Parents Now Protected From Having To Pay Extra To Sit With Their Kids On Flights

[FlippityFlier]

Maybe Spirit isn’t the airline for you if you have a need (to sit next to your child) that they can’t accommodate. Just like Delta isn’t the airline for me since I have a need ((nonstop flights) they can’t accommodate. Fly an airline that meets your needs. Just like the rest of us do.

Nonstop flights are not a need.

 

[Marrila]

Nonstop flights are not a need.

Not a need for you.

 

[RoseGold]

What's with the Spirit bashing? Spirit is good at this, and it happens automatically on Spirit now. The couple times it was messed up for me, they booted people before we got on the plane.

 

[focusondisney]

Nonstop flights are not a need.

You only know YOUR needs. You DON’T know anyone else’s. I could say saving a few bucks by not paying for your seats is not a need either. In fact, we could say, taking a vacation isn’t really a NEED either, is it????

 

[FlippityFlier]

I wonder if this is a decent compromise... airlines allow those under age 6(?) a free seat selection. That's it. Adults (or older kids) traveling with them have to pay the normal rate for their seat choice. If there aren't two seats together available at booking time, that flight is not available.

As the joke goes, we're in agreement, now we're just haggling on price

Expanding the discussion... at what age is it ok for a child to sit by themselves? Keep in mind, five year olds across the country ride school busses daily.

Except that five year olds don't take five hour bus rides between adult strangers in a total break from normal routine. And as far as an age cutoff, airlines do make those decisions, like SWA limiting family boarding to kids 6 or younger.

And a side question that no one has answered... shouldn't someone who gets bumped from their paid for seat get compensation (more than just a refund of their seat fee)? If I've paid for a window (or aisle seat) in the front 1/3, but because a family needs to sit together (and didn't pay for their seat), I get bumped to a middle seat in the back of the plane, IMO, that deserves at least twice the amount I paid for the seat. Think airlines would go for that? lol

It's funny that a lot of your focus has been on people getting forced to move, when that's the same thing I'm campaigning to avoid. If there's no fee for booking seats for small kids who must be next to a parent then all kids are in place at booking time and there's no shuffling things around the day of the flight, which I hate. Recently on Southwest I saw a woman traveling alone with a small child board a flight last, and they had to ask for a volunteer to shift around so they could sit next to each other. I felt a little chafed because I'd seen the woman already at the airport when I arrived, 90 mins before departure, at a small airport, so she should have been on board when plenty of seats were empty. SWA provides family boarding time for a reason, ma'am! (Fully aware of the irony here.)

 

[FlippityFlier]

You only know YOUR needs. You DON’T know anyone else’s. I could say saving a few bucks by not paying for your seats is not a need either. In fact, we could say, taking a vacation isn’t really a NEED either, is it????

If you think "needing" to fly non-stop is the same as a 5 year old "needing" to be with a parent, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[focusondisney]

If you think "needing" to fly non-stop is the same as a 5 year old "needing" to be with a parent, I don't know what to tell you.

If you think needing to save a few bucks is more important than making sure you sit with your 5 year old, I don’t know what to tell you either.

 

[Marrila]

If you think "needing" to fly non-stop is the same as a 5 year old "needing" to be with a parent, I don't know what to tell you.

Your current need is to plan ahead for seating for your child.
Other people may have different needs that they also plan ahead for. Their needs are also valid.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What's with the Spirit bashing? Spirit is good at this, and it happens automatically on Spirit now. The couple times it was messed up for me, they booted people before we got on the plane.

My husband has flown Spirit before and decided it was not comfortable for him. We also personally do not like the complete unbundling that they represent. I cannot speak to their customer service but the don't have that reputation for no reason. But for those who fly them decently enough it's their thing. It's an option in the market and I don't consider that a bad thing, it's just not for us. Not sure why you find it bashing though.

 

[sam_gordon]

It's funny that a lot of your focus has been on people getting forced to move, when that's the same thing I'm campaigning to avoid.

But that's the entire issue. If no one is forced to move, there's no problem. BUT, let's say you get this "taken care" of when you get your seat assignment 24 hours before. If I've paid for and selected my seat and the airline moves me, why does it matter WHEN it was done?

 

[FlippityFlier]

But that's the entire issue. If no one is forced to move, there's no problem. BUT, let's say you get this "taken care" of when you get your seat assignment 24 hours before. If I've paid for and selected my seat and the airline moves me, why does it matter WHEN it was done?

But in my perfect world my 5 year old wasn't charged to have their parent sit with them so our seats were confirmed weeks before the flight, and nobody who paid for a seat selection gets forced to move at any time.

ps we don't agree about parts of this but I respect that you've stuck with this discussion and my rants

 

[FlippityFlier]

If you think needing to save a few bucks is more important than making sure you sit with your 5 year old, I don’t know what to tell you either.

You're changing the topic because you recognized that a small child needing a parent is not the same as a grown-*** person needing to fly non-stop, so we're good on that.

Your current need is to plan ahead for seating for your child.
Other people may have different needs that they also plan ahead for. Their needs are also valid.

I've flown plenty, I have tons of things I'd say I need, including non-stops, power ports, a shoulder duffel that easily squeezes into the overhead bin, window/aisle, no more red-eyes etc. I do everything I can to get those things. None of them are the same as a five year old needing to sit next to their parent. It's a fair reframe that my need as a parent is to provide that security, which is a little different but still feels mandatory.

 

[focusondisney]

Now I’ll really change the topic. Interesting someone makes an account & within 24 hours is trolling & arguing with multiple posters.

 

[sam_gordon]

But in my perfect world my 5 year old wasn't charged to have their parent sit with them so our seats were confirmed weeks before the flight, and nobody who paid for a seat selection gets forced to move at any time.

ps we don't agree about parts of this but I respect that you've stuck with this discussion and my rants

In my perfect world, I could afford to fly First Class. Actually, if I was honest, in my perfect world, I'd have my own plane and pilot on call.

Seriously, there are things you can do so you sit with your child. Yes, they cost money. But you (presumably) have a car seat for your child. If they're five, you've probably gone through a couple of them. They cost money, right? So you're willing to spend money if it benefits your child. But not this.

 

[FlippityFlier]

Now I’ll really change the topic. Interesting someone makes an account & within 24 hours is trolling & arguing with multiple posters.

Not that interesting, I'm in the situation of flying Spirit for the first time and wanted to discuss/vent about their policies, so I googled and ended up here. Not trolling, stating my opinion clearly and in depth. People want to argue about it, ok, cool.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not that interesting, I'm in the situation of flying Spirit for the first time and wanted to discuss/vent about their policies, so I googled and ended up here.

You may not be aware of how to create a thread but if you're just wondering about Spirit, their polices, or people's experiences with Spirit making a thread about that may be the easier route because then you'll get in real life discussion on what to expect for your first time flying them.

All this thread is about is a discussion on a guideline where no action has presently been taken and doesn't apply to Spirit exclusively so you're probably not going to get enough posters to discuss Spirit.

 

[FlippityFlier]

Seriously, there are things you can do so you sit with your child. Yes, they cost money. But you (presumably) have a car seat for your child. If they're five, you've probably gone through a couple of them. They cost money, right? So you're willing to spend money if it benefits your child. But not this.

I hadn't thought of that, you just added info in favor of my position -- car seats. They're mandatory safety equipment, so all airlines including Spirit will check them for free. Strollers are checked free too. (Some might say that's special treatment and their golf clubs are also mandatory )

 

[sam_gordon]

I hadn't thought of that, you just added info in favor of my position -- car seats. They're mandatory safety equipment, so all airlines including Spirit will check them for free. Strollers are checked free too.

Sorry, not following. How does car seat help your argument? Unless you're getting the car seats for free because it's "not fair" to those who don't need them.

 

[lowlight]

For those who are against this, do you also oppose DAS?

 

[FlippityFlier]

All this thread is about is a discussion on a guideline where no action has presently been taken and doesn't apply to Spirit exclusively so you're probably not going to get enough posters to discuss Spirit.

The threat title is "Parents Now Protected From Having To Pay Extra To Sit With Their Kids On Flights". Seems very relevant to contribute an example that shows how this is not the case. What's a little surprising is how many people jump in to defend a practice that consumer watchdogs in the government are working to curb.