Sitting with kids on the plane

[bear_mom]

I agree with the poster above call the airline and check in 24 hours in advance are your best bet. If you read on the transporation board, the airline will not necessarily move passengers who have paid for their seats to accomidate you.

Emily

 

[RMulieri]

Airtran is notorious for separating families.They will not ask people to move.I have SEEN it happen firsthand. Check in for your flight as early as possible and see if anything can be done. Prepare your kids for the possibility.

 

[kw2kids]

Thanks for the comments everyone. We are going to make sure we check in right at the 24 hour mark and hope for the best. I'd be perfectly happy with sitting on my own - then someone else can play tic-tac-toe with my 4 year old for 2.5 hours! Maybe after the first hour they will offer to switch.

 

[Hannathy]

Thanks for the comments everyone. We are going to make sure we check in right at the 24 hour mark and hope for the best. I'd be perfectly happy with sitting on my own - then someone else can play tic-tac-toe with my 4 year old for 2.5 hours! Maybe after the first hour they will offer to switch.

I know you are joking but do know they very well may totally ignore the child.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

Paying the seat fee is the only guarantee (short of lugging around a carseat) that the 4 year old won't be sitting alone. So just pay the money for the seat assignment and stop worrying about it.

That is kind of the point. They are trying to pay to have seats together and CAN'T.
I am in the exact same boat. We had our flight changed because they canceled one of the legs and then I called and changed immediately because that one just wouldn't work well for us (which they nicely changed for us) and I can't get seats together now either.

 

[NotUrsula]

Paying the seat fee is the only guarantee (short of lugging around a carseat) that the 4 year old won't be sitting alone. So just pay the money for the seat assignment and stop worrying about it.

Did you read the OP? She tried to pay for it, and discovered that there were no pairs left to buy online. Now she is trying to find out what other recourse she might have.

Just FTR, I routinely used my carseat when DS was 4, and I'll be using it when DD is 4, too. If they fit, they use it.

 

[everylastbreath]

Sometimes, I think I would be happy to pay extra to be seated AWAY from my kids...JK


Sorry...not helpful!

I was thinking the exact thing!! Can't even imagine someone not switching seats and actually WANTING to sit next to someone else's 4year old all the way to Orlando!!

 

[sillyjodes]

I nearly had to resort to #7 on one flight. I was traveling with my daughter when she was only 2 and the airline (Delta) said they couldn't find two seats together. The gate agent was not helpful and said that they didn't have to have us together. I could tell she was not willing to be helpful and prayed that the flight attendants would be. They were slightly more so. When a businessman found out he was assigned a seat next to little miss, he consented to trade with me, but not without a great deal of grumbling. I would have never let her sit alone on a flight and would have deplaned if he hadn't moved, because no one else would. It was crazy!

 

[RMulieri]

I nearly had to resort to #7 on one flight. I was traveling with my daughter when she was only 2 and the airline (Delta) said they couldn't find two seats together. The gate agent was not helpful and said that they didn't have to have us together. I could tell she was not willing to be helpful and prayed that the flight attendants would be. They were slightly more so. When a businessman found out he was assigned a seat next to little miss, he consented to trade with me, but not without a great deal of grumbling. I would have never let her sit alone on a flight and would have deplaned if he hadn't moved, because no one else would. It was crazy!

Isn't it? I always pay for our seats together, come to find out that even though you may pay extra to sit together, you may not be sitting together due to equipment changes etc. I was on a flight with a family in the same situation...paid for seats together.Well they had their 2 yr old and 4 yr old not even remotely near them.No one would switch.How could no one switch? Does a total stranger WANT to be next to a frightened 2 yr old?

 

[puffkin]

Isn't it? I always pay for our seats together, come to find out that even though you may pay extra to sit together, you may not be sitting together due to equipment changes etc. I was on a flight with a family in the same situation...paid for seats together.Well they had their 2 yr old and 4 yr old not even remotely near them.No one would switch.How could no one switch? Does a total stranger WANT to be next to a frightened 2 yr old?

We usually fly Southwest, so not an issue, but that is excactly why we DON'T pay for our seats....they switch your flight or equipment and you may not get seats together anyway AND they keep your money. And that happens all the time!

I really wish they would pass a passenger bill of rights and include this issue as one of them (ie guaranteeing one parent is able to sit with a child under 5 or something along those lines).

 

[RMulieri]

We usually fly Southwest, so not an issue, but that is excactly why we DON'T pay for our seats....they switch your flight or equipment and you may not get seats together anyway AND they keep your money. And that happens all the time!

I really wish they would pass a passenger bill of rights and include this issue as one of them (ie guaranteeing one parent is able to sit with a child under 5 or something along those lines).

I am in PA too.Where does SW fly out of around central PA ? I should look into them next time, but Harrisburg was so cheap on Airtran that I took it

 

[ZanyToes]

We've never had an issue with it thankfully.. and to be honest I had no idea it even existed!! I can not IMAGINE why #1- they won't set families together, and #2- why no one would switch with a parent so they could sit by their children! I would lose my money on the plane trip and a vacation before I would allow my 4 year old to sit next to a stranger for a 4 hour plane ride. Yikes! We've always had super nice people on our planes who were more than willing to trade with us if we needed it. (and we've even had flight attendants move everyone around so we could all sit together.. without us asking.. and no one seemed to mind)

 

[puffkin]

I am in PA too.Where does SW fly out of around central PA ? I should look into them next time, but Harrisburg was so cheap on Airtran that I took it

We usually fly out of Philly, but for December we got $49 fares each way out of BWI. It is about 30 more minutes drive time for us, but it was 1/2 the price as Philly and with 5 people the $600 was worth the extra 30 minutes! From central PA I would definitely do BWI!

 

[Drusilla]

Did you read the OP? She tried to pay for it, and discovered that there were no pairs left to buy online. Now she is trying to find out what other recourse she might have.

Just FTR, I routinely used my carseat when DS was 4, and I'll be using it when DD is 4, too. If they fit, they use it.

Did you read my very next post where I addressed this issue???? If you had taken the time to keep reading the whole thread, you would have seen that I suggested she call instead of look online b/c agents have access to seats that are blocked out online.

Another thing, why would Airtran accomodate people that choose not to pay for the fee. How would they make money if everyone knew that the gate agent will find seats together for them so why bother paying the fee? Totally defeats Airtran's purpose in charging a fee.

 

[Hannathy]

Another thing, why would Airtran accomodate people that choose not to pay for the fee. How would they make money if everyone knew that the gate agent will find seats together for them so why bother paying the fee? Totally defeats Airtran's purpose in charging a fee.

Very important point that keeps getting missed. If it is that important to you that you sit together then give yourself the best opportunity and pay for the seating. If there are no seats left that you can pay for then maybe you don't book that flight. That is called taking responsibility for yourself and not expecting the airline to fix something you could have prevented.

 

[NotUrsula]

Did you read my very next post where I addressed this issue???? If you had taken the time to keep reading the whole thread, you would have seen that I suggested she call instead of look online b/c agents have access to seats that are blocked out online.

Another thing, why would Airtran accomodate people that choose not to pay for the fee. How would they make money if everyone knew that the gate agent will find seats together for them so why bother paying the fee? Totally defeats Airtran's purpose in charging a fee.

Not before I posted it, because the posts crossed. You're correct -- sometimes. Agents MAY have access to blocked-out seats, but they may not be able to assign them to a given caller, a lot depends on the circumstances. I fully expected that the airline would have charged her for reserving that pair of seats for the carseat, but invoking the carseat rule can override some policies that can keep a blocked seat blocked (even via telephone) for a low-status passenger.

I never said that Airtran would accomodate people who choose not to pay the fee, or that they should. What I said was that they will free up a seat pair to accomodate a paid passenger child sitting in a carseat. They are required to do so by Federal safety regulations, which trump the bottom line in this case. They don't have to do it for free, but they do have to do it.

Naturally, it is the wisest course of action on Airtran to buy advance seat assignments even if you are using a carseat; it is always best not to leave this to chance unless the playing field is even. Not doing so is irritating and it causes delays, too.

 

[SnowandMittens]

I'm sure someone would be kind and move for you. They're not required to, but each time I've flown with my little sister (10) people have been gracious and moved for us.

Just remember that you're asking them a favor and be nice about it. Good luck.

 

[Keri]

Very important point that keeps getting missed. If it is that important to you that you sit together then give yourself the best opportunity and pay for the seating. If there are no seats left that you can pay for then maybe you don't book that flight. That is called taking responsibility for yourself and not expecting the airline to fix something you could have prevented.

wow. rude much? She's TRYING to prevent the problem, and is asking for help. She's not saying "there's no way in hell I'm paying to pick my seats" -- she was trying to figure out how to fix the issue ahead of time, not show up and DEMAND a change.

You know, I'm all for calling out entitlement when it's warranted, but I don't think this is one of those times. It would be a completely different story if she were just saying "screw it, I know they'll fix it later, I don't care about those people who paid." She is WILLING to pay to fix it, or whatever else she can do.

I also REALLY can't believe people are actually so inconsiderate as to refuse to switch seats to help a family with kids separated from parents. That just boggles my mind. Who would want to sit next to a scared, crying 4 year old rather than simply sitting in a different seat? Unreal. Really makes me sad about how self centered people are these days. Even if the parent *did* make a crappy choice (not that the OP has or will), can't people see past that & just help the innocent KID in the situation?

seriously, unreal.

 

[SnowandMittens]

I also REALLY can't believe people are actually so inconsiderate as to refuse to switch seats to help a family with kids separated from parents. That just boggles my mind. Who would want to sit next to a scared, crying 4 year old rather than simply sitting in a different seat? Unreal. Really makes me sad about how self centered people are these days. Even if the parent *did* make a crappy choice (not that the OP has or will), can't people see past that & just help the innocent KID in the situation?

seriously, unreal.

People can refuse to switch seats and it's their right to do so. Of course, they can do it without being rude.

The OP IS asking for advice... and we can hope that there is another compassionate person on board who doesn't mind switching, but they're certainly not obligated to and doesn't necessarily make them self centered.

 

[Keri]

People can refuse to switch seats and it's their right to do so. Of course, they can do it without being rude.

The OP IS asking for advice... and we can hope that there is another compassionate person on board who doesn't mind switching, but they're certainly not obligated to and doesn't necessarily make them self centered.

Sure it's their RIGHT. But the rest ... well, you're entitled to your opinion. I think it's incredibly self-centered and inconsiderate & host of other words I won't use here to feel like your seat on an airplane is more important than the security and well-being of a young child. Pretty much regardless of the circumstances. I hate to fly, and because of that I hate getting separated from my DH on a plane. But I'd give up our seats together in a heartbeat in a situation like this. Without hesitation. I can't even imagine putting my own wants first in a case like that. (I'm not talking about separating from their own child, or some kind of disability that makes that seat location better or whatever -- I'm talking about your average Jane/Joe Smith sitting in a seat on an airplane.)

and yes, I realize it's POSSIBLE. But it saddens me to think of regardless.