Babyseat blocked recline

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Mar 19, 2018, 1:16 am

#16

username

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2001

Posts: 10,965

Quote:

Originally Posted by mherdeg

It is interesting to compare the feedback in this thread (too bad for you) vs. the feedback given to a parent of a child who was unable to use their car seat as designed because someone had reclined their seat (too bad for you): Child carseat unusable b/c reclined seat

Yes, definitely interesting. What does the contrast of the reactions tell us?

1 - VX forum readers hate babies? UA forum readers love babies?
2 - How the question is asked matters? It is all about perspective?
3 - People just like to disagree and criticize on Internet forums?

Mar 19, 2018, 4:57 am

#17

jp12687

Join Date: Sep 2013

Posts: 1,116

If the seat isn’t called out during booking as a limited recliner seat it can be expected to recline. If it does. It the seat is INOP and they should give you a credit for it.

if you bought e+ they should refund the money for that

Mar 19, 2018, 5:10 am

#18

chermorg

Suspended

Join Date: Jan 2018

Programs: UA Premier Silver

Posts: 311

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp12687

Economy plus offers absolutely no recline advantage. Unless the car seat was in front of OP blocking legroom, they got E+ as advertised and paid for. Thus, no refund of that is due.

I imagine UA will offer a small credit as a token of goodwill, but there is nothing obligating them to do so and to demand anything more such as refunds or inop credits is not okay. The seat is not inop if a passenger with an infant is behind you in an FAA approved carrier. If you have a problem with that, it is a problem with the FAA, not United. It is not United's job to petition the FAA to evaluate seat recline when approving car seats, and it is not their job to pay you when they did nothing wrong whatsoever.

Mar 19, 2018, 6:06 am

#19

Kate Kilmer

Original Poster

Join Date: Mar 2018

Posts: 2

Thank you

Thanks all for your opinions and information.
I'm not one to complain when it comes to babies - and so really my question was about "what did I purchased and if I got the full value for it."
United did credit me a portion of my miles - but, they didn't have to - and it took my time to make the request. They could have denied the request.
I guess as some point airlines will need to come up with a policy for this issue, and travelers will simply need to acquiesce to those policies.
Lucky for me, my flight was short - as am I

.
I'd however, not be singing the same tune if I was 6'2" and on an overnight flight.

Thanks all!

ContinentalFan, notquiteaff, wrp96 and 1 others like this.

Mar 19, 2018, 6:07 am

#20

UTex09

Join Date: Oct 2011

Location: Texas

Programs: Former 1K turned UA Kettle

Posts: 413

Quote:

Originally Posted by iluv2fly

So if someone used the "knee defender" you would be okay with that?

No, because a "knee defender" isn't a safety measure for a small human. That's a silly comparison.

Unfortunate situation for the OP, and anyone who has children can sympathize with the fact that those car seats (especially the rear facing versions) are BULKY. Also unfortunately, they're by far the safest way to transport a young child or baby on an airplane. Sounds like UA got it right with a small token for the inconvenience.

cmdinnyc, Kiara and chermorg like this.

Mar 19, 2018, 7:35 am

#21

Allan38103

Join Date: Jul 2009

Programs: none

Posts: 1,668

OP, you could have mentioned it while on board and maybe moved to a new seat. Or, you could wait until later and receive some compensation. You chose the latter. Way to go.

Mar 19, 2018, 7:49 am

#22

benitovacation

Join Date: Jan 2014

Location: OC

Programs: Delta/Hyatt/Hilton DM, Marriott Plat

Posts: 105

I think change of seat or compensation request is reasonable. UA (airline in general) sold transportation service with specific detail of accommodation, not only limited to class of cabin. Airline takes every opportunity to upsell included the width, reclining angle, location, boarding or assignment priority of the seat or lack of. These means the differences and value, so UA wording of merely transporting point A to point B is weak, though pax was compensated in miles.

Mar 19, 2018, 8:06 am

#23

Often1

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: DCA

Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL

Posts: 50,262

While there is, of course, no requirement that any given seat recline, if a seat is designed to recline, the installation of any device, whether it is a "knee defender" or a baby seat, must not interfere with the operation of the seat as approved by FAA. Thus, a child seat installed so as to interfere with the approved operation of the seat should be in a seat where the seat in front lacks recline.

It goes without saying that just like 99% of service issues, they are best dealt with on the spot. This applies to seat recline, hotel amenities and pretty much everything else.

Mar 19, 2018, 8:27 am

#24

rmadisonwi

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 843

Quote:

Originally Posted by Often1

The only seats I can think of that don't recline or have limited recline are those in front of exit rows, and also the last row of the plane. As such, it is either illegal or impossible to put baby seats in the rows immediately behind. If you want to make the "as approved by FAA" claim, go ahead. See how far that gets you.

EAlyse and chermorg like this.

Mar 19, 2018, 8:35 am

#25

chermorg

Suspended

Join Date: Jan 2018

Programs: UA Premier Silver

Posts: 311

Quote:

Originally Posted by benitovacation

I have not seen United use their Economy standard recline as a selling point. Nor, for that matter, have I seen any US airline use the recline or lack of it as a selling point (except in targeted ads against Spirit etc who do not recline at all). The bottom line is that seat reservations are not guaranteed, you are not guaranteed a particular seat, and you accept that you may be assigned a seat that has limited/no-recline when you purchase the ticket. The only obligation of UA is to refund any Economy+ purchase if you are reassigned unwillingly. They are not obligated to further compensate you for lack of recline on any given ticket.

If you can find a ticket that has a fare rule that says the ticket must be given a reclining seat in Economy, I would be shocked. I conjecture that there is not a single fare nor ticket that one can buy that guarantees them recline in the Economy cabin.

Mar 19, 2018, 8:35 am

#26

ctownflyer

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: CLE

Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM

Posts: 4,671

Quote:

Originally Posted by UTex09

This is one of the few sane posts in this thread.

Infant car seats are rear facing only. They may hinder recline, but that's a necessary evil and approved by the FAA. Calling parents selfish for using it for the duration of the flight is uncalled for. Would you like the child to become a projectile during sudden turbulence?

Mar 19, 2018, 8:36 am

#27

useyourname

Join Date: Dec 2017

Posts: 30

The only thing a car seat would help with is turbulence. If it goes down, that 5 star safety rating isn't going to be much help in a blazing inferno/wreckage.

Mar 19, 2018, 8:38 am

#28

zymm

Join Date: Apr 2017

Location: Bay Area - East Bay

Programs: UA 1k, AS 75k, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist

Posts: 639

Quote:

Originally Posted by UTex09

Unfortunate situation for the OP, and anyone who has children can sympathize with the fact that those car seats (especially the rear facing versions) are BULKY. Also unfortunately, they're by far the safest way to transport a young child or baby on an airplane. Sounds like UA got it right with a small token for the inconvenience.

Is there a safety difference between the front and rear facing seats on airplanes? I always thought the rear facing seats must be kind of a bummer for the kid, the closed in view of the seat doesn't seem particularly stimulating!

Mar 19, 2018, 8:41 am

#29

ctownflyer

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: CLE

Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM

Posts: 4,671

Quote:

Originally Posted by useyourname

The only thing a car seat would help with is turbulence. If it goes down, that 5 star safety rating isn't going to be much help in a blazing inferno/wreckage.

Ex-attendant, Crash Survivor Lobbies For Child-safety Seats - tribunedigital-chicagotribune

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...nes_Flight_232

Mar 19, 2018, 8:49 am

#30

ctownflyer

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: CLE

Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM

Posts: 4,671

Quote:

Originally Posted by zymm

I have no idea about on an airplane, but given that infant carseats are only rear-facing (kids should be rear facing in a car for as long as possible for safety reasons), it's not a surprise that people will bring that seat on the plane.

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