Pre-boarding with small child on United/TED

[amarberry]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but does anyone know if it is possible to preboard when you are traveling with a toddler who will be in a carseat for a United/TED flight? It has been such a pain to try and get all of our carry on bags organized and DD's carseat installed when we do regular boarding. We can't help but spill out in the aisle for a couple of minutes causing a back up of angry fellow passengers! I know they used to have preboarding for passengers with small children, but it has never been publicly offered on flights that we have been on with DD (we've flown on United and American with her). Only the first class passengers and super mileage folks get early boarding. Is this something that we can ask at the gate about? Do they still even do this?

Thanks!

 

[dudspizza]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but does anyone know if it is possible to preboard when you are traveling with a toddler who will be in a carseat for a United/TED flight? It has been such a pain to try and get all of our carry on bags organized and DD's carseat installed when we do regular boarding. We can't help but spill out in the aisle for a couple of minutes causing a back up of angry fellow passengers! I know they used to have preboarding for passengers with small children, but it has never been publicly offered on flights that we have been on with DD (we've flown on United and American with her). Only the first class passengers and super mileage folks get early boarding. Is this something that we can ask at the gate about? Do they still even do this?

Thanks!

Just mention it to the gate agent. The first call will be for priority flyers and people that need extra time. You will be fine.

Enjoy your trip!

Duds

 

[Alexander]

It depends on your departure airport and airline. Many don't allow pre-boarding with children to Orlando since so many of the people going to Orlando have children. Almost all of the flights we've taken they have not permitted pre-boarding because you have small children. However, it certainly won't hurt to ask. Even if you can't, don't worry about it. You'll be fine, the flight attendants will be sure to help you.

 

[amarberry]

It depends on your departure airport and airline. Many don't allow pre-boarding with children to Orlando since so many of the people going to Orlando have children. Almost all of the flights we've taken they have not permitted pre-boarding because you have small children. However, it certainly won't hurt to ask. Even if you can't, don't worry about it. You'll be fine, the flight attendants will be sure to help you.

I was sort of wondering if that was the problem...half the passengers are kids, so formal preboarding would be a cattle rush.

After I posted this, I was also thinking that if we couldn't preboard, maybe I'd just send my DH ahead by himself and give him a head start to install the carseat without DD and I hovering over him. Silly that I didn't think of that before!

 

[n2mm]

We flew Ted/United in December. My daughter had her 9 month old baby, a stroller and car seat and diaper bag and NO there was no preboarding leaving Wash. DC, nor was there any preboarding leaving MCO. They were so strict at MCO that if you got in line with a higher number than was boarding, you were told to get out of line (nice and loud for all to hear). We didn't do this, but watched the agents tell at least 2 couples to stand aside until their numbers were called. Since TED boards by numbers, starting with #1, it took awhile for all of us to get on. Seems family members don't all get the same number. My daughter had #2, my husband had #3 and me and my grandson had #4 (last to board--which is the stinky number to get, since by the time we got on ALL of the overhead bins were full and closed and the flight attendants had to gate check ALL additional bags that didn't fit under your seat). Don't worry--if you hold up the other passengers, there's really nothing you can do about.

 

[summerrluvv]

I was sort of wondering if that was the problem...half the passengers are kids, so formal preboarding would be a cattle rush.

After I posted this, I was also thinking that if we couldn't preboard, maybe I'd just send my DH ahead by himself and give him a head start to install the carseat without DD and I hovering over him. Silly that I didn't think of that before!

Or you could just get on last.

I know this is mean for me to say, but I can't stand it when people are standing in the aisle holding up the entire line of passengers. For a minute or so is fine, but our last flight there was a woman who blocked the aisle for about 10 minutes.

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another post)
Pre-boarding of families with small children is to help the airline, not help the families. Whether you board first or last you do not have to hustle, but at least ask to preboard if you think you will need extra time, as a courtesy to the airline to be able to plan accordingly. At Orlando when the gate agent sees all the kids the gate agent is resigned to accept that boarding overall will take X minutes anyway so there is no use in calling for preboarding.

Preboarding, you are equally likely to hold up the next passengers in the aisle.

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

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My daughter had her 9 month old baby, a stroller and car seat and diaper bag

She should have checked the stroller and car seat (unless she bought a seat for the baby), not carried it on the plane.

since by the time we got on ALL of the overhead bins were full and closed and the flight attendants had to gate check ALL additional bags that didn't fit under your seat

That's because most airlines do not enforce their carry on baggage policy (as evidenced by letting your daughter carry on far more than a small bag and purse).

People dragging everything they own on the plane as carry on luggage is a pet peeve of mine.

 

[DisOrBust]

I guess we know how you really feel .

I flew TED and had no problems with my 2,7,10 yo getting on the plane. I called ahead and they assigned seats for us. "Installing" the car seat take 2 minutes

 

[amarberry]

She should have checked the stroller and car seat (unless she bought a seat for the baby), not carried it on the plane.


That's because most airlines do not enforce their carry on baggage policy (as evidenced by letting your daughter carry on far more than a small bag and purse).

People dragging everything they own on the plane as carry on luggage is a pet peeve of mine.

If they carried the car seat to the gate, it's probably because the baby had a seat which would also "entitle" the baby to a carry on bag (the diaper bag...which is sort of a necessity...). As far as the stroller, it makes no sense to check a stroller with your luggage when the airport is a place where you REALLY need a stroller. Strollers are usually gate checked, so it probably wasn't in the cabin of the plane. This poster probably just mentioned it because it is one more piece of baby equipment that you need to deal with when boarding with an infant.

IMHO, a stroller (that is gate checked), a car seat, and a diaper bag for a baby with a seat is not excessive carry on bags. The business traveler with the laptop, briefcase, and giant garmet bag that he or she won't check and takes up the overhead space meant for three people should be the person that you are angry with.

 

[amarberry]

Or you could just get on last.

I know this is mean for me to say, but I can't stand it when people are standing in the aisle holding up the entire line of passengers. For a minute or so is fine, but our last flight there was a woman who blocked the aisle for about 10 minutes.

I can't stand this either, which is why I posted this question to begin with. Trust me...we don't clog things up too bad (certainly not for 10 minutes...maybe a minute, but I still feel guilty about even that). I was just trying to see if there was anyway to further minimize any disruption. I still think sending DH ahead of us it the way to go. The car seat is installed by the window seat, so once he is at our row, it won't cause any disruption.

 

[BCV23]

I too hate people clogging the aisles and think it is great that you are trying to minimize it.

What about your DH leading your troops, toddler walking with his/her bag. You stow anything that won't fit under the seats, and then sit in the aisle seat with toddler on your lap until the car seat is ready. Then you finish stowing as necessary without blocking the aisle. I don't see any reason you would need to stand in the aisle while the seat is installed. If you want to switch from aisle to middle seat, you can do so easily once the aisle is cleared.

If everyone plans ahead as you are and makes it a personal rule to get out of the aisle in seconds, we all get to WDW faster.

Happy planning.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you are in an assigned-seating situation with a real squirmer and have to carry a lot (DS was a spitter, so among other things I always had to carry a bucket when he was little), sometimes you can get the ramp agents to help you out a bit.

Watch the gate door after the plane has landed and been emptied. If you see someone come through that door and speak with the gate agent, you can carry your seat up to the agent and ask very politely if someone could have the seat set down in your row on the aircraft. Make it a point to tell the agent that you know that they cannot install it; but that if someone could just set it down there that it would make boarding so much easier for you. I always explained very sheepishly that I didn't want to take the chance of hitting a FC passenger with it, as I can't really see around it very well when going down the aisle. About 70% of the time, the agent would have pity and take the seat with him when he went back down the ramp, and when we boarded, the seat would already be waiting in our row.

That isn't just palaver, btw. Even though I tried to be careful, I really did sometimes hit people with the thing when trying to maneuver down that narrow aisle on an already crowded aircraft. For what it's worth, the best way to carry a carseat onto a plane is upside down and sideways; think of the number "7".

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would agree with Not Ursula and see if they could place the seat in your seats but not fasten it, then you would not clunk anyone else on the head. If not, I like your idea of sending DH on ahead with the seat.

 

[n2mm]

She should have checked the stroller and car seat (unless she bought a seat for the baby), not carried it on the plane.

She gate checked the stroller, but was required to push it to the plane door herself. She needed it until the end so that she could move the carseat and the baby. By the time she got on the plane she only had the baby and diaper bag and didn't even have anything for the overhead bin. There was no way she could get from checkin to the gate without a stroller.

That's because most airlines do not enforce their carry on baggage policy (as evidenced by letting your daughter carry on far more than a small bag and purse).

MY DAUGHTER did not abuse the policy and took far less than she was entitled to. Maybe you should have asked more questions before you assumed she carried everything on the plane. With the baby she was entitled to 2 bags in the overhead and a small personal item. She only took on the diaper bag and car seat and baby and didn't even use the overhead bins.

People dragging everything they own on the plane as carry on luggage is a pet peeve of mine.

A pet peeve of mine too as I watched the 2 people in front of me unload 4 bags out of the overhead. Considering there were 6 of us and between the six of us, we had one backpack to go in the overhead. We don't want to carry any more than we have to.

 

[Alexander]

(DS was a spitter, so among other things I always had to carry a bucket when he was little)

Have to say, this brought me to my knees laughing! Can't imagine!

 

[seashoreCM]

When one parent is installing the child seat which must be at the window, he would normally not be protruding into the aisle. And since he or a family member is going to sit in the next seat, only one other person, usually another family member and occupying the aisle seat, is going to be roaming around waiting for the area to be cleared out before he can sit down. Usually this person can stand between two other seats. Nothing wrong with the parent putting down the car seat loose and child in it loose for a moment and putting other baggage in the overhead bin first.