Why do familys have to sit together

[keishashadow]

Exactly! Duh! Seriously...why on earth would someone want to sit next to their family?!? Ugh! OP and a million others like him make me shake my head sometimes! That being said I think families who want to sit together should make every precaution they can to get seats together before asking someone to move. If you are asked though, consider it an act of kindness.

the issue I've observed is (as the OP started thread with 13 family member scenario) arriving rather last minute at the gate and demanding that people be moved to accommodate them so that they may all sit together.

imo a large family group doesn't trump the 'love factor' of a smaller one or a couple who have made it a priority to secure contiguous seats. I've watched gate attendants call up passengers and ask them to swap seats to arrange it so that groups of two or three can sit together and it doesn't appear acceptable to the group. Large groups need to have realistic expectations.

Additionally, many 'big' kids get nervous or need assistance as to unseen disability factors and shouldn't be made out to be villians because they refuse to give up their seat assignments.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

the issue I've observed is (as the OP started thread with 13 family member scenario) arriving rather last minute at the gate and demanding that people be moved to accommodate them so that they may all sit together. imo a large family group doesn't trump the 'love factor' of a smaller one or a couple who have made it a priority to secure contiguous seats. I've watched gate attendants call up passengers and ask them to swap seats to arrange it so that groups of two or three can sit together and it doesn't appear acceptable to the group. Large groups need to have realistic expectations. Additionally, many 'big' kids get nervous or need assistance as to unseen disability factors and shouldn't be made out to be villians because they refuse to give up their seat assignments.

Thank you

 

[smitch425]

the issue I've observed is (as the OP started thread with 13 family member scenario) arriving rather last minute at the gate and demanding that people be moved to accommodate them so that they may all sit together.

imo a large family group doesn't trump the 'love factor' of a smaller one or a couple who have made it a priority to secure contiguous seats. I've watched gate attendants call up passengers and ask them to swap seats to arrange it so that groups of two or three can sit together and it doesn't appear acceptable to the group. Large groups need to have realistic expectations.

Additionally, many 'big' kids get nervous or need assistance as to unseen disability factors and shouldn't be made out to be villians because they refuse to give up their seat assignments.

I agree with everything you said, except the OP didn't say 13 people, she said a normal 13 year old should be able to sit without a parent.

 

[n2mm]

I love my kids and grandkids, but we certainly don't have to sit together. We are only on the plane for 2 hours. We do like to make sure at least 2 are sitting together. We just flew home on Saturday and we were in rows 12, 13, and 20. All groups of 2. Of course the grandkids are only 6 and 8 so each sat with 1 parent. We actually chose our seats (Jetblue) and was not forced to do this. It works better and we find it relaxing, but we do split the snacks before boarding.

 

[keishashadow]

I agree with everything you said, except the OP didn't say 13 people, she said a normal 13 year old should be able to sit without a parent.

'doh - my bad

let's lump the normal 13 year old into a big group

 

[smitch425]

'doh - my bad

let's lump the normal 13 year old into a big group

 

[aubriee]

We are three adults, so most people might say we don't have to sit together, but:

#1. We like to and are willing to pay more to fly on an airline where we can purchase the seats we like (a window seat for my husband, an aisle seat for me, and an aisle seat right across the aisle for my elderly mom). I'm claustrophobic and don't like to fly anyway, but if I do, then I want that aisle seat as close as I can get to the front of the plane and I want my family close to distract me. I can't handle sitting in the back and looking up that long skinny tube.

#2. I hate to use the word brittle diabetic, since that term is not really in vogue anymore, but that is still what my mom is. Her blood sugar frequently drops for absolutely no reason and she does not always realize when it's dropping. My first clue, is when she starts repeating, "I'm OK, I'm Ok, I'm OK" over and over or she starts to get confused. If it's too low she will not be alert enough to check her own blood sugar and will need me to do so and get some food down her quick. Even eating a good meal before the flight may not be enough to keep her blood sugar up, as I have seen her eat a full meal and it will still drop less than an hour later for no reason. Her endecrinologist says she is one of the few that will probably never be stable.

#3. My husband has really bad sleep apnea. If he gets still, he will go to sleep almost immediately. When he goes to sleep, he snores so loud you can hear him over the drum of the jet's engines. Yeah, he's that loud! Plus he also talks alot in his sleep. I sit next to him, so I can elbow him awake. Believe me, no one would want to sit next to him and I'd hate to subject someone else to his noise making.

 

[seashoreCM]

We are (snip) #1. We like to and are willing (snip) #2. I hate to use the (snip) #3. My husband has really bad (snip) :

#2. You can get up to tend to your mother (or for eavesdroppers with kids, to tend to your kids). It is possible that the person on the aisle may feel inconvenienced by your reaching over and may offer to trade seats with you.

#3. Your husband can offer to trade places as needed after the seat belt sign goes off after takeoff. If the person(s) next to him refuse, then they had their choice to escape the noise come and go. (Actually they can take DH up on the offer at any time.)

#1. If you sit in a middle seat between DH and Mom (instead of having Mom across the aisle) then you can (a) both readly elbow DH awake and tend to Mom, and (b) have the view of the long skinny tube more hidden from view.

 

[LSchrow]

When DH and I flew in September from MCO to Detroit, there was a man sitting in the row in front of us, using many horrible racial slurs, and se* talk. I mean crude and awful. Our mouths literally dropped, as did all the passengers we could see as they were turning back and looking our way. This went on for several minutes until the college kid next to him started talking to him and changing the subject, often. When it would go quiet the "man" would start up again, the college student would then start talking to change the subject. I mean we are up how many thousand feet in the air, its not a place you want to start trouble if you know what I mean.

So, you ask why do I HAVE to sit by my daughter who is 13. That is why. Trust me, if there had been any children on that flight, and there was not, we would have done something immediately. But we chose to remain silent as every other passenger in ear shot, as the college student seemed to be able to deter him to other conversation.

Now, what if my daughter is sitting next to someone like that, and no one is handling the situation. ...

from your description, the man may have had tourette syndrome (which stress, such as flying, exacerbates).
the inappropriate shouting (racial slurs, etc), and distraction working as a calming influence indicates that the man very possibly wasn't intentionally being "crude and awful", but had an illness (a perfect time to teach children empathy, imho ).
sadly, the uncontrollable cursing, slurs, tics, etc of TS can be scary to uninformed strangers - and their judgments heartbreaking to the person & their families.
thankfully, we have no one in our family with the illness, but learned a lot about it when my daughter (about 7yo at the time) befriended a boy with TS and a fantastic, compassionate, personality - shown to people who could get past his illness.

 

[kandb]

PP, very good thinking on your part. It's possible that the stewardess/stewards knew beforehand about the situation, that is why they did not intervene. How nice of your dd and yourself to be friends with someone with that disability, it says a lot about your character.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

PP, very good thinking on your part. It's possible that the stewardess/stewards knew beforehand about the situation, that is why they did not intervene. How nice of your dd and yourself to be friends with someone with that disability, it says a lot about your character.

They are called flight attendants.

If someone is behaving as the man a PP described, the reason is not relevant. The flight attendants should intervene, and if necessary, the passenger should be removed from the flight.

 

[rszdtrvl]

We sit together for all of the above reasons.

We are a family of 3, and with a normal 3 aisle 3 seating, we take up one row of 3.

I like an aisle, DS and DH like a window (which normally ends up with me in the middle, but that is cool - see below).

We love each other, share snacks, DH and I hold hands during takeoff, and we all chat during the flight.

DS (soon to be 17) and I went from WA to DC last year, and he didn't sit by me, he sat with a bunch of friends (it was a school trip). I had no problem with that.

But during family vacations, we sit as a family. I already have EBCI taken care of for our upcoming vacation to lessen the chances of us being separated on the plane.

 

[luvmy3]

Well to be honest, I like my family sitting together because I want to be near them all in the event of an emergency. Paying extra if I have too is worth that for me.

 

[LSchrow]

If someone is behaving as the man a PP described, the reason is not relevant. The flight attendants should intervene, and if necessary, the passenger should be removed from the flight.

the passenger did not pose a threat, but simply made some passengers uncomfortable.
http://www.tsa-usa.org/aPeople/LivingWithTS/Air_Travel.htm
"ACAA (Air Carrier Access Act) applies to people with TS specifically, regardless of the nature or severity of their tics, including major body movements and coprolalia. Your tics may be annoying or even offensive to someone on the flight, but unless they are actually dangerous, you are covered".
"There is only one reason you can legally be refused service by an airline in the US because of your disability. If you behave in a way that actually harms, or threatens to harm, others on the plane you can be refused boarding or removed from the flight. This rule applies to anyone who flies, of course, not just people with TS".

bottom line: it is a lot easier to show compassion and patience than to have to deal with a disability every second, minute, hour, day, year of one's life.

 

[goofy4tink]

#2. You can get up to tend to your mother (or for eavesdroppers with kids, to tend to your kids). It is possible that the person on the aisle may feel inconvenienced by your reaching over and may offer to trade seats with you.

#3. Your husband can offer to trade places as needed after the seat belt sign goes off after takeoff. If the person(s) next to him refuse, then they had their choice to escape the noise come and go. (Actually they can take DH up on the offer at any time.)

#1. If you sit in a middle seat between DH and Mom (instead of having Mom across the aisle) then you can (a) both readly elbow DH awake and tend to Mom, and (b) have the view of the long skinny tube more hidden from view.

A few thoughts. The poster did say that they flew on airlines that allowed them to pay more for specific seats. So, they really don't need to worry about changing seats to accommodate someone else. She said that she needs or sit in an aisle seat. Her needs are just as important as someone else's need.

 

[MacDalt]

We sit together because it's our vacation, we like each other, and we're a family.

Yep!

 

[Sheilby]

We sit together because it's our vacation, we like each other, and we're a family.

That pretty much sums it up.

Exactly! Duh! Seriously...why on earth would someone want to sit next to their family?!? Ugh! OP and a million others like him make me shake my head sometimes! That being said I think families who want to sit together should make every precaution they can to get seats together before asking someone to move. If you are asked though, consider it an act of kindness.

I will not book a flight with my family unless I can choose our seats in advance. I have no desire to race people on to the plane in order to get a good spot all together, it's not fantasmic afterall

If it is important for someone to sit next to a particular person, then they need to either spring for a ticket on an airline with assigned seating or pay for priority boarding.

Not just because we are family and like one another, but also.....
The airplane seats are small, and crowded. When DH, DD and I are together, we can "share" one another's personal space and can often stretch out / lean on each other, etc. in ways that we certainly NEVER would with complete strangers!

And oh, on longer flights with meals involved, we switcheroo & share food like crazy too.

Yep, that too.

I changed my mind..My sixteen year old is moody today... She can go sit with Grumpy gus in the back.

We are three adults, so most people might say we don't have to sit together, but:

[snip]

#3. My husband has really bad sleep apnea. If he gets still, he will go to sleep almost immediately. When he goes to sleep, he snores so loud you can hear him over the drum of the jet's engines. Yeah, he's that loud! Plus he also talks alot in his sleep. I sit next to him, so I can elbow him awake. Believe me, no one would want to sit next to him and I'd hate to subject someone else to his noise making.

Wanting to sit together is enough of a reason for me, I don't think you need to justify it. To me the flight is part of my vacation. We play games together in flight and watch the same movie. We also share snacks and drinks, and that is just on a 3 hour flight.

As for your husband, please put my mind at ease and tell me he has a CPAP machine?

 

[aubriee]

That pretty much sums it up.

Wanting to sit together is enough of a reason for me, I don't think you need to justify it. To me the flight is part of my vacation. We play games together in flight and watch the same movie. We also share snacks and drinks, and that is just on a 3 hour flight.

As for your husband, please put my mind at ease and tell me he has a CPAP machine?

Yes, he has several in fact, but if he ever gets still he still goes out. I swear that man could sleep if the house was falling down around him.

 

[delilah]

#1. If you sit in a middle seat between DH and Mom (instead of having Mom across the aisle) then you can (a) both readly elbow DH awake and tend to Mom, and (b) have the view of the long skinny tube more hidden from view.[/QUOTE]

Based on my experience, I feel more claustrophic when seated between two people than I do if I can look out the window, or, feel that I have an "escape" by sitting in the aisle seat. Feeling suffocated by enclosed spaces is part of the definition of claustrophobia. I feel panicky even thinking about having people I don't know sitting as close at they would need to do in the middle seat of an airplane. I am really OK sitting between my son and husband, but not strangers. I am well aware that the airplane itself is an "enclosed space", but, the option of getting up and walking around makes me feel it isn't enclosed. Now, if I were afraid of looking out the window, that possibly could be acrophobia. So, the original poster complaining of "claustophobia" because of looking down the aisle of the airplane would be much worse off sitting in the middle seat, provided she had true "claustrophobia"

So, I am another who will pay extra to have an assigned seat that allows me to look out the window. That for me is the best option.

 

[Granny square]

We sit together because it's our vacation, we like each other, and we're a family.

Exactly. Why else would it matter?