Author Topic: Will An Airline Give An Empty J/F Seat To An Infant? (Read 3553 times)

Dan · « **on:** April 18, 2012, 09:30:05 AM »

Anyone have experience flying J or F internationally with a lap child when there's an empty seat in the cabin?

Any reason they wouldn't allow you to use a car seat for the infant in the empty seat like you can if there's an empty Y seat?

aussiebochur · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:35:17 AM »

It would be weird if they didnt.

But on the other hand, where the F cabin very spread, having the infant further from the parent(s) would make it harder for them to take care of the infant as well as being closer to disturbing others...

Dan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:39:09 AM »

Quote from: aussiebochur on April 18, 2012, 09:35:17 AM

It would be weird if they didnt.

But on the other hand, where the F cabin very spread, having the infant further from the parent(s) would make it harder for them to take care of the infant as well as being closer to disturbing others...

For AAs 1-2-1 777 config you could have a parent next to a baby in the 2 section.
Do nonrevs on AA get put in F though? I wonder if there's really a shot of an empty F seat? Or if I should be plunking down the miles and suck it up in order to have a better flight to EZE. Rafi slept for the entire LAX-CLE red-eye last night in his car seat without a peep. Without the car seat I dunno what would have happened, but probably not much sleep.

Anyone actually flown international F on AA here?

aussiebochur · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:43:07 AM »

Quote from: Dan on April 18, 2012, 09:39:09 AM

Anyone actually flown international F on AA here?

Thats almost as bad as flying UA International

YOSEF · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:44:21 AM »

Quote from: aussiebochur on April 18, 2012, 09:35:17 AM

But on the other hand, where the F cabin very spread, having the infant further from the parent(s) would make it harder for them to take care of the infant as well as being closer to disturbing others...

As well as a possible health issue if the cabin pressure changes.

bades · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:46:45 AM »

Quote from: Dan on April 18, 2012, 09:30:05 AM

Anyone have experience flying J or F internationally with a lap child when there's an empty seat in the cabin?

Any reason they wouldn't allow you to use a car seat for the infant in the empty seat like you can if there's an empty Y seat?

Delta has allowed it, although i am sure your not flying delta..

Dan · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:47:18 AM »

Quote from: aussiebochur on April 18, 2012, 09:43:07 AM

Thats almost as bad as flying UA International

Lol...but nothing better exists for GIG/GRU/EZE than AA.

Quote from: YOSEF on April 18, 2012, 09:44:21 AM

As well as a possible health issue if the cabin pressure changes.

Bigger health issue would be sleeping in the same seat as your child...

aryeh1 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2012, 10:28:08 AM »

El Al let me

chuchem · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2012, 01:40:39 PM »

Swiss, LH had no problem, but if the flight is full and you have plenty of miles anyway dont take a risk. Its a big pain for mother and child if he has to be held during entire flight. After the seatbelt sign is off, we put our young one on a regular seat in C without a carseat, works very well if it goes flat

aussiebochur · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2012, 02:57:01 PM »

Quote from: chuchem on April 18, 2012, 01:40:39 PM

Swiss, LH had no problem, but if the flight is full and you have plenty of miles anyway dont take a risk. Its a big pain for mother and child if he has to be held during entire flight. After the seatbelt sign is off, we put our young one on a regular seat in C without a carseat, works very well if it goes flat

If the flight is full, isnt it harder to get another mileage ticket?

Dan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2012, 03:12:32 PM »

Quote from: chuchem on April 18, 2012, 01:40:39 PM

Swiss, LH had no problem, but if the flight is full and you have plenty of miles anyway dont take a risk. Its a big pain for mother and child if he has to be held during entire flight. After the seatbelt sign is off, we put our young one on a regular seat in C without a carseat, works very well if it goes flat

Seems like AA shouldn't have a problem either based on everyone's experiences (I didn't think they would) if there's an empty seat.

As of now I can book it at saver F (125K AA/150K BA +~$70), but both flights are still pretty open. What do you usually do in this situation for 10 hour flights?

Mocha · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2012, 03:18:27 PM »

Quote from: Dan on April 18, 2012, 03:12:32 PM

Seems like AA shouldn't have a problem either based on everyone's experiences (I didn't think they would) if there's an empty seat.

As of now I can book it at saver F (125K AA/150K BA +~$70), but both flights are still pretty open. What do you usually do in this situation for 10 hour flights?

What about booking 3 seats in coach?

Dan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 18, 2012, 03:35:29 PM »

Quote from: Mocha on April 18, 2012, 03:18:27 PM

What about booking 3 seats in coach?

Coach awards to EZE are pretty much non-existent.

world2see · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2012, 05:53:03 PM »

Quote from: Dan on April 18, 2012, 09:30:05 AM

Anyone have experience flying J or F internationally with a lap child when there's an empty seat in the cabin?

Any reason they wouldn't allow you to use a car seat for the infant in the empty seat like you can if there's an empty Y seat?

have flown with lap infant on CO,UA,LH,LX,TG,Brussels Air,Air China and Elal, all with an open seat in the cabin,all except for Elal and Air China went out of their way to arrange for the empty seat be taken by our infant. A Stewardess once told me that airlines don't want j/f passengers to be unhappy sitting next to a crying infant:)

Yordai Dooma · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2012, 07:33:27 PM »

LH had no problem with it in J. They even rearranged someone on a flight with few empty seats. Although he probably wanted to move rather than sit next to us

Dan · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2012, 10:43:48 PM »

-Flight from CLE to LGA was delayed due to a LGA ground hold which made our connection a little tight.
-My bro brought us great food from Pomodori's and Sushi Spot in CH and drove us from LGA to JFK...awesome!

-JFK F Checkin agent gave us the wrong gate info for the flagship lounge so we didn't get to check it out. Took a shower in the regular Admiral's club.
-Gate agent screamed at us for asking about an empty seat for the infant and insisted we check our carseat under. "WE HAVE PASSENGERS STANDING BY FOR F! NOW MOVE ALONG!"
-At the plane the lady exclaimed "Those seats are $10,000, if you don't pay for it you can't have it!" We snuck on the carseat anyway and it fit into the overhead even though the FA said that it wouldn't.
-I found an iPhone on my seat and called for a F/A. Turns out it was her iPhone! I figured this would be an opportune time to ask again about the empty seat and explain that it will make for a better flight for everyone if he has a carseat to sleep in, but she said that they don't allow lap childs to have their own F seat anymore.
-After Rafi cried hysterically for for the entire takeoff the purser of the flight agreed to give an empty F seat to Rafi and he slept without a peep for the duration for the flight.

SuperFlyer · « **Reply #16 on:** May 20, 2012, 02:06:21 AM »

I must say it is quite an unorthodox method to pinch your child during take off so that he should cry and get his own seat...

satturn · « **Reply #17 on:** May 20, 2012, 03:07:55 AM »

i think its worse to steal a cell phone, and claim you found it!

bades · « **Reply #18 on:** May 20, 2012, 12:05:24 PM »

i am curious as to where this trip is?

MLM · « **Reply #19 on:** May 20, 2012, 01:35:46 PM »

I got an extra J seat for my kid in a car sear from JFK-LAX on 762