In 2023, airlines collected over 181 billion dollars in extra fees from all us flyers. A large part of those fees came from having to pay for seat selection. These extra fees have pushed some families to take the change and not book seats to sit together.
The online war about giving up your allocated or paid seat on a plane so a family can sit together flares up all the time on the internet. It is like a simmering fire burning in the background. Now and then, someone adds a little more oxygen to the topic, and off it takes again.
I am a family traveller. Since our youngest daughter was a baby, my wife and I have traveled with our kids. We first journeyed to Europe with her as a 10-month-old and have since flown with two kids on over 100 different international flights around Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Do I really have to switch aeroplane seats so a family can sit together?
I have some strong opinions on this topic, as do many parents. Should kids on a plane be sitting next to strangers? No, they should not, especially young children. I understand if it’s the seat straight across from you only separated by the aisle, but your kids should not be sitting any further away than besides you, in front of you or behind you.
Would you let your kids go out with a stranger or even talk to a stranger at a shopping mall? My guess is no. So, why would you allow your child to sit next to a stranger unsupervised on a plane? This can become a problem for not only you as a parent but also the passenger your child is sitting next to. This passenger should not be responsible for your child. That’s your job to make sure your child has all it needs.
What about how sitting next to a stranger away from parents makes the child feel? It can bring up feelings of anxiety and being scared. In an ideal world, these sorts of scenarios would not be an issue, but they are in today’s age.
Two factors have created these problems, making money and saving money. Two people are at fault for your kids sitting next to strangers on a plane. The first is the airline. There is no way they should be sitting families apart on flights so they can make a few extra bucks from families who have to book seats.
That is just plain wrong in today’s society. The second person at fault is the parent. Stop being a tight arse and get the wallet out and pay for allocated seating so your kids can sit with you. What type of parent allows their kids to sit away from them in the plane?
Before paying for seat selection became a thing, we used to arrive at the airport three hours early just so we could ensure we had seats together. This is still a valid tactic today for families to try before flying.
But back then, they used to seat everyone on the booking together anyway. Now we always pay for seats together. It’s just part of the money you need to spend on a vacation, and it’s no different from other things, such as airport parking or travel insurance.
is it okay to ask someone to switch airplane seats on a plane?
I have to say this is not just unique to parents. I remember we were flying from Almaty Kazakhstan to Paris France when a lady asked our 9 year old daughter to move seats so she could sit next to her husband. My daughter felt pressured by this lady as she was sitting behind us until we as parents told the lady it wasn’t happening.
Would I or have I ever asked someone to switch seats so we could sit next to each other? No, I haven’t, and I never will. To be honest, I would consider the request impolite. What if I paid for my seat because that’s where I wanted to sit?
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What if I arrived at the airport three hours early to check in so I could get a window or aisle seat, and now you want me to move?
Parents, do not think you can get on the plane and emotionally blackmail anyone else to change seats to suit you when flying. Yes, it is a tactic that may work with some people but the majority of people will and should hold their ground against parents asking strangers to swap seats.
Who are we?
