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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,537
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Can someone explain this story to me?

I was reading this story and I am not understanding what happen.

The woman was traveling with twins, I assume she purchased 3 seats 1 for her and 1 for each of the babies.  So why would the airline take her car seat off the plane and expect her to hold both babies?  Can they do that!?!?!?! She paid for the seats they are for her use.

I have NEVER heard of such a thing.  How terrible.

I have also never traveled with babies.

Can someone make sense of this?

Thank you Smiley Happy

 

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Stranger-Helps-Mom-Flying-Alone-Twins-43300969

Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

i didnt see anywhere in that story where she paid for seats for her infants? maybe she was hoping there would be an EMPTY seat beside her so that she could use her carseat and hold one while the other sat in a carseat? it sounds like it was a full flight, but i think more specifics are needed in this article.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,916
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

It seems like she probably paid for two seats, intending to hold one baby and put the other baby in the car seat in the seat next to hers.  With the way things go on planes now, that was very risky thing to do.  The car seat was her take on and for some reason that they didn't say in the story, she didn't hold on to that car seat.  She let them treat it like it was carry on luggage.  So, she ended up with two babies and one lap.  Thankfully, a very generous woman came to he rescue.  I don't think the airline was at fault,  that wasn't my take. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,373
Registered: ‎04-04-2015

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Another article I saw on this said she brought one carseat on board - planning to hold one baby and put the other in the seat.  It also said it was a full flight - with no room for excess bags and "it was not clear" if she actually bought an extra seat.

 

It would not make sense - if she bought an extra seat - for the flight attendant to take her carseat - which she needed for the baby.

 

I'll bet she just assumed there would be at least one empty seat on the flight and the flight attendant would help her find seats together - moving someone else if necessary - so she could put the baby there.  But if the flight was full - her plan wouldn't work.

 

If she had actually bought an extra seat, I can't believe she wouldn't have raised a fuss when they wanted to take her carseat.  And there would have been no need to take it - as it would not be taking up any excess baggage space - it would be in the seat she bought.

 

I'm glad it all worked out for her.

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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,713
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

[ Edited ]

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:

I was reading this story and I am not understanding what happen.

The woman was traveling with twins, I assume she purchased 3 seats 1 for her and 1 for each of the babies.  So why would the airline take her car seat off the plane and expect her to hold both babies?  Can they do that!?!?!?! She paid for the seats they are for her use.

I have NEVER heard of such a thing.  How terrible.

I have also never traveled with babies.

Can someone make sense of this?

Thank you Smiley Happy

 

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Stranger-Helps-Mom-Flying-Alone-Twins-43300969


They wouldn't take away car seats if she had paid for the babies seats.  When you travel with a baby under two you have two choices.  Option 1 is you can pay full price for a separate seat for the baby and put a car seat in that seat so the baby can be buckled in.  Option 2 is you don't pay for the infant, but the infant has to sit in your lap as a "lap infant".  A lap infant cannot have a car seat, but you can check the car seat in with checked luggage for free.  A lap infant is not entitled to his own carry-on allotment or any other check on luggage (besides the car seat).  Only one lap infant is allowed per paired adult passenger.  You can also gate-check your stroller for free, so there are certainly some nice accommodations made for parents.

 

This woman did not pay for three seats for herself and her twins because if she had, she would have been entitled to three seats and have been entitled to buckle her car seats into of them.  I'm not sure what she was trying to do with two babies on the flight without purchasing seats for them, but it seems she had hoped that she would get lucky and find two empty seats for her babies.  All of this info is made clear on every airline website.

 

A seat is a seat, and the airlines charge you for a seat no matter who is sitting in it.  You can't just set a car seat at your feet like a small dog in a carry-on.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

[ Edited ]

 @Abrowneyegirl

 

Her car seat had been taken away as luggage.

 

The babies were too young to sit up in an airline seat alone.

 

She was told the airline did not allow holding two babies for safety reasons. 

 

Therefore, there was no way she could stay on the flight until... the second woman stepped in to hold one twin for the entire flight.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

[ Edited ]

According to the popsugar article, paragraph two, a gate worker took the carseat away to be stored as luggage underneath because the plane was full.  

 

It was NOT the flight attendant who took the carseat away.

Super Contributor
Posts: 477
Registered: ‎03-25-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

They would not have taken the car seat if the infant had a boarding pass for a seat.  In each row on an airplane, only 4 individuals can be seated because there are only 4 oxygen masks so someone in another row had to hold the baby or she would have to get off the plane.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,373
Registered: ‎04-04-2015

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?


@Mrsq2022 wrote:

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:

I was reading this story and I am not understanding what happen.

The woman was traveling with twins, I assume she purchased 3 seats 1 for her and 1 for each of the babies.  So why would the airline take her car seat off the plane and expect her to hold both babies?  Can they do that!?!?!?! She paid for the seats they are for her use.

I have NEVER heard of such a thing.  How terrible.

I have also never traveled with babies.

Can someone make sense of this?

Thank you Smiley Happy

 

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Stranger-Helps-Mom-Flying-Alone-Twins-43300969


They wouldn't take away car seats if she had paid for the babies seats.  When you travel with a baby under two you have two choices.  Option 1 is you can pay full price for a separate seat for the baby and put a car seat in that seat so the baby can be buckled in.  Option 2 is you don't pay for the infant, but the infant has to sit in your lap as a "lap infant".  A lap infant cannot have a car seat, but you can check the car seat in with checked luggage for free.  A lap infant is not entitled to his own carry-on allotment or any other check on luggage (besides the car seat).  Only one lap infant is allowed per paired adult passenger.  You can also gate-check your stroller for free, so there are certainly some nice accommodations made for parents.

 

This woman did not pay for three seats for herself and her twins because if she had, she would have been entitled to three seats and have been entitled to buckle her car seats into of them.  I'm not sure what she was trying to do with two babies on the flight without purchasing seats for them, but it seems she had hoped that she would get lucky and find two empty seats for her babies.  All of this info is made clear on every airline website.

 

A seat is a seat, and the airlines charge you for a seat no matter who is sitting in it.  You can't just set a car seat at your feet like a small dog in a carry-on.


It's been my experience that they do everything they can to accommodate parents with small children.  I've been on several flights which were full where the parents had booked seats apart from the kids - sometimes with everyone in middle seats.  Flight attendants then pressured other passengers to give up asile and window seats so the parents could sit with their children.

 

 

I also read on online that generally, airlines prefer to put the carseat in a window seat because some carseats can block access.  If the parent has such a carseat and has not booked a window, it may be necessary to ask someone with a window to move to accommodate the seat.

 

I do think it was wonderful for the other mom to step in  and hold the child - especially since the flight was delayed on the runway for so long.  But I also think - especially on long flights - that expecting empty seats - or other passenger accommodation - may not always result in such a good outcome. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,151
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?


@Mrsq2022 wrote:

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:

I was reading this story and I am not understanding what happen.

The woman was traveling with twins, I assume she purchased 3 seats 1 for her and 1 for each of the babies.  So why would the airline take her car seat off the plane and expect her to hold both babies?  Can they do that!?!?!?! She paid for the seats they are for her use.

I have NEVER heard of such a thing.  How terrible.

I have also never traveled with babies.

Can someone make sense of this?

Thank you Smiley Happy

 

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Stranger-Helps-Mom-Flying-Alone-Twins-43300969


They wouldn't take away car seats if she had paid for the babies seats.  When you travel with a baby under two you have two choices.  Option 1 is you can pay full price for a separate seat for the baby and put a car seat in that seat so the baby can be buckled in.  Option 2 is you don't pay for the infant, but the infant has to sit in your lap as a "lap infant".  A lap infant cannot have a car seat, but you can check the car seat in with checked luggage for free.  A lap infant is not entitled to his own carry-on allotment or any other check on luggage (besides the car seat).  Only one lap infant is allowed per paired adult passenger.  You can also gate-check your stroller for free, so there are certainly some nice accommodations made for parents.

 

This woman did not pay for three seats for herself and her twins because if she had, she would have been entitled to three seats and have been entitled to buckle her car seats into of them.  I'm not sure what she was trying to do with two babies on the flight without purchasing seats for them, but it seems she had hoped that she would get lucky and find two empty seats for her babies.  All of this info is made clear on every airline website.

 

A seat is a seat, and the airlines charge you for a seat no matter who is sitting in it.  You can't just set a car seat at your feet like a small dog in a carry-on.


So true @Mrsq2022. I used to travel every week when I worked and this happens more than the public know. I have seen mothers do this a lot with a baby under 2 years old and not want the baby to sit on their lap so they ask for an empty seat next to them without paying for that seat. Well that doesn't work on a full flight. I once had to move to another seat because the mother with her infant in the seat next to mine wanted me to hold her baby while she ate her food. The baby cried the whole flight. I couldn't take it anymore and they moved me and another woman took my place. I already switched seats with the mother and gave up my window seat for her.