FC passengers - attitude
 

I Flew with my wife and almost 3 year old daughter TPA-CVG last Wednesday. All of us are elites. My wife and daughter are on the same reservation. They were upgraded in advance to FC and got 1A,1B seats (together), I was in 2A. However, about 24 before the departure, the aircraft was changed to the one, where there are no 1A and 1B seats (MD88). As a result, they got 3A and 4D seats (separated). Since, it is obvious that 3year old cannot seat without supervising, I called Delta and was told that on the phone they cannot change seats. They told me that only GA can do it. We arrived at the airport long before the departure time and I politely asked GA to accommodate them together. However, the GA refused to help. Her words were - "FC is full, if they want to seat together, I can move them to coach." Very nice answer!

OK, I thought that as usual we have to deal with it on our own. But I was very surprised to see the reaction to swap seats (from 2B to 3A or from 3B to 2A). The old guy in 2B said that I had to ask the guy in 3B first, the guy in 3B said that he doesn't want to seat in the front row and wouldn't swap. Finally, the guy from 2B moved to the 3A, but his face said everything what he thought about this swap. What is wrong with you people? It wasn't just swap seats for fun or something else. They clearly saw that the swap was for child and the safety/comfort other passengers. I also blame Delta since it was their responsibility to accommodate child and mother together but FC people should be more understandable. Moreover, I believe that all of them got their seats as a complimentary upgrades as well.

I will always swap with someone when they ask; however, it is annoying when the swap is to the first row because there is on underseat storage.

I would ask the person in the first row to move back to the second row instead of asking someone from the second row to move up to the first row. I think you will have better chances of swaping if you do it that way.

I know in your case you did ask the person in the first row (the old guy). But it sounded as if you asked him first.

Guess I would have politely asked the FC FA for help in resolving the matter rather than take it on yourself. Since there was a very obvious need with a child involved, most FA's go out of their way to try to accommodate.

+1^ Not only is it the FA's responsibility to look out for safety issues (and this would certainly qualify,) but DL's are among the best in the industry and would likely handle this situatiion well.

I understand your frustration, but honestly you can't just expect others to move for you just because you are traveling with a child. The GA offered you seats together - In coach. I hate to be harsh on this, but if you wanted seats together you should have taken the coach seats.

I sometimes ask others to switch seats if I am traveling with a companion, and usually people are willing. I only do it if I am switching for "equal" seats. Like aisle for aisle or bulkhead for bulkhead. I don't want to put another pax in a situation where they chose a aisle in row two and I ask them to go to a window in a bulkhead. I think that is rude.

I don't want to sound harsh, I love kids, have some of my own, however, why should I have to move my preselected seat because of your child? I hate the aisle, never sit in an aisle and wouldnt want to be in an aisle. I know it is for a child, but it is not MY child and why should I give up the enjoyment of my flight for yours?

Many of us choose a specific seat on a plane for specific reasons, sorry there was an airline switch and your 3 yr old (who would not even remember or enjoy the fact that she was in first) is no more important than me and my status.

I hate when people think they are entitled to special privileges just because they are traveling with a child. I personally do not think children belong in FC in the first place,

My thoughts exactly, I would never hesitate to move to an equal seat to help someone out.

I have no problem changing seats for people when they ask nicely, I dont think the the weight of the world is in my shoulders.

My dad always told me not to pretent to be better than others, always to be myself, and to represent the family the right way.

So let me understand. You think he should have immediately taken the coach seats. In the next paragraph you say you have asked people in the past to change seats as the OP did. So for others they must follow the rules to the letter, but for you it is OK to bend the rules?

That's called double standard.

Nice. I really like the "old guy" reference. And your contempt at how he grudgingly moved for you. :rolleyes:

With that kind of opinion of your fellow pax, I'm not surprised they basically told you to pound sand.

Next time ask the FA for help. They know how to do these things, and they
will be nice about it.

David

Huh? FC was full. What would you have the GA do?

Relax. All I meant was that if he wanted FOR SURE seats together he should have taken the coach seats. When you get onto the plane and ask people, that is not going to be sure bet.

The OP was in a position where he had to ask a pax to move from an aisle to window - The other night I was flying with my wife BDL-MSP, we both ended up with windows in F, I DID NOT ask anyone to move because I though it would be rude to ask someone to take a window when they had an aisle.

The complaint by the OP is about other passengers not accommodating him. This is DL's issue, not an issue for the guy in 3B.


Also want to add - I never EXPECT people to move for me. If I ask and they say no problem then I say thank you and we move. If I ask and they don't want to, I move on with my day. In this case the OP expected people to move for him, which I think is rude.

Well, the GA could have had a nicer attitude but really can't just arbitrarily boot people out of their F seats for the sake of accommodating you. Who says they aren't in the same situation.

While you always should ask to switch (and if you ask me I almost always will), don't expect someone to necessarily oblige.

I always have to check my own frustration when people get all uppety tight about me touching their luggage in the overheads since they put their mini bag up there preventing my rollerboard from fitting. In the end, they don't owe it to me but if it were me, I'd gladly let you move my stuff.

The problem here is DL's IT. Since there was an equipment change, the FC seats were reshuffled. The IT doing the reshuffling should have recognized the child and kept the child and mother together. The IT really should do this for any party traveling on the same PNR if possible.

I try my best to accommodate anyone asking me for a seat change, but on a long flight I am not going to a seat I find less comfortable (like moving from the exit rows I always choose on a TPAC).

I suspect that everyone except 1A and 1B had their seats preserved in the swap and that 3A and 4D were the only ones left. Given the choice of sitting next to a three year old or moving to a window seat, Mr. 4C should have had no problem moving. I certainly will move to accommodate kids split from parents, especially if its no fault of theirs.

However, DL created the problem and DL should have done more to help. The GA's response was unreasonable and should be reported. The FA could have been more helpful. About 15 years ago my wife, I and two very little kids were in Y from TOL to ATL. None of us had any status. Our pre-reserved seats had disappeared by the time we got to the gate, and it was a very full flight. The GA worked diligently to get me and the kids together in the very back row, and put my wife in F. The FAs apparently were aware of our issue and were very nice to me and the kids. It worked out perfectly. How things have changed.