topic Re: Can someone explain this story to me? in Community Chat

Can someone explain this story to me?

Abrowneyegirl — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 02:43:53 GMT

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

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

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

sunshine45 — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 02:49:22 GMT

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

chrystaltree — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 03:08:24 GMT

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Isobel Archer — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 03:08:57 GMT

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Mrsq2022 — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 04:02:29 GMT

@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

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Noel7 — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 04:52:35 GMT

@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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Noel7 — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 05:11:45 GMT

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

karlam — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:53:48 GMT

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Isobel Archer — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 16:11:39 GMT

@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

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

BabyYoda — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 16:29:16 GMT

@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

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.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

occasionalrain — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:03:34 GMT

That these inconsiderate, entitled parents are "accommodated" only encourages more of the same inconsiderate, entitled behavior. No one should be asked to give up their seat. The woman with twins broke the rules and should have been removed from the plane; instead she was given a pass and rewarded for her misdeed.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

jaxs mom — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:11:42 GMT

What a great story on the linked Facebook page. I'd certainly have done the same had I been there.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

SharkE — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 19:49:28 GMT

glad I don't fly

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

PurpleBunny — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 20:12:23 GMT

I always bought my children their own seats and took the car seats on the plane. They didn't count as carry on luggage, they were in addition to carry on luggage.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

maestra — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 23:29:58 GMT

Musicians who choose to travel with rare/expensive/special instruments pay for a seat for their instrument.

Gotta pay for the baby's extra seats or travel w/another adult.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

missy1 — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 00:09:45 GMT

If the woman has a return flight, I hope she plans it better. That was nice of the passenger to help.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Abrowneyegirl — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 01:49:54 GMT

Ah Ha! I now see the problem, the mother was traveling without a plan. This is a VERY bad idea.

I could not tell you the last flight that I was on in the last 12-18 months that was not sold out or oversold. The idea that one is traveling with small babies with the hope of an extra seat is a bad idea.

PROBLEM 2: In the new age of airfare you pay extra for the premium seats (which is any seat not in the middle of the aisle).

If I am paying $80 ADDITIONAL for an aisle seat in the section of my choice I am NOT trading seating for free because someone else failed to plan. (as many mentioned above that families want to sit together and the airline encourages people to rearrange)

I would never expect someone who paid for a particular seat to trade with me because I want my family in one row and did not want to pay for it.

Thank you all for chiming in, I was applying logic......

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Isobel Archer — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 02:22:19 GMT

I agree that the expectation that people will switch seats can be a bit much.

I was on a flight where the man did not want to give up his aisle seat and the mother said - well then you will have to be responsible for the kids - in the middle and window - they were probably 2 and 3.

Unbelievable.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

missy1 — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 16:55:18 GMT

@Isobel Archer wrote:
I agree that the expectation that people will switch seats can be a bit much.

I was on a flight where the man did not want to give up his aisle seat and the mother said - well then you will have to be responsible for the kids - in the middle and window - they were probably 2 and 3.

Unbelievable.

Then the mom should give the pasenger the difference in cost for the seat. The mom knew the seating arrangement in advance.

Re: Can someone explain this story to me?

Isobel Archer — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:54:02 GMT

@missy1 wrote:
@Isobel Archer wrote:
I agree that the expectation that people will switch seats can be a bit much.

I was on a flight where the man did not want to give up his aisle seat and the mother said - well then you will have to be responsible for the kids - in the middle and window - they were probably 2 and 3.

Unbelievable.

Then the mom should give the pasenger the difference in cost for the seat. The mom knew the seating arrangement in advance.

What I've witnessed, is that they are usually prepared with the - we couldn't get our seats assigned in advance and "they broke up our family" or something like that.

And, maybe that's even true. I do think it is going to be harder as the airlines now want to charge for better seats and since more and more flights are full to get people to willingly give up their good seats for parents - let alone volunteer to hold someone's baby for the entire flight because she didn't buy the baby a seat - the woman who did that must be a saint.