People trying to beat you off the plane

[JodyTG]

Really funny story about SW seating. A friend of mine and her DD (8 at the time) flew SW a few years ago (Austin to MCO) and had to sit about 6 rows from each other when no one would switch seats for them. Her daughter told her that it was okay because she's "almost grown up now" and would fine.

Well...to make a long story short, within 30 minutes the person sitting next to her DD wanted to switch seats with my friend. The reason? Well, from what the FA told her, her precious angel wouldn't shut up the entire time. She asked the lady every question under the sun, even after she put on ear phones. It seems that she wanted to take a nap and couldn't sleep with the incessant chattering. Her DD wasn't being obnoxious or anything...just friendly (from what she told her mom).

 

[DisneyPhD]

Really funny story about SW seating. A friend of mine and her DD (8 at the time) flew SW a few years ago (Austin to MCO) and had to sit about 6 rows from each other when no one would switch seats for them. Her daughter told her that it was okay because she's "almost grown up now" and would fine.

Well...to make a long story short, within 30 minutes the person sitting next to her DD wanted to switch seats with my friend. The reason? Well, from what the FA told her, her precious angel wouldn't shut up the entire time. She asked the lady every question under the sun, even after she put on ear phones. It seems that she wanted to take a nap and couldn't sleep with the incessant chattering. Her DD wasn't being obnoxious or anything...just friendly (from what she told her mom).

Too funny. I don't understand why a person wouldn't want to switch seats in the 1st place so a family could be together. In our case the guy took one look at our 4 year old DD and couldn't move fast enough!

 

[inkkognito]

My husband flew to Chicago this morning and observed one of the "be the last person on the plane and then demand that someone moves so you can be next to your 12 year old" Entitlement Queens firsthand. The flight attendant had to ask four times before someone finally volunteered to move. Then, Mrs. The World Revolves Around Me pitched a hissy fit because the seats were at the back of the plane. Amazing.
But still, I don't think this situation is too common. Both he and I fly SW very, very frequently (sometimes together, sometimes alone), and personally I've only seen people moved around once in all those flights.
Barb

 

[Jacky]

Yes, I have to say when I am with my kids, folks couldn't move fast enough to get away. I like the time when mine were 15 months and 6 and we didn't have any seats together. I asked the FA if the person sitting next to my son would like to nurse him for me. LOL.Yes, I had bought him a seat. My 6 year old kept crying and amazingly we were suddenly all together. LOL

Jacky

 

[graygables]

The following is a true story...I've done it more than once. I have flown several airlines in my day (my dad's retired from American) and if there is a stubborn passenger who wouldn't move to let me sit next to my DD, then I reach in the seatback and pull out the airsick bag and had it to the passenger. I then proceed to use my friendliest, most helpful voice to tell them that DD usually misses and while I'm waving it in their face, I'm looking around the cabin as if to flag down a flight attendent. All the while, I'm explaining that I'll try to get them some extra paper towels, and maybe a few wet wipes. I have only had to get *that* far in the "scene" once before I was happily buckled in next to DD.

BTW, in this day and age, I will NOT, for any reason, let my DDs sit next to strangers unless I am immediately to their other side. They can sit across the aisle from me, but not alone. There are too many horror stories of girls being compromised during flights and mine do tend to fall asleep. Also, I don't know that there isn't a perv sitting next to them watching a porno or looking at kiddie porn on their laptop/blackberry whatever (yes, I've seen that, too) and I don't want them unsupervised with that kind of trash next to them.

 

[NotUrsula]

For those who have wondered why SWA doesn't force family preboarders to the rear of the aircraft, the answer is that they tried it and it didn't work out. It was a few years ago, and I think that the experiment lasted somewhere around 8 months.

Apparently, the problem was that instead of families' just proceeding aft as they were asked to do, parents tended to stand at the door of the plane and argue with the FA's about the policy that required them to do it. Then as they did proceed aft, they constantly had to stop to drag little Susie out of each row as she gleefully jumped to the window seat, having decided that THAT row was where she wanted to sit. "No? OK, mommy, THIS ONE?! No, Susie, come out now, we have to keep going back. NOW, Susie -- the people behind us are waiting." Apparently, SWA just determined that it actually takes less time to let them take the front seats, even though the FA's have to keep asking them to clear the aisle to let people pass.

For the record, I have always directed my small fry not to even THINK of stopping until they have passed the wing.

 

[seashoreCM]

. , so we missed our flight by 5 minutes so we got to spend the night in Atlanta. Delta treated everyone horribly. The lines at the hotels were unreal that night and Delta paid for nothing even though the only reason we missed our flight was that they held our flight out of MCO to accomodate a flight with mechanical difficulties..

Since you did not get the hotel paid for via the customer service desk, ask for reimbursement for the hotel etc. using a written snail mailed letter.

In the future, ask for a distressed traveler rate at the customer service counter if you don't immediately get a voucher covering the hotel.

 

[inkkognito]

The following is a true story...I've done it more than once. I have flown several airlines in my day (my dad's retired from American) and if there is a stubborn passenger who wouldn't move to let me sit next to my DD, then I reach in the seatback and pull out the airsick bag and had it to the passenger. I then proceed to use my friendliest, most helpful voice to tell them that DD usually misses and while I'm waving it in their face, I'm looking around the cabin as if to flag down a flight attendent. All the while, I'm explaining that I'll try to get them some extra paper towels, and maybe a few wet wipes. I have only had to get *that* far in the "scene" once before I was happily buckled in next to DD.

I doubt that would work with savvy frequent flyers...they are on to that "trick." Most would just hand you back the bag and shrug, as they know a line when they hear it. If you don't believe me, post that over on flyertalk and see what kind of reaction you get.

Barb

 

[curiouser]

Okay, so I only skimmed this thread a bit, but I thought I'd give my story.

Yes, I am one of the offending "jump out of my seat and stand in the aisle" types. I apologize right now. But allow me to explain. Its not because of a "me first" mentality, and its okay if I end up standing at baggage claim for a while..

Here's my reason: I'm a pretty good flyer. Actually I've never been afraid to fly. Ever. But you know that last ten minutes of the flight, after they tell you turn off your portable electronic devices and return your tray tables to their upright and locked position? Then, right then, I get an anxiety attack. Not a bad one, but I start feeling clausterphobic, hot, clamy, panicy and I become overwhelmed with the need to get. off. the. plane. right. now.

For anyone who is clausterphobic or suffered from anxiety/panic attacks (as I used to frequently as a teenager) you know what its like. So that's why I tend to try and rush off the plane. Its because my heart is racing and won't calm down until I'm walking down the aisle and out of the plane into some not-so-recycled air.

Its crazy, I know.. but that's my story.