PushingTin

Families like this drive me nuts. I have two small children and when we fly I spend HOURS and pick specific flights to make sure that we get the right seats. I understand the IRROPs can FUBAR things, but if it is that important to people that they sit there, they should work harder to make it happen ahead of time. Frankly, I think UA should block those seats until the gate can clear them. There are enough babies on flights to work it out then.

It's always the family with 4 middle seats trying to get people to swap out of E+ aisle/window seats. My favorite response to the request to move is "No, thank you". That's what I use now.

Obviously if the kid is small and freaking out, I make an exception, but you can usually tell the people that are used to gaming the system and taking advantage of people.

phkc070408

^^^^^

I would have thrown the old handicap thing - bad knees or something like that. If they couldn't accommodate me, I would have played the game and asked to be placed on the next flight at their expense (I don't know if that was an option for you). I also would have played the whole "Your desire to assist her is inconveniencing me, and I reserved this seat first."

Unfortunately, if you need to be on that particular flight, you are at their mercy.

On another note, we are going to China in BF on a pmUA 777-200. We are adopting a little one and won't know our travel dates until about 2-4 weeks before we leave. I called UA about the possibility of needing the bassinet in row 8AB or 8KL and what we can do if those seats are already taken. The agent told me that the flight attendants are empowered to move people for that reason. Of course, in our case, the person being displaced will still be in a BF seat.

sbrower

Urban legend. It is not a criminal violation to refuse to follow the instructions of the flight crew on most issues.

Tchiowa

^ What he said

rufflesinc

If you have check bags, then Captain would have to weigh moving OP vs the time wasted getting the bags off the plane. Call his bluff ...

tarheelnj

I would think there would have had to have been at least one non-rev in BF that could have been displaced.

grtdane

As a parent of 2 children that has traveled from the US to Europe with both my kids at least annually since they were born this hits close to home.

My view would be that families seeking the bassinet slot should make sure they are booked in E+ if they want to be eligible for the bulkhead - that way a displaced passenger would be guaranteed a seat of equal value.

Additionally, there are lots of options for breastfeeding in public - I personally never had an issue with that, bot recognize that some do. In that case there are nifty blankets designed for just this purpose that keeps you covered up.

emcampbe

So, my take is that those with infants should be able to sit in the seats by the bassinets. Without exception, UA should do what it can to accommodate. Blocking at least some (or all) bulkheads with a bassinet may be the answer. If not, I don't think asking folks to move should be a problem. It just makes sense, and I say this irrespective of my next sentence. Which is that as an expectant father, who will be doing some traveling with an infant next year, that emphasizes my stance on that issue.

As for the uncomfort with breast feeding, IMO, that is a problem the mother is going to have to deal with. And probably more than when she is on an airplane. A simple thing such as a full flight (which is fairly common nowadays, anyway) is going to put the kabosh on that. Plus, no matter what, its not really private since there will be people in the row across, walking up and down the aisle, etc. If they want that, book a seat for the infant. I don't think feeding in the lav is really the right solution, however, there are covers nowadays specifically for that purpose, and they are common. Depending on the length of the flight and how much baby is eating at that point, there is also the option of bottling milk beforehand (at least for some feeding) - TSA has an exception for bottled milk for babies, don't they?

rjque

That was my thought, too. I think the desire for privacy comes, in part, from the sheer number of people that still tell breastfeeding mothers to cover up, or, even worse, take it to the lav. There's still a lot of growing up to do for everyone involved.

Kacee

Total non sequitur. Whether it is a "criminal violation" was not the question. Suggest you re-read the thread.

It is in fact beyond reasonable dispute that disobeying a flight crew member can get you tossed off the aircraft. That was the question we were responding to.

PushingTin

You turned it there. It isn't other passengers discomfort with it, it is the breastfeeders issue. He isn't saying "I won't sit next to a breastfeeding baby". The cover-up or bathroom option is to address the breastfeeders 'head-trash', not anyone elses.

Soooo, what if there are more babies than bassinets? Do you have to wait for a later flight? If a bassinet isn't a requirement- if it is possible to fly with a baby without a bassinet, there shouldn't be requirement for people to move. The bassinet is a convenience, not a necessity then.

Rick371

This is exactly why I moved. I had already told the gate agent no thanks twice. When she came back again she (the gate agent) was getting a little testy. Everyone was seated except them - they were standing by the bulkhead, and doors were ready to close.

On a side note, I didn't like the fact the she went to the GA to get it done for her. Had she asked me herself I probably would've been guilt tripped into moving earlier. The GA tried to bully me because of her "authority" - that's what kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

This answers my question. If anyone tells you to move you must obey, regardless of what boarding pass says, without recourse other than a refund.

Thank you. I don't travel near as much as most on here, but about 7 business trips a year with 2-3 international gets me lowest status level.

goalie

MODERATOR NOTE:

Let's stay away from the topic of breast feeding pros & cons and focus on the issue where the OP was asked/told that they had to move their seat due to an infant bassinet seat and how to help the OP with advice as to how to pursue this.

goalie
UA Form Co-Moderator

TomMM

Or the airport police haul you out of the aircraft.

Miles Ahead

Goalie, I see things differently. The OP didn't move because of a bassinet. He was asked to, declined, and was not reseated. So the bassinet part of the story is only background.

The OP was asked to move because another passenger didn't want to sit next to him. I think it's reasonable to discuss if there are ever any reasons where United should move one passenger because another one doesn't want them there, and if so, what those reasons might be.