Flight Attendants’ Best Tips for Parents Flying With a Baby

A handful of U.S. airlines (including American Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, and Alaska Airlines) have policies stating that they’ll always seat kids 13 or under with an accompanying adult, even if you haven’t paid to select your seats. (A recently proposed law would require airlines to provide fee-free family seating, so it’s possible other airlines may eventually follow suit.)

But if your airline wants to charge you extra for seat selection or you’re having trouble finding two or more seats together when you book your flight, you have some options. Start by talking to the agent at your ticketing area, ideally early, recommends Casandra R., a flight attendant based in Philadelphia with 13 years of experience working for a major airline. If that doesn’t work, you can also ask the agent checking passengers in at the gate. These personnel are better equipped to help you than your flight attendants, who are usually rushing around when everyone is piling into the plane.

If you can’t get help from someone at the gate, then try asking a flight attendant when you board. They’ll ask if any passengers are willing to trade seats so you can be next to your baby—and someone will say yes. “It’s all in the flight attendant’s approach,” Casandra says. “I’ve never been told no. Someone will always raise their hand and move.”  

Keep in mind too, that on some U.S.-based airlines, your baby’s airline-approved car seat needs to be installed in a window seat. (Putting it in the middle or end seat may impede your ability to exit in the event of an emergency.) If you’re not ticketed for a window seat, let the gate agent or flight attendant know.