Helpppppp not sitting together? Sort of budget related

[KarenAylwood]

We're flying to Florida tomorrow (Pensacola, not Orlando). I just checked in and it's showing that me, DH and our 3 year old DS are all sitting in the middle seat in different rows. When I bought the tickets it wouldn't let me pick seats. The rest of the three flights all say "seat assigned at gate." We're flying with Delta, usually we're with Southwest when we go somewhere. They can't honestly think our 3 year old can sit alone, can they?

There were no other available seats except "preferred" which cost a bunch of money. I'm not paying extra. Anyone deal with this before? I'm on hold with the airline now trying to see what can be done but I have meetings coming up that I need to leave for and won't be able to call back until late and I'm panicking. The hold time is 30-55 minutes. Anyone deal with this before?

 

[wilkeliza]

Did you buy direct through delta or did you buy from a third party?

 

[KarenAylwood]

I think I bought through Expedia or someone.

 

[wilkeliza]

I think I bought through Expedia or someone.

If you didn't book direct then they are less likely to move you. You'd be at the mercy of the crew at the gate.

 

[jtopp]

If the flight crew sees a family with small children, they will try to maneuver others so at lease one of you can sit with your child. Trust me, they really don't want the hassle of dealing with a frightened child alone, they prefer a parent nearby. Hopefully, at least one of you will get to sit next to your son.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

A few years back, we flew to Hawaii with Delta. I had booked our seats and was able to pick seats all together without paying extra. Well, when I went to check in, our seats were all changed around and we were all separated. My parents are older and hadn't flown in at least a decade. My mom is an extremely nervous flyer, and my daughter has autism. Having us not together just wasn't going to work. The customer service rep at Delta was a huge help. He was able to get us relocated so we were all together.

Be patient and polite. I'm sure they will be able to at least get at least 2 of the seats together so your 3 year old isn't alone.

 

[katie111]

If you can't sort it out beforehand, just get to the airport early and be one of the first people to check in for your flight. We've never had a problem getting moved. However, I wouldn't expect that all 3 of you will be sitting together. Just be happy if one of you can sit with your toddler. I've seen so many parents make a big deal out of this. You can always switch off halfway through the flight.

 

[megster1123]

We're flying to Florida tomorrow (Pensacola, not Orlando). I just checked in and it's showing that me, DH and our 3 year old DS are all sitting in the middle seat in different rows. When I bought the tickets it wouldn't let me pick seats. The rest of the three flights all say "seat assigned at gate." We're flying with Delta, usually we're with Southwest when we go somewhere. They can't honestly think our 3 year old can sit alone, can they?

There were no other available seats except "preferred" which cost a bunch of money. I'm not paying extra. Anyone deal with this before? I'm on hold with the airline now trying to see what can be done but I have meetings coming up that I need to leave for and won't be able to call back until late and I'm panicking. The hold time is 30-55 minutes. Anyone deal with this before?

But see, the people that did pay extra are the ones that chose their seats. That's why they paid extra. When we purchased our Delta tickets we opted to pay the extra fee so we could pick our seats. I don't see how they're going to displace others that have paid in order to accommodate you, who has not. I'm sorry, I hope it works out.

 

[MomToOne]

Call the airline now - SOMETIMES the phone agents can assign seats in these situations and fix the problem.

Otherwise, just check in with the gate agents at the airport and explain the situation. They will beg other people to change seat assignments to fix the problem. At Christmas, I gave up two aisle seats for two middle seats on a 4 hour flight because of a similar situation. People will grumble, but will generally help. Especially when you threaten to put your unmonitored 3 year old next to them LOL

Once you are on the plane I suggest buying the people who change seats with you a drink or something - on my flight, the mother who needed the seats didn't even say thank you to me, although a pilot who was flying jump seat on the flight overheard me talking to the gate agent about it all and he thanked me twice for doing it - once getting on the plane, once getting off - I think in large part because the mother didn't!

 

[MomToOne]

.

 

[kid-at-heart]

No, the people paid extra for preferred seats, which have more leg space among other perks. Delta does not charge for assigning seats, even the cheap seats. The problem in this case is that the flight is oversold (at least in the cheap seats) or close to it, so they've shut down advance seat assignments.

Delta "now" does charge extra for assigned seating out of most airports. They have basic economy where you may not pre-choose a seat, main cabin (about $50 more on our flights from dtw to mco) where you may pre-chose a seat, comfort +, which are the extra leg room and snacks seats, and first class. There is even another called "preferred seating" but I have not experienced that on our flights so I am not sure how it works. My mother is blind and disabled so I always make sure that I at least reserve her a "main cabin" seat so I can have her on an aisle and semi-near the front of the plane. For the rest of us, it just depends on how long the flight is and what level of discomfort we are willing to tolerate.

I hope it works out for your family. I cannot imagine any airline allowing a three year old to sit without parents nearby.

 

[megster1123]

@MomToOne That's not correct actually. We fly Delta a lot and with the basic fare there is no seat assignment available until after check-in. If you pay the higher fee for main cabin, there are seat assignments included. The larger seats you're referring to are above and beyond that in Delta Comfort.

YOU HAVE SELECTED A BASIC ECONOMY FARE. IT INCLUDES:

• Complimentary premium entertainment
• Complimentary snacks, soft drinks and Starbucks® coffee

• Available Wi-Fi
• Award-winning service

BASIC ECONOMY COMES WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS:

• No seat assignment is available until after check-in

 

[MomToOne]

I deleted my original statement about Delta.

But even if the OP bought a basic fare, it doesn't excuse Delta from seating a 3 year old apart from their family. Delta is aware these situations exist, and their seating algorithms should deal with it. And I have every faith they will correct it when the OP gets to the airport.

 

[QueenIsabella]

As others have said, they can help you at the gate. Last year, I was flying with 2 kids (9 and 12, so not tiny), a cat, and a dog. The gate agents were wonderful at re-arranging people so we could sit near each other (I think one child was across the aisle). Normally, I would have told my 12yo to suck it up, but we were moving, and she was in charge of the dog, and the agents agreed that it would be best for us to be fairly close together.

No way are they going to let a 3yo be alone. However, it's not likely that all three of you will be together--I wouldn't expect to be. You might get lucky, but be prepared. It's not crucial that you and DH be together, just a parent with the child.

 

[redsonja76]

This happens to me almost every time I fly, and I have never ever had a problem getting seats moved. Even one time we were late to our connection and the gate agent couldn't move it, but the flight attendant on the plane worked her magic and got us together and the person giving up their spot a better seat. It will be fine.

 

[SirDuff]

I deleted my original statement about Delta.

And even if the OP bought a basic fare, it doesn't excuse Delta from seating a 3 year old apart from their family. Delta is aware these situations exist, and their seating algorithms should deal with it. And I have every faith they will correct it when the OP gets to the airport.

The OP made the choice to buy tickets where she couldn't choose seats (likely because it was cheaper) and is now making a choice not to take seats together because she doesn't want to have to pay for it. Why is this all on Delta?

While I do think that they will make it so that at least one parent is beside the child, the OP definitely has responsibility in the causing the situation - it isn't all on Delta.

 

[Gracie09]

I deleted my original statement about Delta.

And even if the OP bought a basic fare, it doesn't excuse Delta from seating a 3 year old apart from their family. Delta is aware these situations exist, and their seating algorithms should deal with it. And I have every faith they will correct it when the OP gets to the airport.

why? The parent choose a ticket that does not include seat selection. The website is upfront that it does not include seat selection. People choose and pay for seating for a variety of reasons. We do so so that we sit with our children. We also check the seating on a regular basis to make sure plane changes etc do not displace us. Its personal responsibility. Will Delta try to help, probably. But the OP put herself in this situation.

 

[SirDuff]

To actually be helpful:

1) Keep checking with Delta - people cancel/upgrade/move seats. Trying to get three seats together will be tough, but you may be able to get two .

2) Try to get at least one aisle seat - they'll be easier to "trade" (see point #5)

3) Get to the airport early and ask again when you check in. Upgrades/cancellations may have come through since you checked in and/or people moved around when they checked in and a pair may now be open.

4) Ask again at the gate. Again, upgrades may have cleared since check-in and/or no shows (which wouldn't have been known when you checked in) may have opened up a pair of seats.

5) Ask the people sitting beside your single seats if they'd be willing to trade. If you managed to snag aisle, you'd be asking people to move from a middle seat to an aisle seat, which, unless they are traveling with the person in the window seat (I'm assuming a 3x3 config), they are likely to be willing to do. Do not just sit in the seat and then ask the person - ask as if you know they'd be doing you a favour.

ETA - don't count on them automatically fixing it for young kids. Kids from the age of 5 can fly alone, so the airlines certainly think that they can sit alone. There was a story a few days ago of a mom who ended up separated from their 2 year old daughter - there is only so much the airline can do, once seats are assigned. Also, the computer (which assigned the seats) has no idea how old anyone is (unless you have a, rare, child fare), so it doesn't prioritize which groups it keeps together and which it splits (actually, it probably does, but based on passenger status and/or fare class - things it knows).

 

[usnuzuloose]

Don't give up hope with people not being sympathetic. I was on a flight and the lady next to me had her baby and her husband was in front of me. She was trying to talk to him. I asked him if he wanted to trade seats to be near his wife and to help her with the baby. I was very happy to do it. Airlines should not being do this to anyone. I bet someone will help and give up their seat to help.

 

[tzeitel]

This happens to us all the time. We pick seats, they get moved, or when booking it says we cannot pick seats atm etc etc. Delta has always let us sit together. They will move ppl (card members, frequent flyers etc) to the better seats. They always have a list of ppl looking for upgrades, just look at the gate screen and they will have names listed there.