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Airlines tell parents to pay up or risk sitting rows away from their kids. That's wrong.

Luanne

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I buy my tickets 9 months in advance. I check my reservation regularly. Sometimes (actually A LOT of the time) the new flight does not have me sitting with my children. This is NOT my fault. Yes, I expect the airlines to fix this.
And sometimes these changes happen even when we do check all of the time. We had a flight cancelled and we were able to get on another flight, different routing. There were a lot of people on this new flight where families had been split up. Dh and I were together, but our dh was some rows away. We were able to get her seat switched to one next to us, but many of those flying weren't so lucky.
 

mdurette

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We have been flying SW for about 90% of our flights since DD was 2....she is now 13. I don't buy Early Bird seating unless I know I will not be able to check in at T24, like on a cruise (I don't pay for internet package on cruise). But once...just once, I forgot to check in, she was about 9 at the time, we were at the end of C grouping and I knew it would be an issue. As soon as I got to the gate, I coughed up the $80 for two tickets to be upgraded into A seating (SW does this if they didn't fill A1-A15 with Business selects.)

I would be the crazy lady at the gate though if I previously paid to have assignment and they changed it.
 

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jehb2. I agree with you and I think most people here have offered agreement that if the airline changes the reservation then they should be responsible to maintain the grouping within the same itinerary.
the airline should take responsibility for the change
If you pay for advance seating and select seating to keep your group together, you have done all you can do. Unfortunately I think this thread shows that most airlines do not do this and leave passengers to monitor and seek corrections on their own.

The point I and many others have is with those who do not do as you have. They leave the seat selection to chance and then expect others to fix their issue. I don't agree with the article from the OP which suggested airlines should be held responsible for seating families together even when the family made no effort to see that this was done within the current flight/ticket process.
 

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Question. You buy a ticket..get a seat? yes. I maybe incorrectly assuming you still get a seat lol. This entire steam pile of antics by the airlines is a issue they created by trying to extract every last penny from the traveler. Book a flight...pick a seat! WHY is there any reason for charging more for seat selection? money profits greed. I'm not talking of the class sections of the airplane. It astounds me how airlines get away with this. If you book early, plan your trip...why not pick your seat? free.
If you want to fill those bad seats...fly on the cheap, lower the ticket cost for middle seating. I say tell the airlines to stop playing their petty games. And if some want to run a basement cheapo airlines, then we have our choice to take business elsewhere. And when you pick cheapo airways...don't complain, you got a great a deal. This seat cash cow is as bad as non-refundable tickets. If you need to cancel, why bother telling the airlines if they are not refunding your money? Why let then sell your seat twice? sorry...rant over lol.
 

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Question. You buy a ticket..get a seat? yes. I maybe incorrectly assuming you still get a seat lol. This entire steam pile of antics by the airlines is a issue they created by trying to extract every last penny from the traveler. Book a flight...pick a seat!
Not sure if you have traveled lately, but in order to keep the minimum price lower and compete with the no-frills airlines, almost all of the airlines have gone to a-la-carte pricing. The base ticket you buy is just for the transportation from point A to point B. If you want to pick your own assigned seat: fee. If you want a checked bag: fee. If you want space in the overhead bin for a bag: fee. The thought here is allow passengers who don't need those services don't have to pay for it. Under the old system where all of that was included, the fares were higher as everybody is paying for the cost to handle checked bags for that flight, for example.

If you want to fill those bad seats...fly on the cheap, lower the ticket cost for middle seating.
This is exactly what is happening. When you pick your seats, the seats in front are more expensive than the back. Exit rows are more expensive. Aisles and windows are more expensive than the middle.

I say tell the airlines to stop playing their petty games. And if some want to run a basement cheapo airlines, then we have our choice to take business elsewhere. And when you pick cheapo airways...don't complain, you got a great a deal.
So are you personally willing to pay a higher fare to fly on an airline that doesn't charge for seats, baggage, etc? Then tell me how that is any different than flying that same airline where the fare is lower and you pay for the extras that you choose to use, and the fare ends up being the same?

The problem is that the general public will almost always choose the cheapest base fare. They have almost zero loyalty to a particular airline. This is, of course, not the ideal situation, but we (the global "we"), the customers who have demanded lower fares, have gotten exactly what we deserve. :(

Kurt
 

rickandcindy23

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I have been super happy with my Southwest flights. I do pay for early bird seating on flights where I know will be booked solid. Those fees are minimal to make sure we get seats together.
 

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Not sure if you have traveled lately, but in order to keep the minimum price lower and compete with the no-frills airlines, almost all of the airlines have gone to a-la-carte pricing. The base ticket you buy is just for the transportation from point A to point B. If you want to pick your own assigned seat: fee. If you want a checked bag: fee. If you want space in the overhead bin for a bag: fee. The thought here is allow passengers who don't need those services don't have to pay for it. Under the old system where all of that was included, the fares were higher as everybody is paying for the cost to handle checked bags for that flight, for example.


This is exactly what is happening. When you pick your seats, the seats in front are more expensive than the back. Exit rows are more expensive. Aisles and windows are more expensive than the middle.


So are you personally willing to pay a higher fare to fly on an airline that doesn't charge for seats, baggage, etc? Then tell me how that is any different than flying that same airline where the fare is lower and you pay for the extras that you choose to use, and the fare ends up being the same?

The problem is that the general public will almost always choose the cheapest base fare. They have almost zero loyalty to a particular airline. This is, of course, not the ideal situation, but we (the global "we"), the customers who have demanded lower fares, have gotten exactly what we deserve. :(

Kurt

Well yes I have flown lately. Fly regularly. Don't use cheapo airlines. al-la-carte pricing IMO drives my cost up, me the traveler who expects to pick a seat, who sometimes needs to cancel at the last minute, who sometimes travels in groups. I travel with a carry-on, I'm not sure who it is that boards without one, (I exclude those huge personal items that can't fit under the seat and end up overhead anyway lol) . My point is that to travel business or personal, certain basic "amenities" are necessary, (they don't charge for seat belts yet right?) so while they pretend to service the basic traveler...in reality they complicate, confuse, confound air travel unnecessarily. We know the names of the cheap seat airlines, problem is a talking head in finance on the full service ones is rubbing his greedy hands salivating at providing you with more "choices" while lining their pockets. I'm sure there was zero reduction in ticket (factual not smoke and mirrors) pricing when all this started.

Your are so right some fliers demand the cheapest fares and want first class service. What a mess the airlines have created.
 

x3 skier

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What a mess the airlines have created.

The airlines created a mess? You buy a ticket to get you from A to B safely (not necessarily on time:D). The airlines clearly offer you up front extras if you want them.

How is this any different from buying a car with or without options, ordering an al a carte meal, more or less expensive fabric on a couch or any other optional type purchases?

If you want the options, buy them. If you don’t want them don’t buy them. Why is it a mess if you can choose?

Cheers
 

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The airlines created a mess? You buy a ticket to get you from A to B safely (not necessarily on time:D). The airlines clearly offer you up front extras if you want them.

How is this any different from buying a car with or without options, ordering an al a carte meal, more or less expensive fabric on a couch or any other optional type purchases?

If you want the options, buy them. If you don’t want them don’t buy them. Why is it a mess if you can choose?

Cheers

Yes a mess. guess we will have to agree to disagree. Paying to sit with your partner or children is not a luxury, although the airlines say it is. Bringing your belongings change of clothes for your travels onboard...they charge to check them now...not a luxury. I do not buy all the airlines hype about saving me money.
 

x3 skier

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I do not buy all the airlines hype about saving me money.

They may not save you any but they save me money since I don’t check a bag, don’t select a seat, don’t buy booze or any other options except when I want to. If they didn’t charge those fees to be profitable, they would have to raise all fares or go bankrupt again like they have before:cool:.

Maybe if they didn’t pay the Senior bus drivers up front $250000 a year, they could lower fares or eliminate fees:D.

Cheers
 

easyrider

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If a person is going to be their own travel agent they better know what is going on regarding everything they plan, imo. It is no different than any other diy dealio when you learn by doing or by mistakes.

I recently booked a flight on Southwest to HNL for my nieces. I asked if they were willing to pay more to sit together. They said no, cheapest ticket available please. So these girls will be sitting next to strangers. The youngest girl is 18.

Bill
 

Luanne

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If a person is going to be their own travel agent they better know what is going on regarding everything they plan, imo. It is no different than any other diy dealio when you learn by doing or by mistakes.

I recently booked a flight on Southwest to HNL for my nieces. I asked if they were willing to pay more to sit together. They said no, cheapest ticket available please. So these girls will be sitting next to strangers. The youngest girl is 18.

Bill
You don't know they will be sitting next to strangers, well I guess they would, at least one of them would. And if they do, sounds like it won't bother them.
 

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I recently booked a flight on Southwest to HNL for my nieces. I asked if they were willing to pay more to sit together. They said no, cheapest ticket available please. So these girls will be sitting next to strangers. The youngest girl is 18.
Southwest doesn't offer an option to select seats; only the "Early Bird" option that automatically checks you in (to get your boarding position number) before it is open the everyone else at 24 hours out. If they check in right at T-24 hours, they will have a very good probability of being able to find seats together.

Kurt
 

Sugarcubesea

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I just flew home today on Delta from our plant in Phoenix and ran into the most annoying and obnoxious woman with two kids in tow.

She booked economy basic where they assign your seat at the gate.

Her 10 year old was in the middle seat 2 rows behind me and her 14 year old was in the middle seat behind me and she was in the middle seat in my row.

I always buy an aisle seat and I do it for a reason. She wanted everyone in our aisle to move to accommodate her and her kids. No one would and she was having a meltdown.

I’m so done with people being entitled
 

Sandy VDH

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Basic economy does NOT include seat selection in advance. If you MUST have your children seated next to you, then you have to do what the rest of us do that want specific seat selections, and that is PAY for the privilege to select your seating arrangements.

NOW, that does not mean that those selections can't be screwed up by equipment changes, but then too if seating is real important monitor those seats periodically, and make necessary changes.

Having children does not exempt you from the current a la carte the airlines have. Basic economy is pretty cheap compared with other economy choice, so you get what you paid for.

I would NOT trade an Aisle for a middle for anyone. But at my height and size, there is a reason for that.
 

Luanne

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I just flew home today on Delta from our plant in Phoenix and ran into the most annoying and obnoxious woman with two kids in tow.

She booked economy basic where they assign your seat at the gate.

Her 10 year old was in the middle seat 2 rows behind me and her 14 year old was in the middle seat behind me and she was in the middle seat in my row.

I always buy an aisle seat and I do it for a reason. She wanted everyone in our aisle to move to accommodate her and her kids. No one would and she was having a meltdown.

I’m so done with people being entitled
I have a worse annoying mom story. This doesn't have anything to do with seat assignment so I know I'm veering from the topic.

Some years back we were flying from San Francisco to Maui. While we were waiting in the boarding area a mom flying with two (or maybe three young kids) decided to take her daughter to the restroom. She asked a total stranger to watch her son. More like she didn't ask, just announced she was going to the restroom, would this woman watch him, and just walked away. Anyway, when she came back, the boy was gone. The mother went into full blown panic. Well, I would have as well, but then again, I wouldn't have left any of my kids alone. She demanded to be able to get on the plane so she could look for him there. The gate agents told her there was no way the boy could have gotten on the plane without them seeing him. She kept demanding until the boy finally turned up. I think he'd wandered off either to the restroom or one of the gift shops. Of course this all held up boarding.

I don't remember any incidents on the plane, but I don't think they were seated anywhere near us. When we got to Maui and the baggage claim area, there she was, with her kids and the kids were all playing ON the baggage carousel. She wasn't paying any attention to them at all.
 

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Basic economy does NOT include seat selection in advance. If you MUST have your children seated next to you, then you have to do what the rest of us do that want specific seat selections, and that is PAY for the privilege to select your seating arrangements.

NOW, that does not mean that those selections can't be screwed up by equipment changes, but then too if seating is real important monitor those seats periodically, and make necessary changes.

Having children does not exempt you from the current a la carte the airlines have. Basic economy is pretty cheap compared with other economy choice, so you get what you paid for.

I would NOT trade an Aisle for a middle for anyone. But at my height and size, there is a reason for that.

I was pissed because she was bragging how she only paid for economy basic and she’s never had this problem in the past everyone’s always accommodated her. She picked the aisle this time with road warriors and we were having none of it.
 

Sandy VDH

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What gets my goat is when parents take the upgrade but then leave the kids in coach. In this case I think they were even all standby. The kids were not seated together. The 5 year old across the aisle and back a row was nearly in tears and the parents in biz did not seem to care one bit. There were 2 other children under the age of 12 scattered throughout our section. The person sitting beside the nearly in tears 5 year old arranged to have their sibling sit with her.
 

Luanne

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What gets my goat is when parents take the upgrade but then leave the kids in coach. In this case I think they were even all standby. The kids were not seated together. The 5 year old across the aisle and back a row was nearly in tears and the parents in biz did not seem to care one bit. There were 2 other children under the age of 12 scattered throughout our section. The person sitting beside the nearly in tears 5 year old arranged to have their sibling sit with her.
On another Hawaii flight some years back I was traveling with dh, both dds, my mom and a friend. We all had seats together. When we went to check in (at the gate) we were told the aircraft had changed. I was asked if I wanted to be upgraded to Business Class, but they couldn't promise we'd all be together. My mom told me to take the upgrade, so I did. Our younger dd was pretty little and I wanted to be sure one of us would be next to her. There were two seats that were next to each other, so I thought I'd offer to take those and have younger dd sit next to me. Turns out, it was a double level plane and dd and I were upstairs in first class! Dh ended up in Business, and he was next to our other dd. The other two members of our party were not sitting with either of us, but they were both perfectly fine.
 

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Several years ago we were returning from Cabo. The last to get on the Plane was a guy that thought he was still "Cool Surfer Boy/Golfer" but several decades past his prime and his wife with two kids. Mom and kids were in one row and he did not help at all. He just drank. When we got to LAX he went ahead and got his golf bag off the Carousel and walked off to get in line for Customs. Leaving Mom/Wife to deal with the two kids and all the other baggage. Well the Custom Agents noticed. When he got to the Front his Golf Bag was searched in detail and he was taken off to the private room for a detailed up close and personal search.

I agree that there are way too many people walking round with an entitled mentality.
 

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We've always stuck with airlines that let you choose your seats for free (either by policy or due to elite status). The only time we haven't been able to sit together was an oddball Iberian flight from Madrid to Lima, Peru. We had booked our flights from the Canary Islands connecting in Madrid then on to Miami with a 3 hour connection. The airline changed our flights to a 45 minute connection and when I called to try to get that changed they refused saying it would be fine. It wasn't. Our flight was delayed and despite sprinting to the gate (pushing a stroller) we arrived 10 minutes before the flight to Miami departed and they wouldn't let us on. The next flight to Miami was 24 hours later, but they put us on a connecting flight through Lima and then on to Miami. We were scattered around the plane in middle seats. Our kids were 9, 7 and 2 at the time. The airline wouldn't put us together. We did get one passenger who swapped seats, so my wife was able to sit with the 2-year old.
 

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American Airlines, has anyone else noticed that if you buy Basic Economy and check in right at T24, you get the "worst seat" available on the plane? I've noticed that they fill those "assigned at check-in seats" from the back in the middle seats. I guess they're saying "next time pay more for your ticket." They certainly don't reward you for checking in early as Basic Economy, you'll probably have a better seat if you check in at the airport.
 

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Here’s another common scenario. Alaska/American changes my itinerary for the umteenth time. They can give me seats on the first flight but not the connecting flight. I check in for my first flight but they aren’t able to issue me seats for the connecting flight. I have to wait til I get to the connecting flight and the gate opens. Of course by that time there are no seats even relatively close together and the flight attendant will have to fix it. This is absolutely NOT my fault. And this is common. But it works out due to nice people. It has to be karma. When I was single and traveled for business I was always the first to give up my seat so that parents could sit with the kids. I just thought it was absolutely ridiculous that a parent would have to be separated from their kid. Even if it meant I had to sit in the middle seat.

One time flying out of Canada and connecting through Bellingham there was a flight change and we didn’t have seats together when we boarded the plane. As soon as passengers on the plane overheard the situation five people stood up and offered their seats. And they stayed standing until the flight attendant actually seated us. They were all Canadians. Canadians are so freakin nice.

I don’t begrudge passengers for not giving up their seats. My issue is with the airline.
 
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