booking air seats--exit row w/kids--??

[Rock'n Robin]

On our possible trip, one leg of the flight has very few seats left--we have a family of 5--there is a pair and a 3, but the 3 is in an exit row--if I book an exit row and one of us is a child, will the flight attendants make sure we get moved somewhere together? It's this or we are all over the place.
Robin M.

 

[CarolA]

The flight attendants will make sure you get moved, but they will probably not be able to get you together. The agent booking the seat should ask if you have a child and not book you there if you do. The DL web site does ask those questions prior to letting you book the exit row so... you would not really have a good basis for complaint if they moved you all over the plane.

Have you talked to the airline or are you doing this online. On line does not always show all available seats.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

online. Should I call Delta instead? Isn't that more expensive?
Robin M.

 

[CarolA]

It can be more expensive to buy over the phone. However, if I were you, I would call them and see what they say about seats, if you like the response, book the tickets on line and then call back and get seat assignments.

Delta does a LOT of codeshares where seats are blocked for AirFrance and AreoMexico etc. So these seats can become available.

 

[jel0511]

I just wanted to let you know about my recent expernence with US Air, not Delta, but a similiar problem. I have had tickets for our Nov cruise since June. Today, I called US Air to ask a question on if I could redeem a voucher over the phone, I can't, and I also checked on my seat assignments. I had had a schedule change and when I was told about it, was told my seats didn't change. Well, the agent told me that they had changed and we were now all over the plane. I'm traveling with a 4 and 1 year old, not a good thing!! Well, she immediately put me on hold, about 5 minutes and came back with us having seats together in row 6. Usually the front rows are held back for frequent flyers, but somehow I got them. I'd call Delta and have them price out the flights over the phone. If it's the same price, buy it, if not, then ask them your question about the seat assignments, you'll get your best answer there!!

 

[atigeg]

You can always buy online and then call to get your seats changed later. I do this frequently and have only had a problem once...even then, one of the phone reps. told me that more seats would open up 48 hours prior to the flight date. I called back and got good seats. Good luck!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[kda]

As Carol said, the online seat selector charts don't show all the available seats. I've had personal experience with this at least 8 times in the past few years. Seats are blocked out for frequent flyers, business class, packages, and others, and these may not be opened up for general use until 24 hours before departure or at the airport (depending on the airline).

So, don't panic that you won't be able to sit together. Book your tickets on line, then call the airline to see if they have access to assign you seats together. Many times they don't, but you may be able to leave a request for aisle or window seats, and these will get automatically assigned 24 hours before departure (depending on the airline). Or, if all this fails to secure you seats together ahead of time --- which it may --- plan to get to the airport at least 1 1/2 hours before departure and the ticket agent will probably be able to assign you the seats you need at that time. At least this has been my experience. I've learned to stop stressing when I can't see available seats that I like online, and it's almost always worked out just fine. But, it sure is nice to have this settled ahead of time.

Have a great trip!



PS, I've read airline statements that you have to be at least 15 to be in an exit row.

 

[NotUrsula]

I would call ahead and get the seats reassigned after you purchase them; the airline won't get upset with you. However, I'm very surprised that an exit row shows available on an online chart; the website software is supposed to block those seats from being purchased online.

However, if you do get as far as the gate without getting them changed, the gate agent will be forced to do reassignments if either of the persons you plan to put in that seat is under 16 &/or if the gate agent does not think the person is up to the weight of opening that door.

If you pin them down on it, most airlines will tell you that they will find always find a way to put an accompanying adult next to any child who is under 5 years old. Children older than that are technically old enough to fly unaccompanied, so they will not guarantee making room for an adult to sit in the next seat. In practice, very few people want to deal with sitting next to a young child not their own, and will trade away if at all possible.

Generally speaking, remember that an aisle seat is the most desirable for trading, so if you can't get together, try to get an aisle, as the odds are better that someone will be willing to trade you for it.

 

[CarolA]

Delta's website does allow you to book exit rows. Prior to the final seat assignment you must respond to 4 questions. They are the standard questions, can you deal with the exit, do you have kids etc. If you don't respond correctly, you won't get the seat. That is why I don't think that DL would feel too guilty about spitting the family up since to get those seats they had to respond incorrectly to those questions.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I have not booked and that was one of my questions, will they even let me--I would not have answered with a lie--at this point I will probably book what I can and switch later--Only one of my children is under 5, but my 7 year old would sure like to be at least with her 10 year old sister.
Robin M.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

help! I booked all over the plane on our MCO-CVG leg, and then called Delta--the guy said those ARE the only seats available, and when I said "you mean there are no other seats, and my 4 year old will have to sit alone" he said "if you booked that flight YES!" ARGGGHHH!!! At least I've booked him an aisle seat (the only one available) and I am in a middle seat, so hopefully the person on either side of me will switch with him.
Or hopefully someone on Delta will be more helpful later.
Or hopefully when I check in I can get some help.
Or someone is in for a surprise!!!
Robin M.

 

[kda]

Robin -- Yes, it's much more reassuring to know right now that everyone is in a seat next to someone else in the family, but don't give up hope! Re-read my earlier post. It's still very probable that seats will be opening up.
Keep checking the seat assignments on the internet, and if you see something open up, call the airline and ask to be re-assigned. I've done this many times.
Keep the faith and dream about your wonderful trip!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Robin,
Please, keep in mind the airline, the attendants, and the passengers are under no obligation to move seats to accomodate you and yours. The only time they can intercede in any "agressive manner" is when there is a child in an exit row. FAA law says noone under 17 may occupy one of those seats.
As KDA stated, things can change one you get there, but, don't pin your hopes on that either.

I am really not sure what kind of a "surprise" you have in mind if they cannot help you, but keep in mind sugar works better than bitter anytime. I do understand your concern, but it is not Delta's fault that you are booking a flight with limited seating.

 

[jel0511]

As Gail stated, they are under no obligation to help you, you basically have to rely on the kindness of strangers. We were booked on a flight once where we had seat assignments together, but due to some sort of change, we were reassigned all over the plane. At the time I was traveling with a 4 month old and a 3 year old, and basically I was told too bad! They said that a passenger wouldn't want to sit next to an unaccompied child and probably switch with DH and I, and that's as far as I got! I called the airline from my cell phone in the airport and got the same answer. My only advice is get to the airport early and see if they can help you.

 

[Gillian]

If you can't fix it before you leave, try to get to the airport early & be one of the first in line at the gate.

2 years ago on Delta our flight was cancelled because of weather. We were rebooked the following afternoon with 5 seats not together. It was actually the first flight that had 5 seats! At the gate they were able to reassign us to 3 & 2 near each other. Those rows had been blocked before that. It was a full flight.

BTW, I parked myself on the floor at the gate, waiting until they started helping people

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Don't worry, the only surprise would be someone sitting next to an unaccompanied 4 year old boy!
DH and the girls are all alone but the girls are within 3 rows of each other at least, and I'm hoping someone will switch.
What I will probably do, if I can't get help from Delta (and believe me I"ll be calling on a regular basis) is go on later (I think he is in row 20 or something and I"m in 13?) I'll wait until MY row boards, then hopefully the people on either side will be seated and I'll ask very nicely if they would like my son's aisle seat. I don't know how else to do it--that might not work, since they might already be comfy, maybe I shoud just put him in the aisle seat and ask when my seatmate comes up?
Or perhaps I should leave it up to DH--he is much more charming and less stressed about things like this. I could take his seat.
The only thing is this--if no one will switch, DS will not stay buckled. He will listen to me, or DH, but if we are rows away from him he will be getting up--and I'm sure his seatmates won't be the ones getting yelled at by the flight attendants!
Robin M.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Robin,
Can't you put the older child alone and the 4 year old with DH?