Flights

[souldoubt]

I'm no newbie to traveling but the ever changing experience of purchasing airline tickets continues to amaze me.  Went on a trip last month where we booked 4 months in advance, had our seats selected and listed then when I checked us in for the flights they had us in different seats.  On the way there we were still together but on the way back we weren't.  Before we got on the second flight I know other people got the same treatment because some were getting peeved asking the gate attendants why that happened and were told it was on the airline.  When we got on before I even asked someone to switch the person sitting next to my wife was supposed to be sitting next to the person I was next to and she asked me to switch.  Both groups booked their flights at the same time and had seats together at booking yet they split is up. Now I'm looking at booking tickets for an international flight and they don't include seat reservations which is an additional $400 for the entire trip.  I'm going to pay it because I'm not going to roll the dice on a 12 hour flight as to where my wife or I end up sitting but it still irks me.  Pardon the rant and if a mod wants to delete feel free. 

[thyme4change]

Our incessant focus on profit has ruined a lot of things - air travel being one of them. Flying is awful now. So very awful.

[Tennesseer]

Jun 6, 2019 19:56:55 GMT -5 souldoubt said:

I'm no newbie to traveling but the ever changing experience of purchasing airline tickets continues to amaze me.  Went on a trip last month where we booked 4 months in advance, had our seats selected and listed then when I checked us in for the flights they had us in different seats.  On the way there we were still together but on the way back we weren't.  Before we got on the second flight I know other people got the same treatment because some were getting peeved asking the gate attendants why that happened and were told it was on the airline.  When we got on before I even asked someone to switch the person sitting next to my wife was supposed to be sitting next to the person I was next to and she asked me to switch.  Both groups booked their flights at the same time and had seats together at booking yet they split is up. Now I'm looking at booking tickets for an international flight and they don't include seat reservations which is an additional $400 for the entire trip.  I'm going to pay it because I'm not going to roll the dice on a 12 hour flight as to where my wife or I end up sitting but it still irks me.  Pardon the rant and if a mod wants to delete feel free. 

One thing about you had your seat assigned and then you got to the airport, you had different seats. It could be there was a change of assigned type of aircraft and there were fewer seats on the switched aircraft.

[souldoubt]

The flight we took goes back and forth between the same two destinations.  If you look flights up on any given day from one airport to the other it's the same flight time, airlines and plane.  We've done this particular flight 5 times now and this was the first time that ever happened.  I've never had my seat changed when I had a booked a specific seat except when a flight has been cancelled which is annoying but obviously happens.  I'm just hoping it was a one off and not something that will happen going forward.   

[mollyanna58]

A couple of years ago, I had purchased my tickets and chosen seats months in advance. I printed out the boarding pass the day before the outbound flight, and my chosen  seat number was listed on the boarding pass. When I got to gate to board, I was told someone else was assigned the same seat.  I was asked to step aside for a couple of minutes, and was then given a seat in first class.  My companions were back in coach.

[justme]

Most of the time when your seat is changed it's due to an aircraft change. But it could change for things like a family with small kids, a disabled person that needs a companion with them, the air marshalls have specific seats they can sit in. 

However, in the legal goblygook when you pay to select a seat it says that you're still not guaranteed the seat you select.


As for the international -- unfortunately most consumers are infatuated with the lowest price so now all the airlines are offering options where you have to pay for every little thing. 

[bean29]

My daughter and I just went to Seattle this week. We flew standby, and on our flight out, we were both in the first row of first class, but not together, they flight attendant asked the guy sitting on the other side if he was willing to move, and he had no problem moving.  On our way home, we ended up with a whole row to ourselves to MSP, I had said we were both going to sleep, so I didn't really care if we were together, and that is exactly what happened. 

I like to read, and I almost rather sit alone, b/c otherwise I feel guilty if my nose is in a book. If I do sit with family, half the time they sleep anyways.

I have been on a few trips with unassigned seats or seating at check in, 24 hours in advance that ended up being absolute chaos when they attempt to get people to move so they can seat families together.  I ended up thinking one would be wise to pay to sit with your companion rather than be stuck sitting next to a crying child or someone who is severely overweight.

[Tennesseer]

Jun 7, 2019 14:44:17 GMT -5 bean29 said:

My daughter and I just went to Seattle this week. We flew standby, and on our flight out, we were both in the first row of first class, but not together, they flight attendant asked the guy sitting on the other side if he was willing to move, and he had no problem moving.  On our way home, we ended up with a whole row to ourselves to MSP, I had said we were both going to sleep, so I didn't really care if we were together, and that is exactly what happened. 

I like to read, and I almost rather sit alone, b/c otherwise I feel guilty if my nose is in a book. If I do sit with family, half the time they sleep anyways.

I have been on a few trips with unassigned seats or seating at check in, 24 hours in advance that ended up being absolute chaos when they attempt to get people to move so they can seat families together.  I ended up thinking one would be wise to pay to sit with your companion rather than be stuck sitting next to a crying child or someone who is severely overweight.

You mention a whole row to yourselves.

In the late 1970s, my self and two co-workers decided to fly to Zurich for Thanksgiving weekend just for the heck of it. We had interline travel privileges and the round trip airfare via Swiss Air was $70. Too good to pass up. Anyway, we left Thanksgiving evening out of Boston on a 747 and I have to say there were more flight attendants than there were passengers on the aircraft. We had whole sections of the aircraft to ourselves.

Cannot say the same the flight was empty on our return to Boston that Sunday. Packed to the gills.

[Tennesseer]

Jun 7, 2019 12:46:53 GMT -5 justme said:

Most of the time when your seat is changed it's due to an aircraft change. But it could change for things like a family with small kids, a disabled person that needs a companion with them, the air marshalls have specific seats they can sit in. 

However, in the legal goblygook when you pay to select a seat it says that you're still not guaranteed the seat you select.


As for the international -- unfortunately most consumers are infatuated with the lowest price so now all the airlines are offering options where you have to pay for every little thing. 

i flew up to Massachusetts last month for my 50th high school reunion. I flew basic economy and seats are not assigned until basically check-in at the airport. In the past, I had paid Delta a fee to select certain seating like a row with extra leg room. So this time I called Delta and asked if I could pay to have a aisle seats. The call center rep said I could not pay because I was travelling basic economy. But she asked me why I wanted aisle seats. I told her I do have some problems with my knees and it was easier getting out into the aisle than it was if I was assigned a middle or window seat. The call center rep told me to hold on.

I waited for several minutes and the rep returned to the call and said she had booked all my seats and all were now aisle seats. I thanked her profusely and asked should I give her my credit card so I could pay for the seats or should I want until I check-in at the airport to pay when I checked my bag. The rep told me there was no charged.

I again thanked her and once the call was completed I gave her perfect 10s on the post-call telephone survey. The rep didn't have to do what she did.

[TheOtherMe]

Courtesy pays off.  I was once in my assigned seat and some guy got on with his girlfriend/wife and demanded that I change seats.  Had he asked nicely, I would have changed quite willingly.  Don't make a demand if you want to sit with someone.  Be nice about it and it will most likely happen.

Generally people deplane by first class and then go through each row, except for the people who try to rush to the front of the plane from the back.

On a flight, I was sitting next a husband and wife.  The husband had a wheelchair.  When he went to the bathroom, his wife told me they were returning home from chemo treatment.  She told me it was very hard for her husband to get up and down and if I needed to use the restroom, would I please go get in line.  So I did.

When it was time to get off the flight, I had a long wait until my next flight so I waited for the people to come get him off the plane, which was going to happen after everyone else was off the flight.  The wife offered to let me get through but I did not want to cause him any more discomfort than he was already in.  I was in no hurry so I ended up being the last person off the plane as I had the window seat.  

The couple thanked me profusely and the flight attendant said she rarely sees that kind of kindness, that people can be real jerks to even people who are obviously very ill.

[Tennesseer]

Jun 7, 2019 18:16:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Courtesy pays off.

The couple thanked me profusely and the flight attendant said she rarely sees that kind of kindness, that people can be real jerks to even people who are obviously very ill.

What not being kind gets you.

[justme]

Jun 7, 2019 16:30:37 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Jun 7, 2019 12:46:53 GMT -5 justme said:

Most of the time when your seat is changed it's due to an aircraft change. But it could change for things like a family with small kids, a disabled person that needs a companion with them, the air marshalls have specific seats they can sit in. 

However, in the legal goblygook when you pay to select a seat it says that you're still not guaranteed the seat you select.


As for the international -- unfortunately most consumers are infatuated with the lowest price so now all the airlines are offering options where you have to pay for every little thing. 

i flew up to Massachusetts last month for my 50th high school reunion. I flew basic economy and seats are not assigned until basically check-in at the airport. In the past, I had paid Delta a fee to select certain seating like a row with extra leg room. So this time I called Delta and asked if I could pay to have a aisle seats. The call center rep said I could not pay because I was travelling basic economy. But she asked me why I wanted aisle seats. I told her I do have some problems with my knees and it was easier getting out into the aisle than it was if I was assigned a middle or window seat. The call center rep told me to hold on.

I waited for several minutes and the rep returned to the call and said she had booked all my seats and all were now aisle seats. I thanked her profusely and asked should I give her my credit card so I could pay for the seats or should I want until I check-in at the airport to pay when I checked my bag. The rep told me there was no charged.

I again thanked her and once the call was completed I gave her perfect 10s on the post-call telephone survey. The rep didn't have to do what she did.

To a certain extent, technically she did. The planes do have to follow ADA to a certain extent. They are not required to sit you in another class though. Makes me think they might reclass the basic fees if a lot of people book it and then call for an aisle seat due to ADA.

[Deleted]

Jun 7, 2019 18:16:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Courtesy pays off.  I was once in my assigned seat and some guy got on with his girlfriend/wife and demanded that I change seats.  Had he asked nicely, I would have changed quite willingly.  Don't make a demand if you want to sit with someone.  Be nice about it and it will most likely happen.

I've read worse on FlyerTalk- someone boards the plane and finds a passenger already in their assigned seat, who then asks, "I know you have this seat but could you switch with me?  I'm 4 rows back..."  And yes, their reaction is the same as yours.  As a solo flyer I have no problem switching so people can sit together as long as I still have a window seat in the class I paid for, and if they ask nicely.

The airlines have brought the problem on themselves in having to suddenly accommodate a family flying together. If they didn't charge an insane amount per person to select seats, families would just be able to select seats together beforehand.  Not sure how to solve this; it doesn't seem fair to give "free" assigned seats to families, especially when older kids are involved.  A 10- year old and a 12-year old should be OK away a few rows away from their parents, unlike a 4-year old.  One of the reasons I've traveled on AA both trips I;ve taken with my 5-year old granddaughter is that my Lifetime Gold status means I can select seats at no charge when I make the reservation.  

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I guess we have been really lucky the last batch of flights we have been on, all seats have been honored as I chose them.  

My bigger frustration has been trying to book business class seats on my own.  When I find a good fare and click on it, one of a couple things happen.  Either the fare goes up $600, or I find out that less than 50% of our round trip flight is actually IN business class.  

Like Athena, I will usually change a seat with someone, depending on if it is a like seat.  I am not going to change my aisle seat for a center seat, don't even ask.  As the aisle seats now come at a premium cost, why should I pay for you to get it?

[justme]

Well the problem comes when not everyone cared about pre selecting their seat and didn't like paying the higher rates so the legacy liners broke them apart in lower fares. As the cheap ones line spirit and allegiant became popular the legacy's created basic economy to compete with them.

It's only so much because people want the lowest cost possible. I'm not thrilled with the changes either, but it's cheaper to fly now than it's ever been. You just either deal with crap when you want the cheapest or you pay for better.

The airlines are just reacting to the demand within the, admittedly very lax regulations in the US.

[justme]

Jun 8, 2019 14:55:43 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

I guess we have been really lucky the last batch of flights we have been on, all seats have been honored as I chose them.  

My bigger frustration has been trying to book business class seats on my own.  When I find a good fare and click on it, one of a couple things happen.  Either the fare goes up $600, or I find out that less than 50% of our round trip flight is actually IN business class.  

Like Athena, I will usually change a seat with someone, depending on if it is a like seat.  I am not going to change my aisle seat for a center seat, don't even ask.  As the aisle seats now come at a premium cost, why should I pay for you to get it?

I've started to see them have basic business class - where you get the seat but not refundable etc.

[TheOtherMe]

Jun 8, 2019 14:42:59 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Jun 7, 2019 18:16:48 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Courtesy pays off.  I was once in my assigned seat and some guy got on with his girlfriend/wife and demanded that I change seats.  Had he asked nicely, I would have changed quite willingly.  Don't make a demand if you want to sit with someone.  Be nice about it and it will most likely happen.

I've read worse on FlyerTalk- someone boards the plane and finds a passenger already in their assigned seat, who then asks, "I know you have this seat but could you switch with me?  I'm 4 rows back..."  And yes, their reaction is the same as yours.  As a solo flyer I have no problem switching so people can sit together as long as I still have a window seat in the class I paid for, and if they ask nicely.

The airlines have brought the problem on themselves in having to suddenly accommodate a family flying together. If they didn't charge an insane amount per person to select seats, families would just be able to select seats together beforehand.  Not sure how to solve this; it doesn't seem fair to give "free" assigned seats to families, especially when older kids are involved.  A 10- year old and a 12-year old should be OK away a few rows away from their parents, unlike a 4-year old.  One of the reasons I've traveled on AA both trips I;ve taken with my 5-year old granddaughter is that my Lifetime Gold status means I can select seats at no charge when I make the reservation.  

Since the demand was made as they came down the aisle, I figured they would have been in my seat had I not already been there.  

I don't want to sit with a young child without their parent, but I have no problem with 10 or 12 year olds.  Over the years, I've sat with them traveling as unaccompanied minors.  I once sat by a young girl, maybe 6 or 7.  She was very sweet and in the middle seat.  This was a long time ago and we were served food.  The child's cup leaked and she didn't know what to do.  She could not have reached the call button if she wanted to.  She started crying as I hadn't noticed the leaking cup.

She told me what was wrong and I called the flight attendant.  Problem was quickly solved and they even gave her some wipes to help her clean up.  I don't mind helping unaccompanied minors.  After all this calmed down, she said her parent had told her not to talk to anyone and she was afraid to ask me or the man on the other side of her.  I'm glad I finally noticed.  I also hope she told her parents that not all people are bad people.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2019 16:17:58 GMT -5 justme said:

I've started to see them have basic business class - where you get the seat but not refundable etc.

Yes- my Mexico flight turned out to be "Discounted Business Class" after I dug into the fine print on the ticket. There's an expression for it that they mentioned on Flyertalk- something about squeezing more revenue out of the premium cabins. It used to be easier to upgrade using points or "just because" if you had Elite status, but the airlines now prefer to cut the price, cut a few of the perks and collect real money for those seats.

[thyme4change]

Jun 8, 2019 16:49:56 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Jun 8, 2019 14:42:59 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

I've read worse on FlyerTalk- someone boards the plane and finds a passenger already in their assigned seat, who then asks, "I know you have this seat but could you switch with me?  I'm 4 rows back..."  And yes, their reaction is the same as yours.  As a solo flyer I have no problem switching so people can sit together as long as I still have a window seat in the class I paid for, and if they ask nicely.

The airlines have brought the problem on themselves in having to suddenly accommodate a family flying together. If they didn't charge an insane amount per person to select seats, families would just be able to select seats together beforehand.  Not sure how to solve this; it doesn't seem fair to give "free" assigned seats to families, especially when older kids are involved.  A 10- year old and a 12-year old should be OK away a few rows away from their parents, unlike a 4-year old.  One of the reasons I've traveled on AA both trips I;ve taken with my 5-year old granddaughter is that my Lifetime Gold status means I can select seats at no charge when I make the reservation.  

Since the demand was made as they came down the aisle, I figured they would have been in my seat had I not already been there.  

I don't want to sit with a young child without their parent, but I have no problem with 10 or 12 year olds.  Over the years, I've sat with them traveling as unaccompanied minors.  I once sat by a young girl, maybe 6 or 7.  She was very sweet and in the middle seat.  This was a long time ago and we were served food.  The child's cup leaked and she didn't know what to do.  She could not have reached the call button if she wanted to.  She started crying as I hadn't noticed the leaking cup.

She told me what was wrong and I called the flight attendant.  Problem was quickly solved and they even gave her some wipes to help her clean up.  I don't mind helping unaccompanied minors.  After all this calmed down, she said her parent had told her not to talk to anyone and she was afraid to ask me or the man on the other side of her.  I'm glad I finally noticed.  I also hope she told her parents that not all people are bad people.

Maybe her parents were telling her not to talk incessantly to the people on the plane, because 7 year olds can go on and on, and if you aren't the type to want yo listen on a flight, it would be very annoying.

Kids misinterpret instructions a lot.