Posted on Jul 6, 2017
United bumps child from seat, into mom’s lap for 3-hour flight
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At least they said they would refund the ticket. If all of these incidents had occurred at one airport, I would suggest that just those folks need retraining. The fact that these incidents have occurred at a different location each time leads me to believe that United has a culture of screw the customer.
United bumps child from seat, into mom’s lap for 3-hour flight
Posted from marketwatch.comPosted in these groups: 
AviationUnited Airlines
AviationUnited Airlines
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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She should have spoken up more. The guy is an ass for sitting in the seat. I would not have moved my child for him since the morher and the kid was already on the flight first. Let him cause the stink and be removed by the flight attendant. I've had that happen before with a flight i was on and just stayed in my seat until they found the other person a seat that wasn't mine. The only way i'd move was if the flight attendant told me to move not some other passenger. Also doesn't a kid that size require their own seat by faa rules? Anyone know?
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PO3 Steven Sherrill
MSgt (Join to see) I would think that if the child was half the height of his mother as the article indicates, that it would be a serious safety issue to have the child on mom's lap. I agree, with you that she should have held the seat until ordered by a flight attendant to relinquish it.
When I was 17 I was flying from Denver to Honolulu en route to the Marshall Islands. I had my seat, and someone else had my seat. Neither of us was a standby passenger, United (hate to pile on, but that was my parents airline of choice when I was growing up) had simply double sold the seat. I was the second person to arrive for the seat. I showed my boarding pass to the flight attendant, the other passenger showed his boarding pass to the flight attendant, and I was given a new seat, in the first class cabin to apologize for my inconvenience. I think they moved me to first class instead of the other guy because I was minor and could not partake of the complimentary booze. The point I was making is that there are people who are willing to help, you just have to make sure that they understand that there is a problem.
When I was 17 I was flying from Denver to Honolulu en route to the Marshall Islands. I had my seat, and someone else had my seat. Neither of us was a standby passenger, United (hate to pile on, but that was my parents airline of choice when I was growing up) had simply double sold the seat. I was the second person to arrive for the seat. I showed my boarding pass to the flight attendant, the other passenger showed his boarding pass to the flight attendant, and I was given a new seat, in the first class cabin to apologize for my inconvenience. I think they moved me to first class instead of the other guy because I was minor and could not partake of the complimentary booze. The point I was making is that there are people who are willing to help, you just have to make sure that they understand that there is a problem.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Yes, unless the FARs have changed, any child aged 2 or older requires his/her own seat, and cannot sit on a lap. Definite violation.
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Back when I was a single father, something similar happened to me once, but it was an obnoxious passenger, and not the airline. I had bought my toddler son his own seat so that I could put his car-seat in its own seat and use the seatbelt to secure it, as one would do in a car. A rude passenger asked me to move the carseat because he wanted the seat. He assumed I had not bought the seat and was just hoping no one would want the center seat. I politely responded, "No, I bought this seat for my son" and produced the boarding pass. Luckily the guy realized his assumption and moved on.
Yeah, the mom should have stood her ground, especially for a $1000 ticket!
Yeah, the mom should have stood her ground, especially for a $1000 ticket!
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I totally agree that she should have spoken up. What happened to her and the child was totally wrong. However, in a circumstance like this, it's incumbent upon the mother to make her feelings known so the mistake is confronted. I'm sure that when she put that child in her lap that the crew was saying "Whew! Got away with that one." Then again, we don't know all the facts. She may have spoken up and been ordered to relinquish the seat... or she may have actually volunteered to relinquish the seat and only complained later. Either way, I think United is going to be throwing money at her to save PR!
I think you're right though, I would imagine that a small child in your lap would be a violation of FAA Regulations.
I think you're right though, I would imagine that a small child in your lap would be a violation of FAA Regulations.
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