is there a way not to buy a seat for a 6 month old but bring his carseat and get an extra seat?

Jocey'sMommy

New member
how would my friend go about this? Her sister is buying her a ticket to come visit but won't be buying her 6 month old one. My friend can't afford a ticket either way. I though i have seen some of you ladies recommend taking the carseat anyway and seeing if there is an extra seat???? Can someone confirm this and give me a rundown on how that works and what to ask who?? This is her first flight with a baby and she has no clue how it works :) thanks in advance!
 
ADS

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
When she checks in, she can ask if there are any empty seats, and if so, if she can use it for her child. They likely won't know if there are any until just before the plane leaves. It's also rather unlikely these days, with airlines overbooking.

It's really a crapshoot, but worth a try.
 

Olga

New member
I normally ask at the gate desk if the flight is full, just because we normally don't see the check in desk as we do that stuff online. Get the gate check tag from them too just in case you aren't able to use the seat. As long as it's not a completely sold out flight I would just bring baby and the seat on board, do the family/priority boarding, and go ahead and install the seat. See if anyone says anything. ;)

That's what I've done anyway, if you ask whether you can use it you are just giving them a chance to say no. If it's a real no-no don't worry, they'll tell you and you just say "oops, sorry!" (and that's why you get the gate check tag ahead of time just in case).

It might also help to choose a time/flight that is less likely to be full, maybe something in the middle of a weekday? Avoid the Monday AM/Friday PM commuter rush and Sunday nights when the weekend travellers are coming back.
 

jjordan

Moderator
Well, safety-wise it is better than driving. She can ask the airline which flights are more likely to have extra seats and book those flights if possible.

Southwest (last I knew) does not assign seats, so if there *is* an extra seat it is easy to get it next to the mom's seat. I'm not sure if there are other airlines like that.
 

nannykates

New member
I was talking to the frontier lady in madison and she said she isnt allowed to say yes at the check in desk. However, she is allowed to rearrange an entire plane at the gate desk(she works both because it's a small airport, I thought that was interesting)
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
The airlines will NOT reseat other passengers to accommodate an extra place for a lap baby. I really doubt that happened. She might have reseated non-rev employees who were listed for the flight but it's very doubtful they reseated paying customers.

If the airline has open seating, like Southwest, they have better chances. Some parents head to the back of the plane, less likely to fill up, put the baby at the window and then they occupy the aisle seat. Most passengers will avoid a middle seat. Of course, if it's full, the parent can move to the center and last by not least, give up the seat for the lap baby.

Tell them to be really nice at check-in because they're basically asking for something for free.

Never "fly when they nap". I've seen this as an unhelpful "tip". One small delay and you have a big meltdown! Most of us find that late morning is good. Business people are gone. Babies are in better humor in the morning. Delays are less likely and there are other flights later in the day so if anything goes wrong, you'll get there!
 

1mommy

New member
If there are extra seats when she asks at check in, tell her to bring the baby seat with her and ask nicely if someone is sitting next to her would move. I have found that if their are empty seats a lot of people are nice and willing to move for the baby. On my recent flight over Xmas my hubby and I couldn't manage to get seats next to each other but a lady didn't have a problem switching seats with him when I asked nicely.

P.S. as far as naps go, I found the excitement of the plane and all to be too much to allow an older toddler to nap, but babies generally don't have a problem napping anywhere and everywhere. My lil guy was so excited and revved up for the whole flight but then once we landed he conked out in seconds.
 

aeormsby

New member
The 'best' option I could see is to have whoever is picking her up at the airport buy something like the Scenera to use while she's visiting. Cheaper than a ticket on the plane, no worries about it getting damaged by checking it.
 

Olga

New member
I've not had airlines reseat other already checked-in passengers to accommodate my lap baby but they have moved my seat around to be beside an empty spot. I think on one occasion they have moved a passenger who hadn't checked in yet (so they just had a system assigned seat) but that's not typical IMO. I haven't flown on any "free seating" airlines though.
 

GSD'sNkids

New member
I highly doubt that an airline would rearrange people to accomodate a FREE lap child. And if I was one of those people and found out I'd be livid as I choose seats on planes for specific reasons.

Your friend's best bet is to ask right before boarding. We just did this same thing and was able to snag a whole row to ourselves. However, that was the first flight I've taken in a very long time that was that empty. Usually we are packed in like sardines.

I also think it's very sneaky and obnoxious for people to recommend the "ooops" game by trying to take a seat. Ask at check-in or before boarding. If you get told no, then suck it up. Nothing like giving traveling parents with kids a bad name by holding everyone up by hauling a carseat onboard and installing it when you shouldn't and then uninstalling it and having to haul it back down the aisle to gate check it.
 

nannykates

New member
I highly doubt that an airline would rearrange people to accomodate a FREE lap child. And if I was one of those people and found out I'd be livid as I choose seats on planes for specific reasons.

Your friend's best bet is to ask right before boarding. We just did this same thing and was able to snag a whole row to ourselves. However, that was the first flight I've taken in a very long time that was that empty. Usually we are packed in like sardines.

I also think it's very sneaky and obnoxious for people to recommend the "ooops" game by trying to take a seat. Ask at check-in or before boarding. If you get told no, then suck it up. Nothing like giving traveling parents with kids a bad name by holding everyone up by hauling a carseat onboard and installing it when you shouldn't and then uninstalling it and having to haul it back down the aisle to gate check it.

With frontier you could choose not to pick a specific seat...if you made no selection I see no issue with being moved to make everyone safer.
 

kalamos23

New member
I always buy seats for my kids, but every time, the attendants always ask if the seat was bought so I'm guessing that a lot of people try the oops game.
 

1mommy

New member
I also think it's very sneaky and obnoxious for people to recommend the "ooops" game by trying to take a seat. Ask at check-in or before boarding. If you get told no, then suck it up. Nothing like giving traveling parents with kids a bad name by holding everyone up by hauling a carseat onboard and installing it when you shouldn't and then uninstalling it and having to haul it back down the aisle to gate check it.

It's different if there is a seat available, just not next to you, or if the airline does not allow pre-arranged seating, I don't think anyone is suggesting if boarding/check in in tells you the flight is full and there are no empty seats to try and install the seat anyways in the place of a paid customer. That would be obnoxious and pointless as a full flight is a full flight.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
If I buy seats together, I want my seats together. I don't want to be rearranged, especially for someone who wouldn't buy a second seat but expects to be able to use an extra seat of her choice.
 

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