Seating small children - Ryanair
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: YPPH
When you think about it, separating a parent from a child with a single aisle must be permitted otherwise families would not be able to travel on aircraft such as the Metro, Brasilia, etc or in First Class with 1-1,1-1 configurations.
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Sussex
@25F - Maybe as you won't take responsibility or listen to anyone else on this forum send an email to the IAA and please let us know what they say. If you are not sure who to send it to why not send it to both?
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: UK
Some time ago I was boarding an Easyjet flight (when they didn't allocate seats), pretty much at the head of the queue after loading those with kids or reduced mobility was completed. I was heading for the over wing exit row for the extra leg room (I'm comfortably over 6ft tall), when I noticed a mum with kids (all short) heading for that row. However, my dismay turned to relief when the steward refused to let them sit in this row - ostensibly because they patently wouldn't be able to operate the emergency door. However, I like to think there was an element of the steward thinking 'you're all 5'4" or less, what on earth makes you think you need extra leg room seats?' - but I don't imagine that was uppermost in her mind.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2000
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@GJP
A - I very much *do* want to take responsibility.
B - I *am* listening.
C - I don't think it's worth cluttering up the IAA's safety notification system, nor am I sure that the "Manager Airline Airworthiness" is the right person to write to.
@VS-LHRCSA - this is true, but I do feel that for safety reasons, children should be adjacent to their parents if at all possible.
A - I very much *do* want to take responsibility.
B - I *am* listening.
C - I don't think it's worth cluttering up the IAA's safety notification system, nor am I sure that the "Manager Airline Airworthiness" is the right person to write to.
@VS-LHRCSA - this is true, but I do feel that for safety reasons, children should be adjacent to their parents if at all possible.
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Manchester
25F I'm very interested to read this thread having just got back last night on a Jet2 flight and had a similar experience to your wife. Although Jet2 allocate seating they also give no consideration families with small children. My husband and I made the mistake of assuming that our daughter (21 months, who we'd specifically booked a seat for) would be automatically seated next to one of us. We were allocated C and D seats in one row and she was allocated D seat in the next row. Despite speaking to the CC their response was there was nothing they could do. CC suggested that my daughter sat across the aisle from me and didn't seem to understand the safety implication of my daughter not being properly supervised. -that she might undo her seat belt, -that she might stand on her seat and remove items from the top of the drinks/food trolley while out of my reach and -that I may not be in a position to fit an oxygen mask should there be need
While I appreciate the comments that you can prebook priority boarding or allocated seats, you should not be forced to pay extra to ensure the safety of your children, their safety should be included in the price of the ticket.
Incidentally we resolved our situation by my daughter sitting on my husband's lap for the duration of the flight. Four and a half hours with two+ stone on his lap, while her seat remained empty. Oh and paid £200 extra for it.
While I appreciate the comments that you can prebook priority boarding or allocated seats, you should not be forced to pay extra to ensure the safety of your children, their safety should be included in the price of the ticket.
Incidentally we resolved our situation by my daughter sitting on my husband's lap for the duration of the flight. Four and a half hours with two+ stone on his lap, while her seat remained empty. Oh and paid £200 extra for it.
Last edited by Sierra tango; 6th June 2013 at 21:15.
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
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From: London UK
The above appears a breach of the CAA regulations on a UK-registered aircraft :
"Additionally, children and infants should be seated where they can be adequately supervised by an accompanying adult in the event of turbulence or a decompression in the cabin."
Seating: Allocation | Europe | About the CAA
and therefore
is incorrect as they should bring this to the attention of the CSD, or if unresolved the aircraft commander.
"Additionally, children and infants should be seated where they can be adequately supervised by an accompanying adult in the event of turbulence or a decompression in the cabin."
Seating: Allocation | Europe | About the CAA
and therefore
speaking to the CC their response was there was nothing they could do.
Joined: May 2009
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From: Confoederatio Helvetica
Sierra Tango,
You have a special need that could have been solved easily by paying for the seat selection that suits that special need. Tall people have special needs, large people have special needs and they have to pay to ensure their needs are met.
I don't think my taxes should be used to educate your children, but life isn't fair, is it.
You have a special need that could have been solved easily by paying for the seat selection that suits that special need. Tall people have special needs, large people have special needs and they have to pay to ensure their needs are met.
I don't think my taxes should be used to educate your children, but life isn't fair, is it.
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Reading, UK
Sierra Tango, why did you not switch your seat with your daughter?
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Back of beyond
I've always found that a very effective way of nudging people in the direction of behaving like normal human beings is to state the situation in a loud voice, suggest a solution and wait for someone to react.
Example: Bus from the aircraft to the gate, young mum comes off the aircraft last (I've carried her hand luggage down the stairs) and doesn't get a seat. Everyone busy finding something very interesting on the floor or out of the window.
Loud voice: "OK, we've got a young mum with a baby here, who's going to get up and offer her their seat"
Works every time.
In this case: Loud voice: "OK, the airline can't arrange for my 21 month old daughter to sit next to me or my wife. Is anyone willing to swap seats?"
Example: Bus from the aircraft to the gate, young mum comes off the aircraft last (I've carried her hand luggage down the stairs) and doesn't get a seat. Everyone busy finding something very interesting on the floor or out of the window.
Loud voice: "OK, we've got a young mum with a baby here, who's going to get up and offer her their seat"
Works every time.
In this case: Loud voice: "OK, the airline can't arrange for my 21 month old daughter to sit next to me or my wife. Is anyone willing to swap seats?"
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Switzerland
But...there's something I'm missing here? Surely the answer, as pointed out above, was for one of the parents to swap seats? Result: parent and child in C and D in one row, other parent in D in the other row. What's difficult about that??
If child is particularly irksome, parents can swap seats half way so each gets a bit of quiet G&T time. I know of what I speak...
If child is particularly irksome, parents can swap seats half way so each gets a bit of quiet G&T time. I know of what I speak...
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 10,804
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Just wait until they shut the doors and insist on a move or your getting off.
They won't want the delay getting the bags off and redoing the loadsheet and will shift people.
Then don't use them again.
They won't want the delay getting the bags off and redoing the loadsheet and will shift people.
Then don't use them again.
Last edited by mad_jock; 12th June 2013 at 11:00.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 166
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From: Sussex
Is it just me or I don't see the big deal about been separated by the aisle? What happens in a car/train/bus? In all of those modes of transport I regularly see kids separated a greater distance from their parents than a 737s aisle? In a car normally by a whole row (front seat/back seat). Flying is far safer than all those modes of transport, been 40cm away is a problem on the safest... yet in a more dangerous scenario you are happy for children to be further away (and in a car far less accessible).
As a side note this week I had a passenger get into an argument with my crew this week. Their 5yo daughter was asleep accross 2 seats. When the seatbelt sign was turned on the crew politely told the parents that their daughter needs to wear a seatbelt for landing. The parent argued that the crew should use their common sense to allow the child to continue to sleep and allow her to continue without a belt for landing!
As a side note this week I had a passenger get into an argument with my crew this week. Their 5yo daughter was asleep accross 2 seats. When the seatbelt sign was turned on the crew politely told the parents that their daughter needs to wear a seatbelt for landing. The parent argued that the crew should use their common sense to allow the child to continue to sleep and allow her to continue without a belt for landing!
Last edited by Gulf Julliet Papa; 13th June 2013 at 09:14.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 796
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From: Back of beyond
And how do you - after donning your oxygen mask in the case of pressure loss - "attend to children later " on the other side of the aisle while you're both still buckled in? It makes eminent sense to have children and their carer seated adjacently.
The comparison with car travel is spurious. Your example of idiotic parents defying safety regs is irrelevant to this discussion.
The comparison with car travel is spurious. Your example of idiotic parents defying safety regs is irrelevant to this discussion.
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 402
Likes: 32
From: UK
While I appreciate the comments that you can prebook priority boarding or allocated seats, you should not be forced to pay extra to ensure the safety of your children, their safety should be included in the price of the ticket.
In a 2:1 split of seating, the 1 is an adult and the 2 is an adult and child and its all solved, but if I have interpreted things correctly (but probably not) you would rather sit next to your partner, put your child in a seat on their own and then try the bleeding heart game, rather than sit next to your own child for the journey, not next to your partner. Says a lot doesn't it ?
Last edited by GrahamO; 13th June 2013 at 18:21.