Does American Airlines try to seat families together?
If you're traveling with children under 15 on any fare type, American's system will detect that you are a family traveling together and automatically search for seats together if you don't choose them yourself.
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American Airlines Family Seating PolicyUnder the new policy, children 14 and under will be able to sit with an accompanying adult at no additional cost, no matter the cabin — even in basic economy. Here's what must happen to ensure that family seating is possible: Everyone must be booked on the same reservation.
Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation. Regardless of the reason, airlines are not legally required to seat families together.
Can an airline sit a child away from a parent? They can. Often, the cheapest ticket options for an airline don't include seat selection at time of purchase. Seats can be selected at check-in, and it's very possible that those seats are not together.
We board in groups; check your boarding pass for your boarding group. We offer early boarding to customers who need special assistance or more time to board, along with families with children under 2 years who ask to board early.
The crux of the issue is that it can be costly and confusing to find seats together when traveling with young kids. Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation.
Tammy Nelson was flying on Delta Airlines from Cincinnati, Ohio, to San Jose, California, when she was asked to swap seats with a woman who wanted to sit next to her two children.
If you want a window seat, then suppose you choose from left to right (looking toward plane's nose): kid, kid, parent (aisle), parent (aisle). if in the middle then it's parent, kiddo, kiddo, parent. Mirror image it if you want the other side of the plane.
The back of the plane, where many young families like to sit. I personally prefer to sit up front as it's easier to get on/off the aircraft with carry-on luggage and the front seats may come with extra legroom.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that any child under the age of 16 traveling without both legal guardians should have a notarized Child Travel Consent signed by both legal guardians. Having your Child Travel Consent notarized decreases the chance of travel authorities questioning its validity.
American Airlines BenefitsUnlimited space available travel for free for all employees, domestic partners/spouses, children, parents/in-laws (small fee) and 16 buddy passes/year (small fee).
The current U.S. airline family boarding policies are: Alaska Airlines: Families with children younger than 2 can board at the beginning of the process, before first-class and elite customers. American Airlines: Families with children board before first-class and elite members upon request only.
To keep flights orderly and boarding smooth, airlines calculate that it makes sense for small children to board early with a parent and get settled before the anxious masses wanting an on-time or early departure.