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Airlines urged to let parents sit with kids
Sen. Charles Schumer is urging airlines to allow families with young children to sit together without paying extra. The New York Democrat is reacting to an Associated Press story last week detailing how families this summer are going to find it harder to sit together without paying fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars over the original ticket price. "Children need access to their parents, and parents need access to their children," Schumer said in a statement. "Unnecessary… (www.sfgate.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
We all know how to pick and change seat assignments on flights that have them. Most families could find at least a couple of seats together and in close proximity to each other on most flights I think. Also, once on board, I've never seen a situation where no-one would give up their seat so a child could sit with a parent. Not that it can't happen, but seriously, an act of Congress? Doesn't Schumer and company have more important things to worry about?
Why doesn't Schumer simply advise parents traveling with children to (a) purchase tickets early, or (b) get to the gate early to request accommodation? We've flown every year for the past 11 years with two kids, and it has never been a problem. Yes, there are vastly more important issues for our elected officials to be fussing over. Trying to regulate something like this is a waste of good red tape.
As much as I hate government involvement, the airlines have brought this on themselves and are guilty of collusion. It is ridiculous to sell any group of tickets, then charge extra for the privelege to sit near each other. Consumers have no choice, since all airlines are now doing this. The ability to sit near your traveling companions, be it spouses or children or even business partners, should be part of the base fare. What is next, a charge to use a jetway to board the aircraft?
Are there any actual examples of children not sitting with their parents?
The issue is that often there are not multiple seats together without paying an additional fee for the "premium" seats. However, gate agents will make arrangements for families to sit together (for free). However, they don't want to allow large groups to take large, contiguous blocks of seats and make them unavailable for sale. However, there's lots more flexibility at the gate.
If families are paying a premium to sit together, it is for the convenience...the option to do so at the gate is practically a foregone conclusion.
The issue is that often there are not multiple seats together without paying an additional fee for the "premium" seats. However, gate agents will make arrangements for families to sit together (for free). However, they don't want to allow large groups to take large, contiguous blocks of seats and make them unavailable for sale. However, there's lots more flexibility at the gate.
If families are paying a premium to sit together, it is for the convenience...the option to do so at the gate is practically a foregone conclusion.
Schumer has always been noted as an aviation-centered Senator. He is constantly fighting for better Air Service in the upstate NY communities, so it doesn't surprise me that he is bringing up this issue in congress. With that said, I agree with others. At time of booking, it has never been hard to select several seats together unless of course you're booking last minute. Also, I've seen people frequently give up seats so families can sit together and in some cases, even get rewarded with a seat in first class if one is available. Gate agents are usually accommodating, unless the family request is something extremely specific...ie wanting to sit together but in the first row of seats to the nearest coach emergency exit.
The story reports that “Schumer is asking Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to *issue rules* [ emphasis mine ] preventing airlines from charging parents more to sit next to kids.” That is quite different from bringing it up in Congress.
Wasn’t it Schumer who “persuaded” USAir (with an offer they couldn’t refuse) to maintain their ITH-LGA service level when the traffic could not support that frequency?
Wasn’t it Schumer who “persuaded” USAir (with an offer they couldn’t refuse) to maintain their ITH-LGA service level when the traffic could not support that frequency?
Well of course. I was being a bit sarcastic with the "act of congress" phraseology. Why bother with the tediousness of legislating when you can get an unaccountable bureaucrat to invoke a regulatory requirement that accomplishes the same thing. Typical.