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

[sk!mom]

This thread is somehow three years old

Yep, and it's been a good discussion then and now.

It befuddles me when people are bothered that an old topic is reopened. If someone is interested in discussing it again, why not? This one has almost 20 pages and 400 more comments this go around. Obviously a hot button issue. Maybe we should revive it every June and see how we're all feeling about it.

 

[tcufrog]

A number of years ago we were heading to Mexico for a family vacation. We had a connection in Atlanta. All our seats were picked out and we were sitting together. Our originating flight had a mechanical issue and ended up leaving over an hour late. Of course, we missed our connection in Atlanta. Delta automatically rebooked us, but didn't assign us seats. We went to qqqbthe gate agent for the new flight asking for two seats together (we were a party of 5, and our youngest was 6 at that time). They put four of us into one row and a single (me) in the row just in front.

So yes, airlines will work with you. Of course, I wasn't demanding, and only asking for two seats together.

When our kids were much younger we booked connecting flights to Montana. The second leg of the flight involved flying into a very small airport that only has 3 gates. When we booked the tickets we paid to select seats so we could sit next to our kids.

When I went to print out our boarding passes we were all sitting scattered all over the plane. I called the airline and they told us to arrive at the airport early and speak to the ticket counter. We did son but they told us they couldn’t do anything and told us to speak to the gate counter. The gate counter was unhelpful and told us to ask someone on the plane to switch with us. We were not expecting to all sit together and would have have been fine with 3/1 or 2/2. Sometimes you can try to do everything right and still get screwed.

 

[Mortlives]

When our kids were much younger we booked connecting flights to Montana. The second leg of the flight involved flying into a very small airport that only has 3 gates. When we booked the tickets we paid to select seats so we could sit next to our kids.

When I went to print out our boarding passes we were all sitting scattered all over the plane. I called the airline and they told us to arrive at the airport early and speak to the ticket counter. We did son but they told us they couldn’t do anything and told us to speak to the gate counter. The gate counter was unhelpful and told us to ask someone on the plane to switch with us. We were not expecting to all sit together and would have have been fine with 3/1 or 2/2. Sometimes you can try to do everything right and still get screwed.

Did you at least get your selection fee refunded?

 

[tcufrog]

Nope

 

[Mermaid02]

I would probably do just about anything NOT to have to sit next to someone else's child on a plane.

 

[maxiesmom]

When our kids were much younger we booked connecting flights to Montana. The second leg of the flight involved flying into a very small airport that only has 3 gates. When we booked the tickets we paid to select seats so we could sit next to our kids.

When I went to print out our boarding passes we were all sitting scattered all over the plane. I called the airline and they told us to arrive at the airport early and speak to the ticket counter. We did son but they told us they couldn’t do anything and told us to speak to the gate counter. The gate counter was unhelpful and told us to ask someone on the plane to switch with us. We were not expecting to all sit together and would have have been fine with 3/1 or 2/2. Sometimes you can try to do everything right and still get screwed.

Had you looked at your seats after you made the purchase? I have learned to keep an eye on my seats, as the airlines sometimes move them around. For my flights in October I have had one leg change them 4 times now.

 

[ronandannette]

Nope

Was there anything more to the conversation? Did you ask for a refund and were refused? What possible explanation did they give you? How is that anything but fraud? If they don't have to refund money for for pre-paid seat selection or upgraded seats when they move people how do we know they don't re-sell the same premium seats over and over and just tell the purchasers "tough luck" once they get to the airport?

 

[ashley0139]

Was there anything more to the conversation? Did you ask for a refund and were refused? What possible explanation did they give you? How is that anything but fraud? If they don't have to refund money for for pre-paid seat selection or upgraded seats when they move people how do we know they don't re-sell the same premium seats over and over and just tell the purchasers "tough luck" once they get to the airport?

I swear, airlines are the only industry that doesn't have to actually provide the service you pay for.

 

[ronandannette]

I swear, airlines are the only industry that doesn't have to actually provide the service you pay for.

Right? It's insane; almost to the point of unbelievable. There have been several posters on this thread make reference to experiences like that but none have answered any questions about it in detail. I've never had it happen personally (nor to anybody I know IRL) but I sure wouldn't be going down without a fight on it, which is what seems to have happened in these instances.

 

[wgeo]

Right? It's insane; almost to the point of unbelievable. There have been several posters on this thread make reference to experiences like that but none have answered any questions about it in detail. I've never had it happen personally (nor to anybody I know IRL) but I sure wouldn't be going down without a fight on it, which is what seems to have happened in these instances.

I haven't had the experience personally - but at some point we're at the mercy of the airlines. I would be mad and I would complain a lot after the fact, but it seems like they could quite easily say that you were not behaving well and just deny you entry onto the flight at all and that would be worse then losing the money for the seat selection.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Was there anything more to the conversation? Did you ask for a refund and were refused? What possible explanation did they give you? How is that anything but fraud? If they don't have to refund money for for pre-paid seat selection or upgraded seats when they move people how do we know they don't re-sell the same premium seats over and over and just tell the purchasers "tough luck" once they get to the airport?

I think a lot about the airline model is fraudulent starting with their overbooking flights. I’m sorry, but how the heck do you get away with selling more seats than you have available and just hoping X number of customers will fail to “collect” on their purchase. Airlines, like any other business, should be capped at selling 100% of their product or services available, and not allowed to try to weasel sales above and beyond what they have any intention of providing. Can you imagine if Amazon allowed customers to buy products that were out of stock fully aware that they had no means of fulfilling the order? I don’t understand why airlines are allowed to get away with this.

 

[maxiesmom]

Right? It's insane; almost to the point of unbelievable. There have been several posters on this thread make reference to experiences like that but none have answered any questions about it in detail. I've never had it happen personally (nor to anybody I know IRL) but I sure wouldn't be going down without a fight on it, which is what seems to have happened in these instances.

The problem is, in what we are buying when we buy a ticket. So many people think you are guaranteed to be on a specific flight in a specific seat. And unfortunately that is not true. which is why I wondered if the one poster who ended up with their family all over the aircraft had had something happen ahead of time, such as an equipment change, which messed up their seat assignments. And they didn't catch it prior to the flight.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

The problem is, in what we are buying when we buy a ticket. So many people think you are guaranteed to be on a specific flight in a specific seat. And unfortunately that is not true. which is why I wondered if the one poster who ended up with their family all over the aircraft had had something happen ahead of time, such as an equipment change, which messed up their seat assignments. And they didn't catch it prior to the flight.

Yep. If you actually read through the airlines T&C it’s pretty ridiculous what the actual contract you’re agreeing to is. Many times the squeaky wheel gets the grease and they will make changes or throw credit at you after the fact.

But “we will get you from point A to point B unless something happens and we can’t” is basically all the airline is agreeing to when they sell you a ticket.

 

[Nancyg56]

The problem is, in what we are buying when we buy a ticket. So many people think you are guaranteed to be on a specific flight in a specific seat. And unfortunately that is not true. which is why I wondered if the one poster who ended up with their family all over the aircraft had had something happen ahead of time, such as an equipment change, which messed up their seat assignments. And they didn't catch it prior to the flight.

Or perhaps the airline made the change. I was checking out airline seats prior to a flight that we had booked months in advance, and had carefully chosen seats for. The aircraft was almost empty when we booked. Imagine my surprise to see us scattered all over the plane! I called and asked what happened, and was told that the size of the aircraft had been changed, and seat assignments were changed. Ummmmm, change us back! The rep told me he could move a few of us together, (my DGD had experienced a terrible flight and was very anxious, so I wnated her with her parents) and did the best he could. We are adults, so no issues, and he did get my DD DSIL and DGD together, so it was fine. But the airline made the change, not us. He also told me that they kept seats open in case there were kids and they needed to be seated with parents.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Or perhaps the airline made the change. I was checking out airline seats prior to a flight that we had booked months in advance, and had carefully chosen seats for. The aircraft was almost empty when we booked. Imagine my surprise to see us scattered all over the plane! I called and asked what happened, and was told that the size of the aircraft had been changed, and seat assignments were changed. Ummmmm, change us back! The rep told me he could move a few of us together, (my DGD had experienced a terrible flight and was very anxious, so I wnated her with her parents) and did the best he could. We are adults, so no issues, and he did get my DD DSIL and DGD together, so it was fine. But the airline made the change, not us. He also told me that they kept seats open in case there were kids and they needed to be seated with parents.

That happened to us on a leg to Hawaii (or was it leaving Hawaii coming back home I can't remember) and it was an aircraft change.

The thing is we were notified of the change I believe 2 weeks ahead (give or take a few days) and we could see our seats were adjusted (still together but different numbers since the plane was smaller).

I primarily fly with SWA but I think it pays to a) have a flight notification set up with the airline to be notified of changes b) to check online periodically to see all is well

Delta changed our flight times as well. We had 5 legs total and I want to say they changed the time on 4 out of 5 legs can't exactly remember.

Let's just say Delta is a different experience than SWA is that's for sure.

I think though to the PP's point is true, people do book expecting things to just stay the same way that they booked 5,6,7 months ago and while I think it sucks having to check every so often or have flight notifications set up it's better than a surprise a few days before the flight (assuming they changed whatever they changed more than a few days before the flight) or even worse find out at the gate---at the gate you're more stressed, you're more upset (normally with the airline), etc. While not a fix-all at least trying to deal with it (like you did calling them up) before you get to the gate IMO is the best.

 

[anneboleyn]

I swear, airlines are the only industry that doesn't have to actually provide the service you pay for.

Airlines and insurance (especially health insurance) both have fun habits of taking your money but then finding some sort of loophole where they don’t actually have to fulfill their end of the bargain for some reason or another.

 

[Wubar]

Airlines and insurance (especially health insurance) both have fun habits of taking your money but then finding some sort of loophole where they don’t actually have to fulfill their end of the bargain for some reason or another.

Don't get me started on insurance. Whether it is auto, house, health, etc- If you are relatively healthy, don't get into any car accidents, or never need any major repairs on your house, you just end up paying a serious amount of money in premiums over your lifespan "just in case" something catastrophic happens. Ugh. Not to mention half the time the whole claim and denial process is time consuming and a major pain.

 

[Dznypal]

good point on loopholes with insurance --my DD has an in ground pool--with a high fence around it--some animal (they figured it was either a raccoon or something like it ) got in fell in the pool and kept clawing at the side to get out--which he finally did

but in the process he ruined in the lining of the pool so they called the insurance com--the insurance co told them that those are domestic animals and therefore not covered!!!!

when was the last you knew anyone to have a raccoon as a pet!! the insurance also said if it was bear or deer it would be covered!!!!

I could maybe see a deer where DD lives but certainly not a bear

insurance is a racket

DH just got his first speeding ticket in 45 years of driving---right away up went the rates--so we nicely found another com--better coverage and cheaper rates!!

bye bye American family--

 

[anneboleyn]

Don't get me started on insurance. Whether it is auto, house, health, etc- If you are relatively healthy, don't get into any car accidents, or never need any major repairs on your house, you just end up paying a serious amount of money in premiums over your lifespan "just in case" something catastrophic happens. Ugh. Not to mention half the time the whole claim and denial process is time consuming and a major pain.

Yup, I totally agree. What really makes me twitch are deductibles...I know people who have a deductible that is $2000/year. So it’s like they don’t even have insurance because they are paying out of pocket until they hit $2000 (which they usually don’t hit by the end of the year)...while still paying monthly premiums. It is insane.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think a lot about the airline model is fraudulent starting with their overbooking flights. I’m sorry, but how the heck do you get away with selling more seats than you have available and just hoping X number of customers will fail to “collect” on their purchase. Airlines, like any other business, should be capped at selling 100% of their product or services available, and not allowed to try to weasel sales above and beyond what they have any intention of providing. Can you imagine if Amazon allowed customers to buy products that were out of stock fully aware that they had no means of fulfilling the order? I don’t understand why airlines are allowed to get away with this.

Not saying it's right or ethical, but this isn't limited to airlines. Many hotels overbook. Both airlines and hotels use metrics to determine what percentage of customers wil! cancel or just not show. Both airlines seats and hotel rooms are perishable. They can't be sold (so, create revenue) after the plane leaves of the night ends.

Home Shopping Network has done something similar. They will take an order order when the item shows as in stock, but when they fill the orders they don't necessarily do it in order. Granted, they don't take your money if they can't fill the order.