RANT: I don't care if you want to sit next to your kids on the airplane

[DanceswithDisney]

I was flying home from Fort Lauderdale Sunday evening when a woman demanded that I move from my aisle seat so she could sit next to her kid who would be sitting in the middle seat. This was after SnoToriousBIG 2016, so every single flight was full.

I don't give a ratatouille if you want to sit with your kids. I paid for this aisle seat assignment and you wanted to take your chances at the airport! You can keep trying the passive aggressive "well he gets motion sickness." I have a kid and had dogs and witnessed one whelp puppies twice. I can handle it. Unless you want to pay me five times what I paid for this seat, keep moving on! The flight attendant made her go to her seat several rows back!

The only time I have ever given up my seat and in first no less was for someone in uniform. Their willingness to die for their country trumps someone who doesn't want to pay for their seat every day of the year!

 

[kaytieeldr]

The flight attendant made her go to her seat several rows back!

And I bet the 'motion sickness' never happened?

 

[brockash]

I was flying home from Fort Lauderdale Sunday evening when a woman demanded that I move from my aisle seat so she could sit next to her kid who would be sitting in the middle seat. This was after SnoToriousBIG 2016, so every single flight was full.

I don't give a ratatouille if you want to sit with your kids. I paid for this aisle seat assignment and you wanted to take your chances at the airport! You can keep trying the passive aggressive "well he gets motion sickness." I have a kid and had dogs and witnessed one whelp puppies twice. I can handle it. Unless you want to pay me five times what I paid for this seat, keep moving on! The flight attendant made her go to her seat several rows back!

The only time I have ever given up my seat and in first no less was for someone in uniform. Their willingness to die for their country trumps someone who doesn't want to pay for their seat every day of the year!

Obviously it's your choice and she certainly shouldn't have "demanded" which seems odd anyways since she doesn't have any control over it, but out of curiosity if she had another aisle seat (did she? you didn't say) would you have politely switched her seats, since you would have been getting the same type of seat? While I def. don't agree and don't like rude people, anytime I'm on a plane and there's a party split up, if the seats are the same I always volunteer to switch them seats. - I just don't think it's a big deal.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

What seat was she in? Aisle? Middle? Window?

As long as she wasn't in the middle, I would have moved. Assuming I was flying by myself.

I might have asked for compensation. Like $50.


If she WAS in the middle, I would have done it for $200.

 

[justgrace]

What airline was it and how old was her kid?

 

[PollyannaMom]

Um, considering the snow situation, I doubt she decided to "take her chances at the airport" to save a few bucks. They were probably bumped off a different flight, and dumped on yours - at the mercy of the elements...and other human beings.

While I agree it was rude if she "demanded" you change seats, I wasn't there to hear the exact language she used, and actually think it would have polite to offer if the kid was little. (After a certain age, though, I do think it's OK for them to sit by themselves. People kind of take the "stranger danger" thing a little too far nowadays.)

So how old was the kid?

 

[Jennasis]

On my last x-country flight i had an aisle seat. I am a nervous flyer and the aisle helps me feel less trapped. I was also suffering from excruciating back pain from an injury on the trip. Sitting at all was agony but at least in the aisle i could stand periodically. After i buckled in a young lady taps my shoulder, shes white as a sheet and frantic and asks to switch seats so she, an apparently also nervous flyer, could sit next to her boyfriend. She had a middle seat. Being the understanding person I am, i switched...only to find myself wedged between 2 huge individuals eating some rank smelling salad and the other an onion sandwich. As we are taking off i shoot a death glare over at the young lady, but she couldnt see me as she was curled up and clutching her boyfriend in tears as we sped up the runway.

I was miserable, but she clearly was too.

 

[writermommy6]

How old was the kid? If I understand correctly, you were in first class with her kid and she was in coach? That's why you "paid more"?
Sorry she demanded. Someone should have told her you get more flies with honey. Maybe as someone else suggested, she got bumped from another flight, just trying to wrap my head around why your seat was so much better than hers (in your eyes) that you would be so pissed about the situation.

 

[kydisneyfans]

If the kid was youngish, I would have switched in a second. It depends on the age to me. If travelling alone, I have no problem moving around to let a family sit together.

 

[soccerdad72]

How old was the kid? If I understand correctly, you were in first class with her kid and she was in coach? That's why you "paid more"?

I assume she paid more for a premium seating location within coach, not first class. Many airlines are now charging extra for specific rows/sections/seats, even within coach.

As far as anyone knows, the woman was a complete PITA to the OP, but who knows? On some travel board, the mom is probably going off on the rude lady who wouldn't consider switching seats with her so she could sit with her child.

 

[E&Cmom]

I would have probably switched. Sorry I can't be more sympathetic but not being there I don't know both sides of the story or how the mom " demanded".

 

[Wishing on a star]

WOW
I would assume that during snowmagedon 2016, this family, and this lady, like everybody else, was at the mercy of the weather, the airlines, and any available seats that were flying that day.

In any other circumstances, I would understand your rant.
There are those who will purposefully play the system, and expect others to provide.

I just am not so sure that this was the case.

As a matter of fact, even under perfect circumstances, we have had one lame airline, which I shall not name (except for the word DELTA) bump our aircraft and split us up into seats that were nowhere even near each other. No reason... No notice. No apology. I was glad that I am OCD about following any flights we have booked and was at least able to get us close together again. They ended up screwing us up so badly that we had them cancel and refund the whole thing, and booked, nearly last minute, on a different airline!

In fact, just happened again... we are seated near each other, one of us across the aisle instead of three together on one side... but our good seats disappeared and we are now split up by the aisle further back in the plane. Airlines SUCK.

I would just have been happy to be on that plane getting where I needed to be.
And, If I were a solo traveler, I would MUCH rather change seat than be flying next to an unaccompanied child!
Would I leave my own child/family... no... probably not.
But, again, I would much rather change seats than be flying next to an unaccompanied child.

 

[Babs Johnson]

In my experience, those who DEMAND another passenger change seats with them ALWAYS have an inferior seat. They're looking for a free upgrade and use any excuse in an attempt to get it.

I'm betting the kid was at least 10 and Mom just didn't want her own middle seat further back.

 

[asta]

I don't know the details but it is possible that the OP was flying Southwest and paid the extra fee to be in an early boarding group. That is one way their seat cost more.

 

[gwynne]

I don't know the details but it is possible that the OP was flying Southwest and paid the extra fee to be in an early boarding group. That is one way their seat cost more.

It would be helpful if the OP volunteered to clue us in on the airline, aprox age of young person and so on.

 

[JoeA]

I am a 100K a year flyer and get asked this all the time. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. If it's a "seat for same seat" trade I will almost always move (unless the person I am moving next to is taking up two seats, smelly, etc). I typically fly first or at the very least - in the "premier" section with more leg room and I've been asked to give up that seat and move to the back where it's cramped. That is almost always a "no". They can give the person(s) in the back the seat up front, and move their party to the back!

If it's a very young child then I try to be as accommodating as I can. If it's a spouse or older child then it really depends on the circumstances. I was flying home from HI once, sitting in first (aisle and at the bulk head, which I hate) and a couple wanted me to trade so he could sit next to his girlfriend. I declined because I have knee problems and I could stretch out my leg sitting in my seat (left side of the plane, right leg), and couldn't have done so in the other seat. Sorry, that flight is just too long for me to suffer so the girlfriend can sleep on his shoulder all the way home.

And now that I think about it, I am not sure I have ever asked to trade seats in all my years flying!

 

[HollywoodTowerHotel]

While the details may give a better overall picture of the situation, they would not change how the OP felt about the situation which seems to be the point of the post, or rant. Regardless of the details, the OP wanted to be heard and let off some steam and now is being judged. Of course, I am not sure what response the OP expected to get with such an inciting post!

 

[justgrace]

Why didn't the mom have the kid trade places with the person sitting next to her assigned seat? If the kid was in an upgraded seat, it would have been fair to have the person they were moving into the better seat.

The kid had to have been older, because the flight attendant wouldn't have let a young child (8 years or younger) sit with a stranger. They usually go over the intercom and ask if anyone would like to switch seats if it's a warranted situation.

 

[sk!mom]

I do not like to sit next to unaccompanied minors so I would have switched UNLESS the switch was to a middle seat. On the other hand, I also really dislike rude demanding people so if she was that, I might have refused regardless.

I totally get wanting an aisle seat. My family is all so obsessed with having an aisle that we choose seats across from one another rather than side by side. Once my kids were around 12, the aisle was more important to them than sitting by us. My DH and now adult son will pay when necessary to get the aisle assignment or early boarding group.

 

[sk!mom]

Why didn't the mom have the kid trade places with the person sitting next to her assigned seat? If the kid was in an upgraded seat, it would have been fair to have the person they were moving into the better seat.

The kid had to have been older, because the flight attendant wouldn't have let a young child (8 years or younger) sit with a stranger. They usually go over the intercom and ask if anyone would like to switch seats if it's a warranted situation.

I've been on many SW flights where kids younger were split from their party.