Unfriendly Skies for Family

[pamjb]

This appeared in my local paper this morning

http://www.mcall.com/news/all-a7_5dog1105.7073665nov05,0,4906854.column?page=1

 

[Jestocost]

Just goes to show that getting split up is a risk even for airlines with so-called assigned seats, as some of us have tried to point out in the past.

 

[safetymom]

It also looks like the family didn't catch the equipment change.

 

[pamjb]

That's what I am guessing as well, but I am wondering how many "normal" travelers do check for equipment changes? I have a lot of friends who just book their vacation flights and then don't worry about it till check-in. Me, I check my flights almost daily, mainly because I fly SW and look for fare changes.

 

[goofy4tink]

Equipment changes...about the only way you will know, if the airline doesn't tell you, is to continually check your flights. But, that's kind of a pain to do.
The thing that bothers me the most is the lack of concern on the airline employees' part. They evidently showed no concern for those kids. I'm sure there had to have been a few people that might have been willing to change their seats in order to have those kids seated with a parent. And to have to sit with a 2 y/o on your lap, after paying for a seat, is just intolerable.
United needs to look into how their gate people are trained and what they are doing...or, in this case, not doing.

 

[ogreenlee]

We didn't have seats together (DH, DD6, me) going or coming from Denver on Delta this past February. The flight was sold out both ways.

Delta made it so that all three of us flew together going and coming. I was impressed. I was so worried about it, and figured they'd manage one of us sitting with my DD, but not the whole family. Granted, we're Delta Platinum Amex people and fly them a lot, but I think it's nice that they made sure we could fly together.


I would have raised a holy stink if my DD had to fly with strangers. I would have gotten off the plane if there was no getting around it.

 

[tjmw2727]

Unfortunately I am not surprised, when my dd's were younger this happened quite a few times on Delta and AA although we always manged to get at least one adult with the youngest child.

This is why I actually prefered SWA when the kids were toddler/preschool age!!

I am pretty sure that FAA regs were broken when the 2yo was forced to lap sit as well. The least the airline could do was refund the seat the 2yo wasn't provided!

 

[Hannathy]

Oh give me a break. She was 6 not 1. If I got a refund every time one of my kids had to sit apart from me, I'd be at Disney a heck of a lot more times! Do these people and this lazy journalist think this is the first time this has happened?

If they get a refund then United is going to go broke giving refunds for this sillt reason, where do I get in line for mine?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

This isn't news. Happens all the time.

 

[Tozzie]

There is something that is unclear and I will reserve judgement on this as a newspapers account is biased based on one persons version, and I wonder if there no seat for the 2 year old or was the seat that was available unacceptable to the parents.

 

[pamjb]

My point in posting the article was to point out that you don't necessarily get the seat you are assigned, even on a legacy carrier. It wasn't about the family getting a refund.

 

[crashbb]

Oh give me a break. She was 6 not 1. If I got a refund every time one of my kids had to sit apart from me, I'd be at Disney a heck of a lot more times! Do these people and this lazy journalist think this is the first time this has happened?

If they get a refund then United is going to go broke giving refunds for this sillt reason, where do I get in line for mine?

The refund was for the 2 year old who didn't get a seat (illegally sat on mom's lap). The story says that there "no open seats". Assuming (yes I know) that that actually means no open seats (as opposed to no open seats that the family liked), then they do deserve a refund. They paid for a seat (for the 2 year old) and didn't get one.

I rarely jump on the "the airline owes me" bandwagons, but I do think that this refund was justified.

 

[RMulieri]

Sorry.. I pay extra to sit with my child. If I get split up,YES I am going to make a deal about it.I don't care if the whole family is separated as long as me or DH is with my daughter she is only 5 and it is not like the airlines screen who the heck she is going to sit next to.Where is the incentive anymore to book early and pay for seats? As for paying for a seat and being told there isn't one, I would also expect a refund

 

[tjmw2727]

Oh give me a break. She was 6 not 1. If I got a refund every time one of my kids had to sit apart from me, I'd be at Disney a heck of a lot more times! Do these people and this lazy journalist think this is the first time this has happened?

If they get a refund then United is going to go broke giving refunds for this sillt reason, where do I get in line for mine?

I agree about the 6yo, I was referring to the 2yo. They paid for a seat and were forced (accd to the article) to lap sit the 2yo.

If that was the case then IMHO they paid for a seat for the 2yo and did not receive one.

 

[DebbieB]

It sounds like a small plane. The issue about not hearing the announcement happened to me at Dulles in March. I was in first class, which was 2 rows, I was in row 1 so no seat in front of me. I was carrying a small carryon that had my breakable souveniers from India. I didn't hear the announcement and got on late. I had to put my bag half way back in the plane and hoped no one would try to move it and break stuff. It was a CRJ so the overhead was tiny. The commuter terminal at Dulles is terrible, very crowded.

 

[dis-happy]

I'm shocked that a 2 year old was allowed to be a lap child. Doesn't that break FAA rules?

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm shocked that a 2 year old was allowed to be a lap child. Doesn't that break FAA rules?

Sure does, and the fine is a hefty one. The airline is going to get busted for that if indeed they forced it to happen.

 

[tjmw2727]

I'm shocked that a 2 year old was allowed to be a lap child. Doesn't that break FAA rules?

I mentioned that earlier and yes, I am quite sure that all ticketed passengers need to be in a seat and buckled for take off and landing. The fine is going to be much more than the cost of refunding the families ticket.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh give me a break. She was 6 not 1. If I got a refund every time one of my kids had to sit apart from me, I'd be at Disney a heck of a lot more times! Do these people and this lazy journalist think this is the first time this has happened?

I'm thinking the same thing. There is SO much in that article with which I have issues. Most airlines accept UNaccompanied minors by age six. They don't do background checks on the seat companions of unaccompanied minors (yes, I'm sure - while I'm entirely safe, nobody on Southwest asked me anything except, "is it okay if this child sits with you?"). Why the H would they???? The parents were ON the plane, and especially since the six year old's seat companions offered to take care of her - in an emergency they would have, and if she'd gotten sick they KNEW where to find the parents.

There is something that is unclear and I will reserve judgement on this as a newspapers account is biased based on one persons version, and I wonder if there no seat for the 2 year old or was the seat that was available unacceptable to the parents.

Excellent observation. I'd lean toward the latter, since if there'd been NO seat available United would have had to deny boarding to a passenger. After all, there are no accommodations for standees on a plane

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Sounds like the family showed up late to the gate which added to their difficulties. I can't imagine they would be the last 3 onboard if they were ready to board regardless of any announcements. I am not sure why the father would complain about allowing someone else to sit in his own seat on the outbound portion of the trip, either. There are a few things that just don't add up in this man's story.