Adults sit in exit row when traveling w. kids?

 
Old Mar 9, 2006, 11:42 am
  #1  
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Adults sit in exit row when traveling w. kids?

This is what the phone agent told me-- if there is a child on the PNR, no adults on that PNR can sit in an exit row. Is this correct, or is she BS'ing me?
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 11:45 am
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You should be able to split up the PNR and put the kids on one and the adults on another. Then have the PNRs linked so that you won't get charged the unaccompanied minor fee. Then just call back and switch the adults to seats in the exit row and not the kids.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 12:08 pm
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Originally Posted by olimaspecto
You should be able to split up the PNR and put the kids on one and the adults on another. Then have the PNRs linked so that you won't get charged the unaccompanied minor fee. Then just call back and switch the adults to seats in the exit row and not the kids.
I guess whether this is really a good idea depends on a lot of factors, including the age of the children, their general behavior, how used they are to traveling, and how much distance is between the parents' exit row seats and the childrens' seats. Next row back, probably no problem. 20 rows back, two-year-old with distemper who has never traveled before, got up at 4 A.M. to catch that early morning flight, deaf parents, big problem. I guess it's a case of use your own judgement. Unfortunately, my experience has been that the parents in the first situation have a lot more judgement than those in the second situation. Remember that if one of your children has any problems and the flight is full, it may be pretty involved switching things around so that you sit next to that child, as the person sitting next to your child may not qualify for the exit row either.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 12:23 pm
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Originally Posted by olimaspecto
You should be able to split up the PNR and put the kids on one and the adults on another. Then have the PNRs linked so that you won't get charged the unaccompanied minor fee. Then just call back and switch the adults to seats in the exit row and not the kids.
Or, the OP could go online and move people around.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 12:36 pm
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Originally Posted by olimaspecto
You should be able to split up the PNR and put the kids on one and the adults on another. Then have the PNRs linked so that you won't get charged the unaccompanied minor fee. Then just call back and switch the adults to seats in the exit row and not the kids.
And then hope that the GA/FA doesn't catch this when you are boarding - and force you into other seats as a result.

Seriously though, why not just get to the airport early and add your family to the waitlist for the bulkhead. You get the same leg room, and will not have to worry about splitting your family up.

To be honest, I have been on flights like gemac describes where the parents happily sit many rows away from their screaming kids and do nothing about it. Needless to say, I was not a fan of their style of parenting...
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 12:42 pm
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There is certainly no rule that you can't sit in an exit row if you have a child on the flight. The problem is that you won't be able to prebook if if you are on the same PNR (as noted above). In fact, I have had a GA ask me if I would be willing to split up from my kids and sit in the exit row on 2 occasions. Of course, I said fine, but my kids were seasoned travellers and knew if there was any misbehavior, they would be dead meat.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 12:58 pm
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Originally Posted by RachelG
There is certainly no rule that you can't sit in an exit row if you have a child on the flight. The problem is that you won't be able to prebook if if you are on the same PNR (as noted above). In fact, I have had a GA ask me if I would be willing to split up from my kids and sit in the exit row on 2 occasions. Of course, I said fine, but my kids were seasoned travellers and knew if there was any misbehavior, they would be dead meat.
Actually, the FAA rules on exit row qualification do disqualify any passenger who is responsible for the welfare of other family members (like children under 15). I'm too lazy to link the FAR but someone else probably isn't so lazy.

The rules say that it's a no-no. You can probably get away with one parent sitting in an exit row while the other parent sits with the kids. But both parents?

Attempting to circumvent this rule is, as pointed out above, fraught with danger that the FA will catch on and move you to a nonexit row (AA's version of E-). FAs aren't stupid - they'll likely spot discussions that will inevitably occur between parents and children who are splitting up after they board.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 1:30 pm
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I think this is it.

Emergency Exit Seating Requirements You are about to be assigned an exit seat.


Government rules require that passengers seated in an exit seat must be:
Willing to assist in an evacuation
Able to operate the exit door and assist others in exiting
15 years of age or older
You may not sit in an exit seat if you:
Are traveling with a child under 15 years of age or another passenger who requires your care
Lack visual capacity or require corrective aids beyond eyeglasses/contact lenses
Require assistance beyond a hearing aid to hear and understand verbal instructions
Are unable to understand printed emergency exit instructions or crewmember instructions
Have a condition that might prevent you from performing evacuation functions or injure you while performing such functions
Do you accept the exit seat criteria for this entire reservation?
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 2:27 pm
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All of which makes sense...as I understand it, the exit row pax opens the hatch and GOES OUT. Having to turn around and swim upstream to a kid would mess up everyones' evacuation.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 2:34 pm
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Most parents would not even open the exit door first--they would go to their children first.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 3:51 pm
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Actually, the FAA rules on exit row qualification do disqualify any passenger who is responsible for the welfare of other family members (like children under 15). I'm too lazy to link the FAR but someone else probably isn't so lazy.

The rules say that it's a no-no. You can probably get away with one parent sitting in an exit row while the other parent sits with the kids. But both parents?

Attempting to circumvent this rule is, as pointed out above, fraught with danger that the FA will catch on and move you to a nonexit row (AA's version of E-). FAs aren't stupid - they'll likely spot discussions that will inevitably occur between parents and children who are splitting up after they board.
FAR 135.129:
(a)
...
(2) Duty to make determination of suitability. Each certificate holder shall determine, to the extent necessary to perform the applicable functions of paragraph (d) of this section, the suitability of each person it permits to occupy an exit seat. For the purpose of this section
(i) Exit seat means
(A) Each seat having direct access to an exit; and
(B) Each seat in a row of seats through which passengers would have to pass to gain access to an exit, from the first seat inboard of the exit to the first aisle inboard of the exit.

(b) No certificate holder may seat a person in a seat affected by this section if the certificate holder determines that it is likely that the person would be unable to perform one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section because
...
(7) The person has:

(i) A condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small children, that might prevent the person from performing one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section; or
...
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...1.4.23&idno=14
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 4:03 pm
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Well, one of them is 15, the other is not. As I understand it, the 15 year old and the other child could travel by themselves, no problem. Why AA should then care where the parent happens to sit is beyond me.

BTW, I was trying to put them in the non-exit row one row back, not far away. The flights are very full.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 6:43 pm
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Actually, the FAA rules on exit row qualification do disqualify any passenger who is responsible for the welfare of other family members (like children under 15). I'm too lazy to link the FAR but someone else probably isn't so lazy.
A FAR, LOL..
That would be odd.
It is ok for kids and parents to not site together as long as the parents aren't in the exit row??

Additionally, at least one airline permits minors to travel alone at 12, so I doubt there is a FAR mentioning a child under 15 can not have a parent in an exit row, but can be separated by 30 rows as long as the parent isn't in an exit row.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 6:54 pm
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Originally Posted by hartd
Emergency Exit Seating Requirements You are about to be assigned an exit seat.
You may not sit in an exit seat if you:
Are traveling with a child under 15 years of age or another passenger who requires your care ?
NONSENSE. The FAR says nothing about traveling children under 15
On some airlines, kids under 15 can even fly alone. I believe the age on WN is 13.

It states:
"(i) A condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small children, that might prevent the person from performing one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section"

If the child is old enough to be sitting alone, I don't think this is an issue.
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Old Mar 9, 2006, 6:59 pm
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Originally Posted by mvoight
A FAR, LOL..
That would be odd.
It is ok for kids and parents to not site together as long as the parents aren't in the exit row??

Additionally, at least one airline permits minors to travel alone at 12, so I doubt there is a FAR mentioning a child under 15 can not have a parent in an exit row, but can be separated by 30 rows as long as the parent isn't in an exit row.
Well, the applicable FAR is 14CFR121.585:

(b) No certificate holder may seat a person in a seat affected by
this section if the certificate holder determines that it is likely that
the person would be unable to perform one or more of the applicable
functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section because--
(1) The person lacks sufficient mobility, strength, or dexterity in
both arms and hands, and both legs:
(i) To reach upward, sideways, and downward to the location of
emergency

[[Page 475]]

exit and exit-slide operating mechanisms;
(ii) To grasp and push, pull, turn, or otherwise manipulate those
mechanisms;
(iii) To push, shove, pull, or otherwise open emergency exits;
(iv) To lift out, hold, deposit on nearby seats, or maneuver over
the seatbacks to the next row objects the size and weight of over-wing
window exit doors;
(v) To remove obstructions similar in size and weight to over-wing
exit doors;
(vi) To reach the emergency exit expeditiously;
(vii) To maintain balance while removing obstructions;
(viii) To exit expeditiously;
(ix) To stabilize an escape slide after deployment; or
(x) To assist others in getting off an escape slide;
(2) The person is less than 15 years of age or lacks the capacity to
perform one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d)
of this section without the assistance of an adult companion, parent, or
other relative;
(3) The person lacks the ability to read and understand instructions
required by this section and related to emergency evacuation provided by
the certificate holder in printed or graphic form or the ability to
understand oral crew commands.
(4) The person lacks sufficient visual capacity to perform one or
more of the applicable functions in paragraph (d) of this section
without the assistance of visual aids beyond contact lenses or
eyeglasses;
(5) The person lacks sufficient aural capacity to hear and
understand instructions shouted by flight attendants, without assistance
beyond a hearing aid;
(6) The person lacks the ability adequately to impart information
orally to other passengers; or,
(7) The person has:
(i) A condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small
children, that might prevent the person from performing one or more of
the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section;
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2...cfr121.585.htm

No, the FAR doesn't specify the age of the young child that would disqualify the passenger from the exit row, but most airlines and FAs interpret it as age 15 (as in, if you have a kid on the airplane that is not exit row qualified).

The OP has recently posted that one kid is 15 - which would qualify that kid to sit in an exit row and also qualifies the 15 year old to "accompany" their younger sibling without necessitating Unaccompanied Minor treatment.

But here's AA's take on it from aa.com:

Exit Seats
Children (or adults with children) under the age of 15 may not be seated in an exit seat.
AA doesn't clearly specify the minimum age at which the "parents with children" would be permitted to sit in exit rows, but if the OP asks AA, the answer's gonna be 15.

I didn't write the rules.
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