Refund possible for negative PE upgrade experience?
 

I paid for an upgrade to PE on a long-haul flight so I would have more room and be able to exit and return to my seat more easily. But the reality was that I ended up in a very uncomfortable situation as a lady with an infant was sitting next to me in the aisle seat, with the baby well over the armrest into my seat space area, and a bassinet was practically in my face.

She was not willing to move to let me out or to swap seats.

The FAs expressed their commiseration but said there was nowhere to move me.

It was a long and miserable flight.

Do you think I should receive a refund?

It could have been worse! You could have been in E- with the baby! Look, there's no guarantee on any seat who your seat mate will be.

I don't think you'll get a refund. But you might get a voucher.

You might get a voucher if someone pities you. But honestly UA has done nothing wrong here.

if you don't want to risk infants, fly a private jet.

Why would, after you pay for E+, get a window seat?

Maybe the OP likes window seats, but agree with your premise and what others have said that there is no guarantee who your seat mate will be.

So are we to assume that she would not allow you out of your seat to go to the bathroom or did you have to climb over her?

No infants in aisle seats
 

It was my understanding that no infant may be in an aisle seat during flight because that would be a safety hazard in case of emergency evacuation.

Has this changed?

I think you just have to grin & bear it being thankful the 'long haul' is not SFO<->HKG. Otherwise, the blame goes back to the other passenger. Tell her there is a division of space; she is encroaching on yours and to move her baby carrier ( out into the aisle space?).

At the end of the day we all have to realize that non-private air travel is no different than riding Greyhound and it will not always be a pleasant experience.

Welcome to Flyertalk


I don't think you are entitled to anything back, though a complaint may get you a few miles as a token.

Never book the seats where a bassinet can go.


I believe that's only if they have their own seat using a restraint seat. It sounds like this was a lap baby.

And even then only if the bottom of the car seat extends past the bottom of the seat cushion. Been there, done that. :D

Really, she wouldn't let you out of your seat? Did you offer to pee on her baby? :)

I get E+ aisle seats because I get up every hour to stretch my legs and/or hit the restroom. I have once been stuck in a window seat (because the new United screwed up and lost my aisle seat) and apologized every time I had to get up. But, annoying as it is to the other people, moving around is necessary for my comfort. Yours too, apparently.

You should have told her if you don't let me get out of the row to use the lav, there's going to be a bigger stink here than what your baby makes. :)

But honestly, you should not be a prisoner in your seat once the seatbelt light is off. The FA's should have politely asked the mother to get up so you can use the lavatory.
If she and the FA's refused to do anything about it, then you certainly have the right to complain to UA for the deprivation of your right to use the lavatory. Sadly, at best they'll offer you some miles or a flight credit.

I will disagree with most others , if in fact the baby was Always over the arm rest when not in the bassinet and coming into the OPs space, then I see it no different then a POS who spills overinto the other passengers space

However nothing is due if the woman simply didnt allow the OP to go in & out as frequent as they wanted to or for the bassinet being up on the wall

I doubt it.
 

Good luck! This happened to me a few years back VIE-IAD on Austrian. I check in and requested a bulked if avai - it was so they happily gave it to me (I was *G). The person next to brought on a "lap child" (4 year old!?) and then demanded my seat. Y was almost full and C was 2/3 empty. I asked if I could move to C in exchange for my seat, they said no and I ended up sitting in the 2nd to last row next to a kid who kicked and hit me (and his mother) and threw food for 9 hours!

Good Luck.

Agree, it's not your problem to fix, it's the mother's and if she can't fix it, then the FA's should move her somewhere, not you! She should not be traveling with the expectation of taking more than one seat, unless she buys a second. I would have made a bigger stink.

It's hard to document such things of course, so good luck on the compensation though... :)