RANT: I don't care if you want to sit next to your kids on the airplane

[Shanti]

I also have no problem whatsoever sitting next to kids because they are typically going to take up less room and if they do jabber away at me, it's generally more interesting than listening to other adults ramble on about the weather and all of the places they've ever been.

I don't pay for upgraded seating, but if I did, I most likely wouldn't give it up unless I was receiving a comparable seat. If I pay more for something, I'm not going to essentially flush it down the toilet. I will not give up a seat no matter what if someone is already sitting in my seat without asking. I've run into that several times and while usually they were just hoping it was an empty seat, twice I was told I can just find another. Nope, if you are going to just sit in my seat without even asking me to switch, then telling me I can just sit elsewhere, I don't really care what your situation is. People should not assume they can just get what they want and I will not reward that entitled behavior by letting it go.

Agreed on both counts. I'm a mom & elementary school teacher, so I like & understand kids. I would rather sit next to a kid than a large adult who is encroaching into my physical space. I've never understood the "You don't want to sit next to a child!" mentality some fliers have. Some children are nicer and better mannered than many adults, anyway.

I also refuse to give up my paid upgraded seating, or any other seat I selected, for any but the most compelling reason. I pay for premium economy & "Early Bird" for a reason. And those entitled people who take someone else's assigned seat without even asking will not get any sympathy at all from me.

I once flew alone as a shy teen and had little flying experience. Upon boarding after a tight connection, I found that someone was in my (good) seat, double & triple checked the seat number & my ticket, & I was right, but I was too shy to do anything about it. So I chose a seat in the only open area of the plane- the very back row. By the loud engine. And the bathroom. Ugh. Never again letting someone else take my seat just because they feel like it.

 

[SirDuff]

I forgot about this thread. I flew this weekend on the first leg, someone was in my seat when I got on. He was clearly flying with the person beside him (I assume his wife - both adults). It was a short flight (less than two hours) and the plane had no middle seats, so I was happy to just take his seat (I did have an economy plus seat, but again, short flight and I'm short and I didn't pay extra for my seat as I get free with my status) and said so. Turns out his seat was First Class. Now, that's how you trade seats (okay, may have been nice not to have actually been in my seat before I got there (and I boarded early in process), but still.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thankfully apparently congress passed a bill last year to take effect this July that requires airlines to seat parents with their children without charging extra fees

I'm sure that whatever the airlines come up with it, it won't be a free bonus for parents. Something like if there are not seats together, you can't pick them. Or another lovely fee for all of us because some parents can't be bothered to pay for seats. It will not be 'Yay I get seats for free and everyone else pays!".

 

[maxiesmom]

Oh, and the bill isn't that they have to sit a child next to a parent. They have to sit them next to another family member over the age of 13. That is all.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Oh, and the bill isn't that they have to sit a child next to a parent. They have to sit them next to another family member over the age of 13. That is all.

Yep. There's nothing in it about the whole family sitting together which imo is what people really want. I've been asked to swap lots by families or couples that want to stick together. It's not that they'd be separated from a young child, it's just that they didn't want to sit next to strangers. On public transit. Poor things.

I was also amused to find out that it's a "directive". It doesn't actually compel the airlines to do anything...it "encourages" them to "look" at the issue.

 

[porschegrl]

Turns out his seat was First Class. Now, that's how you trade seats (okay, may have been nice not to have actually been in my seat before I got there (and I boarded early in process), but still.

Good deal! It does seem that these seat-swapping stories usually involve the seat "owner" being asked to move to a worse location. Aside from already being in your seat, this guy definitely did it right.

 

[SirDuff]

Good deal! It does seem that these seat-swapping stories usually involve the seat "owner" being asked to move to a worse location. Aside from already being in your seat, this guy definitely did it right.

Definitely. And him being in my seat wasn't a big deal. Funny thing is that I was next on the upgrade list, so, had he turned down his upgrade (and from the list I know he got one), I would have had that seat anyway. Total coincidence, but kind of funny.

 

[sam_gordon]

Seating young kids away from their guardians is asenine on every level

In your opinion do parents have any culpability in doing what they can to sit together? I'm not talking about parents who booked early, selected seats together and then got separated because of equipment change. I'm talking about parents who book the tickets and don't pay for seat selection because "someone will move or the airline will make them".

 

[goofy4tink]

In your opinion do parents have any culpability in doing what they can to sit together? I'm not talking about parents who booked early, selected seats together and then got separated because of equipment change. I'm talking about parents who book the tickets and don't pay for seat selection because "someone will move or the airline will make them".

Sadly, many families want to pay as little as possible for airfare, and then complain about seating. Parents really need to take responsibility for their children. If they want to be as sure as possible of being seated together, they should fly on an airline that allows them to choose seats ahead of time. Sure, there are sometimes changes in equipment, but it doesn't happen all that often. So much better to spend a bit more on airfare and be pretty sure you're sitting with your family than to pay less and depend on the kindness of strangers to give up seats.
I've offered to move in the past, but, on the other hand, there have been times that I haven't.

 

[erin1715]

My husband and I have no children and have always flown Southwest. While I do not pay for early bird, I do make sure I'm online at exactly 24 hours preflight to check-in because I want to ensure we sit together and that has always worked for us.

Having said that, at least half the flights we've been on there have been families who are pacing up and down the aisle of the plane upon boarding because they can't find seats together. This forces the flight attendants to make multiple announcements asking people to move around, and/or approach people directly about moving. We've been offered free drinks on the flight but we don't drink. I would move in a second for a credit for a future flight. We have moved in the past but I think I'm about over doing that in the future.

 

[bcla]

Sadly, many families want to pay as little as possible for airfare, and then complain about seating. Parents really need to take responsibility for their children. If they want to be as sure as possible of being seated together, they should fly on an airline that allows them to choose seats ahead of time. Sure, there are sometimes changes in equipment, but it doesn't happen all that often. So much better to spend a bit more on airfare and be pretty sure you're sitting with your family than to pay less and depend on the kindness of strangers to give up seats.
I've offered to move in the past, but, on the other hand, there have been times that I haven't.

The option isn't always available. I've booked through certain travel agencies where I wasn't allowed to select a seat until check-in, and by then nothing together was available. I got a great deal though, such as buy one get one free on typical discount fares.

Typically the airline allows anyone to select a seat before check-in, even if purchased through a third party, but not always. Just check the reservation on the airline's website with the confirmation code and there might be an option to select/change seats.

 

[maxiesmom]

The option isn't always available. I've booked through certain travel agencies where I wasn't allowed to select a seat until check-in, and by then nothing together was available. I got a great deal though, such as buy one get one free on typical discount fares.

Typically the airline allows anyone to select a seat before check-in, even if purchased through a third party, but not always. Just check the reservation on the airline's website with the confirmation code and there might be an option to select/change seats.

The option is there, then, to not book your flights if you can't pick your seats ahead of time. If a travel agency won't allow it, then don't use them. There is still a choice there.....

 

[bcla]

The option is there, then, to not book your flights if you can't pick your seats ahead of time. If a travel agency won't allow it, then don't use them. There is still a choice there.....

I dunno. Spending $350 more doesn't seem like a good option. In the end for that flight (widebody plane) we had three aisle seats across from each other, along with sitting next to a family of four with kids who actually enjoyed having another kid there.

It was with a Citi credit card. They worked with a company called Spirit Incentives, and each cardholder got one free domestic companion fare and one 15% discount each calendar year. We checked directly, and it was a companion fare off the typical lowest discount. They did have a few odd things such as not being able to select seats until check-in, but we thought it was worth it. On one trip we ended up using the companion fare and one 15% discount.

I certainly don't want to be reliant on help to sit next to a child in my group, but I won't go out of my way to literally waste money either. I'm a parent. I've given up a seat before so a parent could sit next to a child. I've also seen airline employees make seating a parent next to a child a priority.

 

[SirDuff]

The option isn't always available. I've booked through certain travel agencies where I wasn't allowed to select a seat until check-in, and by then nothing together was available. I got a great deal though, such as buy one get one free on typical discount fares.

So, you put saving money above being able to sit together. A perfectly valid choice, but still a choice.

 

[maxiesmom]

You are still making a choice to put booking thru a certain travel agency over making sure you have seats next to your child.

 

[bcla]

You are still making a choice to put booking thru a certain travel agency over making sure you have seats next to your child.

I don't think it's an unreasonable choice.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think it's an unreasonable choice.

I don't either. But you have to be aware what your priorities are. And acknowledge for that flight, money won.

 

[Monykalyn]

Flight to CO last year with (adult) DD we chose seats behind a dad and his two (younger kids 8&10? IIRC). SW so no seat assignments. Chose those thinking (correctly) that no one would sit in middle or aisle with us. The younger kid in front of us kept us in stitches-had his whole life story by time we landed. Dad kept trying to make him be quiet, stop talking (he wasn't loud or anything-talking softly between the seats at us) until I told dad that we were enjoying his son's conversation(as long as it wasn't making him uncomfortable-remember-life story LOL). Seriously this lil guy was a gem. Much much much better than the time I was wedged between a supposed "retired flight attendant" who apparently bathed in perfume (cough) even though she was quiet.

ETA-flying with a kid by you isn't always the end of the world

 

[piccolopat]

I don't think it's an unreasonable choice.

It's not an unreasonable choice as long as you don't expect others to give up their seats so that your family can sit together. If that works for your family, great. If not, prioritizing pre-assigned seats over savings might be a better choice.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Such kindnesses to strangers....