Flying with Young Children - Paying to Choose Your Seats

[Kevin1281]

We are a family of 5. Children are 7, 5 & 2. We do not travel often at all. I thought there were some airlines out there that still allow you to choose your seats at no additional cost. I'm pretty frustrated to see that this is not the case anymore. It is basically going to cost us an additional $300-$400 to ensure that we are all together. That's a crime. While I am tempted to roll the dice and not pay to choose our seats, I can't take the chance of having them split up our party. I wouldn't even feel comfortable having my 7-year-old not sitting next to me or my wife. Just needed to vent. Bogus.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We are a family of 5. Children are 7, 5 & 2. We do not travel often at all. I thought there were some airlines out there that still allow you to choose your seats at no additional cost. I'm pretty frustrated to see that this is not the case anymore. It is basically going to cost us an additional $300-$400 to ensure that we are all together. That's a crime. While I am tempted to roll the dice and not pay to choose our seats, I can't take the chance of having them split up our party. I wouldn't even feel comfortable having my 7-year-old not sitting next to me or my wife. Just needed to vent. Bogus.

even with choosing your seats keep watch that plane doesn't change size and change your seats even after you choose together. as that does happen. with a 7 year old who would be old enough to fly by self you could have trouble getting people to trade seats with you

 

[IndianaJones71]

Not sure where you are flying from but I'd consider Southwest Airlines.
They have open seating and family boarding after the A boarding position.
You could easily find seats together in my experience.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I flew United to visit my Mom. It was just me & my daughter (13). I was watching flights, cost, etc...when I first started looking early on there were Economy seats available that one can choose at no extra cost. All scattered thru plane but ALL Economy (not economy plus). As the flight date approaches, there are less & less to choose from. They go first. I waited a little too long & had to pay additional $7 per seat so we could sit together.

 

[Realfoodfans]

I would check with your preferred airline what their policy is.
For example with BA if you don't pay to choose your seats, “British Airways will allocate seats to passengers travelling with children (aged 2-11 years) approximately three days before departure. They aim to seat families together; however where this is not possible children will at least be seated with one adult in the same booking.”

 

[Klayfish]

Every airline does things different, so check with them. In my experience most of them will do their best to make sure families with young children sit together. Certainly you'll find passengers on the plane who probably will. I see that all the time. The flight attendant will ask for someone to volunteer to switch seats so a mother can sit with her kids and there's always multiple people who volunteer.

 

[gwynne]

I believe you can book Delta main cabin seats and select your seats at booking, no extra charge.

 

[siren0119]

I believe you can book Delta main cabin seats and select your seats at booking, no extra charge.

Yes if you book as main cabin tickets. Which is the same increase in cost as buying economy and paying extra to pick your seats (they just gave the economy+upcharge for seat choice a category name to make it sound less like an upcharge)

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Don’t not pay for seats and expect others who paid for seats to move for you because you wanted to save money. Sorry to be blunt but it is not fair to ask someone who paid for their family to be seated together (or single traveler who chose aisle seat) to move so you can sit with your kids. The airlines don’t have to make people move.

Buying the cheapest Basic Economy tickets on American, United ,etc it clearly states you are aware you will he assigned seats at check in (assume middle seats scattered through plane).

You need to save elsewhere especially if going to Disney on plane with lots of families- pay for seats and keep eye on them as another poster stated in case there is a plane change.

Yes it is stressful and difficult flying with kids. It is expensive, yes there might be people who would move but more likely than not people won’t. (To be honest we are a family of 4 and I always paid for seats so we sat together. My boys are 22 and 23, I get aisle seats across from each other and in rows near each other for us and I would feel no guilt saying no I won’t move (I can’t be closed in, hubby and sons tall and need leg room). Not fair to expect others to move or ( not saying you said you’d do) to threaten your kids on someone ( that person having to entertain them during flight).

Read on transportation board and there are cases where parents have been separated. The only way to guarantee you sit together is to pay.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Every airline does things different, so check with them. In my experience most of them will do their best to make sure families with young children sit together. Certainly you'll find passengers on the plane who probably will. I see that all the time. The flight attendant will ask for someone to volunteer to switch seats so a mother can sit with her kids and there's always multiple people who volunteer.

Not fair to ask someone who paid for a seat to move. Sure someone might but not fair and no guarantee anyone will especially flying during the summer or to Orlando.

 

[gwynne]

Yes if you book as main cabin tickets. Which is the same increase in cost as buying economy and paying extra to pick your seats (they just gave the economy+upcharge for seat choice a category name to make it sound less like an upcharge)

No, delta basic economy fares are for folks who don't care where they sit and are ok with that. They know they can't select their seating.

 

[BOST99]

We have booked JetBlue 2x this year for locations other then Orlando. Their basic fare allows you to pick your seat st purchase but we did have to pay for luggage. Southwest is my usuakky my preference but didnt fly direct to our destinations.

 

[siren0119]

No, delta basic economy fares are for folks who don't care where they sit and are ok with that. They know the they can't select their seating.

Yes I know. If you read my post I state that. Economy fares do not allow you to choose your seats, but they offer to let you select seats by paying an additional fee (which can be added anytime after you buy your tickets). They basically "upgrade" you to main cabin seats but it's an upgrade in name only - you're paying the extra seat choice charge.

 

[daisy2013]

We usually fly Jetblue and choose our seats without any upgrade. If I fly Delta or United or American and I am with my family (or care about where I am sitting eg a long flight) I will not choose a basic fare as the maincabin fare usually gets you a seat selection. It may be in the back of the plane but I'm fine with that. To choose the basic fare you have to acknowledge that you won't get to choose your seat and you likely will be separated from your party. Its for people who just don't care where they are sitting as long as they have a seat.

 

[wendlle]

I don't think it's bogus.
Those prices never existed before. The price you used to pay was for choosing your seat and having baggage. They came up with an option for people to pay less if they didn't care where they sat and didn't bring any checked bags.
If you want to pick a seat you need to pay the "normal" fare.

 

[Magical2017]

There is a thread on the Transportation Board that you mind find helpful, OP. There are definitely different perspectives about family boarding and paying extra to sit with your kids. https://www.disboards.com/threads/sw-if-you-want-to-sit-with-your-kids.3742914/

 

[Macprincess]

As someone who often travel on Southwest airlines out of MCO please be advised that there will be many families traveling on Southwest out of MCO. Yes, they do offer families with young children (I think it's ages 0-5) the opportunity to board between the A and B group. However, it is not uncommon out of MCO, especially if traveling to a hub airport, to still not be able to find seats grouped together because many families and others do pay for the early bird check in. Basically, if it is important to you to be seated together you need to pay the extra fees.

 

[Wild4Walt]

If possible, I would book Southwest and do the Early Bird Seating. Other destinations, I'd say just try and do the family boarding but Orlando has tons of families coming in. For me, the peace of mind is worth the charge and since there is no bag fee it doesn't bother me to pay the extra when I need it.

I am with you on the frustration though - I'm not a fan of the new stacked airfare system. Even when I fly alone I want a seat so I'm not getting bumped when they oversell.

 

[westie55]

I understand the frustration. This is something I worry about all the time now when flying. Jet Blue is my favorite airline for this exact reason: they still include a FREE carry on, snack, drink, and seat selection with a basic ticket. The other airlines that fly to MCO from the nearest airport are United and Spirit and both of those charge for all of the above. While I agree that you cannot expect others to move because they may have their own reasons for wanting their assigned seats, I see no harm in the flight crew asking for volunteers to relocate so families can be seated together. Chances are on a flight with a couple hundred people there is someone who location doesn't matter to. I don't see this practice as being reflective of families being entitled who do not opt to pay for the seats together. On my upcoming flight, thus far I have opted not to pay the extra money to guarantee seats together. I may decide otherwise before the flight. If we don't get seats together and no one will switch, so be it, but no harm in asking. Those who are unwilling for whatever reason (as they are 100% entitled to be) can simply not volunteer.

 

[Klayfish]

Not fair to ask someone who paid for a seat to move. Sure someone might but not fair and no guarantee anyone will especially flying during the summer or to Orlando.

Life isn't fair sometimes. I'm not saying the airline has demanded that someone move, they ask for volunteers who would be willing to move so that the family can sit together. Out of the goodness of their hearts, someone always volunteers. I've done it. Yes, I paid for my seat, yes I actually like specific seats on a plane and yes it would be "fair" if I just had wanted to keep it that day. However, I was flying alone so I didn't really care who I sat with. Plus, I wouldn't have felt too good about myself forcing a child to sit without their parent, regardless of why they didn't get seats together before boarding. YMMV.

No, there are no guarantees that this will happen so if you want 100% assurance before you board, then yes pay for your seat assignments up front.