Seat Assignments w/children

[NotUrsula]

Granting? Sure. Granting at no charge when every passenger who doesn't travel with a young child is required to pay to choose a seat? Absolutely not.

There isn't and won't be any law requiring airlines to seat passengers together based on any particular criteria, and one more time - this would be regulation [of air fares/fees], which ended over 30 years ago.

And one more time, I respectfully disagree with you. If a law were passed to require contiguous seating for certain-aged children on the grounds of safety, then I believe that such a rule would fall within the FAA's still-extant regulatory powers on passenger safety. If an FA can tell you that you cannot sit in an exit row seat or tell you that you have to move 6 rows back in order to balance the plane's load, then under the same safety criteria it is logical that an FA could also tell you that an adult in your party must be seated within 5 feet of your 3 yo.

Now, whether or not the airline can charge a fee to put you there is another issue, but my guess is that they would not be able to force you to pay it, in the same way that they cannot refuse to accomodate an approved carseat in a "legal" seating position of the AIRLINE's choice, even if that passenger originally reserved a different seat.

Which airlines? Do any of them now not allow the passenger to cancel immediately with no penalty? And frankly, if I as the consumer don't educate myself before making a substantial purchase - shame on me.

I cannot tell you exhaustively, as I don't currently travel on every airline that flys domestically, but I have had it happen within the past year on AA. I will grant that this is not as much of a problem as it used to be before the same-day cancellation clause was put into law, but it still can happen, mostly because the airline's verbiage does not contain any clear warnings about children being seated alone.

Note these bits from the AA seat selection FAQ:

Q:
What if I choose not to purchase a Preferred Seat?
A:
Purchasing a Preferred Seat is optional. You may choose from available seats at no charge up to 331 days prior to departure, based on seat availability at time of booking. When you check-in within 24 hours of departure, you will receive a seat assignment at no charge if you don’t already have one.


Q:
How can I purchase a seat?
A:
You can purchase a Preferred Seat as early as 331 days prior to flight departure when making your reservation at the AA.com View Reservations Web page or through AA Reservations. Preferred Seats can also be purchased at flight check-in through Self-Service Check-In machines, AA.com or AA.com mobile.


Q:
Will seats be available at no charge?
A:
Yes, most seats on the aircraft will continue to be available at no charge. Customers without a seat assignment at time of check-in who choose not to purchase a Preferred Seat will receive a seat assignment at no charge.


Q:
What if there are no more available seats when I purchase a ticket?
A:
If you are not assigned a seat when you purchase a ticket or there are no more seats available to select, then an available seat will be assigned to you at check-in. Customers can check-in online as early as 24 hours prior to departure.


Q:
Will Preferred Seats change the way American makes certain seats available for customers who require them because of a disability?
A:
No, American will continue to accommodate customers with disabilities just as before.


Q:
If I am traveling with a child or in a group, can I secure seat assignments together without having to purchase Preferred Seats?
A:
Yes, as long as there are seats available, you can get your seat assignments during booking. If adjacent seats are not available when you book, American will attempt to accommodate families traveling with a child (age 12 or under) and groups of 5 or more by assigning them adjacent seats, either in advance of check-in or at the airport on the day of departure.

I'm an experienced traveler, so I can read between the lines of the above statements and realize that they are making no real promises, but someone who is not used to airline-speak might take their assurances at face value and expect that they will move heaven and earth (and if necessary, other passengers) to put children with parents, when the reality is that unless the child is under age 5, they really will not bother to try in most cases. So, how exactly is a parent to educate herself using only airline resources? You can call and try to pin them down, but what you will get is repetitions of the above. Airlines really need to learn to say no when they mean no; it would save us all a lot of grief.

So when a passenger chooses not to purchase a fare that would allow them to (in this case) preselect seats, are you saying it'd be acceptable to blame the airline and not the purchaser?

Not if it is stated up front with a warning that this fare class does not allow advance seat purchase. However, if the airline implies that contiguous seats may be selected and then denies that opportunity after purchase, then yes, I will blame the airline. What SHOULD happen is that if any of the passenger's DOB is less than 5 years from purchase date, the reservation system should put up a notice that no contiguous seats are available, and do you choose to continue purchase with the understanding that the child will be seated alone. However, IME that does not happen.

As to GoofyforTink asking me to quote the law, did you mean the UK law? If so, here you go:

This is the CAA rule for securing children in their seats: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4_468.PDF

The UK rule about contiguous seating is in CAA CAP 789, Ch.30, p.4:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP 789.pdf

8 Seat Allocation for Family Groups​

8.1 The separation of family groups, especially children, may lead to problems in emergency situations. During emergency evacuations, group members separated from other members of the family or party might seek each other out during the
evacuation process. Such actions could have an adverse effect on passenger flow rates towards emergency exits and might seriously affect the outcome of an evacuation. Additionally, infants and young children would need assistance from adults in the donning of oxygen masks during decompression.
8.2 Operators' procedures in respect of seat reservations, seat allocation, check-in procedures and cabin crew duties should take into account the following factors:
a) Children accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. In wide-bodied aircraft, children and accompanying adults should not be separated by more than one aisle.
b) Where the above is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults.
c) Seat allocation procedures for family groups, including adults, should reflect the above.
d) When large parties of children are carried, operators should take into account the principles of the above criteria and apply suitable seating arrangements.
e) Whenever small numbers of infants and children are travelling together, the operator should make every effort to ensure that they are allocated seats where they can be readily supervised by the responsible accompanying adult in both normal and abnormal conditions.
8.3 Operators who operate a free seating policy should have procedures in place to ensure that family groups are seated in accordance with these criteria.​

You will note that the rule does not absolutely FORBID an airline from seating an underage child more than one row away from a parent, but for risk management reasons all UK-based airlines have chosen to comply in all cases involving children under age 12, because they believe the recommendation is compelling from a litigation standpoint.

 

[Greysword]

I'm an experienced traveler, so I can read between the lines of the above statements and realize that they are making no real promises, but someone who is not used to airline-speak might take their assurances at face value and expect that they will move heaven and earth (and if necessary, other passengers) to put children with parents, when the reality is that unless the child is under age 5, they really will not bother to try in most cases. So, how exactly is a parent to educate herself using only airline resources? You can call and try to pin them down, but what you will get is repetitions of the above. Airlines really need to learn to say no when they mean no; it would save us all a lot of grief.

Seems pretty clear to me, without reading between the lines. AA will attempt to seat them together. Attempt means to try, so not sure why this is ambiguous. The attempt could fail, too. However I do know that if the attempt does fail, then it was due to extenuating circumstances, in which forcing the issue may cause greater harm to others (unintended consequences).

As to GoofyforTink asking me to quote the law, did you mean the UK law? If so, here you go:

This is the CAA rule for securing children in their seats: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4_468.PDF

The UK rule about contiguous seating is in CAA CAP 789, Ch.30, p.4:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP 789.pdf

Does Great Britain regulate their airlines?

 

[NotUrsula]

Seems pretty clear to me, without reading between the lines. AA will attempt to seat them together. Attempt means to try, so not sure why this is ambiguous. The attempt could fail, too. However I do know that if the attempt does fail, then it was due to extenuating circumstances, in which forcing the issue may cause greater harm to others (unintended consequences).

You fly. People who do not fly on a regular basis have a tendency to wear rose-coloured glasses when it comes to the kindness of airlines. They tend to think that airlines value the opinions of all passengers and will make strong efforts to make every passenger happy, when the truth is that there is a distinct customer service hierarchy, and the family leisure traveler is at the bottom of it.

I've seen about 10 years of posts here that tell me that an enormous number of people interpret "attempt" as "don't worry about it, we will fix it at the gate." And these are people who bother to read message boards, so arguably they are potentially better informed than those who just call a travel agent and trust that everything will be handled.

Does Great Britain regulate their airlines?

If you are asking about fares, the answer is no; they deregulated fares starting in 2006.

Remember that the deregulation spoken of in this thread only applied to fares, fees and routes. The Federal Government still has quite a lot of regulatory power with regard to airline operations, and safety standards in particular.

As to laws not being written with great specificity, I guess that depends on how you are defining a law. Acts of Congress, not so much. Personally, however, I'm good with saying that if it is part of the CFR, it is arguably a law. IME, the level of detail in the regulations contained in 14CFR is positively Byzantine.

FTR, I'm not arguing that we SHOULD have the sort of rule that the UK does in this regard, I'm just arguing that if we did, I don't think it would be quite the nightmare scenario that a lot of you think that it would be, if the regulations are carefully drawn up.

Honestly, what I would like to see airlines do in regard to seat pricing in coach is to standardize the price for everything BUT single middle seats, and then discount those -- they would look more attractive that way. I get that the current tax structure favors add-on fees, but I have my doubts that the IRS will allow that loophole to continue to exist for much longer.

 

[Greysword]

You fly. People who do not fly on a regular basis have a tendency to wear rose-coloured glasses when it comes to the kindness of airlines. They tend to think that airlines value the opinions of all passengers and will make strong efforts to make every passenger happy, when the truth is that there is a distinct customer service hierarchy, and the family leisure traveler is at the bottom of it.

I've seen about 10 years of posts here that tell me that an enormous number of people interpret "attempt" as "don't worry about it, we will fix it at the gate." And these are people who bother to read message boards, so arguably they are potentially better informed than those who just call a travel agent and trust that everything will be handled.

This is a great summation, so the question then bodes, do we need to protect the general flying public from themselves by restricting the airlines? Personally, I do not believe the harm has risen to that level, and the airline staff do try hard to accommodate every passenger. I guess I feel that if someone is hosed due to their lack of attention to their affairs, then they are getting out exactly what they put in. If they were concerned; however, then they could (with little effort) learn how to play the game, simply by reading this thread .

My concern is that passing a law is a very large stick to wield, and should be done with great care and only if it is truly necessary, especially at the Federal level, where the government has limited and specific authority. I am concerned when we pass a law to save someone from themselves. Instead, federal laws should protect us from injustices of larger entities. It is my view that this issue does not fall into that category, unlike sitting on the tarmac for hours while the airline bumps the plane's departure time to ensure others don't fall behind.

Honestly, what I would like to see airlines do in regard to seat pricing in coach is to standardize the price for everything BUT single middle seats, and then discount those -- they would look more attractive that way. I get that the current tax structure favors add-on fees, but I have my doubts that the IRS will allow that loophole to continue to exist for much longer.

TomAto, Tomato, sounds like the same thing only backwards . They could just spin it in this manner now, if they wanted, as it is a matter of perspective. Of course as the plane begins to fill, the pricing changes due to demand (reverse for flights not filling), so the structure shifts. On our Delta flight, we have three seats in a row, no extra fees, mid-aircraft, and no worries, so maybe it's an AA thing, and passengers would send a message by flying with DL?

In the end, I guess I don't have much sympathy for anyone who chooses not to learn the rules before playing the game (myself included). If I invest the time to find out how to book flights, get the seats I want, and hedge against changes by being vigilant on the follow-up, then I should have an advantage over those who choose not to do the research ahead of time. If someone asks for help (either here or at the airport), I'm happy to share what I know so we both can have a smooth transition. If they choose to howl at the moon instead of learning (like going to WDW without a plan ), then they get what they deserve .

 

[goofy4tink]

For me, it's really pretty simple. If you want to be seated next to someone, then you need to make that happen, to the best of your ability. If that means that you have to pay for preassigned seats, so be it. If you don't like that option, then find an airline that doesn't make you do that...SW for instance.
But, the issue is this...those with young kids want to sit with those kids, without paying extra. Yeah, I get the whole 'what happens in an emergency' issue. But I have to tell you...if my dh, dh and I are on the same plane, but not seated next to each other??? Dh is going to move heaven and earth to help his child..as am I. If the passenger next to me is in the way, well, so be it...I'm getting to my child. Doesn't make much difference if that child is 9,19, or 29. A parent will try to get to it's child.

If I want to be seated with someone, then I will pay the addtl fee for that. Here's the thing....airlines are putting out some cheap airfares. Well, maybe not as cheap as we would like but certainly too cheap to run an airline on. So, by doing this, they have to make up for those fares somehow...so, we get charged for luggage, we get charged for little box meals, we now get charged for aisle and window seats, more is charged for extra leg room seats. And those extra leg room seats on the aisle??? Yeah, that adds about $60 to a one way fare. But, you can still fly cheaply if you split up your group and sit further back in middle seats. Your choice how you want to fly. And I have to tell you....I am not moving from my aisle or window seat that I paid addtl for so that a family can now sit together.

 

[NotUrsula]

[snip]
Yeah, I get the whole 'what happens in an emergency' issue. But I have to tell you...if my dh, dh and I are on the same plane, but not seated next to each other??? Dh is going to move heaven and earth to help his child..as am I. If the passenger next to me is in the way, well, so be it...I'm getting to my child. Doesn't make much difference if that child is 9,19, or 29. A parent will try to get to it's child.

Well, it's a little OT, but ...

I get that that impulse is instinctual, but I also know that an emergency evacuation of an aircraft is not the time to indulge your instincts, unless you are OK with a greater probability of not surviving.

What the UK tests discovered was that in an emergency, children who have been in school are conditioned to follow the instructions of those in authority TO THE LETTER and WITHOUT ARGUMENT. They have fire drills, and they know that when there is a fire you go where you are told. When the FA says follow the floor lights to the slide and go down, school-aged kids do it. They don't look around for Mom and Dad to ask if it is OK. Thus the odds are very high that when you reached your 8 yo's seat, you would find it empty, which would mean that you had put yourself and others in danger for no gain.

Safe and timely evacuation of an airliner depends entirely on passenger compliance; that is why the FA's yell like drill sergeants when it happens. The way that coach cabins are configured right now, there is no room for traffic flow in two directions even in optimal conditions -- forget it if the cabin is dark and/or smoke-filled. You simply cannot get through in the dark without getting trampled. The current FAA evacuation speed goal once the slides have deployed is 90 seconds to empty the plane. It has been done in real evacuations, so it is definitely possible.

I do what I was told to do by an FA of my acquaintance: I count rows and I make my kids count rows. You identify the exit you are supposed to go to, and you count how many seat rows there are between where you are and where it is, and you make sure your kids know the number. (In the dark it is important to count them as you feel your way out.) I also make sure that they know that on a plane, the FA's word is LAW and is not to be questioned.

While I'm sure that it would be hellishly hard, if it came down to an evacuation I would trust the FA's to get my school-aged or older child off the plane if my exit was a different one, because by doing that I would be more likely to live to see my children again once we were all safely outside.

 

[TDC Nala]

FL state law prohibits airlines from seating children on a different row than their parents.

I don't believe the state of Florida can make laws governing how airlines seat people. They would not have the jurisdiction to control that.

Airlines currently offer no guarantees as to seating, even with purchased seating assignments.

I also don't get the complaints because the family booked at the last minute and there were no contiguous seats available at the time of booking. So now they demand premium seats for free, or they want passengers who paid for their seats or selected them months ahead of time moved to accommodate their desire to sit together.

Makes me think of that incident where the family with a 3 year old and three kids under 2 years old boarded the plane and expected one of the infants to be the lap child of the 3 year old. They had to leave the plane because six people can't sit in a row of three seats that had four oxygen masks. And the plane was full, with two adults and four kids under the age of 5 they couldn't be accommodated without booting other people off the flight. There was also no way to seat one of the three infants alone, they didn't have a car seat. Apparently a woman who was not with the party offered to hold one of the babies, for what I think are obvious liability reasons the airline personnel declined that even though the parents wanted to do it. That is an example of the attempt to accommodate failing.

 

[seashoreCM]

(multiquote didn't work) So when a passenger chooses not to purchase a fare that would allow them to (in this case) preselect seats, are you saying it'd be acceptable to blame the airline and not the purchaser?

No but more importantly it would not be acceptable to blame the purchaser who could not preselect seats and/or who would not pay to select seats but also who did not complain about the seats s/he ultimately got.

 

[crashbb]

No but more importantly it would not be acceptable to blame the purchaser who could not preselect seats and/or who would not pay to select seats but also who did not complain about the seats s/he ultimately got.

Why would anyone be blaming someone who wasn't complaining? How would anyone even know about their seat selection choices?

 

[NotUrsula]

Why would anyone be blaming someone who wasn't complaining? How would anyone even know about their seat selection choices?

I'm the one who described the situation, so I can tell you what it was in my case: They complained because they thought that I had deliberately seated myself separately from my child, presumably because they thought that I didn't want to be bothered with supervising her.

That wasn't the case, but if I had tried to explain that, then they probably would have assumed the opposite; that I didn't get seats together because I was too cheap to pay for them, which also was not the case. Sometimes there just are no contiguous seats to be had. (Note that I did NOT ask any other passengers to assist her; she's quite capable of handling herself in such situations.)

 

[keishashadow]

Hi fellow Disers.
Hoping someone might have some information that might help. We recently had some friends fly Air Tran and had the most horrible experience. Their children are ages 7 and 9 and Air Tran had them seated all over the plane (separated by 4-8 rows). Obviously, they were unhappy and it seems cruel to make a 7 year old sit with strangers during a flight.
Anyway, on out last visit to WDW the resort airline check-in cast member had told me that FL state law prohibits airlines from seating children on a different row than their parents. Does anyone know if this is true or have any experience with this? I have done some searching but have come up with nothing.

If true then the parents should be forced to pay for seat assignments next to their children imo just to make sure the law is enforced. Why put the responsibility on a FA to try and cajole other passengers (likely they who paid for seat assignments) to accommodate?

Did they purchase seats together in advance? If they did and got switched, then I can understand being upset.

If they didn't and just decided to take their chances, then they gambled and lost. Other people who paid for their seat assignments shouldn't have to give them up so that this family can sit together.

When my children were young it was important for me to sit next to them on flights. Even when it's just me & DH it's worth it to me to pay for seat assignments. Everybody has priorities within their travel budget kwim? Anyway, as with anything else i wanted to go smoothly on our vacation, i didn't assume the airlines would place my kids and i together; but found out how to make it happen.

If you've flown several times to Orlando you've likely seen the meltdowns when the separation happens, but no excuse for the drama...the information is easily accessible to avoid the situation in the first place. The FA's typically make it work out with a 2 + 2 seating and some kind soul's co-operation but the whole process does tend to put a bit of an edge on the flight.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

When my children were young it was important for me to sit next to them on flights. Even when it's just me & DH it's worth it to me to pay for seat assignments.

One issue that's still unanswered is what happens when an airline has to reassign passengers to a different flight or to a different aircraft type?

Let's suppose you paid to be assigned to an aisle seat (categorized as a premium seat) and you also reserved the adjacent middle seat. You're on the same PNR (the same airline reservation). You look forward to sitting together with your spouse. You might even be planning to watch a movie together on an iPad or laptop (with a headphone splitter), while having a glass of airline wine.

You booked this many months in advance. You had your pick of seats, and you picked the best ones available on the seat map.

Now it's the day of the flight, and the best the airline could do is to assign one aisle seat right behind the emergency row (It's still categorized as a premium seat) and one middle seat somewhere near the toilets in the back. "Sorry. That's all that's available because the flight you originally booked no longer exists, and this flight is full."

Now imagine a similar scenario (minus the wine) with a parent and a young child.

In either case, what's the solution?

 

[sam_gordon]

One issue that's still unanswered is what happens when an airline has to reassign passengers to a different flight or to a different aircraft type?

Let's suppose you paid to be assigned to an aisle seat (categorized as a premium seat) and you also reserved the adjacent middle seat. You're on the same PNR (the same airline reservation). You look forward to sitting together with your spouse. You might even be planning to watch a movie together on an iPad or laptop (with a headphone splitter), while having a glass of airline wine.

You booked this many months in advance. You had your pick of seats, and you picked the best ones available on the seat map.

Now it's the day of the flight, and the best the airline could do is to assign one aisle seat right behind the emergency row (It's still categorized as a premium seat) and one middle seat somewhere near the toilets in the back. "Sorry. That's all that's available because the flight you originally booked no longer exists, and this flight is full."

Now imagine a similar scenario (minus the wine) with a parent and a young child.

In either case, what's the solution?

That is my sticking point also. You can also include missing a connection because of airline/weather and put on a different flight. IMO, in these situations, it becomes the airlines responsibility to do everything it can to sit the child & parent (or husband & wife or whatever) as close to each other as possible. This might include bumping someone (or multiple ones) up to first class, or even offering some incentives for people to give up their seats.

However, there will still be situations where they can't get a good solution.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And one more time, I respectfully disagree with you.

It's the determination of the Secretary of Transportation.

 

[seashoreCM]

[

I'm the one who described the situation, so I can tell you what it was in my case: They complained because they thought that I had deliberately seated myself separately from my child, presumably because they thought that I didn't want to be bothered with supervising her.

That wasn't the case, but if I had tried to explain that, then they probably would have assumed the opposite; that I didn't get seats together because I was too cheap to pay for them, which also was not the case. Sometimes there just are no contiguous seats to be had. (Note that I did NOT ask any other passengers to assist her; she's quite capable of handling herself in such situations.)

You have every right to be too cheap to pay and therefore not get (seats together or whatever) . And you don't have to tell a long story to defend yourself. If you did try to explain, if the other person interrupted then that would be an excellent moment to stop talking and walk away.

(Feel free to bite the apple twice.) You could even come back a little later, when the thought entered your mind, possibly at cruising altitude with the seat belt sign off, and suggest that the complainer switch seats with you which will fix the problem he accused you of creating.

If true then the parents should be forced to pay for seat assignments next to their children imo just to make sure the law is enforced.

Uh uh! I beg to differ. If it is a law then the airline should provide seats together or what have you at no charge to the consumer. Bribes by the flight crew are not out of the question.

 

[kaytieeldr]

[
You have every right to be too cheap to pay and therefore not get (seats together or whatever) . And you don't have to tell a long story to defend yourself. If you did try to explain, if the other person interrupted then that would be an excellent moment to stop talking and walk away.

(Feel free to bite the apple twice.) You could even come back a little later, when the thought entered your mind, possibly at cruising altitude with the seat belt sign off, and suggest that the complainer switch seats with you which will fix the problem he accused you of creating.

Uh uh! I beg to differ. If it is a law then the airline should provide seats together or what have you at no charge to the consumer. Bribes by the flight crew are not out of the question.

There isn't and won't be requiring airlines to seat children of/under a certain age with a parent/guardian, especially at no additional charge.

This is the down-to-earth Transportation Board. Would somebody please come get me when the posters here stop playing "what if" and make-believe, and start discussing reality again? Thanks.

 

[chanty]

I guess it depends on the airline but ours (WestJet from Canada) confirmed that they will assign one child with one adult. So no worries to have a child sitting by themselves. I wouldn't want my godchilds to be sitting alone as its their first flight!

Chantal

 

[crashbb]

I guess it depends on the airline but ours (WestJet from Canada) confirmed that they will assign one child with one adult. So no worries to have a child sitting by themselves. I wouldn't want my godchilds to be sitting alone as its their first flight!

Chantal

Really? On my last West Jet flight (to Orlando), I was asked by a father if I would mind changing my seat so that he could sit next to his daughter - they were about five rows apart.

Given that West Jet charges for pre-selecting seats, I don't see how they can make that promise - if there are no sets of two seats together by the time they start assigning seats to those who choose not to pay for them, how can they sit the child with an adult in their party?

FTR - I did move for the father. He offered to buy me a snack (I turned him down - I had moved from an aisle to an aisle, and was perfectly happy) and we chatted. He, like the PP, assumed that they wouldn't separate him from his daughter, and hadn't paid for the seat selection.

 

[goofy4tink]

Well, it's a little OT, but ...

I get that that impulse is instinctual, but I also know that an emergency evacuation of an aircraft is not the time to indulge your instincts, unless you are OK with a greater probability of not surviving.

What the UK tests discovered was that in an emergency, children who have been in school are conditioned to follow the instructions of those in authority TO THE LETTER and WITHOUT ARGUMENT. They have fire drills, and they know that when there is a fire you go where you are told. When the FA says follow the floor lights to the slide and go down, school-aged kids do it. They don't look around for Mom and Dad to ask if it is OK. Thus the odds are very high that when you reached your 8 yo's seat, you would find it empty, which would mean that you had put yourself and others in danger for no gain.

Safe and timely evacuation of an airliner depends entirely on passenger compliance; that is why the FA's yell like drill sergeants when it happens. The way that coach cabins are configured right now, there is no room for traffic flow in two directions even in optimal conditions -- forget it if the cabin is dark and/or smoke-filled. You simply cannot get through in the dark without getting trampled. The current FAA evacuation speed goal once the slides have deployed is 90 seconds to empty the plane. It has been done in real evacuations, so it is definitely possible.

I do what I was told to do by an FA of my acquaintance: I count rows and I make my kids count rows. You identify the exit you are supposed to go to, and you count how many seat rows there are between where you are and where it is, and you make sure your kids know the number. (In the dark it is important to count them as you feel your way out.) I also make sure that they know that on a plane, the FA's word is LAW and is not to be questioned.

While I'm sure that it would be hellishly hard, if it came down to an evacuation I would trust the FA's to get my school-aged or older child off the plane if my exit was a different one, because by doing that I would be more likely to live to see my children again once we were all safely outside.

But, here in the US, our kids do not automatically follow directions. They scream for mommy and daddy. That's just the way it is. If the American airlines chose to behave as European airlines do, then perhaps things would be better. Some of my best experiences have been on Virgin...flying to London. Passengers 'got it'. But here in the US?? Just doesn't happen. Parents will try to get to their children. Just a fact of life.

One issue that's still unanswered is what happens when an airline has to reassign passengers to a different flight or to a different aircraft type?

Let's suppose you paid to be assigned to an aisle seat (categorized as a premium seat) and you also reserved the adjacent middle seat. You're on the same PNR (the same airline reservation). You look forward to sitting together with your spouse. You might even be planning to watch a movie together on an iPad or laptop (with a headphone splitter), while having a glass of airline wine.

You booked this many months in advance. You had your pick of seats, and you picked the best ones available on the seat map.

Now it's the day of the flight, and the best the airline could do is to assign one aisle seat right behind the emergency row (It's still categorized as a premium seat) and one middle seat somewhere near the toilets in the back. "Sorry. That's all that's available because the flight you originally booked no longer exists, and this flight is full."

Now imagine a similar scenario (minus the wine) with a parent and a young child.

In either case, what's the solution?

I was booked on a flight...Delta I believe. I decided, after the fact, to bring my dd along with me, so had to book her on a different reservation. She was about 12 at the time. We had seats together...so I really didn't worry. Well, Delta changed the equipment....dd and I ended up on two different flights!!! Seriously?? I have now learned my lesson. There are many various reasons that you could end up apart.

 

[chanty]

Really? On my last West Jet flight (to Orlando), I was asked by a father if I would mind changing my seat so that he could sit next to his daughter - they were about five rows apart.

Given that West Jet charges for pre-selecting seats, I don't see how they can make that promise - if there are no sets of two seats together by the time they start assigning seats to those who choose not to pay for them, how can they sit the child with an adult in their party?

FTR - I did move for the father. He offered to buy me a snack (I turned him down - I had moved from an aisle to an aisle, and was perfectly happy) and we chatted. He, like the PP, assumed that they wouldn't separate him from his daughter, and hadn't paid for the seat selection.

Well that's good to know!!! I was told otherwise when we booked...
Now I'm nervous!!

Chantal