Why do some people insist on making life harder for others?
Lack of humility, selfishness, greed, egotism, arrogance? All of the above?
Is it really asking too much for the folks that run commercial airlines to allow families to sit together on a flight without charging them extra for the “privilege?”
The insanity behind the steep fees has even prompted lawmakers to get involved. Last week, New York Senator Charles Schumer went public urging airlines to give flying families a break by eliminating fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars over original ticket prices.
“Children need access to their parents and parents need access to their children,” Schumer said in a statement. “Unnecessary airline fees shouldn’t serve as a literal barrier between mother and child.”
Schumer’s office says the Democrat is asking Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to issue rules preventing commercial carriers from charging parents more to sit next to their flesh and blood. In addition, Schumer wants the industry’s trade group, Airlines for America, to get carriers to voluntarily waive seat fees for families traveling with children.
“A parent should not have to pay a premium to supervise and protect their child on an airplane,” Schumer wrote in a letter to Airlines for America’s president.
It appears American Airlines, United, Delta and Frontier are the worst offenders when it comes to displacing families in order to score a few extra bucks. In the last year, the aforementioned airlines have increased the number of seats they set aside for elite frequent fliers or customers willing to pay an extra $25 or so. By forking over the additional cash, passengers are guaranteed a select window or aisle seat or one with extra legroom—even if it means separating a child and his parent in the process.
For their part, the airlines’ say they do their best to try to keep parents and young children together, but they add, they can’t guarantee adjacent seats unless families book early or pay extra for the preferred seats.
Have you ever been forced to sit separately from your child on a flight?
Related Articles:
Traveling With Children-Learn From My Mistakes
Flying with Children: Layover or Not?
Tips To Remember When Traveling With Children