United allows families to sit together for free

[nerodog]

Who says I would take it up with other passengers. 100% against the airline. But welcome to left field as well.

 

[nerodog]

Hi there! It appears from reading that you have suggested other passengers move because of the children and ask for a refund or compensation. You have also suggested others of us responding here are old and selfish, therefore that's why I stated this comment. I hope you are able to travel safely with your family and wish you no ill will.

 

[Patri]

It stinks that the Karens of the world are trying to ruin one of the first-world's finest perks.

I know many wonderful women named Karen. I hate that this name was hijacked. I wish they would have come up with a generic term.

 

[am1]

I know many wonderful women named Karen. I hate that this name was hijacked. I wish they would have come up with a generic term.

I feel the same way and posted about it before. Imagine a name of "colour" or "sexual orientation" to refer negatively to people.

 

[ScoopKona]

I know many wonderful women named Karen. I hate that this name was hijacked. I wish they would have come up with a generic term.

I love it. Since the average person is a difficult, disagreeable, entitled person, the average Karen is almost certainly worthy of the stereotype. (I can't think of a worse insult than to call someone "average." They're the dregs of humanity. Below-average people have no choice in the matter. And they're usually doing the best they can. But average people? They're the ones who decided, "I want to be a consumer who has zero positive effect on this planet. That's easy. I like easy. I just want to be entertained.")

Let's compare to the average John, who may very well be difficult, disagreeable and entitled, but probably doesn't solicit prostitutes. I'd say Johns have it worse than Karens.

It's a good thing that Karens are "enjoying" their turn on the hot seat. They've had it coming for a very, very long time.

 

[Ken555]

Let's compare to the average John, who may very well be difficult, disagreeable and entitled, but probably doesn't solicit prostitutes. I'd say Johns have it worse than Karens.

This is hilarious.

 

[am1]

Just read this:

American Airlines Adds Family Seating Policy Ahead of DOT Dashboard

American Airlines quietly made a rule change for family seating, allowing travelers to select seats next to their children at no extra charge. Buttigieg: Parents and Children Should Sit Together “With No Extra Fees” The policy change was announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete...

www.flyertalk.com

I always wanted to call a timeout when up by 10 with a few seconds to go. A little time for the other team to know who was going to win. This may be my best shot at it.

 

[nerodog]

Just read this:

American Airlines Adds Family Seating Policy Ahead of DOT Dashboard

American Airlines quietly made a rule change for family seating, allowing travelers to select seats next to their children at no extra charge. Buttigieg: Parents and Children Should Sit Together “With No Extra Fees” The policy change was announced by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete...

www.flyertalk.com

I always wanted to call a timeout when up by 10 with a few seconds to go. A little time for the other team to know who was going to win. This may be my best shot at it.new

Great news... I hope it will work out for everyone.

 

[am1]

https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/jetblues-latest-guarantee-families-fly-together.html.

Jet Blue follows as I predicted most/all would.

A bad look airlines trying to profit off of families with small kids.

 

[zentraveler]

https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/jetblues-latest-guarantee-families-fly-together.html.

Jet Blue follows as I predicted most/all would.

A bad look airlines trying to profit off of families with small kids.

OMG, this again?? Just on my way to find the "ignore this thread" button. “Liked” by mistake - was looking for a different one!

 

[am1]

OMG, this again?? Just on my way to find the "ignore this thread" button. “Liked” by mistake - was looking for a different one!

Just reinforces my position. Its crazy people thought and some still may do that small kids should be sitting by themselves on airplanes. And who would what to sit beside those kids? Or beside a parent getting up to check on their kid every half hour. A mistep by airlines but it was corrected.

 

[ScoopKona]

 

[rapmarks]

I buy the economy plus that allows you to pick your seat but the last two trips there were no aisle or window seats left, those were $35 extra, per leg, and I had already paid $35 extra to chose a seat.

 

[am1]

I buy the economy plus that allows you to pick your seat but the last two trips there were no aisle or window seats left, those were $35 extra, per leg, and I had already paid $35 extra to chose a seat.

Probably because math dictates that sitting a parent with a child means window/middle or aisle/middle. A parent and two kids mean window, middle, aisle.

 

[rapmarks]

Probably because math dictates that sitting a parent with a child means window/middle or aisle/middle. A parent and two kids mean window, middle, aisle.

Then why are all the middle seats available. Either you didn’t understand what I said or are being deliberately obtuse. After paying to choose a seat, a window or aisle seat still cost more, another 70 one way. You are getting them free. My husband had Alzheimer’s. Leaving him alone in a middle seat would have been a disaster so I had to cough up the extra charges. And believe me, a child was a better seat companion

 

[am1]

Then why are all the middle seats available. Either you didn’t understand what I said or are being deliberately obtuse. After paying to choose a seat, a window or aisle seat still cost more, another 70 one way. You are getting them free. My husband had Alzheimer’s. Leaving him alone in a middle seat would have been a disaster so I had to cough up the extra charges. And believe me, a child was a better seat companion

Because people with kids unwilling to pay extra to sit beside them are now able to protect their kids for free. More middle seats are open because like I said a parent with 1 kid takes a middle and window or aisle and a parent with 2 kids takes the whole row of 3. Plus its possible airlines are blocking off more pairs of seats adults with kids. Or more single traveller are choosing aisle or window before you did or couples choosing to pay to sit beside eachother before you did.

 

[Sandy VDH]

One group of people want for free (those who don't preselect seats) what another group of people are willing to pay for (more legroom, bulkhead, aisles or just plain preslected seats). The ones that want it for free think they should take it away from those who paid and give it to them.

If you take the words seats and planes out of the discussions, isn't this essentially what is happening.

 

[am1]

One group of people want for free (those who don't preselect seats) what another group of people are willing to pay for (more legroom, bulkhead, aisles or just plain preslected seats). The ones that want it for free think they should take it away from those who paid and give it to them.

If you take the words seats and planes out of the discussions, isn't this essentially what is happening.

One is a need, one is a want.

 

[rapmarks]

Because people with kids unwilling to pay extra to sit beside them are now able to protect their kids for free. More middle seats are open because like I said a parent with 1 kid takes a middle and window or aisle and a parent with 2 kids takes the whole row of 3. Plus its possible airlines are blocking off more pairs of seats adults with kids. Or more single traveller are choosing aisle or window before you did or couples choosing to pay to sit beside eachother before you did.

You realize all but one of your excuses for only having a middle seat actually uses a middle seat

 

[Sandy VDH]

One is a need, one is a want.

yes but it is a scare commodity. One that "wants" will be willing to plan and pay, but most often the one with "needs" thinks they are entitled to it for free, when it is something that they could pay for or plan better for, in most cases.

Yes parents want to sit with their kids, but I have sat across from the aisle from a sobbing 6 year old, because mommy and daddy got upgraded, but there was not enough seats for the kids. So do you think that one parent stays with the kids and one sits in first with one child, NOPE.

I think trying to accommodate is OK by the airline, I thinking forcing someone else out of a paid and preselected seat it not something that you should force. You can ask, and based on trade let that individual decide. But I have seen heavy handed parents forcing FA would just want the issue to go ahead, and embarass people into giving up their seats. If they don't give up, then know when to fold em, parents and FAs.

 

[am1]

yes but it is a scare commodity. One that "wants" will be willing to plan and pay, but most often the one with "needs" thinks they are entitled to it for free, when it is something that they could pay for or plan better for, in most cases.

Yes parents want to sit with their kids, but I have sat across from the aisle from a sobbing 6 year old, because mommy and daddy got upgraded, but there was not enough seats for the kids. So do you think that one parent stays with the kids and one sits in first with one child, NOPE.

I think trying to accommodate is OK by the airline, I thinking forcing someone else out of a paid and preselected seat it not something that you should force. You can ask, and based on trade let that individual decide. But I have seen heavy handed parents forcing FA would just want the issue to go ahead, and embarass people into giving up their seats. If they don't give up, then know when to fold em, parents and FAs.

That is not the issue here. What you are talking about is something totally different. I am talking about parent and child being assigned seats together at the time of purchase or a system in place if and when two seats become available together the family is moved there. Back then the back rows were blocked off for families but were full. I am sure the airline still blocks off pairs of seats for families as well for this situatuon.

When I started this thread years ago it was after having to fly on Delta last minute for a funeral with two kids. We already has plans to travel later that week on a different airline direct where kids are seated with their parents automatically. To complicate it more US Customs caused us to miss our flight out of Atlanta and coming back we flew home a day early (free of charge) to avoid a hurricane.

When I get upgraded with one companion. It is me and one son. With my wife and other son in a row close to business class.

 

[ScoopKona]

Here's a better solution -- child-free zones:

'It's weird': Travellers hit out at 'child-free' zones on airlines

A furious debate has sparked on X (formerly known as Twitter ) after an airline introduced a 'child-free' zone. One user called it 'weird' and 'sad' while another said they would pay more for the option.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Sandy VDH]

That is not the issue here. What you are talking about is something totally different. I am talking about parent and child being assigned seats together at the time of purchase or a system in place if and when two seats become available together the family is moved there. Back then the back rows were blocked off for families but were full. I am sure the airline still blocks off pairs of seats for families as well for this situatuon.

When I started this thread years ago it was after having to fly on Delta last minute for a funeral with two kids. We already has plans to travel later that week on a different airline direct where kids are seated with their parents automatically. To complicate it more US Customs caused us to miss our flight out of Atlanta and coming back we flew home a day early (free of charge) to avoid a hurricane.

When I get upgraded with one companion. It is me and one son. With my wife and other son in a row close to business class.

I've had a flight rescheduled, and or cancelled. Then my great prepaid seat is GONE, period. If that situation happens then you just have to roll with it. Ask someone nicely if they will change seats, don't demand it.

Customs never usually causes anyone to miss a flight, poor planning and not allowing proper timing is usually what causes people to miss flight. Unless NO one showed up at US Customs to work and then it was completely closed, then its likely a YOU problem and not a THEM problem.

Boy @am1 you really don't want to take personal responsibility for a lot of things. And want to be entitled for the rest of it. Plan as best you can. But realize, sometime plans go awray, just deal with it as best you can in those situations.

 

[am1]

I've had a flight rescheduled, and or cancelled. Then my great prepaid seat is GONE, period. If that situation happens then you just have to roll with it. Ask someone nicely if they will change seats, don't demand it.

Customs never usually causes anyone to miss a flight, poor planning and not allowing proper timing is usually what causes people to miss flight. Unless NO one showed up at US Customs to work and then it was completely closed, then its likely a YOU problem and not a THEM problem.

Boy @am1 you really don't want to take personal responsibility for a lot of things. And want to be entitled for the rest of it. Plan as best you can. But realize, sometime plans go awray, just deal with it as best you can in those situations.

Not much planning can be done when there are limited flight options. One a day out of our airport to Atlanta then change planes to fly to Canada. Clearing immigration can take along time depending on the amount of people working and about of planes arriving which in Atlanta is always a lot. Countries like Panama, El Salvador and Costa Rica do not require customs for a stopover. Much better system.

Add to that I am traveling with two 5 year olds.

I planned as best I could but did not want to be held hostage by the airline to pay extra to reserve seats so I can sit beside my 5 year olds. That is the point. Airlines have agreed with me.

 

[SueDonJ]

During my most recent flight I got on the plane and walked down the aisle only to find an elderly gentleman sitting in my seat, the one that I chose during booking. English was his second language and he was hard of hearing - two things that I'm mentioning not to disparage him in any way but instead to point out why we didn't have great communication between us. When I said nicely that I thought there might be a mix-up and showed him my ticket, he pointed to the back of the plane and the lady beside him stuck her tongue out at me. Seriously, she stuck her tongue out at me. I sure understood what that meant!

It was a one-way non-stop flight and I had no interest in holding up the boarding so I went to the back and asked the flight attendant to just put me in his seat wherever it was. She went and managed to convince him to show her his ticket, then came back and explained that they're a couple, husband and wife, and they were absolutely gobsmacked that as a couple they couldn't just take two seats together. So I sat in his middle seat, he sat in my window seat with his rude lady beside him, and the rest of the flight was uneventful except for the free snacks that were given to me every time a flight attendant went by.

But if I weren't flying alone I wouldn't have been willing to give up my seat for a few snacks! I always choose seats together because I can't imagine being involved in a plane crash and having to scream my I-love-yous across a plane full of panicking passengers. That and being in a collision on the runways are the two things that give me pause when flying. They don't stop me from flying, at all, but I think for a couple seconds about them whenever I'm getting on a plane. Now I'm sure I'll be thinking about who I'm going to have to kick out of my seat, too.