There’s a recent and growing trend of airliners not allowing economy-class passengers to choose their seats before the flight. This has led to some serious consternation from parents—what should they do if they’re not seated next to, or even near, their kids?
Flying With Kids Isn’t Fun
Let’s face it: flying anywhere with young kids along for the ride isn’t fun. They get bored and antsy at being stuck in a metal tube for hours on end, making tending to them a full-time job for the duration of the flight. It gets even worse if you’re forced to sit far away from them!
What Airlines Are Required to Do
Airlines legally have to seat parents next to children under two years old. That’s a good start, but let’s be honest. Who wants their three-year-old riding in a plane next to a complete stranger? That’s more than scary, it’s a possible safety issue!
Upcharging for Seat Selection
Some airlines offer a seat selection option, but it can be prohibitively expensive. Many families with younger kids can’t afford to pay for pricey seat selection fees. What are they supposed to do? There are a few things they can try.
Call Ahead
While airlines are under no obligation to help you, you could call them when you reserve your tickets and explain the situation. If they at least know ahead of time that you’re planning to fly with your kids and that you’d like to sit next to them but can’t afford the upcharge, they might be able to help. Just remember to be polite and courteous on the phone!
Get There Early
Get to your gate a little earlier than you usually would and explain the situation to the airline staff before boarding. See if there’s a way for your seats to get mixed around so you’re all seated together as a family. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the flight will be undersold enough that moving your seats around isn’t a problem!
Asking to Switch
Sometimes the airline might be unwilling or unable to help. In these cases, you’re going to just need to ask the person seated next to your kids if they’re willing to switch. Just remember that they might have paid for a specific spot and might not want to move. In that case, you might ask the person seated near you to switch with your kid. In any case, stay polite and don’t scream at anyone. Remember, asking someone to switch is asking them to do you a favor, and they’re within their rights to refuse your offer.
Filing a Complaint
Some parents have taken to filing complaints against airliners for these scenarios. It can be stressful to leave your child alone for hours without anyone on the plane trying to help you fix the situation. Many childless people simply don’t understand how stressful this is for parents. If enough complaints pile up, maybe something will change.
Petitions
Likewise, many concerned parents have started petitions to encourage many major airlines to change their policies regarding parents sitting next to children. If enough people sign on, maybe this can convince the airlines to reevaluate their seating policies for parents and kids.
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If All Else Fails
So, you’ve tried everything, been as nice as can be, and no one will help you sit next to your kids. You’re panicking, right? Well, don’t. At the end of the day, there’s nothing you can do in this scenario. Sit down, relax, and remember: the people who are seated next to your kids are probably as upset as you are.
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Flying Next to Someone Else’s Kids is Awful
That’s because, as we noted at the beginning, flying next to kids is not fun. That goes double when those kids aren’t even yours. If someone is being very stubborn about not switching seats, just give it a few minutes. They might change their tune once they realize they’ve got to spend the whole flight listening to “Baby Shark.” And, if they’re still adamant about sitting there, well, take it as a chance to relax and take it easy on the flight—you’ve got an airline-appointed babysitter.
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