Delta "Family Seating"

[Mariep26]

This thread is unbelievable. I am in the position of having a 4.5 year old with developmental and speech delays. I can't even begin to think of how to prepare him for a situation where he would not be sitting with me or my husband. He would be terrified. I try to do everything right... book early, check seats, check seats again, check in at the 24 hour mark, check seats again, show up 2 hours ahead etc.. but in the very worst case scenario where we could not sit with him, I would pack everyone up and deplane. I'll find another way to get there...I am not going to put my son, myself and other passengers through who knows what.

 

[melindae10]

I have now read most of this thread just shaking my head! First of all as a former flight attendant I would like to point out that yes kids fly "alone" ages 5 and above but when on the plane they are watched like a hawk and seated as close to a flight attendant as possible. That is done for safety reasons and to keep the kids safe from those strangers around them. (I have heard some stories) I have had kids that were comfortable and some that were very unsure, no child is the same or has had the same experiences. I once had a little girl who was just a major talker, talked and talked and talked through the entire flight. The man next to her was very nice to keep talking to her but I know after awhile he was done, done, done, done. I am sure if he could have he would have moved seats!

As a parent of two young kids I would never be comfortable with them sitting by themselves away from me on an airplane! Forget all the little stuff, who is going to protect them in case of an emergency?! Are you? The person who refused to move, will you be responsible for my childs safety? Do you really want that responsibilty? I would also think that it is in the airlines best interest to keep families together, just for that reason! Safety, safety, safety!

We have flight booked through United for April. I have already reserved my seats. I would like to thank OP for opening my eyes to the fact that these assignments can change and to keep checking on my seats!

I would also like to say that there are many, many nice people who work in the airlines and fly. I have never had a problem asking people the move, and most of the time people were more than willing to move to help out a fellow passenger! There is hope beyond this thread!

 

[ktlm]

We have flight booked through United for April. I have already reserved my seats. I would like to thank OP for opening my eyes to the fact that these assignments can change and to keep checking on my seats!

Definitely keep checking your seats! We had a row of 3 seats together booked for our flight back from WDW last month. When we got our boarding passes at the resort the morning of the flight, they had moved my 6 year old to a different row by herself. DH and I were still together! They had her listed as a child, so why on earth they would move her and not one of her parents instead, I have no idea. When we got to the airport, they were able to put the 3 of us together in the back row of the plane, and of course if they had not been able to do so, one of us grown-ups would have gone to her new seat, as we wouldn't have sent her off by herself. DD originally had an aisle seat and we were fairly close to the front so we looked to see if maybe it was someone elderly, or with mobility issues they move her to accomodate, but it was a very healthy looking middle aged adult woman. I would about guarantee that she was a frequent flyer member who wanted an aisle seat because I know there is a guy at my work who one of his airline member perks, is basically getting an aisle or other good seat at pretty much a moment's notice by calling them up. If fact, I think with his status, he is guaranteed an aisle seat. If DD and I had stayed together and DH gone to the moved seat, I might almost feel sorry for the woman that bumped him out of the seat because I'm pretty sure my outgoing DD would be interrogating her as to why she was sitting there and why she made Daddy move out of his seat and away from us. I'm pretty sure DD could have driven the lady insane, or at least put a really good guilt trip on her.

As I told the lady at the counter (jokingly), if someone else wants to babysit DD the whole flight, good luck to them and I'll have a nice peaceful flight. She is a good mostly well behaved kid, but also high energy and high maintenance on the airplane, and genereally a very outgoing, chatty, and often loud person. Let's just say she has a big personality. She always brings a backpack of books and activities to keep her occupied, but she needs constant help getting in and out of the backback to get what she needs as her arms aren't long enough to reach it from her seat; someone to hold the crayons and markers to keep her from dropping them all over the floor, someone to pick up the ones she inevitably will drop all over the floor; someone to tell her when she can and can't have the tray table down; someone to tell her to quit singing or sing softer when she loudly breaks into song on the plane (she sings all the time), someone to hold onto during take-off because it scares her, etc. If the person next to her wasn't helping her, she would be constantly on top of them climbing in and out of her seat to get down to her backpack and dropped things, and probably loudly singing Broadway showtunes. So if a person wants to refuse to switch seats and sit by her instead, then I say good luck to them, they are going to need it!

 

[maxiesmom]

Have you never heard of headphones or eye-masks?

I'm not sure why you are so proud of thinking about all of the ways your child could irritate someone who had done nothing to you or them. It is that kind of attitude that makes some dig in their heals when asked to switch seats. You do catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and being demanding and rude to someone who has done nothing to you is not the way to go about asking them to switch seats.

And yet the person sitting in their assigned seat, minding their own business, is the one you consider to be rude and have a problem.

 

[Sugardimples]

Have you never heard of headphones or eye-masks?

I'm not sure why you are so proud of thinking about all of the ways your child could irritate someone who had done nothing to you or them. It is that kind of attitude that makes some dig in their heals when asked to switch seats. You do catch more flies with honey than vinegar, and being demanding and rude to someone who has done nothing to you is not the way to go about asking them to switch seats.

And yet the person sitting in their assigned seat, minding their own business, is the one you consider to be rude and have a problem.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[jodifla]

This thread is unbelievable. I am in the position of having a 4.5 year old with developmental and speech delays. I can't even begin to think of how to prepare him for a situation where he would not be sitting with me or my husband. He would be terrified. I try to do everything right... book early, check seats, check seats again, check in at the 24 hour mark, check seats again, show up 2 hours ahead etc.. but in the very worst case scenario where we could not sit with him, I would pack everyone up and deplane. I'll find another way to get there...I am not going to put my son, myself and other passengers through who knows what.

Some people are just clueless. I have a child with severe speech delays as well, and we missed our flight because of a 3 hour traffic jam. They put us on another flight the next morning, but all over the plane. I explained the situation to the gate agent, and she explained the circumstances to another passenger and asked if he would move....basically just across the aisle. He did, graciously.

IRL, most people are MUCH nicer than they are on the DIS transportation board, unfortunately. The "no pixie dust" gets carried to extremes here, I've found.

 

[LilyWDW]

Some people are just clueless. I have a child with severe speech delays as well, and we missed our flight because of a 3 hour traffic jam. They put us on another flight the next morning, but all over the plane. I explained the situation to the gate agent, and she explained the circumstances to another passenger and asked if he would move....basically just across the aisle. He did, graciously.

IRL, most people are MUCH nicer than they are on the DIS transportation board, unfortunately. The "no pixie dust" gets carried to extremes here, I've found.

I find people here are very nice... just realistic.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

As I told the lady at the counter (jokingly), if someone else wants to babysit DD the whole flight, good luck to them and I'll have a nice peaceful flight. She is a good mostly well behaved kid, but also high energy and high maintenance on the airplane, and genereally a very outgoing, chatty, and often loud person. Let's just say she has a big personality. She always brings a backpack of books and activities to keep her occupied, but she needs constant help getting in and out of the backback to get what she needs as her arms aren't long enough to reach it from her seat; someone to hold the crayons and markers to keep her from dropping them all over the floor, someone to pick up the ones she inevitably will drop all over the floor; someone to tell her when she can and can't have the tray table down; someone to tell her to quit singing or sing softer when she loudly breaks into song on the plane (she sings all the time), someone to hold onto during take-off because it scares her, etc. If the person next to her wasn't helping her, she would be constantly on top of them climbing in and out of her seat to get down to her backpack and dropped things, and probably loudly singing Broadway showtunes. So if a person wants to refuse to switch seats and sit by her instead, then I say good luck to them, they are going to need it!

This possibility is why I bring an eye mask and headphones. I would be blissfully unaware of your daughter, as I sit in darkness, listening to my audiobook.

If she was "constantly on top of" me, I would ring for the flight attendant to take care of the situation. I would not discipline your child.

 

[*Seanaci*]

We booked our flight for last weeks trip to Disneyland in July. Directly through Frontier. We had booked an AM flight and paid for stretch seating ($5 a seat). In October, I was emailed that the AM flight was cancelled, but that they were moving us to the 1pm flight. After being assured our seats would remain the same, I thought nothing of it (especially since the new itinerary showed us in the same seats). Come departure day and check in time, they had moved myself, my mom and my 5 year old son to different seats...none of us sitting together anymore. When I questioned it and requested that at least 2 of us be seated together (either my mom or myself with my son), the agent claimed it happened because there was an aircraft change. I highly doubt this. When you look at the aircraft they fly, there is no difference in the number of seats per row. The only difference is the length of the plane itself. That being said, we were seated in the front, my mom in a row with my son and me in a row behind them. The only thing I can figure happened is that someone who booked the PM flight originally paid for and picked the exact same seats as us and because they originally were on that flight, granted those seats. It's that or the family of 3 in "our" seats complained about something and got upgraded to "our" seats.

I for one would never allow my child (at any age under 14) to sit away from me on a flight. There are just too many weirdos out there...and I would never want to chance my child sitting by a potential weirdo. Sure the chances are slim...but why even take the chance?

Our flight on frontier was so insane, we will never fly them again. Instead we'll fly Southwest...where we'll at least be able to check in early enough to board in group A and have a better chance at sitting together.

And as someone else asked whose going to help my child in the event of an emergency? If you're wearing headphones and an eye mask in order to zone out from my child, whose to say you'll turn kind hearted in an emergency and help the child you were so eager to ignore during the flight? Especially if you're the type of person who would complain to the FA if my child asked for help with something rather than take 2 seconds to help them?

 

[ccgirl]

We booked our flight for last weeks trip to Disneyland in July. Directly through Frontier. We had booked an AM flight and paid for stretch seating ($5 a seat). In October, I was emailed that the AM flight was cancelled, but that they were moving us to the 1pm flight. After being assured our seats would remain the same, I thought nothing of it (especially since the new itinerary showed us in the same seats). Come departure day and check in time, they had moved myself, my mom and my 5 year old son to different seats...none of us sitting together anymore. When I questioned it and requested that at least 2 of us be seated together (either my mom or myself with my son), the agent claimed it happened because there was an aircraft change. I highly doubt this. When you look at the aircraft they fly, there is no difference in the number of seats per row. The only difference is the length of the plane itself. That being said, we were seated in the front, my mom in a row with my son and me in a row behind them. The only thing I can figure happened is that someone who booked the PM flight originally paid for and picked the exact same seats as us and because they originally were on that flight, granted those seats. It's that or the family of 3 in "our" seats complained about something and got upgraded to "our" seats.

I for one would never allow my child (at any age under 14) to sit away from me on a flight. There are just too many weirdos out there...and I would never want to chance my child sitting by a potential weirdo. Sure the chances are slim...but why even take the chance?

Our flight on frontier was so insane, we will never fly them again. Instead we'll fly Southwest...where we'll at least be able to check in early enough to board in group A and have a better chance at sitting together.

And as someone else asked whose going to help my child in the event of an emergency? If you're wearing headphones and an eye mask in order to zone out from my child, whose to say you'll turn kind hearted in an emergency and help the child you were so eager to ignore during the flight? Especially if you're the type of person who would complain to the FA if my child asked for help with something rather than take 2 seconds to help them?

Just want to say that if you fly SW be sure to do EBCI then. The last times I checked in at T-24 I had high B seats and even C seats and my DH and myself did get separated.

If I was asked nicely and was travelling alone I would be glad to trade for an aisle or window seat. When I hear someone commenting rudely to the FA at the gate beforehand that they did not pay for EBCI because there is no way they should sit apart from their 7 year old and they will make sure their child raises holy heck on the plane then, no, I am not going to move.

Bottom line, do all you can and be pro-active that you sit with your children. In the event you are not sitting next to your child, be nice about it. If the FA is unable to do anything before the flight, kindly ask someone to move. You may need to ask more than one person.

 

[Leajess99]

Wow, this thread started in late 2011. Why bring it back to life??

 

[4kids4karen]

I fly internationally about every 5-6 months. I have had my seat moved to an equal or better seat several times without being asked. Once was a window seat and I was moved up one row to the same window position seat. Not sure why, didn't ask since it didn't bother me. If I were to be moved to a worse seat I would be upset. I have been asked by family members after getting on a plan to swap seats. I will if it is an aisle or window, but never a middle.

This made me laugh because living overseas I often made the one hour bus ride from the "country town" to the "city" which is where the international airport also was. I always bought my return bus ticket as soon as I arrived then went out for the day. I always made it back to the bus station at least an hour before the bus left. Typically I was the first person on the bus to depart. I have hearing loss in one ear and have a preference of where I liked to sit on this bus (window seat on left side of the bus) so I could lay my head up against the window and sleep. On one trip this couple comes running up as the bus is departing. They are stuck with the wife sitting next to me and the husband on the other side of the aisle. On a bus, the here are only 4 seats with a small aisle. This couple was more than in their 30s. The husband asked me to swap seats to his aisle so he could sit next to his wife. I declined, the person in the window seat next to him must have declined too. I was first on the must, not my fault they were last. I don't think I would have swapped for a kid either with such a small aisle. I just put on my ipod and went to sleep. LOL. It was only an hour bus ride in good traffic. Although in bad traffic could have been 2-3 hours, which wouldn't have been that out of the ordinary for a highway accident there.

 

[*Seanaci*]

Just want to say that if you fly SW be sure to do EBCI then. The last times I checked in at T-24 I had high B seats and even C seats and my DH and myself did get separated.

If I was asked nicely and was travelling alone I would be glad to trade for an aisle or window seat. When I hear someone commenting rudely to the FA at the gate beforehand that they did not pay for EBCI because there is no way they should sit apart from their 7 year old and they will make sure their child raises holy heck on the plane then, no, I am not going to move.

Bottom line, do all you can and be pro-active that you sit with your children. In the event you are not sitting next to your child, be nice about it. If the FA is unable to do anything before the flight, kindly ask someone to move. You may need to ask more than one person.

Thanks for reminding me...the last time I flew SW was 4 years ago...I think just before the EBCI was introduced. My Hubby flew SW back in Sept and paid for the EBCI and got group A. So we'll def pay for the EBCI.

 

[Allison]

Wow, this thread started in late 2011. Why bring it back to life??

I guess because a one and done poster has a petition they want people to sign and now people are getting upset about posts over a year old.

I know I won't be signing the petition though.

 

[Kaspar Houser]

Definitely keep checking your seats! We had a row of 3 seats together booked for our flight back from WDW last month. When we got our boarding passes at the resort the morning of the flight, they had moved my 6 year old to a different row by herself. DH and I were still together! They had her listed as a child, so why on earth they would move her and not one of her parents instead, I have no idea. When we got to the airport, they were able to put the 3 of us together in the back row of the plane, and of course if they had not been able to do so, one of us grown-ups would have gone to her new seat, as we wouldn't have sent her off by herself. DD originally had an aisle seat and we were fairly close to the front so we looked to see if maybe it was someone elderly, or with mobility issues they move her to accomodate, but it was a very healthy looking middle aged adult woman. I would about guarantee that she was a frequent flyer member who wanted an aisle seat because I know there is a guy at my work who one of his airline member perks, is basically getting an aisle or other good seat at pretty much a moment's notice by calling them up. If fact, I think with his status, he is guaranteed an aisle seat. If DD and I had stayed together and DH gone to the moved seat, I might almost feel sorry for the woman that bumped him out of the seat because I'm pretty sure my outgoing DD would be interrogating her as to why she was sitting there and why she made Daddy move out of his seat and away from us. I'm pretty sure DD could have driven the lady insane, or at least put a really good guilt trip on her.

As I told the lady at the counter (jokingly), if someone else wants to babysit DD the whole flight, good luck to them and I'll have a nice peaceful flight. She is a good mostly well behaved kid, but also high energy and high maintenance on the airplane, and genereally a very outgoing, chatty, and often loud person. Let's just say she has a big personality. She always brings a backpack of books and activities to keep her occupied, but she needs constant help getting in and out of the backback to get what she needs as her arms aren't long enough to reach it from her seat; someone to hold the crayons and markers to keep her from dropping them all over the floor, someone to pick up the ones she inevitably will drop all over the floor; someone to tell her when she can and can't have the tray table down; someone to tell her to quit singing or sing softer when she loudly breaks into song on the plane (she sings all the time), someone to hold onto during take-off because it scares her, etc. If the person next to her wasn't helping her, she would be constantly on top of them climbing in and out of her seat to get down to her backpack and dropped things, and probably loudly singing Broadway showtunes. So if a person wants to refuse to switch seats and sit by her instead, then I say good luck to them, they are going to need it!

So you have a six year old snowflake?

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

So you have a six year old snowflake?

I sure hope her mom doesn't think I'm going to be picking up her crayons and markers for her, or getting down her backpack, or hold her things for her. I'm not.

Something tells me that this little girl's mom has done this before, that is, deliberately sat far from her daughter and relaxed, expecting others to do the parenting. I only make sure MY kids put the tray table up and down when appropriate, that MY kids get what they want from the overhead bin, that MY kids sing quieter, etc. I won't do that for a child I don't know, whose parent has mentally checked out of her responsibilities.

But, if there was an emergency, I would make sure the little girl was okay. Someone has to, right? Her mom can't.

 

[Kaspar Houser]

I sure hope her mom doesn't think I'm going to be picking up her crayons and markers for her, or getting down her backpack, or hold her things for her. I'm not.

Something tells me that this little girl's mom has done this before, that is, deliberately sat far from her daughter and relaxed, expecting others to do the parenting. I only make sure MY kids put the tray table up and down when appropriate, that MY kids get what they want from the overhead bin, that MY kids sing quieter, etc. I won't do that for a child I don't know, whose parent has mentally checked out of her responsibilities.

But, if there was an emergency, I would make sure the little girl was okay. Someone has to, right? Her mom can't, or won't.

Same here. My child went to boarding school at the age of five and he was independent and not bothering others from scratch.
I did curl my toes many many times seeing the behavior of other children.
My child was not perfect Far from that but we thought him how to behave in public.
Now a days we buy bulk seats. It is a bit expensive but it is a good solution for us and the other guests.
Those 300 Euro extra are well spend

 

[lillykat]

I sure hope her mom doesn't think I'm going to be picking up her crayons and markers for her, or getting down her backpack, or hold her things for her. I'm not.

Something tells me that this little girl's mom has done this before, that is, deliberately sat far from her daughter and relaxed, expecting others to do the parenting. I only make sure MY kids put the tray table up and down when appropriate, that MY kids get what they want from the overhead bin, that MY kids sing quieter, etc. I won't do that for a child I don't know, whose parent has mentally checked out of her responsibilities.

But, if there was an emergency, I would make sure the little girl was okay. Someone has to, right? Her mom can't, or won't.

I think the mother was saying that is what would happen IF she was separated and unable to.sit with her child bc either the airline couldn't move her or people wouldn't move. I don't think (unlike another post where the parent says they check out on the flight) she was saying she wanted that to happen only that is what her child would likely do if separated.

While some kids might be able to handle flying alone. Most 5 year olds I know would need some help or support. I have always moved for someone if they needed it. I think it is presumptious to assume someone didn't plan ahead. Not talking about lines you pay extra for a seat). Maybe they did but the airline didn't find something for them after moving their seats. But yes maybe they didn't plan. You will never know. I have 2 kids and my 3.5 would probably fair better sitting apart than my 5 year old. However you do not know who they are sitting with. Friends who were/are flight attendants have some stories to tell. It is naive to think they will be 100% safe bc it is a plane. I would not want either sitting alone even when they get a few years older. Just bc legally they CAN fly as UMs does not mean I as their parent think mine should. Especially when my older DD who I have been told on flights is exceptionally well behaived. She has allergies and gets motion sickness. The meds make her hyper not sleepy. I need to sit with her to make sure she is not fidgety and doesn't vomit all over.

I do sympathize that people plan ahead and some lines pay for seats but on say delta one trip the switched planes kept our parents seats but moved my DD (then 15 months), dh and I all to middle seats 5+ rows apart. They could not get 2 of us together on another flight for 2 days and refused to give us seats in the back on hold. We get there 3+ hours early and had to fight for the seats. They wanted us to ask people to switch. It worked out fine they ended up giving us the seats at the gate but you know...we booked 10 months out and checked regularly to make sure our seats were not changed. They cancelled our return flight and couldn't get the three of us on the same plane returning. We had to fly home the next morning. They wanted to put us on three different flights. My parents have learned that they don't move them since they are silver medallion and sit in priority seating. I know people who paid the extra and still lost their seats.

When traveling alone I always switched when asked bc you never know if that child is special needs, scared, has severe allergies, just needs their mommy. If the parent is flying I would rather they are in their care than mine. I am surprised so many are willing to sit next to a child who might vomit, spill, need emergency assistence. I see people say they don't want to switch and don't want to be bothered but I am curious would you ignore the child next to you if there was an emergency and air masks dropped etc? If their parents are in another row they might not be able to help them.

Additionally, you see all these posts that say "that child kicked the seat/screamed/bounced up and down/you fill in the blank." While I understand you can prepare a child but many need a gentle prompt/reminder etc from their parent from time to time. I would think a child (no matter the age) will be better with most parents than without. Although I do know some out there who put their ipods on, close their eyes and snooze no matter.

 

[Kaspar Houser]

I think the mother was saying that is what would happen IF she was separated and unable to.sit with her child bc either the airline couldn't move her or people wouldn't move. I don't think (unlike another post where the parent says they check out on the flight) she was saying she wanted that to happen only that is what her child would likely do if separated.

While some kids might be able to handle flying alone. Most 5 year olds I know would need some help or support. I have always moved for someone if they needed it. I think it is presumptious to assume someone didn't plan ahead. Not talking about lines you pay extra for a seat). Maybe they did but the airline didn't find something for them after moving their seats. But yes maybe they didn't plan. You will never know. I have 2 kids and my 3.5 would probably fair better sitting apart than my 5 year old. However you do not know who they are sitting with. Friends who were/are flight attendants have some stories to tell. It is naive to think they will be 100% safe bc it is a plane. I would not want either sitting alone even when they get a few years older. Just bc legally they CAN fly as UMs does not mean I as their parent think mine should. Especially when my older DD who I have been told on flights is exceptionally well behaived. She has allergies and gets motion sickness. The meds make her hyper not sleepy. I need to sit with her to make sure she is not fidgety and doesn't vomit all over.

I do sympathize that people plan ahead and some lines pay for seats but on say delta one trip the switched planes kept our parents seats but moved my DD (then 15 months), dh and I all to middle seats 5+ rows apart. They could not get 2 of us together on another flight for 2 days and refused to give us seats in the back on hold. We get there 3+ hours early and had to fight for the seats. They wanted us to ask people to switch. It worked out fine they ended up giving us the seats at the gate but you know...we booked 10 months out and checked regularly to make sure our seats were not changed. They cancelled our return flight and couldn't get the three of us on the same plane returning. We had to fly home the next morning. They wanted to put us on three different flights. My parents have learned that they don't move them since they are silver medallion and sit in priority seating. I know people who paid the extra and still lost their seats.

When traveling alone I always switched when asked bc you never know if that child is special needs, scared, has severe allergies, just needs their mommy. If the parent is flying I would rather they are in their care than mine. I am surprised so many are willing to sit next to a child who might vomit, spill, need emergency assistence. I see people say they don't want to switch and don't want to be bothered but I am curious would you ignore the child next to you if there was an emergency and air masks dropped etc? If their parents are in another row they might not be able to help them.

Additionally, you see all these posts that say "that child kicked the seat/screamed/bounced up and down/you fill in the blank." While I understand you can prepare a child but many need a gentle prompt/reminder etc from their parent from time to time. I would think a child (no matter the age) will be better with most parents than without. Although I do know some out there who put their ipods on, close their eyes and snooze no matter.

A firm "shut up and sit still" from a strangers works much better than the constantly, unsuccessful, begging from a parent.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

I see people say they don't want to switch and don't want to be bothered but I am curious would you ignore the child next to you if there was an emergency and air masks dropped etc? If their parents are in another row they might not be able to help them.

Additionally, you see all these posts that say "that child kicked the seat/screamed/bounced up and down/you fill in the blank." While I understand you can prepare a child but many need a gentle prompt/reminder etc from their parent from time to time. I would think a child (no matter the age) will be better with most parents than without. Although I do know some out there who put their ipods on, close their eyes and snooze no matter.

Perhaps you didn't read my post saying that in an emergency, I would help a child sitting next to me.

An emergency is very, very different from normal routine! What astonishes me, is the presumption some parents make that just because I'm sitting next to their child, I'm now "in charge" of their child. That during the flight, I'M going to be the one saying, "honey, put the tray table up", or "dear, let me get your backpack down for you", or "here, let me pick up your toys", or, "Let me hold you, if you're scared." That won't happen!! Why does the fact that I'm sitting next to a random child mean that I'm now in charge of that child??

Yes, I will put on my Ipod, close my eyes and snooze. Surely I have that right?