Transport Minister urges airlines to stop separating parents, children
Aug 24, 2019, 6:28 pm
#391
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Perhaps your posts above can be added to your epic thread.
The AC Contract Translated into Plain English
The AC Contract Translated into Plain English
........
SEAT SELECTION
Getting back to the web site, once you have completed your ticket purchase, we may offer you the opportunity to select a seat on the more expensive fare classes, or on the cheap tickets you may purchase the opportunity to select a seat. Even on the more expensive tickets, the good or really good seats will cost you even more. Either way, you will pay for the privilege of advance seat selection.
Most of the time you will get to sit in the seat you selected. Sometimes, however, for Operational Reasons we may not let you sit in the seat you selected and paid for. We can change your seat at any time to any other seat except the crew’s. Sometimes we will tell you about it ahead of time. You can change seats if and when you want until you check in, but only if the seat you select is presently unoccupied. If we bump you out of a really good seat we will eventually refund the seat fee. If you change out of a really good seat, you forfeit the seat fee. You should be aware that if we bump you out of your chosen seat and give it to someone else that’s okay, but we generally won’t bump that someone else out of their chosen seat to give it back to you. Even though you paid for the seat and they didn’t.
Another interesting situation that arises from time to time occurs when some passengers purchase a particular seat, but families travelling with young children don’t because they’re too cheap. In these circumstances we may need to move someone who paid for a specific seat into a less specific seat to accommodate these cheapskates. We don’t like doing that, but if we resist it inevitably generates a flurry of bad PR, so we acquiesce. (See Definitions, Operational Reasons).
Remember that we allowed you to see the available seats on your flight, so you could make an informed decision on which flight to purchase, based in part on which seats are available? Remember also what we said about aircraft changes? When we do this, the seat selections can get really screwed up, especially if the new aircraft is smaller than the one we advertised. In these circumstances, all bets are off and you’ll sit where we tell you. There will be no change in fare. Even though you paid extra for a certain type of aircraft and seat.
.........
Finally, it is essential for you to understand that for operational reasons we may change the rules at any time. However, you may not change the rules, ever.
Thank you for your cooperation.
SEAT SELECTION
Getting back to the web site, once you have completed your ticket purchase, we may offer you the opportunity to select a seat on the more expensive fare classes, or on the cheap tickets you may purchase the opportunity to select a seat. Even on the more expensive tickets, the good or really good seats will cost you even more. Either way, you will pay for the privilege of advance seat selection.
Most of the time you will get to sit in the seat you selected. Sometimes, however, for Operational Reasons we may not let you sit in the seat you selected and paid for. We can change your seat at any time to any other seat except the crew’s. Sometimes we will tell you about it ahead of time. You can change seats if and when you want until you check in, but only if the seat you select is presently unoccupied. If we bump you out of a really good seat we will eventually refund the seat fee. If you change out of a really good seat, you forfeit the seat fee. You should be aware that if we bump you out of your chosen seat and give it to someone else that’s okay, but we generally won’t bump that someone else out of their chosen seat to give it back to you. Even though you paid for the seat and they didn’t.
Another interesting situation that arises from time to time occurs when some passengers purchase a particular seat, but families travelling with young children don’t because they’re too cheap. In these circumstances we may need to move someone who paid for a specific seat into a less specific seat to accommodate these cheapskates. We don’t like doing that, but if we resist it inevitably generates a flurry of bad PR, so we acquiesce. (See Definitions, Operational Reasons).
Remember that we allowed you to see the available seats on your flight, so you could make an informed decision on which flight to purchase, based in part on which seats are available? Remember also what we said about aircraft changes? When we do this, the seat selections can get really screwed up, especially if the new aircraft is smaller than the one we advertised. In these circumstances, all bets are off and you’ll sit where we tell you. There will be no change in fare. Even though you paid extra for a certain type of aircraft and seat.
.........
Finally, it is essential for you to understand that for operational reasons we may change the rules at any time. However, you may not change the rules, ever.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Aug 24, 2019, 7:11 pm
#392
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Perhaps your posts above can be added to your epic thread.
The AC Contract Translated into Plain English
The AC Contract Translated into Plain English
Feb 18, 2020, 7:10 am
#393
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Where can I complain to site staff about necro-ing a thread? I got referred here direct from a front page story. This isn't the worst thread resurrection I have ever seen, but it's pretty bad...
...and worse is that it feels like the story author didn't read the thread, though it also might say something that nobody has commented here in the week since the article was posted.
(Story link: https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/s...-children.html )
...and worse is that it feels like the story author didn't read the thread, though it also might say something that nobody has commented here in the week since the article was posted.
(Story link: https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/s...-children.html )
Feb 20, 2020, 5:18 am
#394
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HBA
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A couple of years ago, I was on a flight when the outraged father didn't stop loudly complaining about this. In the end my partner and I agreed to split up and change seats just to shut him up and be allowed a peaceful flight.
Feb 20, 2020, 6:01 am
#395
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,919
Just by reading your comments I bet none of you wants to be saddled with a child that isn’t your own anyway. Then guess what I have had the sad opportunity to see just how some of you FFiers react when the s**** hits the fan and I sure as hell wouldn’t trust most of you to look out for the small child next to you that isn’t yours when that happens. Yes thankfully it doesn’t happen all to often but sadly it does.
However it should be unlawful for airlines to split families especially young children from parents. Yes charge a SMALL!!!!! Fee (5-10 dollars) for it and make it mandatory for children under 10 years.
However it should be unlawful for airlines to split families especially young children from parents. Yes charge a SMALL!!!!! Fee (5-10 dollars) for it and make it mandatory for children under 10 years.
Feb 20, 2020, 6:37 am
#396
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Absolutely. It's the responsibility of the parents to arrange seating arrangements, rather than to expect special treatment, especially with budget airlines. Nobody is forcing them to fly.
A couple of years ago, I was on a flight when the outraged father didn't stop loudly complaining about this. In the end my partner and I agreed to split up and change seats just to shut him up and be allowed a peaceful flight.
A couple of years ago, I was on a flight when the outraged father didn't stop loudly complaining about this. In the end my partner and I agreed to split up and change seats just to shut him up and be allowed a peaceful flight.
The only airline I’ve ever flown with that takes this seriously is Aeroflot. The lady at checkin saw the seat assignments and almost panicked - “y’all seated separately!!”, she said. “One second, I can’t seat _all_ of you together, but I will seat the mom with the child, let me move this person here.”
There’s a reason it says seat assignments aren’t guaranteed. If I’m flying alone, would I be unhappy if my window seat was swapped for a middle seat because of a family? Sure! Would I understand it? Absolutely.
I still prefer Aeroflot’s approach (not the whole family - just one parent with the kid) but I entirely agree kids should sit with parents - for free, dammit (try raising some kids - consider the cost - the $5 seat being given for free is a welcome respite) - end of story.
[edit] also, seriously? Nobody’s forcing them to fly? What sort of entitled attitude is that? Families are just as entitled to fly as you are, and to question their “entitledness” is an extremely entitled position to begin with.
Feb 20, 2020, 7:22 am
#398
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The problem is that it’s not always possible. Have you ever tried buying seats close to departure? Guess how easy it is to get sears together? It isn’t.
Feb 20, 2020, 8:22 am
#399
Join Date: Mar 2019
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Posts: 91
Frankly if I were an airline I’d do this just from a liability perspective. A minor on-board is in the adult’s care which becomes a difficult line to take it they’re physically separated.
Feb 20, 2020, 8:38 am
#400
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Can I just remind everyone that AC does offer free seat selection to families with children? The policy is clearly spelled out on the page about travelling with children, and if you go to select seats while making a booking with a child on the reservation, it will display a warning that "You can select your seats now or let us assign adjacent seating at no extra charge that will ensure children under 14 are seated adjacent to an adult in your party." The argument in the last few posts seems moot in light of AC's actual policy.
@GrayAnderson, I think that's something you should be contacting the author or someone from the news portion of the site about, rather than posting here. After all, you're the one who brought the thread back to life by posting in it 
Where can I complain to site staff about necro-ing a thread? I got referred here direct from a front page story. This isn't the worst thread resurrection I have ever seen, but it's pretty bad...
...and worse is that it feels like the story author didn't read the thread, though it also might say something that nobody has commented here in the week since the article was posted.
...and worse is that it feels like the story author didn't read the thread, though it also might say something that nobody has commented here in the week since the article was posted.
Feb 20, 2020, 10:47 am
#401
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Posts: 23,808
Absolutely. It's the responsibility of the parents to arrange seating arrangements, rather than to expect special treatment, especially with budget airlines. Nobody is forcing them to fly.
A couple of years ago, I was on a flight when the outraged father didn't stop loudly complaining about this. In the end my partner and I agreed to split up and change seats just to shut him up and be allowed a peaceful flight.
A couple of years ago, I was on a flight when the outraged father didn't stop loudly complaining about this. In the end my partner and I agreed to split up and change seats just to shut him up and be allowed a peaceful flight.
Completely disgree wirh this. Have you ever tried flying with (your own) child? Have you considered how complicated it is when your child is seated separately from you, both from your point of view (angst) and your child’s (boredom)? This sort of perspective is the typical attitude of travellers who haven’t had a child to travel with.
the problem is that a good portion of the population are not frequent fliers familiar with all the ins and outs of fare rules and add-ons. If you ask most people, I bet they’d expect that an airline would seat a family together so they may not have thought to have pre-paid for seat selection. With that in mind, what’s better, to stick to a hard rule, require advance seat selection payment and deal with the aftermath of distressed kids sitting by themselves next to who knows who, or accept that it’s just easier for everyone to sit families together by default?
Frankly if I were an airline I’d do this just from a liability perspective. A minor on-board is in the adult’s care which becomes a difficult line to take it they’re physically separated.
Frankly if I were an airline I’d do this just from a liability perspective. A minor on-board is in the adult’s care which becomes a difficult line to take it they’re physically separated.
You guys are funny...
Actually AC has not been charging for seat assignments for families in years. So all that talk is obsolete.
While there have been a few horror stories in the press more recently, it is hard to blame AC for them.
By and large these have consisted of cases where the parents did not avail themselves with the opportunity to have seats assigned for free for the family when they booked. Or their TA did not tell them and/or did not take advantage of AC's policy.
However the most publicised scenario involving families and children was even more funny. Not a case of seating but of bumping a child. For some reason (likely price-related - this is from memory), the family booked one child separately, as an adult. Without paying for seat assignment. lowest fare. Which made the child high priority for getting bumped... went to the press but forgot to mention they had booked him as an adult.
Feb 20, 2020, 10:52 am
#402
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
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Posts: 4,570
You guys are funny...
Actually AC has not been charging for seat assignments for families in years. So all that talk is obsolete.
While there have been a few horror stories in the press more recently, it is hard to blame AC for them.
By and large these have consisted of cases where the parents did not avail themselves with the opportunity to have seats assigned for free for the family when they booked. Or their TA did not tell them and/or did not take advantage of AC's policy.
However the most publicised scenario involving families and children was even more funny. Not a case of seating but of bumping a child. For some reason (likely price-related - this is from memory), the family booked one child separately, as an adult. Without paying for seat assignment. lowest fare. Which made the child high priority for getting bumped... went to the press but forgot to mention they had booked him as an adult.
Actually AC has not been charging for seat assignments for families in years. So all that talk is obsolete.
While there have been a few horror stories in the press more recently, it is hard to blame AC for them.
By and large these have consisted of cases where the parents did not avail themselves with the opportunity to have seats assigned for free for the family when they booked. Or their TA did not tell them and/or did not take advantage of AC's policy.
However the most publicised scenario involving families and children was even more funny. Not a case of seating but of bumping a child. For some reason (likely price-related - this is from memory), the family booked one child separately, as an adult. Without paying for seat assignment. lowest fare. Which made the child high priority for getting bumped... went to the press but forgot to mention they had booked him as an adult.
Feb 20, 2020, 11:03 am
#403
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Because solo adults deserve to be stranded overnight, sleeping on an airport floor?
Feb 20, 2020, 11:17 am
#404
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Feb 20, 2020, 11:33 am
#405
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