Originally Posted by
DeirdreTours
The poster's solution is far more considerate of the other pax, I think. A nine year old should be at worst, no worst than an adult stranger sitting next to you, and probably substantially better-The nine year old is highly unlikely to spill over into your seat, hog the armrest or proposition you.
Correct, he doesn't take up much space, he can sleep in a standard economy seat, and he is old enough to amuse himself.
If he needs to get out from his window seat he will find it much easier to get past than an adult would, and if he's in the aisle they can get past him.
With the 3 + 1 rather than 2 + 2arrangement only one of our party is next to a stranger who will annoy us (or us annoy them indeed). Being small and basically quiet he is less likely to annoy or be annoyed by a stranger than me, at 6' and 200 pounds.
Maybe I misunderstand and your concern is that the 9 year old will be uncomfortable sitting next to a stranger? Perhaps, if the child is question is exceptionally shy, most 9 year olds that I know are perfectly capable of making the standard small talk and then engrossing themselves in their electronic device or book.
For some reason some airlines (and possibly their passengers) seem to think that children at high risk of molestation in-flight. While it has happened, it is very unlikely to happen with us in the next aisle.