United airlines doesn,t let parents with infants preboard

[stella1w]

Travelled a lot across the pond alone with two young children and never had this before. It,s hard enough struggling up the aisle with a squirmy baby, hand luggage etc and i,d given up expecting air stewards to help with the overhead lockers. But to expect someone with a baby to get stuck in the general boarding crush is insane. It,s easier for everyone and safer for the baby to get them settled in first and away from people flinging their stuff in the overhead lockers etc.

and your aibu is?

Hold back and get on last then. You will totally avoid people throwing their stuff around then.

You shouldnt get priority because you've had a baby I'm afraid

I agree, wait until last to board

Do you not have allocated seats, then?

If you do have allocated seats, why on earth would you rush to get on. I never understood that.

If you don't, I guess you have a point.

We travel to America often and have done since the dds were small.

I have never understood why parents with infants should preboard tbh.

It's only a matter of minutes, does it make any difference?

Hand the baby to one of the stewards - even the grumpy American Airlines stewards couldn't say no as I bundled on board with everything and handed DS to her so I could manage the bags :)

To those saying board last, the big issue with that is overhead luggage space will all be taken up, and if there's one thing that you need near you when travelling with kids, it's your handluggage full of snacks/toys.

I suspect that you have to pay for priority boarding - everything is going that way.

I have never ever understood the attraction of spending even more time stuffed in the seat. Keep them excercising their legs in the lounge for as long as possible and get on last.

I don't understand pelope who stand in a huge queue at the gate, either, if you have an allocated seat.

most airlines don't - however most do give you a seat before boarding so you can sit back and wait until the rush is over

Unless you dont have allocated seats then why rush to get on? Surely the least time spent on the plane before take off the better?

there again I dont understand why people push to get off the plane. Everyone still ends up standing waiting for bags at the end so whats a few minutes?

I have never, ever understood this pre-board for families with young kids.

This means that by the time the plane is taking off, the kids have already got fed up and looked at all the toys in your bag, put the tray table up and down 75 times, read all the books etc.

I want to get on last almost as the plane is taxiing down the runway.

We always wait until the end, why add extra minutes to your flight time? And if everyone else is seated, I find people will jump up to lend a hand. Getting on first is a PITA, YABU! Sorry.

Travel a lot in that direction, too, with young children. If your seats are allocated, spend the max time you can in the boarding lounge and get on last.

If you think that is bad, you need to know that

To those saying board last, the big issue with that is overhead luggage space will all be taken up, and if there's one thing that you need near you when travelling with kids, it's your handluggage full of snacks/toys.

Put the bag under the chair infront which means you can get to it without any problem.

You need to just make sure you are there early and at the checkout desk waiting. Or brazenly walk to the front. Did you have your pushchair with you?

I tried getting on last once. Thought it would be better to give ds as little time on flight as possible. Never again! Ended up at back of queue down corridors and stairs with wriggly baby. Then had very little time to get his toys bribery items ready.

Though the planes that put you on a bus first muck up the system anyway.

Yanbu to expect help, especially with a long haul flight. Yabu at slight exaggeration regarding the crazy throwing of things into overhead lockers

If overhead space is taken up, the stewards will find a place for things. Possibly someone else's, not yours, if you explain you need such-and-such for the baby.

It's not like there aren't restrictions on how much luggage you can take on - the plane is never going to be so full there is no space.

I much prefer to board last if we have an allocated seat.

Most airlines except Ryanair will offer extra help when boarding if necessary, you just need to ask.

Because 1. The overhead bins will be full 2. I have to climb over another passenger to get seated with my baby 3. I have spent three hours following my toddler about the airport to tire him out so he will sleep and not bother anyone and frankly would like to get him settled.
On the basis of these replies, why let the disabled board first? Or military in uniform?

You can't seriously be comparing it to disabled people?

• Put the bags under the seat if there is no room
• say "excuse me" and I am sure the other person will move
• a few more minutes won't make any difference

Oh no she didn't...

Go on board last, sit and wait and as the last people start to go down the tunnel then make your way over

I travel a lot to Oz with the babies, I would dearly love to hold back and board last but unfortunately whenever we have done this, someone has always filled the overhead storage above our seat, which makes flight difficult. It is often someone sitting several rows back as they want their stuff in the one nearest the exit (we are generally in bulkhead row with cots, so no storage under seat in front). On Singapore air (brilliant) the trolley dollies just move the other people's stuff for us without asking, but on Qantas we have to just ask people ourselves to move their bag to the empty locker above their own seat, usually to much hurumphing and eye rolling. Which I repay by letting the teething baby toddle back and forth past their seat about 60 times.
But no in my opinion YANBU, don't see what the airline is gaining by not allowing kids and infirm on plane first if they want.

My aged aunt was in wheel chair and they did put her on last - but it was only as they had forgotten her she did think it was much better though this way round than getting on first and everyone leaning over her and bumping into her seat.