Dad ditches kid in coach to sit in Polaris leaving me to entertain him
Jul 13, 2018, 9:32 am
#33
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ORD
Posts: 435
My wife and I travel with two children ages 3 and 5. Twice we have been the victims of an equipment swap where we have been booted from E+ and dispersed throughout the airplane (four seats none of which are next to each other in E-).
Flight attendants did nothing to help get the seats back together. They felt they had no responsibility. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers switching seats to get us next to the kids.
Is there an official policy on this which UA requires my child sit next to me? Would be helpful to me if the computer disperses my kids again in an unusual situation.
Flight attendants did nothing to help get the seats back together. They felt they had no responsibility. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers switching seats to get us next to the kids.
Is there an official policy on this which UA requires my child sit next to me? Would be helpful to me if the computer disperses my kids again in an unusual situation.
Jul 13, 2018, 9:59 am
#35
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 246
There is another possibility here that you guys are missing. These might have been NRSAs and these were the last available seats (best case scenario for Dad) or lots of seats were available but the kid wasn't old enough to sit in business per UAs Nonrev policies so Dad abandoned him to coach or possibly they wouldn't have been sitting together anyway even in coach so Dad figures he might aswell take a good seat (as NRSAs, we are generally not allowed to ask people to change seats to sit together - at least unless it's a like for like swap). Now in the past I have foregone a business seat to sit with my kids in coach and in fact once, travelling with my three young kids I had to put my two oldest in business and sit in economy with my youngest who wasn't old enough for business since there were not enough seats in economy for all of us.
Young kids should not be seated in separate cabins generally (DL at least has a policy on this) but they tend to bend the rules for NRSAs especially since most everyone knows how hard it is to fly standby these days.
Of course, a five star dad would have offered his Polaris seat to the OP and sat with his son....
Young kids should not be seated in separate cabins generally (DL at least has a policy on this) but they tend to bend the rules for NRSAs especially since most everyone knows how hard it is to fly standby these days.
Of course, a five star dad would have offered his Polaris seat to the OP and sat with his son....
Jul 13, 2018, 10:01 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA MM, MB LifeTit
Posts: 1,830
This reminds me of a seatmate I had back in Barcalounger business days. I was in the aisle and a boy of about the same age as this one came up with his dad to take the window seat. Dad introduced us and explained that he and a younger brother were back in coach. I had a nice little conversation with the kid and explained that whenever he needed to get out of his seat he should just ask. The kid was great, watching some video and otherwise occupying himself. About halfway through the flight I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. Before I could turn to see, he darted under my raised footrest into the aisle. I don't know how he did that.
Jul 13, 2018, 10:29 am
#38
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My wife and I travel with two children ages 3 and 5. Twice we have been the victims of an equipment swap where we have been booted from E+ and dispersed throughout the airplane (four seats none of which are next to each other in E-).
Flight attendants did nothing to help get the seats back together. They felt they had no responsibility. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers switching seats to get us next to the kids.
Is there an official policy on this which UA requires my child sit next to me? Would be helpful to me if the computer disperses my kids again in an unusual situation.
Flight attendants did nothing to help get the seats back together. They felt they had no responsibility. I had to rely on the kindness of strangers switching seats to get us next to the kids.
Is there an official policy on this which UA requires my child sit next to me? Would be helpful to me if the computer disperses my kids again in an unusual situation.
It's possible there's better protection on a United flight departing from Europe, but I don't really know for sure.
Jul 13, 2018, 10:37 am
#40
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Watergate
Posts: 94
Jul 13, 2018, 10:43 am
#41
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
A lot of bad information in this thread:
1. There is no requirement that the child and responsible adult be seated together.
2. There is a requirement that a child who is not seated in the same cabin as the responsible adult must travel as a UM.
The rest of this is all after-the-fact justification. The kid either was or was not a UM.
If the crew were aware of it, he was likely a UM..
1. There is no requirement that the child and responsible adult be seated together.
2. There is a requirement that a child who is not seated in the same cabin as the responsible adult must travel as a UM.
The rest of this is all after-the-fact justification. The kid either was or was not a UM.
If the crew were aware of it, he was likely a UM..
Jul 13, 2018, 11:05 am
#44
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
hi Flyertalk. Just got off ord to pek and too my delight I had a maybe 8 year old boy sitting next to me the whole flight while his dad was in Polaris. I had the distinct pleasure of entertaining this kid who wouldn’t shut up for 12 hours. Should I complain about this?
Also the the ife didn’t have sound. I will be composing about that!
Also the the ife didn’t have sound. I will be composing about that!
Jul 13, 2018, 11:11 am
#45
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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A number have asked what UA's (written) policy is, per UA's CoC
Other references
UA's website - Children traveling alone
UA unaccompanied minor (UCM) policy - nonstop only, age (now 14 & lower), same cabin
Unaccompanied Minor means a Child/Minor 5 to 14 years of age when traveling alone or not accompanied on the same flight and in the same compartment by a companion Passenger at least 18 years of age or with a Legal Guardian or parent.
UA's website - Children traveling alone
UA unaccompanied minor (UCM) policy - nonstop only, age (now 14 & lower), same cabin