United allowing families to sit together for free

[sam_gordon]

From United's website...

If you’re flying with children under 12, we’ll make sure they can sit next to an adult in your family for free. Soon this will also include families who have Basic Economy tickets. If seats next to each other aren’t available because of last minute bookings or unscheduled aircraft changes, you can switch to another flight for free and won’t be charged for the difference in fare.

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/accessibility-and-assistance/traveling-with-children.html

CNN Article... https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/united-airlines-family-seating/index.html

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this. Part of me gets that younger children should be sitting with their parents. Another part of me thinks "plan ahead and pay like the rest of us do".

 

[NJlauren]

As someone who has 2 kids under 12 and always pays to sit together I’m fine with it, as long as I’m never asked to move. Also United is my go to airline.

 

[EACarlson]

I'm not a fan because it's assigning a basic economy ticket a window or aisle seat at booking. If I'm traveling for my day job we don't usually get to book our flight until 6 weeks out. There are times that means I have to pay for a "preferred" seat in order to not be in a middle. I think the better solution would be to limit basic economy to 12+.

 

[DLgal]

I'm not a fan because it's assigning a basic economy ticket a window or aisle seat at booking. If I'm traveling for my day job we don't usually get to book our flight until 6 weeks out. There are times that means I have to pay for a "preferred" seat in order to not be in a middle. I think the better solution would be to limit basic economy to 12+.

Well, booking 6 weeks out means you get what's left over.

Families with kids under 12 should get to sit together. Period. Young kids should not be sat next to strangers on a multi hour flight.

 

[focusondisney]

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this. Part of me gets that younger children should be sitting with their parents. Another part of me thinks "plan ahead and pay like the rest of us do".

Or airlines just stop the nonsense of charging for different seats. A window seat vs a middle doesn’t cost the airlines anything. So just get rid of that fee. At least with luggage, they’re paying crews to load, extra fuel for the extra weight etc. So luggage fees could be to recoup costs. But fees for window or aisle, just pure money grab.

 

[Marrila]

Well, booking 6 weeks out means you get what's left over.

Families with kids under 12 should get to sit together. Period. Young kids should not be sat next to strangers on a multi hour flight.

This new plan by united doesn't promise the whole family sits together. If there are 2 under 12's and two parents they may be seated 2 in one row and 2 in another.
Two kids and one parent should be together according to united.
If there is an equipment change or other issue that leaves not enough seats they will rebook everyone on another flight.
It may work out well, or it may be that the "free" reserved seats together cause a very long travel day.

 

[easyas123]

Another part of me thinks "plan ahead and pay like the rest of us do".

Might be unpopular, but all of me thinks this!

 

[DLgal]

This new plan by united doesn't promise the whole family sits together. If there are 2 under 12's and two parents they may be seated 2 in one row and 2 in another.
Two kids and one parent should be together according to united.
If there is an equipment change or other issue that leaves not enough seats they will rebook everyone on another flight.
It may work out well, or it may be that the "free" reserved seats together cause a very long travel day.

I don't mean the whole family needs to sit together. I mean a parent should always sit next to their child(ren).

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, booking 6 weeks out means you get what's left over.

Families with kids under 12 should get to sit together. Period. Young kids should not be sat next to strangers on a multi hour flight.

I agree with you, BUT...
1) Families with kids under 12 shouldn't book "Basic Economy"
2) If *I* paid more for my seat because I planned ahead, I shouldn't get bumped from my seat.

I think airlines should hold back 'x' rows at the back of the plane and only allow families with kids to book there until 48(?) hours before departure. If families want to get further forward, then pay for it. That seems a decent compromise.

 

[DLgal]

I agree with you, BUT...
1) Families with kids under 12 shouldn't book "Basic Economy"
2) If *I* paid more for my seat because I planned ahead, I shouldn't get bumped from my seat.

I think airlines should hold back 'x' rows at the back of the plane and only allow families with kids to book there until 48(?) hours before departure. If families want to get further forward, then pay for it. That seems a decent compromise.

Are they saying they will bump people who paid for their seats to accommodate families? I didn't see that. It sounds like families can choose groupings of seats that will accommodate them at the time of booking, for no fee. That's it. If there aren't seats together, they will have to pay for higher category seats or choose another flight. This doesn't sound like something the gate agents will be juggling at the airport.

 

[sam_gordon]

Are they saying they will bump people who paid for their seats to accommodate families? I didn't see that. It sounds like families can choose groupings of seats that will accommodate them at the time of booking, for no fee. That's it. If there aren't seats together, they will have to pay for higher category seats or choose another flight. This doesn't sound like something the gate agents will be juggling at the airport.

I don't see it in the CNN article, but the story the Today Show did this morning about it suggested parents go to the gate agent if they don't have seats together.

The CNN article DID say (I didn't read it earlier because I thought I knew the story) that Delta DOES block off seats for "family seating" until 48 hours before the flight. And you can see that on the seat maps (I fly Delta).

 

[Marrila]

Are they saying they will bump people who paid for their seats to accommodate families? I didn't see that. It sounds like families can choose groupings of seats that will accommodate them at the time of booking, for no fee. That's it. If there aren't seats together, they will have to pay for higher category seats or choose another flight. This doesn't sound like something the gate agents will be juggling at the airport.

I don't see it in the CNN article, but the story the Today Show did this morning about it suggested parents go to the gate agent if they don't have seats together.

The CNN article DID say (I didn't read it earlier because I thought I knew the story) that Delta DOES block off seats for "family seating" until 48 hours before the flight. And you can see that on the seat maps (I fly Delta).

The gate agent may help with rebooking or direct the family to an agent who can help them find a new flight with available seats.

 

[_19disnA]

Think this will also be easier to implement when flights are not already full. During peak travel times like around major holidays, virtually every seat is occupied so they don't have the flexibility to move people around. Regardless of whatever program they have, there likely will always be those who just show up at the airport and have NO idea how any of this works and expects magic to happen. I am always amazed when flying how many clueless people act like this is their first time at an airport. Whether it is the baggage check-in process, TSA, seating or carry-on luggage I find it hard to believe these are all first time travelers. The family/child seating issue sounds like they are going to push this off on the gate agent to resolve who probably has very little control over all of the variables that can impact this.

With regard to 'extra fees' mentioned in those articles, at least part of the reason people bring so much carry-on luggage on the plane is to avoid paying the checked baggage fee. This slows down the process of boarding & exiting for everyone. I don't see any simple solutions to these problems.

Most airlines obscure the total cost of your ticket in an effort to seem like they have lower prices then their competition. I would prefer to easily see the TOTAL cost of my ticket so I can make more accurate comparisons.

 

[sam_gordon]

Think this will also be easier to implement when flights are not already full. During peak travel times like around major holidays, virtually every seat is occupied so they don't have the flexibility to move people around. Regardless of whatever program they have, there likely will always be those who just show up at the airport and have NO idea how any of this works and expects magic to happen. I am always amazed when flying how many clueless people act like this is their first time at an airport. Whether it is the baggage check-in process, TSA, seating or carry-on luggage I find it hard to believe these are all first time travelers. The family/child seating issue sounds like they are going to push this off on the gate agent to resolve who probably has very little control over all of the variables that can impact this.

With regard to 'extra fees' mentioned in those articles, at least part of the reason people bring so much carry-on luggage on the plane is to avoid paying the checked baggage fee. This slows down the process of boarding & exiting for everyone. I don't see any simple solutions to these problems.

Most airlines obscure the total cost of your ticket in an effort to seem like they have lower prices then their competition. I would prefer to easily see the TOTAL cost of my ticket so I can make more accurate comparisons.

Well, the prudent traveler will have enough in their carryon for the first 24 hours. Has nothing to do with fees, but with the possibility of lost luggage. If you get 2-3 people traveling together, that can fill a "standard" carry on.

Another advantage of carry on is not having to wait at your destination for the luggage to come out on the conveyer. Just walk out to your transportation.

I think it's a good idea to charge those who want to use checked luggage and let those of us who don't save a little money.

It's the same idea with fees to choose your seats. If you truly don't care where you sit, you can save a little bit of money. Want an exit row for more space? Pony up for it. Want a window or aisle? More $$.

I don't see those fees as "obscuring". It gives the traveler a chance to save money.

 

[sam_gordon]

The gate agent may help with rebooking or direct the family to an agent who can help them find a new flight with available seats.

Yea, we're going to see how this plays out "in real life".

 

[Marrila]

Yea, we're going to see how this plays out "in real life".

Yup. Sometimes "free" comes with a price. In this instance it may occasionally be some unpleasant travel delays.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

With regard to 'extra fees' mentioned in those articles, at least part of the reason people bring so much carry-on luggage on the plane is to avoid paying the checked baggage fee. This slows down the process of boarding & exiting for everyone. I don't see any simple solutions to these problems.

I agree it slows it down but baggage fees only really seem to be a small part of it. When you primarily fly SWA where you get 2 per passenger checked bags included in the cost of your ticket and people still bring carry on and personal items for the majority of the passengers and where they run out of overhead bin space or the bag won't fit it's not as much about the cost.

I do think in the last year or so there's much more a push because people are very concerned about their luggage making it to their destinations

 

[sam_gordon]

Yup. Sometimes "free" comes with a price. In this instance it may occasionally be some unpleasant travel delays.

Yea, I'm sure there's going to be some parent blowing up if the Gate agent says "we can't seat you together on this flight that you booked, but I can get you on the one that leaves in 6 hours."

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yup. Sometimes "free" comes with a price. In this instance it may occasionally be some unpleasant travel delays.

I think I'd be concerned that the airline is soft on it and just goes onto the plane itself and asks for people to move. It's by far the easiest solution on their books and probably the one seen to have less confrontational issues by that I mean they don't have to listen to the family be all upset potentially yelling or screaming or crying. I'm not all that confident that they would take the consistent stance of just making the family go on another flight but I hope I'm wrong on that.

 

[lowlight]

The topic was so nice we had to discuss it twice.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...sit-with-their-kids-on-flights.3890164/page-5

I can copy and paste all your/my comments in, that thread made it to page 10 before getting locked.