Well, we made it to our final destination. Unfortunately, though, I can’t say it was without incident. Not our worst trip by far, but also not the easiest starting off. In order to save you from neglecting your children too much at one time, I’ve decided to split the saga up into 3 daily posts!
We booked this trip late as I was awaiting the medical go-ahead to travel such a far distance. When I booked the tickets for the girls and myself, I was unable to get seats together. In fact we were originally booked in three middle seats. I was able to get two seats together and the third behind when I did online check-in, but still not good enough for a mommy traveling with two children under 5.
At airport check-in I was instructed I would have to take up my problem with the gate agents. Unfortunately the flight before ours was delayed and they didn’t open our flight until 20 minutes before boarding. I pleaded my case before the gate agent and man did she work hard to get us three seats together (she was a mom herself and sympathetic to my cause). Unfortunately the portly man who was occupying the third seat in our row REFUSED to give up his window seat even after the gate agent specifically pointed out my children and explained he would be sitting alone with them.
The news of not being able to sit in her car seat by the window threw Honeybun over the edge and she began hysterical crying. Amazingly the gentleman returned to the counter, not to agree to change seats but rather to inform the gate agent she must do something because he can not sit next to a crying child. The gate agent worked some magic and I’m not sure where the portly gentleman ended up but I was given the window seat on the other side of the plane which I was able to trade for the window seat next to my children.
So, in the end all worked out in our favor, however the journey getting there was an unnecessarily frustrating one. I’ve seen similar situations when flying airlines that don’t do assigned seating where parents who board late are separated from their children and people refuse to give up a “good” seat to allow the parent and child to sit together. Why anyone would want to sit with a child that is not theirs and separate that child from their parent/companion is beyond me!
Please note: I am not generally one to call people names but the “portly” fellow I refer to above just really pushed me beyond my mommy self-control. Anyone who can be so selfish and ignorant of the basic (and I think logical) needs of a very small child does not deserve my niceties.
