Should I pay to sit with my 4 year old

shaun_from_Africa

blindman wrote: »

This action on a plane full of screaming panicking adults is not helped if your CHILD is not sat next to you.

So do as I do, and pay for them to be sat next to you then.

Murphy_The_Cat

blindman wrote: »

Shaun and Mr Poo (and now MTC

It's a SAFETY ASPECT.

If you have kids (god forbid) and there is some crisis\emergency on PUBLIC transport you (hopefully) have the maternal\fatherly instinct to save that child ABOVE All others.

This action on a plane full of screaming panicking adults is not helped if your CHILD is not sat next to you.

Airlines are ripping you off.

Taking away the bibley reference.
My sprogs always travel close to me.
Always have.
Always will.
I pay a premium to do so every time I reavel.
If I couldn't afford teh premium, I wouldn't travel.

If I wasn't prepared to pay the premium, I'd feel that I was failing in my role as a parent.

I certainly don't have a specific feeling of entitlement, just beacuse I'm travelling with my sprog/s.

If you're unhappy with the laws/regulations that persue it with the relevant authorities.
The airlines aren't ripping anyone off. They're making an additional, voluntary charge for an enhaced level of service.

Either pay it, or don't.
But don't expect the higher level of service for nowt, just because your flying with a sprog.

MasterPoo

blindman wrote: »

Shaun and Mr Poo (and now MTC

It's a SAFETY ASPECT.

If you have kids (god forbid) and there is some crisis\emergency on PUBLIC transport you (hopefully) have the maternal\fatherly instinct to save that child ABOVE All others.

This action on a plane full of screaming panicking adults is not helped if your CHILD is not sat next to you.

Airlines are ripping you off.

You see, the difference between me and you Blindman is that when I travel with my children, my number one priority is the safety of my children, so if it means I must pay to ensure they are next to me on a flight, I will pay. I sure as hell don't expect other passengers to move around because I didn't ensure before boarding that my child was sitting next to me and I sure as hell will not potentially delay a flight because I neglected all the above.

I, unlike you, am not an entitled individual who thinks that the world owes me anything. Earlier on I said in principle yes I don't think OP should have to pay, but of course you you're too busy taking cheap shots!

MasterPoo

holidaysforme wrote: »

The tight fistedness of some people is staggering. Thinking that it's perfectly acceptable demanding that other passengers move because they won't put their hand in their pocket beggars belief!

Holidays......this is what's wrong with our society!

zagfles

holidaysforme wrote: »

The tight fistedness of some people is staggering. Thinking that it's perfectly acceptable demanding that other passengers move because they won't put their hand in their pocket beggars belief!

No. The parents can't demand, but the cabin crew can. You don't pay to "reserve" a seat, you pay to select a preferred seat, and all airlines' T&Cs will state that the seat isn't guaranteed and they reserve the right to allocate you a different seat, either prior to or when onboard the flight.

If the cabin crew instruct you to move seat and you refuse, you can be arrested. Of course they will always try to resolve the situation amicably and request people move, but if there's a safety issue, such a young child sat far away from his/her parents, then the cabin crew will resolve it and if necessary instruct people to move. As per the link I posted.

Don't like it? Tough. Find another form of transport. In aviation safety comes first and people don't have to pay extra for basic safety. That's included in the ticket price.

George_Michael

blindman wrote: »

Airlines are ripping you off.

Not really.
Seating on aircraft is a supply and demand thing and it's a fact that a large majority of passengers prefer aisle or window seats as opposed to being stuck in the middle of a row and as the preferred seating positions are limited in number, not everyone who wants one can be accommodated.
Because of this, people are often given the opportunity to prebook these seat locations, sometimes having to pay and sometimes using their frequent flyer status to do so.

Saying it's a rip off is like saying that travelling in premium economy, business or first class is also a rip off because you are expected to pay extra for these services.

No one has to pay to prebook any seat location or for seats to be grouped together, but if they are given this option and decline to do so, they have no one but themselves to blame if their family group can't be seated together (provided that the seating locations for children are within the guidelines stated by the CAA).

holidaysforme

Zagfles, you sound like exactly the type of person I'm talking about:D AS I said earlier, I was on a flight in February where the cabin crew asked three people to move so thst a family could sit together. All three refused. Nothing happened, the tightwad parents just had to suck it up:)
I have refused to move in the past. Wasn't arrested when I got off the plane either:rotfl:

zagfles

holidaysforme wrote: »

Zagfles, you sound like exactly the type of person I'm talking about:D AS I said earlier, I was on a flight in February where the cabin crew asked three people to move so thst a family could sit together. All three refused. Nothing happened, the tightwad parents just had to suck it up:)
I have refused to move in the past. Wasn't arrested when I got off the plane either:rotfl:

You were requested. Plenty of people refuse requests, but if the cabin crew instruct you to move then you will move.

I've been on about 30 flights with my kids and have never been seated apart from them (well no more than a row/aisle anyway) and have never once paid for reserved seats. I know that must really annoy the mugs who pay maybe £40-80 for return flights for 4.

These days, they're old enough to sit alone and I'd pay for an option for them to sit at the opposite end of the plane :rotfl: (only kidding - I'm too far tight to pay:p)

Andypandyboy

I think we have all bought into the airline point of view. Yes, now we have to pay to ensure our minors are sitting next to us. I really don't think that should have to be the case. It should be a given that parents sit next to small children, and the fact that we are arguing over parents who think this is true is really sad.

Passengers should stand firm and say that they will only pay for leg room and that it is not acceptable to have to pay to sit those on the same booking together, particularly when you have small children.

ferf1223

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

Either pay it, or don't.
But don't expect the higher level of service for nowt, just because your flying with a sprog.

exactly. :T:T