My wife and I are adopting a 2 year old from korea and the agency gives us 4-5 days notice to come to korea. Yes, that makes our flight and flight arrangements expensive and difficult.

I notice on all 3rd party websites that Korean Air does NOT have their seat availabilities on-line. Their website doesn't either. Neither does Asiana. Talking to my travel agent, she can see whether there are seats available and she tells me that the only seats available are the middle seats, in different rows.

Her advice (and that of the airline): Get to the airport 4-5 hours before departure and talk to the agent when you check-in. They will "do their best" to get you and your wife and 2 year old together. But no guarantees.

What kind of advice is this? Will the airline stick me in 34B, my wife in 43E and my screaming (?) kid in 55B?

Has anybody else gone through this before and how did it turn out?

Thanks