A child seated away from parents on booking

[bladeau1981]

Yes, certainly reasonable, but also noting the flip side of this, is that in a low-cost model, airlines believe it is reasonable to charge extra for this outcome. This is the same in other ticketing environments eg. if you if you purchase "general admission" seats to a game of sport for instance. you are not seated together. You get what's left in the general admission section when you arrive, and you work with the grace of the people around you to accommodate a solution so you can sit together as a group. If you have a minor with you, a single adult will always (in my experience) be accommodated to sit with the minor. This is what you are ultimately buying when you by the no frills fare on a low-cost airline - a general admission ticket - once again, I would always expect a safe outcome for minors and other passengers even with a general admission ticket, but on occasion (I think) it will be inevitable that you will put yourself in an unhealthy (stressful) situation as you navigate a path to being sat together. My recommendation to new travelers, reading this thread and considering low-cost airlines and travelling with families - don't buy just the "general admission" ticket, acknowledge the service model and pay the $7 upgrade to get a guaranteed seat together and minimise the stress on you and your family.
Note: I am not saying you have to agree with the LCC model, and it is good to see a healthy debate here on that topic, but I for one, don't want this debate to encourage new readers of this forum, to take action and put their families through the stress of establishing a new norm. Okay to hear from our experienced travelers who take this on......... because I will miss the first-hand experience of your boarding debate and resolution, as I will be on a full-service airline (for as long as they exist).

Ok so if it is a general admission ticket then that section should be reserved for general admission pax and there should be enough seats in that area for all those pax to sit. I don't by GA to the footy and have no idea where at the ground my ticket will allow me access to.

There are also Jetstars own policy which I have copied the relevant part for you. "we’ll make sure that young children are seated with a parent or guardian"

 

[GrahamBRI]

Ok so if it is a general admission ticket then that section should be reserved for general admission pax and there should be enough seats in that area for all those pax to sit. I don't by GA to the footy and have no idea where at the ground my ticket will allow me access to.

GA tickets are quiet often found behind the goals, are generally in quite a full area, and sometimes not enough seating is allocated, with overflow in standing room only, so maybe not a perfect analogy (but certainly minors are accommodated in this mosh pit).

There are also Jetstars own policy which I have copied the relevant part for you. "we’ll make sure that young children are seated with a parent or guardian"

Yes, acknowledge the policy, and I also note it is a little light in its wording, as it does not define "young" and it worded as an effort will be made, that certainly allows for that effort to be at any point (including after boarding)...... and finally it is an airline policy like their refund policy and their lounge access policy - all of which they often fail to deliver on. There are certainly, many, many debates I have held with airlines to get them to honor their polices........but this is one policy that does not need lengthy pre-flight debates on as it ultimately will be resolved by the flight attendants and the passengers (with some unnecessary stress) and consequentially any argument on this airline failure will be a dead one - airline response - "what do you mean it was ultimate solved, we met the policy". Spending $28 (for a family of 4) is my recommended flight hack - avoid the stress (which will occur when you are initially ticketed apart), avoid the arguments along the way on policy (that will ultimately be resolved) and enjoy your family and your flight together. Leave your arguments and the lengthy on holds for another one of the many other issues you will experience as a you establish yourself as a frequent flyer.

 

[Quickstatus]

they wouldn't let them swap seats and made an infant sit on their own

Something the Cabin crew can fix in the blink of an eye.

 

[dairyfloss]

Seems Jetstar take their randomised seating policy very seriously

‘I felt like an animal’: Father humiliated after being dragged from Jetstar flight

Bolic Bet Malou was Tasered by police on a Jetstar flight out of Perth at the weekend in a commotion over his seating.

www.smh.com.au