Mom Leaves Her 2 Kids With A Stranger Because She Won’t Switch Seats, She Realizes Mistake
Interview
The debate of whether people should give up their plane seats for parents traveling with children seems to be a never-ending one. However, it looks like the Rochester-based comedian Cindy Arena has a clear opinion on the matter.
In a TikTok video, she opened up about her views and even discussed her personal experience with a person refusing to give up their seat. Arena didn’t make a big fuss about it, but at the end of the day, the fellow passenger changed her mind herself. Scroll down to find the full story and the video below, where you will also find more information, which Cindy shared in a recent interview with Bored Panda.
Travelers are often asked to switch seats so families can sit together, but not all of them are willing to do so
Image credits: Hanson Lu (not the actual photo)
Rochester-based comedian Cindy Arena shared her views on the topic in a TikTok video that went viral
Image credits: cindyarenacomedy
I love that people are asking this as a question. Like, if you don’t have a seat next to your kids, should the person that’s sitting next to your children move so you can sit with them?
Image credits: cindyarenacomedy
Like someone’s actually asking this question? No. Let them stay with your kids. This has happened to me. The woman refused to get up. She refused. And my two children at the time were like four and six.
Image credits: cindyarenacomedy
Then I said, “Okay, no problem. I’m not going to argue.” And I went to the back of the plane and sat in my assigned seat, because she wouldn’t give hers up. It was so peaceful. And finally, the stewardess comes up, because I know she’s coming.
Image credits: cindyarenacomedy
Because this b**** is sitting next to my kids and there’s nothing fun about that. And she said, “Um, ma’am, she would like to trade seats with you now.” And I said, “Oh no, no, we need to stay in our assigned seats. Have a good flight.”
Image credits: cindyarenacomedy
The comedian’s video reached over 1.6 million views
@cindyarenacomedy #momsoftiktok #kids #airplane #comedy #reaction #boomer #babyboomer #ComicalConversations #Questions #FunnyTalks #comedyvideos ♬ original sound – cindy arena
Quite a few parents choose to travel with their children
The OP told Bored Panda that the story happened 22 years ago. “My children were four and six at the time, and the airline moved our flight around so many times that they did not book us together.” That’s why Cindy said she was very nice to the woman seated next to her kids when she refused to switch seats.
“The airline also comped us first class tickets to fly back home, which was actually quite hilarious because I couldn’t sit with my kids there either because there were only two seats next to each other,” she added. Thankfully, Cindy said her kids weren’t naughty, so people on the flight shouldn’t have been disturbed by her little ones.
Nowadays, there seems to be more and more people encountering similar situations while traveling. That’s far from surprising, considering how many people choose air travel (and how many of them fly with their kids). According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), its Air Traffic Organization services over 45,000 flights and nearly 3 million airline passengers across roughly 29 million square miles of airspace every day.
When it comes to children on planes, it’s difficult to determine how many of them exactly join their parents for such trips. However, it’s arguably safe to assume that quite a few of them do, considering that as much as 44% of parents aged 18-36 travel with their offspring. The numbers were revealed by PR Newswire’s 2018 survey of 1,500 millennial travelers, who at the time of the survey were seemingly traveling more than ever.
Even though parents seem to enjoy going on trips with their children, they reportedly wouldn’t choose to do so with very young offspring. Travel Pulse pointed out that, based on Jetcost’s survey of parents with at least one child under the age of six, they are less keen on traveling with kids younger than two. Roughly 40% of parents traveling abroad say they wouldn’t take their little ones under the age of two and an additional 19% wouldn’t take their three-year-olds either.
Children might not be easy to manage during a flight
Image credits: Domenico Bandiera (not the actual photo)
Whether the kid is three, six, or even ten years of age, tantrums or similar troubles on flights are often inevitable. That can become a cause for concern for both the parent and the passengers likewise. (For the former, going through an airport alone is stressful enough.) That’s why it’s important to remember that sometimes kids have a mind of their own and angry glimpses at the apologetic parent might not help much.
The Atlantic emphasized that despite the parent’s strongest effort, the child might not be convinced to stop kicking the seat in front of them or be affected by their favorite toy being taken away. It also suggested that sometimes, the pressure to keep the child behaving means loosening up on certain boundaries that are typically enforced, such as limiting screen time or the amount of sweets. That allows the parent to get a moment of peace and quiet, appreciated by everyone around, since, as the article reads in part, “in the air, we must face the fact that everyone’s kids are everyone’s problem”.
After the woman on the plane refused to switch seats with Cindy, the latter didn’t make a big fuss about it. She knew her kids were now the passenger’s problem as well, and in the OP’s own words, “there’s nothing fun about that”. The comedian’s video went viral and split TikTokers into camps, some applauding the act of malicious compliance, others saying that a parent must make sure the family sits together in advance.
People in the comments loved the outcome of the passenger refusing to switch seats
Some TikTokers believed that it’s a parent’s responsibility to book seats together
So let me get that straight. She didn't book seats together and didn't ask the flight assistant for help seat herself, neither did she ask her neighbours to switch seats with the kids. The only thing she did is asking a stranger to give up her most likely paid for seat and walk away punishing the other person for not complying for her demands by torturing everyone by not parenting her misbehaving children and people celebrate her? The flight personnel should have put her and her brats in the worst seats at the plane. For me it's obvious she didn't want to take care of her kids unless she got an upgrade to a better seat out of it. She's a horrible person fobbing off her responsibilities to others
Perfect opportunity for me to teach the kids every swear word in the book, order them some strong cups of coffee, and convince them that they need more pets in their home, and tell them that Santa isn't real.... and I usually carry some permanent markers (perfect for kids to draw on each other's faces)... and have them run back and forth to see mama to beg for stuff they don't need (pet snakes, newest video console, drum lessons, tattoos, etc..).
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Yes, I'm going to say it: Why not make sure ahead of time that your seat is with your child's seat? Is it hard to do that? Airlines are difficult about everything else, so I wouldn't be surprised if they make that a hassle, too. But--it's usually better to think ahead and prevent problems, instead of having to solve them.
I booked seats that weren't assigned when flying with my husband and 3 kids. The older kids were old enough and well behaved enough to sit in their own (around 12 yrs). After booking, I called the airline and told them I was flying with a toddler and could they please reserve seats for one of us parents to sit with her. They were more than happy to assign us seats and it didn't cost extra. If they hadn't have been able to, I would have paid extra to get the seats together. No way I'm waiting until boarding to sort everything out.
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It genuinely depends on the circumstances. It is acceptable to politely ask, and it is a lovely gesture to be able to change seats. But we need keep some things in mind: did the person specifically book that seat for a reason? (Some book seats which cost more than the others near them for extra legroom, or book specific seats for being near the aisle, being near the window, or being near the toilet). If that is case, it is entirely reasonable for the person to refuse, and they are not being an AH. Furthermore, once a seat is assigned, keep in mind that the airline wants to be able to identify each of us as the person in our assigned seat in case of disaster, or even simply medical emergency. It is at the staff’s discretion to move a passenger on many airlines. While I realize it isn’t always possible to book seats together, it is our own personal responsibility to book our family’s seats, and plan accordingly - not another passenger’s responsibility to move.
People are not a******s for any reason whatsoever for not changing seats. If they have booked their seat and paid for that seat they own that seat for the duration of the flight. The people that are border line are the pushy, unorganized or cheapskate that didn't plan for their flight and now expects everyone to accommodate them.
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All I'm getting from reading this is the mom raised hellions and is proud of it, so much so that she makes strangers deal with her hellions so she can "catch a break". I can't with moms like this. "Malicious compliance", they're just an entitled mom.
Upvote for the term hellions. My mom used to use that expression to describe bratty kids.
Load More Replies... This entitled trash person has the gall to call someone else a "bítch" for not giving her what she wanted...wow! Parents that wanna fly with their kids but don't wanna do what EVERY OTHER PASSENGER HAS TO DO and pay for the seats you want and expect the random stranger WHO DID PAY to move, fúck you! And notice, Entitled Cow said she went to "the back of the plane"...yup, exactly as I called it...she didn't wanna pay for a more forward seat so she thought she could bully someone by weaponizing her poorly parented brats. I'm not saying be helpful when you can but maybe the other person has good reason to stay in their seat (could have a connecting flight they can't miss, need leg room due to medical issues....). I hope Ms Entitled Cow chokes on her next Twinkie.
I'm having a hard time believing this one. I always book ahead, but last year booked late enough that there were no seats left together so I booked my tween in one seat and me in a row right behind her. (She is a comfortable flyer and was fine with this. She also looks older than she is.) As we were boarding, the flight attendant switched us to seats in the same row because she was still under their age to fly unaccompanied! I really can't believe that a flight attendant would really let a plane take off with very young children not seated by their adult. (To be clear, I don't think the passenger should have had to give up her premium seat - move the kids back with mom.)
I fly weekly. I fly a LOT. Almost every flight I see an FA moving people around to keep kids seated with or near parents. They even make announcements if they have to. This takes action on the parents to inform the gate agent or FA that they’re not seated with their kids. FAs would rather not deal with kids unsupervised during the flight or have to go back and forth between the kids & parents. They’d rather get those kids with their folks so they don’t have to make any extra effort babysitting or being a go-between.
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I'm not moving if I pay for a certain seat. Want to sit your children next to me and run away? Fine. Then I'm teaching your children some new words that would make the censors on Bored Panda cry.
Do that to me and your kids will be converted to satanism by the end of the flight. They will also know every cuss word known to mankind and how to hotwire your car. Revenge is so sweet.
I would not be leaving such young children with a stranger. Book your seats in advance
exactly. Several people have suggested to teach them some curse words, but imagine if they had real evil plans?? I would never ever leave my children out of sight like that.
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I want to know why folks with children think they should get special treatment. We have entered the 6th Mass Extinction Event, we have Global Warming and a huge Climate Crisis, not to mention over population, a coming fresh water war, the whole climate refugee problem at our door and at growing food shortage. So if you're breeding, you're either selfish, narcissistic or a moron. You don't get brownie points or special status because you added to the World's population with one or more of your spawn.
I have sat next to kids whose parents and even a sibling were in the seats in front of us. No biggie, unless the kid is a nuisance. But if they’re well behaved and happy reading a book, or looking out the window, or even having a nice little conversation, it’s cool with me.
The disturbing thing about this is, that people are supporting her. So the chance to run into an entitled person like this is quite high. On the other hand: When booking, the ages have to be given. If I remember correctly, minors under 12 may not fly without supervision and some automatic software thingy forces either the passenger or the check-in person to reserve seats in close vicinity. So I doubt that this happened, without her having manipulated anything. I too had once to deal with somebody claiming a seat I paid extra for (two seats, last row, very long flight, didn't want a stranger cramming me). Only empty seat. She wanted it because she and her friend went mad at each other mid flight. No, lady, I paid several hundreds of Euros for being left alone and in peace in my row.
She's pretty horrible to be so smug about this. It's the parents and airlines responsibility to work it out. I get there are times when it's unavoidable and seats can't be booked together or prebooked, but that's when you go to the check in and gate agents to ask for their help. Her lack of planning should not be someone else's problem. Hmm, maybe it wasn't a lack of planning afterall and she wanted to create a situation she could get views for.
Thats rallye Nottingham to be proud of - book your seats so thst you csn sit wirh your children and stop inconveniencing other people. Your Kids are your problem, nobody is obliged to give up their seat
When I traveled for work I wasn't asked often, because I work hard on giving the aura of not being here for your s**t. But one time was a packed flight home across country after work on a friday, where the plane was overbooked and they were even offering two free tickets anywhere till they had enough people willing to bump to the next day. I also only sit in the aisle cuz I have to pee a lot. Folks, this one works every time: "Well sure! Sit them both here! I plan on getting absolutely hammered and take two sleeping pills my doctor wouldn't prescribe. Thank you, internet! Strap them in, let's go!"
I’ve flown many times with kids, and it is not uncommon to miss a connection and get rerouted on a flight that doesn’t have seats together. My kids have traveled enough that they would be fine being seated alone and be able to behave and sit quietly. They each carry their own stuff, entertainment, basic snacks. No need to upset other travelers.
imagine being such an a-hole and proudly putting it all over the internet, plus bragging that her kids are annoying?
To be fair, she may well have paid to book seats together originally but she said at the beginning that her flights were changed multiple times. I think airlines need to take some responsibility for keeping families (especially those with young kids) together. If the person being asked to switch had paid extra to book the seat, at a minimum she should have been offered a refund on the upcharge and perhaps bonuses as well (though I don’t think FA can do anything like that except provide upgraded snacks/drinks and the she certainly shouldn’t be shamed for not switching. I don’t remember ever having a problem getting seats together with my two children. Even now that they are teens and could sit alone, we still get seated together by talking to the gate agent. I wonder if in this story, the mother and children have different last names so it wasn’t necessarily obvious that they were one family (though that’s quite common so the airlines should have a way to indicate a family.)
The fact that she so gleefully left her small children with a total stranger tells me everything I need to know about her parenting.
Try that s**t with me and your children are getting off that plane with a whole new vocabulary 😈
Young children flying seems like a risk for the parents, children, and passengers. Especially when the flight attendant has to keep telling parents to sit down. I feel there needs to be an age restriction on flights. 13 or older. I feel young children are in danger every time they board an airplane.
I love how people automatically assume that the author maliciously booked their flight separating themselves from their children and then what felt guilty and decided to rectify the situation when everyone is taking their seats or knew of travel plans years in advance but decided to book it days before. What if this was an emergency Grandma is sick and dying just get on the plane and get what you can and hope there will be kindness in people?
Imagine announcing to TikTok that you're too cheap to potentially protect your kids from someone they don't know. Then expect people to agree with you. You're cheap, hun.
Whoa ok, to people who always say oh just plan ahead better or book together or not at all. You have to realize that part of these issues are caused by the airlines themselves and NOT the parents all the time. An example we booked our flights 4 months in advance, paid extra for preferred seating sitting together. Over the next 4 months we had 5 flight time changes and 1 airplanes swapped out. Now when they swapped us, I am guessing some computer program calculating reassignment seating did it for all passengers and we found ourselves all separated in regular seating, our 4 year old was alone. So we naturally called the airline and were like uh what is going on here. They said they could do anything so until 48 hours before the flight or hope somebody swaps seats with you. This is a 14 hour flight mind you. So we downgraded and sat together and checked 2 months later and we are sitting separated again. So of course we have to go through the whole thing again except now it's a full. :(
That "mom" is a biatch. The window seat probably costs more. She tried to manipulate her way by using her children. The woman in the window seat has absolutely no obligation to change seats. She bought that seat for and square. Mom is probably a rotten Karen who tries to get her way like this all the time. I mean, seriously, who books small children separately? Only a conniving, manipulative, narcissist.
I completely agree with the fact that she was being entitled. I mean, she was definitely able to book a seat next to her kids. Then, when finally given a chance to sit with them, she refuses? That's messed up. And I would never leave my kids with a stranger *anywhere*. What I don’t agree with is calling the kids "brats". They're 4 and 6 years old, yes they will misbehave sometimes, whether the parents are good at parenting or not. Yeah kids are annoying, but I’m not calling them brats.
Karen mom is such an entitled brat that she's raising two entitled brats. What's worse is that she knows it and she's unbothered by it.FFS she's PROUD of it! In this situation, I'd react like any other bothered adult and go about my business as usual. Headphones on, watching whatever movie I had planned to watch (regardless of child appropriateness), and having a few drinks to deal with the boredom and anxiety of air travel. Hell, probably more drinks than that because now I'm stuck with bratty kids next to me because they have a bratty, entitled mom. However, I should add that it's perfectly within anyone's right to ask to swap seats IF they do it nicely AND it's perfectly within the rights of anyone asked to switch seats to say "no." "No" doesn't need an explanation. If someone says "no," accept that's the answer and move on to deal with whatever consequences you've brought upon yourself by failing to plan ahead like the rest of us.
This person is a terrible mother. Not booking seats with her kids. If her kids were annoying me i would shut them down immediately. Kids tend to react to strangers giving them sh*t. Do you really expect me to just sit there and take the kids being super annoying. Straight up i dont give af about your kids. Ill yell at them if i have to. Then Id pull out my laptop, put it where i know the kids can see it and watch django unchained and then the scariest movie i could find, as well as teaching them some awesome swear words to help expand their vocabulary because knowledge is power.
I don’t pay for seats in advance. I’m already paying for luggage and the actual tickets, flying us expensive. That means, I get what I get. I’m ok with that. I have yet to be seated separately from my child. She has traveled on an assigned seat since she’s been 2 yrs old. Now, she’s 9. If I ever get that situation of destiny separately, I think she will be ok.
She need to buy the brats a nice sugary soda and candy bars before the mom got them back.
If she thinks I won't talk to her children and if necessary scare them into behaving and being quiet, she is mistaken.
I haven't flown in decades, but wtf is with parents not getting seats with their children when they book their flights? Are seats a free-for-all now? Cause trying to sort that during boarding sounds like a nightmare
A couple left their kid next to me because myself and the aisle seat person wouldn’t move. Who books a kid in a middle seat not near them? I watched R-rated cartoons and movies and ordered a couple drinks which I left sitting on edge of my tray. Mom came to check an hour in and noticed her little one staring at my screen. I saw her talking to an FA, who eventually came to check up. Obviously she complained to the FA about my film choice. A few minutes later, kids dad & the FA came by & moved the kid. Not a word was said to me by FA. Stick your kid next to me unattended, he gonna know the smell of whiskey or scotch and will have seen Sausage Party & R-rated queer films by the end of the flight.
Some airlines don't let you book the actual seat. Southwest airline in particular, you can pay extra to be among the first group to board and get the seat you desire but you can't buy that actual seat ahead of time.
But they let parents with kids board absolute first so they can sit together.
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I kinda agree it’s an unaccompanied minor situation if the parent is more than a row back or forward.
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this example aside, telling a parent to "just book seats together/earlier/in same row" is not always possible. sometimes last minute travel has to happen (illness, death, emergencies) and booking close or connecting seats can't always be managed. the posts ripping OP for that, specifically, need to check that assumption and their privilege. sincerely, a childfree but accommodating human.
Then you go to the airport well in time and arrange such. You can arrange those things. I doubt this lady was having an emergency though.
Load More Replies... I know people who would say things harshly to discipline rude kids . It usually ends up just making the kids cry. One of the guys said those tears meant it was his victory so he didn't care even if they were upset during the whole flight because knowing the children is getting a taste of the harsh realities of life was satisfying to him. And if they tried to try to touch him. He would tell the FAs to handle it given he's a man and it was inappropriate and potential issue for safety of the child. They always end up advising the parents to address their child so the parents end up going back and forth from their seats
These mombies never ask to downgradw, only to upgrade. They want the better seats just because they reroduced
Load More Replies... So let me get that straight. She didn't book seats together and didn't ask the flight assistant for help seat herself, neither did she ask her neighbours to switch seats with the kids. The only thing she did is asking a stranger to give up her most likely paid for seat and walk away punishing the other person for not complying for her demands by torturing everyone by not parenting her misbehaving children and people celebrate her? The flight personnel should have put her and her brats in the worst seats at the plane. For me it's obvious she didn't want to take care of her kids unless she got an upgrade to a better seat out of it. She's a horrible person fobbing off her responsibilities to others
Perfect opportunity for me to teach the kids every swear word in the book, order them some strong cups of coffee, and convince them that they need more pets in their home, and tell them that Santa isn't real.... and I usually carry some permanent markers (perfect for kids to draw on each other's faces)... and have them run back and forth to see mama to beg for stuff they don't need (pet snakes, newest video console, drum lessons, tattoos, etc..).
Load More Replies... Yes, I'm going to say it: Why not make sure ahead of time that your seat is with your child's seat? Is it hard to do that? Airlines are difficult about everything else, so I wouldn't be surprised if they make that a hassle, too. But--it's usually better to think ahead and prevent problems, instead of having to solve them.
I booked seats that weren't assigned when flying with my husband and 3 kids. The older kids were old enough and well behaved enough to sit in their own (around 12 yrs). After booking, I called the airline and told them I was flying with a toddler and could they please reserve seats for one of us parents to sit with her. They were more than happy to assign us seats and it didn't cost extra. If they hadn't have been able to, I would have paid extra to get the seats together. No way I'm waiting until boarding to sort everything out.
Load More Replies... It genuinely depends on the circumstances. It is acceptable to politely ask, and it is a lovely gesture to be able to change seats. But we need keep some things in mind: did the person specifically book that seat for a reason? (Some book seats which cost more than the others near them for extra legroom, or book specific seats for being near the aisle, being near the window, or being near the toilet). If that is case, it is entirely reasonable for the person to refuse, and they are not being an AH. Furthermore, once a seat is assigned, keep in mind that the airline wants to be able to identify each of us as the person in our assigned seat in case of disaster, or even simply medical emergency. It is at the staff’s discretion to move a passenger on many airlines. While I realize it isn’t always possible to book seats together, it is our own personal responsibility to book our family’s seats, and plan accordingly - not another passenger’s responsibility to move.
People are not a******s for any reason whatsoever for not changing seats. If they have booked their seat and paid for that seat they own that seat for the duration of the flight. The people that are border line are the pushy, unorganized or cheapskate that didn't plan for their flight and now expects everyone to accommodate them.
Load More Replies... All I'm getting from reading this is the mom raised hellions and is proud of it, so much so that she makes strangers deal with her hellions so she can "catch a break". I can't with moms like this. "Malicious compliance", they're just an entitled mom.
Upvote for the term hellions. My mom used to use that expression to describe bratty kids.
Load More Replies... This entitled trash person has the gall to call someone else a "bítch" for not giving her what she wanted...wow! Parents that wanna fly with their kids but don't wanna do what EVERY OTHER PASSENGER HAS TO DO and pay for the seats you want and expect the random stranger WHO DID PAY to move, fúck you! And notice, Entitled Cow said she went to "the back of the plane"...yup, exactly as I called it...she didn't wanna pay for a more forward seat so she thought she could bully someone by weaponizing her poorly parented brats. I'm not saying be helpful when you can but maybe the other person has good reason to stay in their seat (could have a connecting flight they can't miss, need leg room due to medical issues....). I hope Ms Entitled Cow chokes on her next Twinkie.
I'm having a hard time believing this one. I always book ahead, but last year booked late enough that there were no seats left together so I booked my tween in one seat and me in a row right behind her. (She is a comfortable flyer and was fine with this. She also looks older than she is.) As we were boarding, the flight attendant switched us to seats in the same row because she was still under their age to fly unaccompanied! I really can't believe that a flight attendant would really let a plane take off with very young children not seated by their adult. (To be clear, I don't think the passenger should have had to give up her premium seat - move the kids back with mom.)
I fly weekly. I fly a LOT. Almost every flight I see an FA moving people around to keep kids seated with or near parents. They even make announcements if they have to. This takes action on the parents to inform the gate agent or FA that they’re not seated with their kids. FAs would rather not deal with kids unsupervised during the flight or have to go back and forth between the kids & parents. They’d rather get those kids with their folks so they don’t have to make any extra effort babysitting or being a go-between.
Load More Replies... I'm not moving if I pay for a certain seat. Want to sit your children next to me and run away? Fine. Then I'm teaching your children some new words that would make the censors on Bored Panda cry.
Do that to me and your kids will be converted to satanism by the end of the flight. They will also know every cuss word known to mankind and how to hotwire your car. Revenge is so sweet.
I would not be leaving such young children with a stranger. Book your seats in advance
exactly. Several people have suggested to teach them some curse words, but imagine if they had real evil plans?? I would never ever leave my children out of sight like that.
Load More Replies... I want to know why folks with children think they should get special treatment. We have entered the 6th Mass Extinction Event, we have Global Warming and a huge Climate Crisis, not to mention over population, a coming fresh water war, the whole climate refugee problem at our door and at growing food shortage. So if you're breeding, you're either selfish, narcissistic or a moron. You don't get brownie points or special status because you added to the World's population with one or more of your spawn.
I have sat next to kids whose parents and even a sibling were in the seats in front of us. No biggie, unless the kid is a nuisance. But if they’re well behaved and happy reading a book, or looking out the window, or even having a nice little conversation, it’s cool with me.
The disturbing thing about this is, that people are supporting her. So the chance to run into an entitled person like this is quite high. On the other hand: When booking, the ages have to be given. If I remember correctly, minors under 12 may not fly without supervision and some automatic software thingy forces either the passenger or the check-in person to reserve seats in close vicinity. So I doubt that this happened, without her having manipulated anything. I too had once to deal with somebody claiming a seat I paid extra for (two seats, last row, very long flight, didn't want a stranger cramming me). Only empty seat. She wanted it because she and her friend went mad at each other mid flight. No, lady, I paid several hundreds of Euros for being left alone and in peace in my row.
She's pretty horrible to be so smug about this. It's the parents and airlines responsibility to work it out. I get there are times when it's unavoidable and seats can't be booked together or prebooked, but that's when you go to the check in and gate agents to ask for their help. Her lack of planning should not be someone else's problem. Hmm, maybe it wasn't a lack of planning afterall and she wanted to create a situation she could get views for.
Thats rallye Nottingham to be proud of - book your seats so thst you csn sit wirh your children and stop inconveniencing other people. Your Kids are your problem, nobody is obliged to give up their seat
When I traveled for work I wasn't asked often, because I work hard on giving the aura of not being here for your s**t. But one time was a packed flight home across country after work on a friday, where the plane was overbooked and they were even offering two free tickets anywhere till they had enough people willing to bump to the next day. I also only sit in the aisle cuz I have to pee a lot. Folks, this one works every time: "Well sure! Sit them both here! I plan on getting absolutely hammered and take two sleeping pills my doctor wouldn't prescribe. Thank you, internet! Strap them in, let's go!"
I’ve flown many times with kids, and it is not uncommon to miss a connection and get rerouted on a flight that doesn’t have seats together. My kids have traveled enough that they would be fine being seated alone and be able to behave and sit quietly. They each carry their own stuff, entertainment, basic snacks. No need to upset other travelers.
imagine being such an a-hole and proudly putting it all over the internet, plus bragging that her kids are annoying?
To be fair, she may well have paid to book seats together originally but she said at the beginning that her flights were changed multiple times. I think airlines need to take some responsibility for keeping families (especially those with young kids) together. If the person being asked to switch had paid extra to book the seat, at a minimum she should have been offered a refund on the upcharge and perhaps bonuses as well (though I don’t think FA can do anything like that except provide upgraded snacks/drinks and the she certainly shouldn’t be shamed for not switching. I don’t remember ever having a problem getting seats together with my two children. Even now that they are teens and could sit alone, we still get seated together by talking to the gate agent. I wonder if in this story, the mother and children have different last names so it wasn’t necessarily obvious that they were one family (though that’s quite common so the airlines should have a way to indicate a family.)
The fact that she so gleefully left her small children with a total stranger tells me everything I need to know about her parenting.
Try that s**t with me and your children are getting off that plane with a whole new vocabulary 😈
Young children flying seems like a risk for the parents, children, and passengers. Especially when the flight attendant has to keep telling parents to sit down. I feel there needs to be an age restriction on flights. 13 or older. I feel young children are in danger every time they board an airplane.
I love how people automatically assume that the author maliciously booked their flight separating themselves from their children and then what felt guilty and decided to rectify the situation when everyone is taking their seats or knew of travel plans years in advance but decided to book it days before. What if this was an emergency Grandma is sick and dying just get on the plane and get what you can and hope there will be kindness in people?
Imagine announcing to TikTok that you're too cheap to potentially protect your kids from someone they don't know. Then expect people to agree with you. You're cheap, hun.
Whoa ok, to people who always say oh just plan ahead better or book together or not at all. You have to realize that part of these issues are caused by the airlines themselves and NOT the parents all the time. An example we booked our flights 4 months in advance, paid extra for preferred seating sitting together. Over the next 4 months we had 5 flight time changes and 1 airplanes swapped out. Now when they swapped us, I am guessing some computer program calculating reassignment seating did it for all passengers and we found ourselves all separated in regular seating, our 4 year old was alone. So we naturally called the airline and were like uh what is going on here. They said they could do anything so until 48 hours before the flight or hope somebody swaps seats with you. This is a 14 hour flight mind you. So we downgraded and sat together and checked 2 months later and we are sitting separated again. So of course we have to go through the whole thing again except now it's a full. :(
That "mom" is a biatch. The window seat probably costs more. She tried to manipulate her way by using her children. The woman in the window seat has absolutely no obligation to change seats. She bought that seat for and square. Mom is probably a rotten Karen who tries to get her way like this all the time. I mean, seriously, who books small children separately? Only a conniving, manipulative, narcissist.
I completely agree with the fact that she was being entitled. I mean, she was definitely able to book a seat next to her kids. Then, when finally given a chance to sit with them, she refuses? That's messed up. And I would never leave my kids with a stranger *anywhere*. What I don’t agree with is calling the kids "brats". They're 4 and 6 years old, yes they will misbehave sometimes, whether the parents are good at parenting or not. Yeah kids are annoying, but I’m not calling them brats.
Karen mom is such an entitled brat that she's raising two entitled brats. What's worse is that she knows it and she's unbothered by it.FFS she's PROUD of it! In this situation, I'd react like any other bothered adult and go about my business as usual. Headphones on, watching whatever movie I had planned to watch (regardless of child appropriateness), and having a few drinks to deal with the boredom and anxiety of air travel. Hell, probably more drinks than that because now I'm stuck with bratty kids next to me because they have a bratty, entitled mom. However, I should add that it's perfectly within anyone's right to ask to swap seats IF they do it nicely AND it's perfectly within the rights of anyone asked to switch seats to say "no." "No" doesn't need an explanation. If someone says "no," accept that's the answer and move on to deal with whatever consequences you've brought upon yourself by failing to plan ahead like the rest of us.
This person is a terrible mother. Not booking seats with her kids. If her kids were annoying me i would shut them down immediately. Kids tend to react to strangers giving them sh*t. Do you really expect me to just sit there and take the kids being super annoying. Straight up i dont give af about your kids. Ill yell at them if i have to. Then Id pull out my laptop, put it where i know the kids can see it and watch django unchained and then the scariest movie i could find, as well as teaching them some awesome swear words to help expand their vocabulary because knowledge is power.
I don’t pay for seats in advance. I’m already paying for luggage and the actual tickets, flying us expensive. That means, I get what I get. I’m ok with that. I have yet to be seated separately from my child. She has traveled on an assigned seat since she’s been 2 yrs old. Now, she’s 9. If I ever get that situation of destiny separately, I think she will be ok.
She need to buy the brats a nice sugary soda and candy bars before the mom got them back.
If she thinks I won't talk to her children and if necessary scare them into behaving and being quiet, she is mistaken.
I haven't flown in decades, but wtf is with parents not getting seats with their children when they book their flights? Are seats a free-for-all now? Cause trying to sort that during boarding sounds like a nightmare
A couple left their kid next to me because myself and the aisle seat person wouldn’t move. Who books a kid in a middle seat not near them? I watched R-rated cartoons and movies and ordered a couple drinks which I left sitting on edge of my tray. Mom came to check an hour in and noticed her little one staring at my screen. I saw her talking to an FA, who eventually came to check up. Obviously she complained to the FA about my film choice. A few minutes later, kids dad & the FA came by & moved the kid. Not a word was said to me by FA. Stick your kid next to me unattended, he gonna know the smell of whiskey or scotch and will have seen Sausage Party & R-rated queer films by the end of the flight.
Some airlines don't let you book the actual seat. Southwest airline in particular, you can pay extra to be among the first group to board and get the seat you desire but you can't buy that actual seat ahead of time.
But they let parents with kids board absolute first so they can sit together.
Load More Replies... I kinda agree it’s an unaccompanied minor situation if the parent is more than a row back or forward.
Load More Replies... this example aside, telling a parent to "just book seats together/earlier/in same row" is not always possible. sometimes last minute travel has to happen (illness, death, emergencies) and booking close or connecting seats can't always be managed. the posts ripping OP for that, specifically, need to check that assumption and their privilege. sincerely, a childfree but accommodating human.
Then you go to the airport well in time and arrange such. You can arrange those things. I doubt this lady was having an emergency though.
Load More Replies... I know people who would say things harshly to discipline rude kids . It usually ends up just making the kids cry. One of the guys said those tears meant it was his victory so he didn't care even if they were upset during the whole flight because knowing the children is getting a taste of the harsh realities of life was satisfying to him. And if they tried to try to touch him. He would tell the FAs to handle it given he's a man and it was inappropriate and potential issue for safety of the child. They always end up advising the parents to address their child so the parents end up going back and forth from their seats
These mombies never ask to downgradw, only to upgrade. They want the better seats just because they reroduced
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