What were they thinking?

[snowy76]

IMO the difference between leaving a child alone with new people at school and sitting alone on a plane is that there aren't a bunch of strangers wandering around the school to interact with him. The adults at the school are hired specifically to look out for the children. It's their job to make the kids feel welcome and secure. So yeah, my child SHOULD be able to handle going to school on his first day -- but if he's not, I know the adults I left him with will take care of him.

But that's not the job of Joe Schmo sitting next to a child who was separated from their parent on a plane. Even if that person IS trustworthy, why should they have to feel compelled to look out for someone else's child? That's not fair to those passengers.

Disney always asks for children's ages whem you book ressies for various reasons. Wonder if the airlines could develop a way to use similar info to avoid this scenario?? For example, when you book the tickets, the agent or website would automatically ask if any passengers are minors. Then the passengers could be linked in the system a way that they won't be assigned seats away from one another even if there are flight changes. Or at least, there would always be one adult from the party with one or more of the minors... so maybe DH and one child are together, while DW and the other kids are somewhere else on the plane, but also together.

 

[MushyMushy]

But that's not the job of Joe Schmo sitting next to a child who was separated from their parent on a plane. Even if that person IS trustworthy, why should they have to feel compelled to look out for someone else's child? That's not fair to those passengers.

There's a simple solution to that. The person not wanting to look out for someone else's child could switch seats with the parent.

When we flew SWA from PIT to MCO, they went over this in the safety procedures and a flight attendant actually made it clear to the adults sitting next to children that it would be their responsibility to help kids with oxygen masks if need be. The flight attendant nearest us made sure to pointedly ask the man sitting next to my DD, and he was perfectly fine with it.

They didn't do it like that from MCO for some reason.

 

[Lewisc]

Most airplanes have 3 seats an aisle then 3 seats. It's inevitable that some families may be split up. Guests who book late with legacy airlines, or have flight changes are at risk and guests who arrive at the airport late or get late BPs are at risk with SW.

From some of the posts on this board you'd think 6 and 7 year olds are routinely split from their parents on SW. I've never seen that. Worse case scenario they'll be in middle seats across the aisle or in the next row. People will routinely change seats to help out. Don't every passenger will be willing to switch from an aisle to a middle seat but most will switch from one middle seat to another. Most of us will help with a family who's child just misses being young enough to qualify for pre-boarding. Some people will say no for a valid reason but the next person will be glad to help.

A poster, NOT IN THIS THREAD, was complaining when no one would change seats so she (a single mom) could sit next to her 16 year old son. By the time kids are old enough to ride a school bus they're old enough to sit near, but not next to, their parents IF the parents don't take the necessary steps. This is MORE OF A PROBLEM with flight changes causes cancellation of seat assignments then with SW wherre getting an A BP solves the problem.

After reading some of these doom and gloom stories you'd think there is a system to intentionally break up parents and scatter them throughout the plane.

edited to say I just read the posts above this point. I have no interest in entertaining or babysitting just because your child is next to me BUT of course I'd help them put on an oxygen mask.

 

[snowy76]

A poster, NOT IN THIS THREAD, was complaining when no one would change seats so she (a single mom) could sit next to her 16 year old son.

Hopefully most of us aren't talking about 16 year olds...! Heck, if your kid is old enough to DRIVE, then they should be old enough to sit in a plane alone.

I also don't think there is any sort of epidemic about this sort of thing. I mean, before I started coming to the DIS I never even considered that a parent and smaller child might not be allowed to sit together. I've just never experienced that, myself. With my earlier post I was just thinking out loud -- it just seems like it would be rather easy for a computer to prevent that sort of situation.

 

[Pinnie]

There's a simple solution to that. The person not wanting to look out for someone else's child could switch seats with the parent.

Let me throw a curve into that scenario. Tomorrow I am flying on NWA to Atlanta. I CHOSE to pay a premium $ for an aisle seat. NWA now charges extra if you want certain aisle seats. Now what? Do I ask that parent to cough up the extra cash so he/she can sit in my seat????

pinnie

 

[MushyMushy]

Let me throw a curve into that scenario. Tomorrow I am flying on NWA to Atlanta. I CHOSE to pay a premium $ for an aisle seat. NWA now charges extra if you want certain aisle seats. Now what? Do I ask that parent to cough up the extra cash so he/she can sit in my seat????

pinnie

I was referring to SWA, but in your scenario, then yes, why not? I don't see anything wrong with pointing out to the parent that you paid extra for that seat, and that maybe the parent OR the airline could compensate you for moving.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney always asks for children's ages whem you book ressies for various reasons. Wonder if the airlines could develop a way to use similar info to avoid this scenario?? For example, when you book the tickets, the agent or website would automatically ask if any passengers are minors.

Define "minor", please. Legally, it's any person under sixteen or eighteen depending on the state. There's no reason a fourteen year old first-time flyer HAS to be seated with mom and dad.

There's a simple solution to that. The person not wanting to look out for someone else's child could switch seats with the parent.

Nope. Neither is my responsibility. I need an aisle seat on the left (when you're facing front) side of the plane, or an empty seat to my right - which costs twice as much. Unless I can get another aisle seat on that side, I will NOT change seats with anyone.

After reading some of these doom and gloom stories you'd think there is a system to intentionally break up parents and scatter them throughout the plane.

Oh. You mean there isn't?