cme2c

Makes sense to me. If your kid is a row back and you crash, you might try to help your kid first instead of opening the door.

gemac

Since the thread title and the original post both reference adults, I assume that there are two adults (possibly mother and father) on this flight with the two children. If there are two seats in the exit row and two seats one row back, why not put one adult in the exit row with the older child, and the other adult in the row behind with the smaller child?

vker

On a recent SWA flight, we were told ANYONE preboarding a flight cannot sit in exit rows. This includes everyone in the preboard party. For example, if you are helping an elderly parent on the flight via preboard, the child cannot sit in the exit row. This, we were told, is a new FAA rule.

AS Flyer

The purpose of the FAR is exactly what several people have stated. It is because if a parent is seated in the exit row and their kids are not, in an emergency the parent would immediately turn to help their kids and not perform the functions that an emergency exit row occupant would be required to perform. The FAR is rather vague, which is why AA goes one step further to clarify that a small child includes anyone that is 15 or under.

mvoight

Wouldn't performing the functions be the best way to help the kids?

In any case I was wrong about one thing. I thought the WN policy regarding UMs was age 13. Actually WN permits children to fly alone at age 12.

Regarding the exit row, WN doesn't make up new rules as say it is due to the government. The WN info on exit row seating matches the FAR, indicating "have a condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small children, that might prevent them from performing the applicable functions "

mvoight

I think most children between 12 and 14 are capable of handling at least a nonstop flight with no assitance.

Children can travel alone at these ages
It is interesting to note that WN has no service charge for UM service

WN 12
AS 13
UA 12
DL 15 (but 12 for Song, go figure)
CO 15
NW 15
AA 15
HP 15
US 15

belleNY

The AA UM age used to be 12, but that is going back more than 10 years

brie

This certainly seems like one of those times where the rules have a sensible intent, but their translation into easy-to-enforce black-and-white conditions doesn't necessarily support that intent.

For example, many 14 year olds are in need of considerably less assistance than many (older or easily flustered or in poor health) adults. Obviously, it's easier to draw a sharp line at one's 15th birthday than to require a medical certificate for each passenger. (Note that I'm not disagreeing with the policy, just pointing out that it's a blunt instrument attempting to make a fine distinction.)

I actually think that the statement that anyone who requires preboarding shouldn't sit in an exit row makes perfect sense: You can't have it both ways. Either you're fit and capable or you're in need of some special concessions. The trick here is that it's the whole party that has to go one way or the other, which for a party of three makes sense but for a party of sixteen may not. Again, blunt instrument, but policies work better when they're easier to enforce.

Just out of curiousity, would two parents travelling in the exit row with fifteen-year-old triplets seated twelve rows back really be a better scenario than another pair of parents sitting in the exit row directly in front of their seventeen and twelve year old seasoned travelers?

Tango

Southwest and US Airways will only take UC's on direct flights--no changes allowed. All airlines prohibit UC's from flying on the last scheduled flight -- but Northwest and Delta interpet this to no red eye's and AA/UA allow red eyes as long as they are on the start of the trip and not on the last transfer point.

PDX-PLT

Yes, that was the situation. Your suggested solution makes sense to you and me, but not to AA.com, nor to some AA telephone and ticket agents.

On AA.com, if one pax on the PNR is a child, it won't allow anyone in the PNR to be assigned an exit row seat. Even if there is another adult on the PNR who is seated in a non-exit row seat with the child. Same thing a rather snippy Ticket counter Agent at PDX told me (boy, the TA's at PDX have gone downhill the past few years). As others have noted, this goes considerably beyond the requirements in the FAR.

The GA's didn't care as long as there was an adult to take care of the child. But I'd rather not have to get there 3-4 hours ahead of the filght just to make sure we got seats (the uncleared standby list was 18-pax long on one flight, on an MD-80!).

My take away from this is to list all pax as adults on a reservation, especially when the flights are already very full. It turns out we all had exit row seats on the first flight, due to a phone agent who thought there were all adults, assigned the seats, and then didn't undue her mistake. Of course, it was real easy at the gate to switch exit row seats with other pax. We knew we would have to switch, but at least we knew would make it on the plane since we had assigned seats. Since non-elites can't access the exit row, there are usually some available.

ricktoronto

I kind of wonder what parent would want to stick their 2 kids in a row on their own while the parents had exit seats in case something did happen (like a emergency needed an exit) or in case there was a funny uncle on board in the row with the kids. Seems pretty selfish. Unless you can get the 2 kids in the row right in front of the exit row, or behind. Rules or not, who'd abandon their kids for their comfort?

nologic

I was told there is such a rule and when we checked in at BOS for our flight to MIA last week, we were moved by the ticket agent out of exit row 18AC (for myself and my wife) and 19AC for my kids (10 & 12) to the last row of the plane. I was NOT a happy camper, but was told that this was a FAA regulation. Later, on the phone, I was told by a supervisor it was an AA policy (AA interpretation of an ambiguous FAA guideline).

Many AA emplyees at the airport had now idea about this supposed rule. The people at the AC told me that the ticket agent "must have wanted those seats for her friends) and the supervisor working the gate had never heard of such a rule.

I am still uncertain about the whole thing.

nologic

The keyword in the FAA regulations is "might". The FAA doesn;t say that you can't sit in an exit row if you are tarvelling with kids...AA seems to have interpreted the FAA regulations this way and adopted their own guidelines.

JDiver

OK, folks, let's do some soul searching here.

Lady JDiver and I are in the exit row. Our two kiddies are behind us. There is an incident, where we are required to follow instructions, operate the emergency exit hatch and assist other passengers. We will, I promise you, totally ignore our kids' plight so we can do what we are supposed to, and imply we will do by accepting exit row seating.

BULL APPLES! Nobody has that much sang froid, and if they do, they certainly should not be parents. (Well there might be exceptional parents, and kids for that matter, but though we all regard ourselves so, it's usually wishful thinking.)

cme2c

Is there a rule about mother-in-laws sitting in the row behind you?