Boarding with child (both in A group)
Sep 14, 2016, 2:08 pm
#31
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Everyone who's opposed to the OP boarding at A19 with 4 YO, think of it this way... Wouldn't you prefer to see where the child sat before you choose your seat? 
I only say this because I travel frequently with my own 4 YO. The only difference is that I board at A19 and my husband/son board at family boarding. Sometimes, I bet the person who's seat my son is playing with the tray table wishes they knew there was going to be a child there.
I only say this because I travel frequently with my own 4 YO. The only difference is that I board at A19 and my husband/son board at family boarding. Sometimes, I bet the person who's seat my son is playing with the tray table wishes they knew there was going to be a child there.
Sep 14, 2016, 2:13 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 948
The only reason the OP doesn't want to board at A42 is because he doesn't believe the difference is negligible. Otherwise he wouldn't mind boarding at the higher number. He thinks he will get a better seat at his boarding number, which is probably true.
Given that I think it's obvious what he should do.
Given that I think it's obvious what he should do.
Sep 14, 2016, 7:29 pm
#33
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
Usually when line-skipping is discussed, it's spouse or other random adults. Question in regards to children --
I'm A-List, flying with my 4 year old daughter for the first time. I purchased EB for her to avoid having to board during family boarding as we have a tight connection (45 minutes). When checking in, I received A19, she received A42. Since we both received A, and she's 4, will people (and more specifically the gate agent) really take issue to her skipping ahead a few spots to board with me?
I'm A-List, flying with my 4 year old daughter for the first time. I purchased EB for her to avoid having to board during family boarding as we have a tight connection (45 minutes). When checking in, I received A19, she received A42. Since we both received A, and she's 4, will people (and more specifically the gate agent) really take issue to her skipping ahead a few spots to board with me?
Sep 14, 2016, 8:44 pm
#34
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While I agree in principle that the rule should be followed, I think making an exception for a child doesn't really violate the integrity of the boarding process as long as either the adult or child takes a middle seat. Two adults traveling together can fend for themselves if they board separately but a 4 year old probably cannot (nor should they) so the adult then has no choice but to board later if the child isn't allowed to board with the earlier position.
I can certainly understand that not everyone would agree with this and that's their right but in the big scheme of things it's not going to affect anyone and if someone begrudges a child taking a middle seat about 2 minutes before they would take it anyway, well I think they need to take a deep breath and relax a little.
Last edited by justhere; Sep 14, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Sep 14, 2016, 11:16 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: VX Gold/WN Companion
Posts: 682
While I agree one single 4 year old moving from A42 to A19 is not going to make or break anyone in A20-41's trip or seating strategy...but where do you draw the line with that allowance?...between A and B boarding groups? How many kids get to jump the line?...And what ages? Suddenly mom has three kids this trip...now what?...it was OK last trip with one...Why pay for EBCI for the kids if you can just take them ahead of the paying customers?
Sep 15, 2016, 10:51 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
While I agree in principle that the rule should be followed, I think making an exception for a child doesn't really violate the integrity of the boarding process as long as either the adult or child takes a middle seat. Two adults traveling together can fend for themselves if they board separately but a 4 year old probably cannot (nor should they) so the adult then has no choice but to board later if the child isn't allowed to board with the earlier position.
Today, I'd say follow the rule with no exceptions unless clearly stipulated. These days, any exception or "consideration" leads to a plethora of people lying, vying for, and making up reasons to claim the exception.
With this generation, no quarter given is the best policy.
Sep 15, 2016, 1:12 pm
#37
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While I agree one single 4 year old moving from A42 to A19 is not going to make or break anyone in A20-41's trip or seating strategy...but where do you draw the line with that allowance?...between A and B boarding groups? How many kids get to jump the line?...And what ages? Suddenly mom has three kids this trip...now what?...it was OK last trip with one...Why pay for EBCI for the kids if you can just take them ahead of the paying customers?
30 years ago, I'd agree.
Today, I'd say follow the rule with no exceptions unless clearly stipulated. These days, any exception or "consideration" leads to a plethora of people lying, vying for, and making up reasons to claim the exception.
With this generation, no quarter given is the best policy.
Today, I'd say follow the rule with no exceptions unless clearly stipulated. These days, any exception or "consideration" leads to a plethora of people lying, vying for, and making up reasons to claim the exception.
With this generation, no quarter given is the best policy.
Sep 15, 2016, 1:56 pm
#38
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: VX Gold/WN Companion
Posts: 682
Say I am traveling to Orlando on a Saturday on business and I purchase EBCI and get A35... 10 kids get to jump in front of me because the adults purchased EBCI for them but not their kids headed to family vacation...I don't think so.
While I agree with your notion that normally would not be a big deal, there are too many circumstances where it would be a big deal.
While I agree with your notion that normally would not be a big deal, there are too many circumstances where it would be a big deal.
Sep 15, 2016, 2:02 pm
#39
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
These days, whenever I hear an appeal to sentiment, it's a guise to get something for nothing. Once you relent for "common decency" the flood gates open to all sorts of abuse. Just look at the ADA stuff over the years.
Ridiculous. Never again.
Sep 16, 2016, 12:28 am
#40
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The thing about small exceptions is that they are cumulative. To the person in the situation it is a one off "common decency" issue, however, to the broad enterprise, where such minor, "small" rules are ignored thousands of times a day, it actually undermines the rule and exacerbates the problem the rule is intended to fix. People just don't look past the tip of their own nose.
It's like the person who came on FT a few years back, livid that UA wouldn't upgrade a newlywed couple on a trip to HNL and who screeched about "Common decency" and "Customer service exceptions". The fact is that on ANY given flight to HNL there are going to be several newlywed couples, hundreds in a month, thousands in a year. This woman is not the first person to ever get married or have a honeymoon in Hawaii, but that seemed lost on her.
Common courtesy is respecting the rules and being courteous to your fellow pax. It is not the person who is essentially letting their kid line jump that gets to decide how negligible a difference it is. It is those behind them in line. Before you know it you will get thousands of people buying one EBCI ticket for themselves and jamming the A line with their kids, all of whom are going to require seats.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
It's like the person who came on FT a few years back, livid that UA wouldn't upgrade a newlywed couple on a trip to HNL and who screeched about "Common decency" and "Customer service exceptions". The fact is that on ANY given flight to HNL there are going to be several newlywed couples, hundreds in a month, thousands in a year. This woman is not the first person to ever get married or have a honeymoon in Hawaii, but that seemed lost on her.
Common courtesy is respecting the rules and being courteous to your fellow pax. It is not the person who is essentially letting their kid line jump that gets to decide how negligible a difference it is. It is those behind them in line. Before you know it you will get thousands of people buying one EBCI ticket for themselves and jamming the A line with their kids, all of whom are going to require seats.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
Sep 16, 2016, 12:30 am
#41
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
This sounds reasonable on the surface, but it's not. Perhaps because I'm older than most here (assume I'm older than you, but if I'm wrong, I apologize), I've fallen for the "common sense and decency" line too many times to fall for it again.
These days, whenever I hear an appeal to sentiment, it's a guise to get something for nothing. Once you relent for "common decency" the flood gates open to all sorts of abuse. Just look at the ADA stuff over the years.
Ridiculous. Never again.
These days, whenever I hear an appeal to sentiment, it's a guise to get something for nothing. Once you relent for "common decency" the flood gates open to all sorts of abuse. Just look at the ADA stuff over the years.
Ridiculous. Never again.
Sep 16, 2016, 7:26 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2013
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The thing about small exceptions is that they are cumulative. To the person in the situation it is a one off "common decency" issue, however, to the broad enterprise, where such minor, "small" rules are ignored thousands of times a day, it actually undermines the rule and exacerbates the problem the rule is intended to fix. People just don't look past the tip of their own nose.
It's like the person who came on FT a few years back, livid that UA wouldn't upgrade a newlywed couple on a trip to HNL and who screeched about "Common decency" and "Customer service exceptions". The fact is that on ANY given flight to HNL there are going to be several newlywed couples, hundreds in a month, thousands in a year. This woman is not the first person to ever get married or have a honeymoon in Hawaii, but that seemed lost on her.
Common courtesy is respecting the rules and being courteous to your fellow pax. It is not the person who is essentially letting their kid line jump that gets to decide how negligible a difference it is. It is those behind them in line. Before you know it you will get thousands of people buying one EBCI ticket for themselves and jamming the A line with their kids, all of whom are going to require seats.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
It's like the person who came on FT a few years back, livid that UA wouldn't upgrade a newlywed couple on a trip to HNL and who screeched about "Common decency" and "Customer service exceptions". The fact is that on ANY given flight to HNL there are going to be several newlywed couples, hundreds in a month, thousands in a year. This woman is not the first person to ever get married or have a honeymoon in Hawaii, but that seemed lost on her.
Common courtesy is respecting the rules and being courteous to your fellow pax. It is not the person who is essentially letting their kid line jump that gets to decide how negligible a difference it is. It is those behind them in line. Before you know it you will get thousands of people buying one EBCI ticket for themselves and jamming the A line with their kids, all of whom are going to require seats.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
Sep 16, 2016, 10:30 pm
#44
Join Date: May 2005
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Just to be clear, I'm not saying WN should change anything and I'm certainly not saying that I'm right or that anybody else is wrong. Everyone has their own experiences and opinions.
If 10 kids get in front of you, you are still going to get a window or aisle seat and quite likely in the part of the plane that you want to sit in. Heck, if 56 adults with one child boarded in front of you, you'd still be likely to get a window or aisle seat even if you were the last person to board the plane. When was the last time you were on a flight with 56 kids?
I didn't say common decency, I said common sense and just being a decent human being. Common sense tells me I can let one (or more sometimes) kid on in front of me and it's not going to affect my choice of seat. When I do that, I am doing a nice thing and being a decent human being. I don't need anyone to say anything to me to validate that. The adult may be taking advantage of the situation or may not. I have no idea but their actions do not define who and what I am. My actions do.
I am sorry that you've experienced so many people taking advantage of you to the point that you will no longer use common decency. It's too bad that their actions have defined how you act.
I am not suggesting that I let people take advantage of me or anyone else. If I sense, feel, or otherwise get the impression that someone is taking advantage (think one adult saving rows of seats for family in the C boarding group) I'll be the first to call them out on it and sit there just to annoy them because they are taking advantage and are not using common decency.
A parent that says "do you mind if my kid boards with me?" without sounding entitled, sure, absolutely go ahead I don't mind a bit.
It's not a common decency issue. As I said, it's a common sense issue. One kid boarding in front of me, 10 kids for that matter, isn't going to materially affect where I sit and my choice to be polite and helpful makes me a decent human being. And I be shocked if a kid is boarding out of order thousands of times a day. That would be the majority of WN flights.
Not really the same thing.
I never said it was the adult with the kid who decides how negligible the difference is. It's me, who the adult is in front of that gets to decide, which is really what you said so it appears we agree on that. The person behind me really doesn't have a say at this point because if the kid didn't board in front of me, there's always the possibility that I sit in the seat that the next person wanted. Just like A2 has no expectation of getting any seat they want when they board behind A1. Yes, I realize if 10 kids do it, then the 9 people behind me could be affected but that wouldn't be using common sense or common decency if I spoke for them. I would simply turn to the people behind me and ask if anyone cares. If someone objects, then the kids don't go in front. Just being a decent human being and trying to help the kids while not affecting my fellow passengers.
And is it currently stands, is it really the adult with a kid that's the issue in the boarding line or is the adult who buys EBCI and doesn't jam the A line but instead saves 6 seats on board for their C group companions?
As I said, I'm not trying to say that I'm right and others are wrong or that my way is the only way or the correct way. Just trying to point out that in the big scheme of things all this "rules are rules and no exceptions" when it comes to a kid boarding with an adult, is not really the problem that it's being made out to be. And lastly that by using common sense and thinking about the situation before we react to it can allow us, without any real detriment to our well being, to be a decent human being even if the receiver doesn't appreciate what we did.
Sorry for the long winded response. Just wanted to make sure my response wasn't taken out of context and wanted to show my logic without being dismissive of other people's thoughts and opinions.
Say I am traveling to Orlando on a Saturday on business and I purchase EBCI and get A35... 10 kids get to jump in front of me because the adults purchased EBCI for them but not their kids headed to family vacation...I don't think so.
While I agree with your notion that normally would not be a big deal, there are too many circumstances where it would be a big deal.
While I agree with your notion that normally would not be a big deal, there are too many circumstances where it would be a big deal.
This sounds reasonable on the surface, but it's not. Perhaps because I'm older than most here (assume I'm older than you, but if I'm wrong, I apologize), I've fallen for the "common sense and decency" line too many times to fall for it again.
These days, whenever I hear an appeal to sentiment, it's a guise to get something for nothing. Once you relent for "common decency" the flood gates open to all sorts of abuse. Just look at the ADA stuff over the years.
Ridiculous. Never again.
These days, whenever I hear an appeal to sentiment, it's a guise to get something for nothing. Once you relent for "common decency" the flood gates open to all sorts of abuse. Just look at the ADA stuff over the years.
Ridiculous. Never again.
I am sorry that you've experienced so many people taking advantage of you to the point that you will no longer use common decency. It's too bad that their actions have defined how you act.
I am not suggesting that I let people take advantage of me or anyone else. If I sense, feel, or otherwise get the impression that someone is taking advantage (think one adult saving rows of seats for family in the C boarding group) I'll be the first to call them out on it and sit there just to annoy them because they are taking advantage and are not using common decency.
A parent that says "do you mind if my kid boards with me?" without sounding entitled, sure, absolutely go ahead I don't mind a bit.
The thing about small exceptions is that they are cumulative. To the person in the situation it is a one off "common decency" issue, however, to the broad enterprise, where such minor, "small" rules are ignored thousands of times a day, it actually undermines the rule and exacerbates the problem the rule is intended to fix. People just don't look past the tip of their own nose.
It's like the person who came on FT a few years back, livid that UA wouldn't upgrade a newlywed couple on a trip to HNL and who screeched about "Common decency" and "Customer service exceptions". The fact is that on ANY given flight to HNL there are going to be several newlywed couples, hundreds in a month, thousands in a year. This woman is not the first person to ever get married or have a honeymoon in Hawaii, but that seemed lost on her.
Common courtesy is respecting the rules and being courteous to your fellow pax. It is not the person who is essentially letting their kid line jump that gets to decide how negligible a difference it is. It is those behind them in line. Before you know it you will get thousands of people buying one EBCI ticket for themselves and jamming the A line with their kids, all of whom are going to require seats.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
If your kid gets a higher number than you, you line up at that higher number.
And is it currently stands, is it really the adult with a kid that's the issue in the boarding line or is the adult who buys EBCI and doesn't jam the A line but instead saves 6 seats on board for their C group companions?
As I said, I'm not trying to say that I'm right and others are wrong or that my way is the only way or the correct way. Just trying to point out that in the big scheme of things all this "rules are rules and no exceptions" when it comes to a kid boarding with an adult, is not really the problem that it's being made out to be. And lastly that by using common sense and thinking about the situation before we react to it can allow us, without any real detriment to our well being, to be a decent human being even if the receiver doesn't appreciate what we did.
Sorry for the long winded response. Just wanted to make sure my response wasn't taken out of context and wanted to show my logic without being dismissive of other people's thoughts and opinions.
Sep 16, 2016, 10:42 pm
#45
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MFR
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