I know early sucks, but I find the earlier I get a flight, the easier it is for me to manage getting mac and I through the process (security is a PITA with mac's leg brace) because there are a lot less people everywhere.

If there are only 4 seats left on a flight and they're scattered throughout the plane, what do you think my chances are of getting someone to switch seats so that D can sit next to at least one parent?

I'm pretty sure they have to -- a kid that little can't fly alone.

The website will apparently let a 2 year-old sit in a row by himself, yeah. But I'm now thinking we should take the earlier flight for less overall craziness (traffic getting there, airport lines etc).

If there are only 4 seats left on a flight and they're scattered throughout the plane, what do you think my chances are of getting someone to switch seats so that D can sit next to at least one parent? Should I grit my teeth and book the 7am flight instead?

I always advocate early flights, because if something goes wrong, there's more time to fix it and more people available.

That said, I would switch with a parent so they could sit next to their kid. As long as I didn't have to switch to a middle seat :)

But, I'm a single woman, what the hell do I know?

ARGH - the only seats together left on the 7am flight are in exit rows, where Dylan isn't allowed to sit. Motherfucker.

ARGH - the only seats together left on the 7am flight are in exit rows, where Dylan isn't allowed to sit. Motherfucker.

Book the seats, the airline will move you. There will be someone who wants the exit row.

Jessica, they will get you together. Get there early enough to speak with a check-in counter or the gate agent. When mac was 6, we had booked seats together and the airline split us up by the time I checked in - I explained the situation to the gate agent and they got us back together (no way in hell mac would sit alone, oh the holy hell they would have witnessed).

Honestly, I don't think I've seen even adult friends be unable to get people to move around so they could sit together -- and that's without the help of staff.

Then there was the time my mother and I were flying to a funeral, and because we had booked so late, we were each in a middle seat, but neither of us would ask someone to switch into a middle seat. So we each sat alone crying. Good times.

I'm booking 2 window and 1 center seat in consecutive rows - that way we're only asking somone to move one row forward (not switch from window to center).

Pinch Dylan REALLY hard as you're walking up to the gate and watch the people clamour to switch their seat.