseat, then the airline must arrange for one of the adults to sit next to it, which will put the carseat in a window position and the adult in the center seat. (Safely accomodating the use of a carseat is the one situation that allows FA's to force other passengers to vacate a validly assigned seat.)

 

[onbelay]

Wow I can't believe all the help.... thank you everyone.

Here's our deal. On Sunday, Feb 27, we leave on 6:06 am flight from Burlington VT arriving 7:30 in Newwark. Our flight out of Newwark is (Continental Airlines 3247 on DH4) at around 9:59.

I'm going to try to call Continental as soon as I can and hopefully we can get the seating fixed. Really, I don't care where we're sitting on the plane..as long as we are each with one child.... It is a 2 1/2 hour lay over so hopefully we can get it fixed, if we aren't able to over the phone. I will check into other flight options, but would prefer not to have too.... guessing that that would include $150 charge for each of us.

Thanks for everyone's help... and I'll post more as I get more information.

Rich

 

[crashbb]

Wow I can believe all the help.... thank you everyone.

Here's our deal. On Sunday, Feb 27, we leave on 6:06 am flight from Burlington VT arriving 7:30 in Newwark. Our flight out of Newwark is (Continental Airlines 3247 on DH4) at around 9:59.

I'm going to try to call Continental as soon as I can and hopefully we can get the seating fixed. Really, I don't care where we're sitting on the plane..as long as we are each with one child.... It is a 2 1/2 hour lay over so hopefully we can get it fixed, if we aren't able to over the phone. I will check into other flight options, but would prefer not to have too.... guessing that that would include $150 charge for each of us.

Thanks for everyone's help... and I'll post more as I get more information.

Rich

3247 is your flight from Vermont to New York. Not your flight from New York to Orlando.

I'm going to assume that you are on 192 from New York to Orlando (it leaves at 10am). It is on a 737-900 and appears to have many open seats.

Aha - I figured out the problem. All the empty seats are in rows 8-15 which are reserved for "OnePass Elite members or customers with fares purchased in qualifying classes of service". You can call an throw yourself on their mercy (but don't count on it). These seats will open up at the 24 hour mark (if no one takes them).

You can also pay for seats 7E and 7F (bulkhead, so they are at a cost, but not emergency row, so your kids can sit there). That would mean that your four year old would be sitting beside an adult.

 

[onbelay]

Sorry your correct, It's flight 192 from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando. Sorry about the confusion.... My error.

I'm trying to get someone on the phone during my Lunch Hour and will also book the bulkhead seat, at least to get the two seats together.
BTW how did you see the free seats... When I logged on the only seats I can see are the bulkheads and the exit seats.

Thank you for all your help crashbb. (and everyone else.)

 

[crashbb]

I didn't log in. I just did a flight search (EWR to MCO on 27-Feb). On the chart that comes up, in the far right column, in the last row, you can click on "view seats".

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/booking/flight/searchResult1.aspx

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/booking/flight/seatView.aspx?lti=1&sg=8&class=V

Not sure if the links will work. Since you have not chosen your class yet, it shows all seats. You are probably only seeing the seats that your fare type allows you to choose.

 

[onbelay]

Finally had the time to contact Continental. We were given 4 seats together.... row 15 abcd - No reclining. Oh well....

Yay!!! and thanks for everyone's help.

 

[azdizzymom]

Finally had the time to contact Continental. We were given 4 seats together.... row 15 abcd - No reclining. Oh well....

Yay!!! and thanks for everyone's help.

I read this through the day....glad it worked out for you. It was so nice to see someone who stayed calm and cool through this. You didn't get rude and act like you would threaten if someone didn't change seats with you (which is sometimes said around here), you didn't get nasty with the airlines, etc. Shows that being nice and calm and not demanding can get you places.

Have a fun trip!!!

 

[dudspizza]

I read this through the day....glad it worked out for you. It was so nice to see someone who stayed calm and cool through this. You didn't get rude and act like you would threaten if someone didn't change seats with you (which is sometimes said around here), you didn't get nasty with the airlines, etc. Shows that being nice and calm and not demanding can get you places.

Have a fun trip!!!

This thread is a perfect example of how things can work out for people who listen to the good advice of the Transportation Board and have a good attitude!

Duds

 

[onbelay]

I've been "lurking" on disboards since we decide to plan our trip.... and have found the advice to be indispensable. The members who give up of their personal time to help others here, need to be thanked and commended for their effort and genuine help.
The debates (arguments) in the various discussion also give the added value of some reading entertainment with bits of good informaiton thrown in.

I hope that everyone enjoys their vacations and more important... enjoys the time with people that they are with.
R

 

[crashbb]

I'm so glad that it worked out for you! I suspect that that row (though reserved for the "special" people, isn't terribly popular). As people have said, it was so nice to see someone stay calm and ask for advice without getting nasty.

If you are worried about lack of recline, you could always see what seats are available at check-in (especially if you do it on-line at/near the 24 hour mark), but this way you know* you are sitting with your kids.

*I would periodically check your seats, since we have all heard stories about assigned seats "disappearing" (usually an equipment change or something). Not that you need to check constantly, but it wouldn't hurt to check now and again. If something happens, it is much easier to fix if you catch it early.