Originally Posted by
PTravel
You provided two situations: in one, you were flying with your children in an emergency -- you had to go to a funeral. Speaking for myself, I always try to help out people in an emergency, and would have switched with you if asked . . . AND the circumstances were explained to me.
In the other, however, you were engaging in discretionary travel. You chose to fly with your kids and take the risk that previously allocated seats would not be available. You're right -- parents should not be separated from their children. That, however, is not my problem. It's yours to resolve with the airline. I wouldn't have switched seats with you. You had another option -- wait for another flight, or don't engage in discretionary travel with your young children. Thinking that you have a right to someone else's seat because you're traveling with your children is the very definition of entitlement and it cuts no ice with me.
No one owes you special consideration because you're flying with children.
First of all, I would note that in this case, the passenger did take it up with the airline and the airline then forced people to move-- so if you have a problem with that outcome I suggest your problem is with the airline.
Second, as far as I am concerned no one owes me special consideration because I am flying with children. However, the child, who is a paying pax, does deserve special consideration. Just as a disabled pax is rightly entitled to a seat at the front of the plane, a small child-- who is probably in diapers much less capable of visiting the lav or managing a flight by himself/herself-- is rightly entitled to sit with one parent.
Now most airlines find ways that allow status pax to pick seats but also allow small children to sit with a parent. In cases where those systems break down for whatever reason, I think basic consideration for other travellers (which includes the small child and anyone traveling within earshot of the small child) requires that accommodations be made. That's why I suggested a private plane-- because you seemed to have no consideration for other pax, and I think consideration for others is essential when you are travelling on a flying bus. However, I don't really expect you to agree with me-- sounds like you would feel perfectly justified making a 95 yo woman, or a paraplegic pax, take a seat in the last row of the plane before you gave "your" seat up.