Move to the worst seat on the plane so we can sit together!

[Alias]

Yep,, US airlines, but mostly ones that don't assign seats (but we do have a boarding pass per seat). Also the early boarding with kids thing has been phased out by a lot of airlines, again adding to the joy of child travel.

Ah yes! I was flying with a major USian airline, and they did the 'passengers who need assistance' preboard.  I had two sleeping children (almost 3 and .75 it was well past bedtime in their time zone) and walked up to be told 'children aren't a disability'. Well I didn't say they were, I said I need assistance boarding.  She did let me on eventually, but made me stand around with the sleeping child on my shoulder first.

A friend of mine bought a ticket for her cello, and also brought luggage to fly under the cello's ticket. She presumed if the cello had a seat, the cello could use their 1 suitcase luggage allowance (she was moving to the other city soon, so luggage).  She ended up fighting with the check in agent, and having to go to the manager that said if the cello has a ticket, they can have luggage.  This was an airline known for penny pinching, so it wasn't that surprising.

[sparksals]

I have had seat assignments change b/c they had to change the plane for some reason.  Sometimes the plane they change to isn't the same seating sequence as the previous plane.  That's one of the things that can happen with air travel.  Not really the airline's fault, especially if they are swapping the plane for mechanical or safety reasons. 


Air travel is not the greatest, but things happen that aren't always the fault of airlines.  I think people are quick to jump on the airline instead of assessing the situation.  For instance, weather delays.  Say a snowstorm in Chicago has delayed flights all across the country.  Not the airlines's fault.  If Chicago is closed, what is the airline supposed to do?   The recent incident at LAX is another example.  Sometimes things happen outside the control of the airline that greatly inconveniences passengers. 


I was flying to Belgium to meet my husband.  I thought I preplanned well ahead of time by taking my flight from MSP to Chicago the day before my international flight to Brussels.  Just so happened as we were already on the plane heading to take off, Chicago closed because of weather.  We sat on the plane for two hours before they took us back to the gate, and promptly canceled our flight.  Meanwhile, they took the passengers in the gate b/c Chicago subsequently opened.  Kind of a PITA.  I got on the phone and they were able to redirect me.  I wound up staying in a hotel here and then flying out via JFK the next morning and still got to Brussels at the time I was supposed to. 


A good rule of thumb is to have the airline reservations number programmed into your phone ... or better yet, their app.  Sometimes they automatically rebook you.  If they don't, call reservations ASAP before the crowds lineup at the airport.  It is usually much faster to get rebooked that way than standing in a long lineup with really ticked off passengers.  LOL

[siamesecat2965]

To put a different spin on it, I have a friend who is large.  She buys two seats to fly.  The second seat is purchased for "Right Cheek".  She has never been able to get a boarding pass for Right Cheek.  Therefore, it seems that the seat next to her is vacant because the "person" that reserved that seat hasn't checked in.  She says it seems like they are always giving out a boarding pass for the middle seat next to her.  She said she prefers Southwest because then at least someone doesn't have a boarding pass for the seat next to her.  But she does keep her receipt for two seats in her hand until they close the plane door.

I don't get this at all, esp when some airlines require you, if you are larger TO purchase two seats. If that's the case, there should be some way to designate, discreetly, that you are entitled to both seats, and why, so there isn't any question as to whether or not you are entitled to the two you paid for!

[jedikaiti]

To put a different spin on it, I have a friend who is large.  She buys two seats to fly.  The second seat is purchased for "Right Cheek".  She has never been able to get a boarding pass for Right Cheek.  Therefore, it seems that the seat next to her is vacant because the "person" that reserved that seat hasn't checked in.  She says it seems like they are always giving out a boarding pass for the middle seat next to her.  She said she prefers Southwest because then at least someone doesn't have a boarding pass for the seat next to her.  But she does keep her receipt for two seats in her hand until they close the plane door.

I don't get this at all, esp when some airlines require you, if you are larger TO purchase two seats. If that's the case, there should be some way to designate, discreetly, that you are entitled to both seats, and why, so there isn't any question as to whether or not you are entitled to the two you paid for!

I bought 2 tickets on Frontier, and got 2 boarding passes. Their online reservation system was set up to specifically allow for the plus-size situation, and my boarding passes said JediKaiti and JediKaiti-2, or something similar. No problems whatsoever.

[Elfmama]

To put a different spin on it, I have a friend who is large.  She buys two seats to fly.  The second seat is purchased for "Right Cheek".  She has never been able to get a boarding pass for Right Cheek.  Therefore, it seems that the seat next to her is vacant because the "person" that reserved that seat hasn't checked in.  She says it seems like they are always giving out a boarding pass for the middle seat next to her.  She said she prefers Southwest because then at least someone doesn't have a boarding pass for the seat next to her.  But she does keep her receipt for two seats in her hand until they close the plane door.

I don't get this at all, esp when some airlines require you, if you are larger TO purchase two seats. If that's the case, there should be some way to designate, discreetly, that you are entitled to both seats, and why, so there isn't any question as to whether or not you are entitled to the two you paid for!

I bought 2 tickets on Frontier, and got 2 boarding passes. Their online reservation system was set up to specifically allow for the plus-size situation, and my boarding passes said JediKaiti and JediKaiti-2, or something similar. No problems whatsoever.

Yeah.  Why doesn't Ms. Right Cheek just buy two tickets in her own name?  then the only problem she would have is when Right Cheek 1 is in 23A, and Right Cheek 2 is in 18B!

[quiescent]

Last time I flew I was called to desk before boarding to be told that a man wanted to 'give' me his 'upgraded' seat so he sit with his kid. this was a 10hr flight ant the 'upgraded' (as the flight attendent put it ) was a middle row seat which is obviously the most unconmfortable seat for a long flight. It had extra leg room making it 'upgraded'. Now obviously they had gone thru the manifest to find single people traveling alone to try and find these people seats together since after I said 'no' some other passengers traveling alone were called.

Sitting with other travelers isnt the only reason people select theri seats. I selected my window seat in a specific are of he plane to make my journey as compfortable as possible and I resented being picked out to be asked to move to a seat I didn't want just becauseI was a single passenger and some other people wanted to sit together !

I should add this wasn't a youg kid, but a teen

[Outdoor Girl]

I don't have a problem being asked.  If the seat is equivalent or better to the one I'm in, I'd be happy to switch.  But asking me to switch out of my aisle seat for a middle or even a window?  Not going to happen.  Switching to another aisle seat that isn't right at the back of the plane?  I'd probably agree.  But if it is in the last 10 rows, I'll probably say no - I have severe motion sickness and being at the back of the plane makes it worse.  I try to get within a few rows of the wing or further forward to alleviate the motion sickness.  I do take meds for it but if it is a rough flight, they are only so effective.

[Annoyed in America]

I don't have a problem being asked.  If the seat is equivalent or better to the one I'm in, I'd be happy to switch.  But asking me to switch out of my aisle seat for a middle or even a window?  Not going to happen.  Switching to another aisle seat that isn't right at the back of the plane?  I'd probably agree.  But if it is in the last 10 rows, I'll probably say no - I have severe motion sickness and being at the back of the plane makes it worse.  I try to get within a few rows of the wing or further forward to alleviate the motion sickness.  I do take meds for it but if it is a rough flight, they are only so effective.

I, too, have severe motion sickness.  The first thing I do when I board is look for the barf bag.  If DH and I are separated I explain to my neighbor and they always seek out my DH to switch.  No one wants to sit near the vomitmeister! 

One time on an international flight they (FA) wanted to switch and put me in the bulkhead seats.  I told them my still healing arm would prohibit me from being strong enough to manage the door.  They then put me in business class for the 12 hour flight.  I did not complain! 

My worst flight was sitting next to a 300 pound man who overflowed into my seat (4 hour trip).  My back was sore for two days after from trying to position myself away from him. Ugh!

Funniest trip was when I sat next to a nervous man who drank and drank to ease his fear.  He kept talking and getting louder and louder.  He wasn't offensive, other than loud talking and was actually a bit amusing, but I think I was the only one amused.  I had several people approach me at baggage claim to complain and comment on his drunken behavior.  These people were actually more offensive than the drunken guy, in my mind.

[StuffedGrapeLeaves]

My point was the OP of that post shouldn't have to prove she bought the seat as long as she has the boarding pass. Sure, passengers can be jerks and decide who/what is proper for a seat, but flight attendants and gate agents should know if that a ticket has been purchased if there's a boarding pass, no questions asked. That's what I don't understand.

And Dragons 8, I don't understand what you mean. If you buy a seat, you get it. Unless you're bumped but that's a whole different story.

Sorry, Cass, I just saw this.  I agree that a boarding pass would normally be enough, but there have been occasions where the person would just assume that we didn't purchase a seat for DS when he was under two, and would continue to insist that we need to put the baby on our laps.  We found that during those times saying the words "we paid for this seat and here's a receipt" and showing them the receipt gets them to stop insisting and to reevaluate the original assumption faster than just trying to show them a boarding pass.  I think seeing the actual dollar amount seems to get through faster than just a seat number. 

[doodlemor]

Sorry, Cass, I just saw this.  I agree that a boarding pass would normally be enough, but there have been occasions where the person would just assume that we didn't purchase a seat for DS when he was under two, and would continue to insist that we need to put the baby on our laps.  We found that during those times saying the words "we paid for this seat and here's a receipt" and showing them the receipt gets them to stop insisting and to reevaluate the original assumption faster than just trying to show them a boarding pass.  I think seeing the actual dollar amount seems to get through faster than just a seat number.

The very first time that I ever flew was on People Express, and the plane was quite full.  I was asked by the flight attendant to put my 'baby" on my lap.  I answered "She is three years old, and has paid for her ticket."   That was the end of the exchange, and the FA went on down the aisle looking for other seats to squeeze more people on to the plane.

[It's no wonder that the plane was filled to capacity.  The price for a nonstop flight from Buffalo to Sarasota was $75.]

[Midnight Kitty]

Now, I'm not a parent, so I lack first hand experience on this ... but I thought that there was a law against parents carrying children over a certain age in their laps on flights.  I don't remember the details, but I thought it was something like "passengers over 2 years of age must purchase a ticket for their own seat."  Maybe it's just a policy on some airlines to boost ticket sales which they choose to waive when they booked too many passengers and might have to pay $$ if they bump someone.  It just seems hypocritical to claim it isn't safe for children over 2 y.o. to sit in an adult's lap, so they have to buy a ticket, then it's OK when the airline needs the seats.

[VorFemme]

It may depend on the size of the child - I've seen kids under age 2 who were tall & heavy enough to be taken as a year or two older than their actual age.

I've also seen children who were small for their age (not always with a parent who was also tall or petite - so guessing the age by the size of the adult with them didn't work) and a four year old might have a ticket but be sitting in a lap while getting their shoes put back on.  They have a ticket & a seat of their own and they will be using it - but someone in a hurry to sit down might TRY to get the (apparently) unused seat...which is when the parent needs to stay on top of the situation...and show a polite spine.

[Zizi-K]

On a recent flight, I volunteered to switch to what I thought was going to be a better seat - and it wasn't! I was assigned to a middle seat. I dislike middle seats, but this was the best version of that - small people on either side of me, relatively comfortable seat. Well, I was sitting just in front of the exit rows, when I overheard a stewardess tell a man that he couldn't sit in the exit row because he didn't speak English (and presumably couldn't read the card, etc). She scanned the immediate vicinity and asked for volunteers, and of course I raised my hand. I went from a middle seat to a window in an exit row with a lot of extra leg room - score! (or so I thought) Then, as we're waiting to get the go-ahead to take off, this poor little boy behind me was sitting with his daddy, but decided he wanted mommy RIGHT NOW, and started to wail about. I felt really bad for the little guy, but he was literally screaming in my ear. To make matters worse, the seat was really uncomfortable, as if the back were too far back for the contours of the seat. My back still hurts from a measly 1.5 hour plane ride. Serves me right for trying to "upgrade" I guess.

[Kimblee]

Yep,, US airlines, but mostly ones that don't assign seats (but we do have a boarding pass per seat). Also the early boarding with kids thing has been phased out by a lot of airlines, again adding to the joy of child travel.

Ah yes! I was flying with a major USian airline, and they did the 'passengers who need assistance' preboard.  I had two sleeping children (almost 3 and .75 it was well past bedtime in their time zone) and walked up to be told 'children aren't a disability'. Well I didn't say they were, I said I need assistance boarding.  She did let me on eventually, but made me stand around with the sleeping child on my shoulder first.

A friend of mine bought a ticket for her cello, and also brought luggage to fly under the cello's ticket. She presumed if the cello had a seat, the cello could use their 1 suitcase luggage allowance (she was moving to the other city soon, so luggage).  She ended up fighting with the check in agent, and having to go to the manager that said if the cello has a ticket, they can have luggage.  This was an airline known for penny pinching, so it wasn't that surprising.

I know a girl(well, woman. She's my age.) who travels often with her cello, which always gets it's own seat. She or her employers pay for the seat because (A) it's a very, very valuable old cello and (B) it's a cello period. They're delicate things.

She says she's lost count of the flights that have tried to bully her into checking it and letting a person have the seat. She just shows them the appraisal value and sweetly tells the that that's where her lawsuit would START, that it's an heirloom and she would sue for emotional distress if it got so much as a scratch. It's never been checked.

Now her sugar daddy buys it's seats. (I'm not being mean. He calls himself that, and she "pouts" that she can't be a "real" sugar baby because his daughters are just so happy "Daddy has a friend to keep him company after all the ers without Mama.")

[Marisol]

In a different kind of situation, last month I was on a flight in which I was surprised a woman didn't offer to switch seats so a family could sit together.  She was in the window of the back of the plane sitting next to mom and cranky fidgety toddler sister.  In the seat in front of them sat dad with a teen daughter and a middle school age son. In the seat across aisle from this woman in the back seat was a different family with dad and a screaming kid.  And in front of that seat was the second family's mom with a restless child.  I know this because the kid kept kicking my seat as I was right in front of him. 

Anyway, the seat next to me was taken by another kid belonging to the first family who didn't have a seat in a row with his actual family.  There was a bit of chaos when trying to get everyone seated as they couldn't decide who should be by themselves next to me.  This was the perfect opportunity for the single lady to come sit next to me and escape the mom with cranky little sis. 

The boy next to me was very polite and while I ended up making more small talk than I expected to for the flight he was well behaved and even got up to help with cranky sis when allowed. 

The woman in the back was cornered by screaming kids.  Had she sat with me it would have been quieter.