I will never fly United again

[TDC Nala]

Can't believe nobody would move for a kid to sit with at least one parent, especially kids that little.

If I like my seat I won't move for adults who want to sit together, but will for kids and parents.

 

[manning]

That business about warning people that your kid is prone to airsickness does NOT always work, especially with dedicated aisle-seat people. DS had severe reflux until he was 4, and was GUARANTEED to be sick on himself at least once on every flight, and sometimes several times. Airsickness bags were insufficient; we had to carry a large sand pail wherever we went. He gave absolutely no warning, though, and the bucket was useless half the time. I always sat down and spread a towel over myself and another over his carseat when flying with him when he was little.

On both of the only two occasions that we flew with DS as a lap-child (family emergency, only two seats left on the only avail. flights), he threw up all over the passengers in our row who refused to trade with DH. I told them that I did not at all mind sitting in the middle, but that there was no way I'd be able to redirect his aim from both sides; one or the other of them was going to get hit. Those folks ended up being very upset with me, especially on the very turbulent flight where the FA would not let either of us out of our seats to clean up afterward. (DH had window seats on both occasions, but toward the rear of the plane. I tried to avoid the window in those days, b/c of having to step over people en route to the head to clean up. I tended to drip on them no matter how hard I tried not to.)

BTW, someone earlier posted that there is an FAA rule that says kids under 5 must be seated next to a parent. Not true, I'm afraid. That rule only applies to children who are strapped into carseats. Some airlines have their own rules re: kids under 5, but the rule usually is that they must be seated in the same cabin as the accompanying adult. FA's will usually try to bribe people to get one parent next to a child that age, but they can't force it unless a carseat is involved.

poetic justice

 

[goofy4tink]

BTW, someone earlier posted that there is an FAA rule that says kids under 5 must be seated next to a parent. Not true, I'm afraid. That rule only applies to children who are strapped into carseats. Some airlines have their own rules re: kids under 5, but the rule usually is that they must be seated in the same cabin as the accompanying adult. FA's will usually try to bribe people to get one parent next to a child that age, but they can't force it unless a carseat is involved.[/QUOTE]

When we flew home on SW several weeks ago, a mother boarded very late, with her young son...probably about 4 or 5. It was about 5 minutes to departure. Well, the FA asked if there were two people flying singly but next to each other that would change seats so the mom could sit with her child. No one volunteered. So the FA came back on and said, and I quote, "People, this plane is not leaving the gate until this mother is seated next to her young son...someone is going to have to change seats!" Obviously two people did, but it did irk me that she could get to the plane late and cause this commotion. BTW...she was at the airport at least 45 mins before I boarded..saw her chasing her son around the gate area.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I've posted about this experience before --

A couple of years ago I was flying from Chattanooga to Cincinnati to connect with a flight home to Richmond. After boarding the flight in Chattanooga, a young boy approx. 5 yrs old was seated across the aisle from me (this was a CRJ with 2-2 seating). Before the flight left I noticed the FA talk to the boy asking something about if he will be okay there, and the FA went back to talk to the mother a couple of rows to the front. At first I thought maybe the boy wanted a little adventure of sitting alone on the plane but it didnt' seem right. I told the FA I'd be glad to switch with the mother if she wanted to sit near her son, so I did.

After landing in Cincinnati, I talked to the mother. It turns out that they had three seats in the same row where she had been sitting(she also had an infant or toddler along) but some jerk (best way to describe him without tripping the word filter) decided he wanted the seat across the aisle from her and took it before they boarded, thus splitting up the family. I have no idea why the FA didn't make him move to his assigned seat.

There are some people out there like this jerk, but I think most people would move so a family could sit together unless it meant splitting up their own family.

ETA: I also hope the OP realizes what everyone else on here is saying about the Spirit flight. If you don't take the departure on United, the return will be cancelled. Arrive at the airport early and see what the agents there can do to help get your family together on the flight.

 

[Pinnie]

I would be interested in what the FAA and ATC's would say about a situation that held a plane at the gate like that!

pinnie

 

[goofy4tink]

I would be interested in what the FAA and ATC's would say about a situation that held a plane at the gate like that!

pinnie

My thought at the time also!! Thank heaven we didn't have to wait past our scheduled departure time!! I was curious to see what would have happened. I could just imagine the plane sitting there, 10 minutes past the departure time,waiting for people to change their seats. I wouldn't have thought a FA could do that....maybe she just knew that she had a few minutes and she could scare us all!!!

 

[CarolA]

The FAA would just count the plane as a late departure... they don't really care why, it goes against the airline and LOTS of late departures are due to loading delays. ATC just slots you in when you get out there. It's just like if you have a mechanical, it's not a big deal.

 

[gw_lit]

And, a flight isn't considered a late departure until 15 minutes after the scheduled departure time. Departure time is the time the door is closed and the jetway (or stairs) are pulled away from the plane. I've been on flights that have departed "on time" and the plane didn't move from the gate area for 45 minutes after the door was closed.

 

[seashoreCM]

. Before the flight left I noticed the FA talk to the boy asking something about if he will be okay there, and the FA went back to talk to the mother a couple of rows to the front. At first I thought maybe the boy wanted a little adventure of sitting alone on the plane but it didnt' seem right. I told the FA I'd be glad to switch with the mother if she wanted to sit near her son, so I did.

After landing in Cincinnati, I talked to the mother. It turns out that they had three seats in the same row where she had been sitting(she also had an infant or toddler along) but some jerk (best way to describe him without tripping the word filter) decided he wanted the seat across the aisle from her and took it before they boarded, thus splitting up the family. I have no idea why the FA didn't make him move to his assigned seat.

There are some people out there like this jerk, but I think most people would move so a family could sit together unless it meant splitting up their own family.
flight.

If a flight departs late, somebody is "charged with the late(n)". The flight crew might have not wanted to grapple with the jerk and end up delaying the flight.

Meanwhile the mother who was separated from her kids may well have been able to get some freebees such as the movie free of charge, just by asking. IMHO if the only gripe waas someone swiping a seat, briefly notifying the airline and asking for some freebee is as far as the mother should go.

But the mother couls also have profiled the person sitting next to her separated son and if that person appeared to be a jerk, prior to departure ask for the complaint resolution officer (who would then take the late if any) and/or put the airline on notice that any assault charges brought would include the airline.

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

 

[mbb]

And, a flight isn't considered a late departure until 15 minutes after the scheduled departure time. Departure time is the time the door is closed and the jetway (or stairs) are pulled away from the plane. I've been on flights that have departed "on time" and the plane didn't move from the gate area for 45 minutes after the door was closed.

I always laugh after "on time" departures..and you get the little speech from the pilot about" making up the time in the air"....on-time...uh huh

 

[ducklite]

Actually the last three or four flights that I've been on that departed late arrived within a few minutes of the scheduled time.

Anne

 

[bdcp]

That's because flights don't fly "as the crow flies". It doesn't take as long to actually fly to most of the locations. Flight times are based on other air traffic and gate availability. I've been on flights that left on time and got in early as well as those that left late and made up the time only to be put back in the queue and made to circle because there was a backup of flights trying to land and no gate available.

 

[CPer'sMom]

I don't think that anyone has mentioned this....if it's been said, please forgive me for repeating it.

Most airlines, United included, allow you to check-in for your flight on their web-site up to 24 hours ahead of time. At web check-in there is an option to "choose or change seats" and there definitely are more seats available at this time. I fly fairly often and sometimes when I make my reservation there are only middle seats left at that time. I check in the day before my flight and am able to change to an aisle seat ~~ the best time to do this is exactly 24 hours (or 30 or 18 or whatever your particular airline allows ahead of flight time.

 

[NotUrsula]

It was mentioned in another thread going around right now, one about never flying SWA again. I'll say the same thing to you that I said to DuckLite, who posted it there.

Not everyone can see those seats 24 hours out. On most airlines, including UAL, if you are travelling on the very lowest fare class, you will not normally be able to see them. I often buy "last-minute special" fares on UAL and AA (purchase by Thursday, fly on Saturday), and with those, the 24-hr release seats remain invisible until you arrive at the airport and go to a kiosk. If the airline has a lot of crew that they need to deadhead, you may not see them even then.

 

[nuke]

I know for a fact that United opens up the back of the plane 24 hours prior. Those seats are for anyone. Their is no way to really know if there will be any seats available when they open it up. There are people at United that can override the system and assign the closed off seats.

The front of the plane in the premium section is only for premier status mileage plus people. I've seen where you can "upgrade" your coach seat to a premier coach seat at the airport for a fee. Exit rows are only assigned at the airport unless you are premier.
I've been doing this for 20 years, I know the drill.

 

[NotUrsula]

I know for a fact that United opens up the back of the plane 24 hours prior. Those seats are for anyone. Their is no way to really know if there will be any seats available when they open it up. There are people at United that can override the system and assign the closed off seats.

I never said that they didn't exist, only that you cannot necessarily see them online. For whatever reason, they often do not show up, probably because they are at that time filled, but by the time you reach the airport for boarding, those E+ seats have been filled by higher-status people who were in coach, thereby freeing up the seats in the back. As to the overrides, yes, they can, but that does not mean that they will, at least not very far in advance.

I only fly UAL in and out of Denver, where DH has family. The route from here to there is incredibly high-priced, and the only way we can afford to fly in is to catch last-minute seat filler sales. I have not once been able to get an advance seat assignment on any of those flights; UAL tells me to keep calling back every day, and every day they tell me that there is nothing that they can give me. They always say, "Something should open up the day before the flight, at very least." But it never happens, whether I try to checkin on the website or call for the assignment, even if it is the middle of the night. However, when I check in at the airport 2-3 hours before departure, there are always about 10 seats available, most of them middles.

 

[Alexander]

BTW, someone earlier posted that there is an FAA rule that says kids under 5 must be seated next to a parent. Not true, I'm afraid. That rule only applies to children who are strapped into carseats. Some airlines have their own rules re: kids under 5, but the rule usually is that they must be seated in the same cabin as the accompanying adult. FA's will usually try to bribe people to get one parent next to a child that age, but they can't force it unless a carseat is involved.

Well that would have solved the OP's original problem. Show up with two 3 y/o's and their car seats. They would have been seated together and had window seats. I really think she jumped the gun on this one. It would have worked out. We have flown three times a year from SYR to MCO and always have connecting flights, so we are on a lot of different planes with a lot of different seat assignments. We began flying when DS was 18 months (he's now 7) and have NEVER had to seat him alone. In fact on only one flight in all those years did our party of three ever have to even be split up. In fact though, it was a nice quiet flight for me in the back while DH entertained DS up front!

We even had a gate agent assign us the exit row knowing DS wouldn't be able to sit there because they were the only seats left together and she KNEW that another couple on the plane would definately want those prized exit row seats, and we could move to theirs.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Well that would have solved the OP's original problem. Show up with two 3 y/o's and their car seats.

3-years-olds are likely to be too large for FAA-certified-for-flight baby car seats.

Booster seats, which a 3-years-old would typically use in a car, are not allowed to be used on aircraft (at least not during take-off and landing).

 

[ducklite]

We even had a gate agent assign us the exit row knowing DS wouldn't be able to sit there because they were the only seats left together and she KNEW that another couple on the plane would definately want those prized exit row seats, and we could move to theirs.

This is SOOOO true! We've switched for the exit row at least four times in the past year. It's really funny when the FA's want to give us a free drink for doing it, as if it's inconeinecing us LOL!

Anne

 

[SuzanneSLO]

3-years-olds are likely to be too large for FAA-certified-for-flight baby car seats.

Actually, it depends on the carseat. My very tall almost 3YO neice used a Roundabout on United, and when she was 4, she used her Marathon. Both times, we were told she had to be in the window seat. My neice just got a booster seat at 4 3/4 and then only becuase her 7 week old brother is too heavy for the infant carseat!

Many families keep their toddlers in the five point harness car seat as long as they can because of the added safety. I think Marathons are certified up to about 60 pounds!

Showing up with carseats would certainly help the OP get something other than 4 middle seats.