? regarding airplane seating dilemma

[fabumouse]

Thanks for all the tips, and good luck with Jetblue!

 

[jeepgirl30]

I travel frequently for business and almost always encounter someone wanting to make some change to their seats. I've actually seen people leaning around seats to chat before take off and just offer to switch so they can sit together.

When DH travels with me I generally book us in seperate seats, on purpose! He is a very nervous flyer and drives me nuts. I like to read or sleep. I never have told him how easy it is to switch seats

You shouldn't have any trouble at all.

 

[crisi]

When are you flying?....when we have had trouble its always to Orlando and we go when the schools have a break. We fly out on Saturday and fly back on Sunday. This means EVERYONE is going on vacation with children. Anyone traveling this flight on business has the sense to use their frequent flyer miles to upgrade to first class!

If this does turn out to be the case and they have a lot of families in this situation, they will try to deal with people with smaller kids first - our last flight I'd booked early enough that we were all together, but they had families scattered throughout the plane. They got the people with little kids seated next to the little kids, but older kids (and eight is old compared to two and three year olds) did end up sitting single.

The one time this happened to us, my kids were four and five. We had two seats, out of six together, and I switched with someone after boarding to get three seats together so I could sit with my kids. This wasn't a problem, the gentleman was more than gracious when he realized he was going to get stuck with my children! But there was no way the other three adults were going to end up near us.

 

[doccath]

We had a problem with Air Tran on seating. DH and I were on seperate planes,due to last minute change. I sent him with 3 of 5 kids, I took the other 2. None of the seats were together. DD is 5 and noone would switch.
The attendents were putting pressure like crazy finally DH said he told the guy next to her that when she flies she gets airsick so be prepared with the bag. Next thing you know DD and DH are together.

 

[ducklite]

Thank you all for your replies. The woman I spoke to at the airline noted the request - I will just try to get there early and hope it works out. My children are 8 and 5 so sitting without an adult is not an option. If I have to change flights, I will, but hopefully we'll be able to make it happen. Again, thank you for your replies/advice. I appreciate it.

Actually, at that age, the FA's will not hold up the flight until someone moves so you can sit next to the kids. They are old enough to sit alone for a few hours, and you can check on them now and then.

Anne

 

[d4est]

Maybe they are old enough, according to the airlines, but my DS (8) would freak out, I am pretty sure! He has never flown and is, admittedly, a "mama's boy." He WILL want to sit by me.

 

[ducklite]

Maybe they are old enough, according to the airlines, but my DS (8) would freak out, I am pretty sure! He has never flown and is, admittedly, a "mama's boy." He WILL want to sit by me.

But he doesn't NEED to, and that's the point. The FA's might ask a few people to move, but if no one wants to, that will be the end of it. What I'm trying to say is prepare him for the fact that there is a possibility he will be sitting alone. Put some items in his backpack to amuse him, talk to him about what will happen during take off and landing, and explain that you'll be nearby.

Anne

 

[Merriwind]

So...are you saying that even though we have assigned seats (JetBlue) we might not get them? This is our first flight together. (I have only flown once a few years ago, DH when he was a child, DS--this is his first--wants that window seat)

We are planning to get to the airport (Syracuse NY) 2 hours before flight.

Hi d4est-

I have flown JetBlue out of Syracuse more times than I can count. I have never had any trouble with seat assignments or anything else. (JetBlue in JFK and RSW is another story!) Two hours should be plenty of time to check-in, get through security, etc. especially because if I read your ticker correctly, you are not travelling during a school break. The JetBlue agents at SYR are super, super nice, even the security guys at the part of the airport seem nicer than in terminal B. The JetBlue gate (#15) has a great view of the runaway, parking areas, etc. Enjoy your flight and don't worry. Your two-hour window should give you plenty of time! Enjoy!!

 

[Merriwind]

But he doesn't NEED to, and that's the point. The FA's might ask a few people to move, but if no one wants to, that will be the end of it. What I'm trying to say is prepare him for the fact that there is a possibility he will be sitting alone. Put some items in his backpack to amuse him, talk to him about what will happen during take off and landing, and explain that you'll be nearby.

Anne

I don't know about that. Flying JetBlue out of RSW last year, they double-booked my seat! When DD7 and I got to our row, there was an empty window seat, a gentleman in the middle and his wife on the aisle. DD and I were assigned the window and middle. The couple was assigned the middle and the aisle. Two people--one seat.

The only empty seat on the entire plane was about 8 rows back, a middle. The FAs took us into the back while they tried to figure out the situation. The FAs asked me to take the middle seat and to put DD7 in the window. DD was very nervous about the whole situation and at this point burst into tears and I politely declined. They went and told the gentleman in "my" seat that he had to move to the empty middle before the plane could leave the gate. He wasn't happy, but he moved.

Now, I did book my seat months before whereas they had booked the day before, so it is possible that is what gave my seating assignment precidence, but I have a feeling that given the choice to seperate a child and parent versus two adults traveling together, the FAs will go with the getting the child with a parent.

In any event to the OP, no one wants to sit next to an unaccompanied child if they can help it. Good luck!

 

[ducklite]

I don't know about that. Flying JetBlue out of RSW last year, they double-booked my seat! When DD7 and I got to our row, there was an empty window seat, a gentleman in the middle and his wife on the aisle. DD and I were assigned the window and middle. The couple was assigned the middle and the aisle. Two people--one seat.

The only empty seat on the entire plane was about 8 rows back, a middle. The FAs took us into the back while they tried to figure out the situation. The FAs asked me to take the middle seat and to put DD7 in the window. DD was very nervous about the whole situation and at this point burst into tears and I politely declined. They went and told the gentleman in "my" seat that he had to move to the empty middle before the plane could leave the gate. He wasn't happy, but he moved.

Now, I did book my seat months before whereas they had booked the day before, so it is possible that is what gave my seating assignment precidence, but I have a feeling that given the choice to seperate a child and parent versus two adults traveling together, the FAs will go with the getting the child with a parent.

In any event to the OP, no one wants to sit next to an unaccompanied child if they can help it. Good luck!

Your situation was different. You had booked long in advance and there was a double booking. In the OP's situation, she booked later and at this point there is no double booking that we are aware of.

An eight year old can fly alone. They might like it, but they might not have a choice. The FA's are not obligated to move people, and pax with assigned seats are not required to move.

Anne

 

[funcinderella]

Just had this situation happen to us this past week. We flew Song, and although we booked 8 months ahead and picked our seats, they kept cancelling and rearranging the flights. We ended up with no seat assignments and were told they would assign at the airport. We got there plenty early, but only gave us 4 single seats. (My kids are 4 and a half!) They kept telling us they couldn't do anything! They said the FA will help on board. Know what the FA said to us? "They should have taken care of that at the desk; we can't help you. Try asking around." The flight was completely booked. We finally managed to have people switch so that my Mom sat across the aisle from my daughter, and my son sat in front of her. But he couldn't see her and was totally crying. The woman across the aisle asked my Mom, "Can't you ask the person next to you to switch?" My mom answered that she couldn't really do that, but the person sitting NEXT to my son said "Oh yes you can!" turned around and asked the woman next to my mother to please switch! I guess she was embarassed into it, and agreed. Now of course my daughter starts crying because she's across the aisle, so the man in the window seat with my Mom (who is now seated next to my son instead of his wife) offered to move.
This was literally as we were pulling away from the gate! So even though nobody really wanted to help us, they ended up doing it because they didn't want to be sitting next to a crying child the whole way down!
On the way home, we had seats, but there were other families with the same problem. This time though, they kept announcing that there were families that needed to sit together, could anyone help, etc. etc. They were much more helpful that time.

 

[znjmom]

As long as you arrive early and check in inside, not curbside, you will not have any problems. We have been asked to move in the past, for reasons like this. We also have had separate seat assignments and ended up together. (And we didn't even have to beg!!! Although I was prepared to if needed!!!)

The key really is to arrive early!!!

2 hours early in Syracuse is more than enough time!!!(that is where we moved from this summer)

 

[Kitty-chan]

An eight year old can fly alone. They might like it, but they might not have a choice. The FA's are not obligated to move people, and pax with assigned seats are not required to move.

Anne

True, the people aren't required to move, but people usually do anyway. Whether it's out of kindness or simple self-interest, I think it's pretty darn rare to find an entire planeload of people where nobody's willing and able to shuffle around to help a parent and child stay together, especially if the child is clearly concerned.

If the FAs don't help, the parents can always approach people directly. I for one would not hesitate to ask the FAs to make an announcement on the PA, explaining the situation and asking for help; if they wouldn't do that I'd have no problem going from row to row asking for help. (I'm not saying I wouldn't feel weird and uncomfortable -- I'm just saying that wouldn't stop me.) But I've always been able to find somebody to switch seats when necessary, and I've been in this situation a good number of times.

Now, my feelings here may be a little intense because my DS9 has special needs (of the sort you can't see by looking at him), and couldn't possibly fly alone yet. But I also think most people are basically good and if you ask for help, help will usually be there, somehow.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I too am concerned about this for our flight next week. It's happened just about everytime we've flown (I book flights 6 months in advance and choose seats at that time...we check in at *least 2 hours in advance...and still have this problem!). This time I am traveling alone with a special needs (also one that you could not tell by looking at her) child and I can't *not sit next to her. It does peeve me a bit that this is even a concern. If I choose my seats 6 months ahead..those should be my seats...period.

 

[d4est]

Thanks to those of you who posted info about flying from Syracuse. We do have preassigned seats, booked this summer. And yes, will not be flying during school break. We depart 2/1 & return 2/7.

I am feeling good that, with advanced preassigned seats & getting there 2 hours early, we should all be together.

To the OP, good luck. I know I would be nervous & my DS is apparently "old enough" to be without me on the flight.

 

[d4est]

I too am concerned about this for our flight next week. It's happened just about everytime we've flown (I book flights 6 months in advance and choose seats at that time...we check in at *least 2 hours in advance...and still have this problem!). This time I am traveling alone with a special needs (also one that you could not tell by looking at her) child and I can't *not sit next to her. It does peeve me a bit that this is even a concern. If I choose my seats 6 months ahead..those should be my seats...period.

I am a flight noob. I don't understand this. If you don't get your seat, why do they even bother with preassigning?

 

[Kitty-chan]

I am a flight noob. I don't understand this. If you don't get your seat, why do they even bother with preassigning?

Sometimes there are mistakes, like two people assigned to one seat. Sometimes there's a change in equipment, like they thought it would be a 737 but they had to change to a different model with different seating configuration. Also, airlines intentionally overbook each flight, since there's some number of no-shows and they of course want to maximize their profits.

 

[princess momma]

We flew Northwest to Orlando last month and had gone to the airport the night before to get our "assigned" seats changed so our children (ages 2 & 3) didn't have to sit by themselves. We got there 2 1/2 hours early the next morning and our seats had been "re-assigned" again! The airline gives priority to their gold club members, people with more miles, etc. and they can pick where they want to sit even if they book after you did.

And when I explained that you cannot possibly seat a 2 and 3 year old on an airplane by themself they said "It's a flight to Orlando, everybody has kids on the flight." What a bunch of BS!!! If when you book your flight they can't seat you with your small children, they should let you know.

Luckily there were people willing to switch when we got on the plane, but it really was very stressful. It happend our flight back, too. I think maybe we should all let our kids sit by themselves and cry their heads off the whole flight. Maybe the airlines would change the way they do things if people were constantly complaining about the screaming kids on their flights.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I am sure I'm dating myself...but I remember when I was a kid and flew...you had assigned seats (unheard of not to be seated with your traveling partners) and there was strict rules about not switching seats. They wanted to know who was in which seat in case of an emergency.

I am typically a very laid back person who takes the majority of things in stride. But, there is just no reason for parents of small children, or children with special needs to have to worry about this if we do everything in our power to do the right thing by booking and arriving early.