When flying can they make you switch your seats even though you pre-select?

[allysetraskos]

So for our last trip I paid extra to make sure all of us pre-selected our seats and could sit together, it was a decent chunk of change. However I noticed when we boarded the flight there was a family who did not pre-pay to select their seats, they even asked my husband if he would switch (his answer was no because we were traveling with an toddler and it was too much to pass him back and forth.) The flight attendants ended up switching another man’s seat who was traveling with his wife, he was very mad about it and made a huge scene.
My question is: Could they have MADE my husband switch even though we pre-selected our seats?

 

[seashoreCM]

Regrettably yes. But the airline invites written complaints after the flight is over if it does not act reasonably.

The airline should refund any and all extra fees paid for any service or amenity that was not rendered or delivered. This can wait until after you get home although you can ask after the seat belt sign goes off in flight.

I would not recommend summoning a complaint resolution officer (must be before departure) except if someone else is occupying part of your seat (including the seat they want to move you to) in which case you must be willing to accept any other vacant seat.

 

[smiths02]

Yes, especially if there was a safety issue. For instance, someone was put next to an emergency exit who cannot sit there.

But why wouldn't they be allowed to do that? Especially if they refund your money for the service? (if they credited your pre-select money back)

 

[goofy4tink]

Sometimes. But, it would be for a very specific reason. Sure, they may ask for people to switch seats to allow a family to be seated together. But no one is obligated to do so!
Be careful though...sometimes an airline will make a change in equipment...and the plane you actually fly on could have different seating, so you could arrive to board and find your seats are different than what you booked. This is why it's always a good idea to check on your flights as you get closer to departure.
A year ago, my friend and I flew Alaska Airlines from Boston to LAX. It was booked through Alaska but operated by AA. We chose very specific seats....there are four rows of seats, two on each side, that have the middle seat removed. They put a tray across that middle seat. They did that in order to keep the number of flight attendants down! We paid an addtl $40, each to get those seats. They are very close to the wing, behind it. Well, about a week prior to our flight, they changed the plane, and this one didn't have that seat configuration!! When we called the airline to ask for a refund, or something to make up for that expenditure, they told us that the seats were still considered 'preferred' because they were in the front half of the plane!!! I won't be flying AA any time soon! I was very put off by that. And we had a stranger between us because there were no other seats available...we would have booked aisle and aisle if we had known.
So, yes, airlines can, and do, make seat changes.

 

[NotUrsula]

There is only one situation where FA's are specifically authorized to force passengers to move to accommodate an adult sitting with a child: when the child is in a carseat. FAA rules state that a child in a carseat must have someone over age 14 in the same party seated next to the child, who will be responsible for getting the child out of the seat in the event of an emergency evacuation. The FAA also has rules about the placement of carseats; there are certain rows where they cannot be placed, and if they end up there, someone is going to have to switch rows to get the seat a
"legal berth" before the aircraft can depart.

Now, that said, if the airline's policy is that they don't want young children seated alone because of the possibility of causing problems for other passengers or the FAs, then FAs can (and usually will) throw their weight around and insist. They can do this because of an AMAZINGLY vague Federal statute, 49 USC 46398, which sets out very stiff penalties for "interference with cabin or flight crew". Essentially, if you refuse to do anything that an FA asks you to do, the FA can claim that you are interfering, and have you escorted from the aircraft. Very few passengers are willing to give up the flight when the choice comes down to "either switch seats or get off the plane."

 

[jsilvers]

TFAA rules state that a child in a carseat must have someone over age 14 in the same party seated next to the child, who will be responsible for getting the child out of the seat in the event of an emergency evacuation.

Could you identify that rule? Section 121.311 of the FAA's regulations refers to a "parent, guardian, or attendant designated by the child's parent or guardian to attend to the safety of the child during the flight" but doesn't set an age threshold.

Now, that said, if the airline's policy is that they don't want young children seated alone because of the possibility of causing problems for other passengers or the FAs, then FAs can (and usually will) throw their weight around and insist. They can do this because of an AMAZINGLY vague Federal statute, 49 USC 46398, which sets out very stiff penalties for "interference with cabin or flight crew".

I think you mean section 46318?

 

[MillauFr]

I wonder how the airlines are handling the families who have very little kids who book basic economy fares. Seems like those tickets end up getting the middle seats. Even if the airline is perfectly clear when they sell you a ticket I'm sure they have parents complaining they are separated from their children.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I wonder how the airlines are handling the families who have very little kids who book basic economy fares. Seems like those tickets end up getting the middle seats. Even if the airline is perfectly clear when they sell you a ticket I'm sure they have parents complaining they are separated from their children.

I think, based on what I have seen, is that the airline will do everything they can to seat the child with one parent in a good situation. Sometimes people will offer up their seat to the other parent, because I don't know about you, I don't really want to get up every thirty minutes so the parents can switch the kid back and forth. That was the situation on my last flight. It wasn't me but the guy ahead of me. He had an aisle seat, the mother and child had the middle seat/window seat- and he eventually offered his seat to the father who was a few rows back probably to get some sleep. I would have done the same. You are never gauranteed to have seats altogether, and those are almost always the complaints I see online. Parties are split but not entirely separated. Teens not being able to sit next to their parents. Which would have thrilled me as a teen and unless there was a creeper situation involved that the attendants didn't respond to, wouldn't bother me as a parent. It's public transit and you all get to the same place at the same time.

Then some airlines let people with young kids to early board.

And finally, sometimes it just isn't a big deal for people. A grandmother and kid got two middle seats. The kid was in my row, next to me, probably 7/8 years old. Super polite, had an Ipad, and didn't need anything from her guardian across the way for the whole flight.

 

[goofy4tink]

I wonder how the airlines are handling the families who have very little kids who book basic economy fares. Seems like those tickets end up getting the middle seats. Even if the airline is perfectly clear when they sell you a ticket I'm sure they have parents complaining they are separated from their children.

I really hate to sound like this, but not my problem! I paid a higher rate so as to choose my seat. They didn't. They made a choice, and no amount of begging from them, or a FA, is going to get me to change my seat to one I don't want. I've seen too many cases of whiny parents begging to be able to sit with their kids...but they didn't want to spend the money to make that happen. You get what you pay for!
Most FAs will offer you free drinks if you agree to change your seat. There was one SW flight I was on that was full...and they needed 2 seats together. No one offered to make changes to make that happen. Finally, the FA announced that the plane was going to sit there, until someone gave up seats! My issue? I watched as that mother and child walked all over the gate area, as we boarded. I have no idea where she was 'supposed' to board, but she was the last one on. Perhaps she thought it was better to let her young child (probably around 5 or so) walk around until the last minute...I don't know. But, everyone was boarded, almost ready to close the door and on she came, expecting people to move around to allow her to sit with her child!! Two people finally agreed to be split up, but that was after the FA offered free drinks for the flight as well as drink vouchers for the future!!

 

[MillauFr]

Agreed. The airlines could fix this problem thought by getting rid of the basic economy fare. Or they could refuse to sell a basic economy seat when there are young children on the reservation.

 

[Fire14]

It has been years since this happened to me but I booked seats next to each other on a flight. D/t who knows what they separated myself, hubs and my niece. they had myself in hubs in row 4 and niece at tender age of 4 in back of plane. I tried everything in my power to change it so that at least one of us was sitting with her but no go. So come flight day, I parked her butt in hubs seat and made him sit in her seat. I wasn't about to risk safety of everyone letting a 4 yo be unattended. And yes airline knew she was 4 and common sense should have seen she was part of our party since it was all booked on one res.

 

[seashoreCM]

With yourself and hubs in row 4 ... problem already solved and you put the last no-brainer piece into the puzzle by parking DN's butt in hub's seat dada dada.

Now a more complicated puzzle might consist of the proverbial parents who booked basic economy despite having small children. One solution might be to post "booking requirements" (not just descriptions) for various classes and surcharge the passenger who overlooks the requirements and needs an upgrade to or accommodation for something else.

I really don't want to get up every 30 minutes...

OT: Flatulence tends to be exacerbated in the reduced pressure of an airline cabin in flight so if you get annoyed by this, consider that the culprit might rather not make his seatmates get up so many times for bathroom breaks.

 

[Westcoastwild]

With yourself and hubs in row 4 ... problem already solved and you put the last no-brainer piece into the puzzle by parking DN's butt in hub's seat dada dada.

Now a more complicated puzzle might consist of the proverbial parents who booked basic economy and quietly (read: your choice of "Yay, no whining " or "without warning") put DS2's car seat and then his butt in one seat and then went off to put their own butts in the other assigned seats leaving others to take the initiative to proactively kibitz the flight crew that something was wrong. (No, I am not that proverbial parent; I do not have children.)

One solution might be to post "booking requirements" (not just descriptions) for various classes and surcharge the passenger who overlooks the requirements and needs an upgrade to or accommodation for something else.


OT: Flatulence tends to be exacerbated in the reduced pressure of an airline cabin in flight so if you get annoyed by this, consider that the culprit might rather not make his seatmates get up so many times for bathroom breaks.

Yeah, but that's different. I think any adult would see that. If there's a genuine need to use the restroom, then no problem. You can't solve it and I don't mind getting up to let you by. Giving up my seat so a toddler isn't passed over my lap every 30 minutes does solve the disruption issue easily. And it doesn't inconvenience me that much. Maddening if the parents put themselves in that position. But sometimes it's honestly the airline's fault and I don't get the idea of the seat as your personal property. If you paid extra for a window seat or whatever, you should get that or your money back. But I feel like some people just have totally impractical expectations when it comes to flying. It's public transit. They'll get you there, hopefully on time, but you've got to be willing to go with the flow. like the OP's question...it's all in the terms and conditions. If they want to pay the 90 dollars to put the seat under one of their names, it won't get sold. Otherwise it will. It would happen on a bus or train as well. No shows are nonrefundable and can be filled in just about any example I think of, even tours. Or hotels. You can think that it's unfair of a hotel to keep your deposit and still sell your room to a last minute walk in...but you aren't occupying the room, so don't have a say there.

 

[SirDuff]

Agreed. The airlines could fix this problem thought by getting rid of the basic economy fare. Or they could refuse to sell a basic economy seat when there are young children on the reservation.

Or people could fix the problem by not buying an airfare with restrictions that don't work for them. Why should people for whom it works suffer because others cannot take personal responsibility?

 

[Westcoastwild]

Or people could fix the problem by not buying an airfare with restrictions that don't work for them. Why should people for whom it works suffer because others cannot take personal responsibility?

Yes. I like basic economy for some trips. I don't want to pay more if it includes extras I wouldn't use. People who want to sit together should pay extra. I honestly don't understand people who travel with toddlers and don't pay the extra fee to sit together. That is a "necessity" not "optional" in my book.

 

[anonymousegirl]

This is why I love Southwest. No pre-assigned seating. You get on, park yourself, and that seat is pretty much yours. Of course, FA may ask you to change to accommodate a late C boarding family, but somehow, in all my years flying Southwest, I have managed to avoid being asked.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Yes. I like basic economy for some trips. I don't want to pay more if it includes extras I wouldn't use. People who want to sit together should pay extra. I honestly don't understand people who travel with toddlers and don't pay the extra fee to sit together. That is a "necessity" not "optional" in my book.

But, because it is a "necessity" for a toddler to sit with a caretaker, people (rightly or wrongly) don't feel they should pay extra for a "necessity." In their minds (again, rightly or wrongly) the paying extra is for the privilege of picking specific seats. If they don't care where they sit, then they believe they shouldn't have to pay extra for the privilege of picking specific seats in order to receive the "necessity" of sitting with the toddler.

Many people also under the incorrect impression that airlines are obligated to have young children sit with their caregiver. If you believed this to be the case, would you pay extra to select seats in advance (assuming you don't care where you sit)?

 

[Westcoastwild]

But, because it is a "necessity" for a toddler to sit with a caretaker, people (rightly or wrongly) don't feel they should pay extra for a "necessity." In their minds (again, rightly or wrongly) the paying extra is for the privilege of picking specific seats. If they don't care where they sit, then they believe they shouldn't have to pay extra for the privilege of picking specific seats in order to receive the "necessity" of sitting with the toddler.

Many people also under the incorrect impression that airlines are obligated to have young children sit with their caregiver. If you believed this to be the case, would you pay extra to select seats in advance (assuming you don't care where you sit)?

I don't believe there is anyone who really thinks that if they don't pay for reserved seats, they are guaranteed to sit with the rest of their party. That would be like arguing in the single rider line that you thought that your whole family counted as 1 single rider.

I guess what it comes down to is: planes are the only place these people assume they will just magically get to sit with their kids. You'd reserve seats at a play or show up early. You'd try to seat everyone together on a bus. You (hopefully) wouldn't expect a stranger to give up their seat so your party would sit together. So why would you not reserve seats on a plane? There are exceptions like southwestern and incidents when the airline changes planes or whatever. But most flights, I think it's fair to assume that keeping your kids quiet and entertained- and to do that you need to be sitting near them- is your responsibility. It isn't just toddlers that need attention. If it was, middle schools would not need seating charts lol.

 

[pooh2001]

Jet blue
DS age 15 and DH seats were moved
But DS got to sit next to an Orlando baseball player
DS loved the conversation and talked baseball all the way to MCO

DH was bored on the plane down to WDW

DD & DW did sit together

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So for our last trip I paid extra to make sure all of us pre-selected our seats and could sit together, it was a decent chunk of change. However I noticed when we boarded the flight there was a family who did not pre-pay to select their seats, they even asked my husband if he would switch (his answer was no because we were traveling with an toddler and it was too much to pass him back and forth.) The flight attendants ended up switching another man’s seat who was traveling with his wife, he was very mad about it and made a huge scene.
My question is: Could they have MADE my husband switch even though we pre-selected our seats?

on one of our flights, we had made seat choices based on one plane when we got on plane was a different type of plane. we were seated in emergency exit row with 2 kids under 12 and I am not able to help either so they had to move our whole row. people complained but they did find a row when it was announced we would not be leaving until a row was found. so yes even with planning you can have problems