Originally Posted by
cbn42
Question for you, PTravel:
How do you know whether or not there are "exigent circumstances"?
I don't.
Parents who are taking their kids to another state to visit grandma in hospital are not likely to announce this to their fellow passengers. Would you ask the parents "what is the purpose of your trip?" or would you just assume that they are on vacation until they say otherwise?
I would expect the parent to say something like, "I'm really sorry, but we're traveling on an emergency and can't wait for a later flight -- would you mind switching with us?" Bonus points if they explain the emergency. As I've said several times now, I'm always willing to help out in an emergency, even to the point of going above and beyond.
However, I find it very, very hard to believe that all the parents who have whined, "But what am I supposed to do?" when I turn down their request or, worse, have them evicted from my seat, all are relocating, going to funerals or seeking medical attention. This is particularly true of the he!! flights into and out of MCO and SNA.