Wife flying Y Husband flying J swapping seats

[Quickstatus]

Swapping during flight can well become an issue. Some crews might turn a blind eye, but it would not be 'allowed'. On the other hand, swapping once and staying in the seat should cause no problems at all.

Would only affect smaller aircraft? Maybe significant in something like a Dash8, ATR, Saab 340?
Does a change in COG affect Yaw?

 

[Jack_OC]

Crickey mate - you never mentioned 'billy lids' in your OP - totally diff scenario now - I have NFI on baby / infant / child policy - this you will have to clarify with SQ - others here will have info / exp when travelling on rdpt tix with child on tow - but swapping out where kids also involved certainly changes things.

I have witnessed a scenario like this on EY - granted SQ might take a different view - but in any case it unfolded like this: I'm seated in J, boarding ongoing. Man on his own boards, says he's seated in J, but would like to swap with his wife, who is seated in Y. No problem say cabin crew. Then the wife appears holding a baby! Cabin crew not happy - they tell her in no uncertain terms that either one of the adults can take the J seat, but the baby stays in Y. She agrees, takes the baby back and reappears alone (bet the husband hadn't bargained on giving up his J seat AND being left with the baby!). Shortly after takeoff, husband reappears with baby, leaves her with mum and disappears back to Y. CSM then appears and tells the mum that's it, everyone is sitting in the seat on their BP for the rest of the flight - go back to Y and please don't set foot in the J cabin again. Very awkward all round TBH.

The toddler and infant will be charged differently for their tickets so the kids should not move or swap at all.

option 1) Suck it up in Y with the infant. At 8 months you should be in the safe zone still and the cabin crew will have pity on you (be sure to mention your wife is in J for extra crew points).

option 2) mum+infant in business which is only 1x award ticket instead of 2 and you'll save a bunch of points.

Can an adult get an award ticket and fly with an infant for free? The infant doesn't fly free if you're on cash fares - SQ charge 10% of the adult fare, which for a J fare is often a significant amount.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

We are looking to travel to Japan from Perth but we are a family of 4 with a 3yo toddler and 8 month new born.

My advice?

Forget about maximising your use of points and travel with all 4 together. Having 3 daughters myself, who while now are all adults, we did spend many a trip when they were of that age.

You trip will be much, much easier if you are all together sharing the load between 2 adults.

The 4 year old will have periods of wanting to be constantly amused, and at that age Parents are the On-board Entertainment Unit! And at other times both will need comforting, getting to sleep.

Having 2 adults also means that it easier when one parent wants to eat, go to the bathroom etc.

 

[JohnPhelan]

I have witnessed a scenario like this on EY - granted SQ might take a different view - but in any case it unfolded like this: I'm seated in J, boarding ongoing. Man on his own boards, says he's seated in J, but would like to swap with his wife, who is seated in Y. No problem say cabin crew. Then the wife appears holding a baby! Cabin crew not happy - they tell her in no uncertain terms that either one of the adults can take the J seat, but the baby stays in Y. She agrees, takes the baby back and reappears alone (bet the husband hadn't bargained on giving up his J seat AND being left with the baby!). Shortly after takeoff, husband reappears with baby, leaves her with mum and disappears back to Y. CSM then appears and tells the mum that's it, everyone is sitting in the seat on their BP for the rest of the flight - go back to Y and please don't set foot in the J cabin again. Very awkward all round TBH.

I think EY handled that very well. And I suspect you're right - the husband saw this as a way of offloading his wife and the baby; the deal with his wife being that she got to sit in J. But deliberately withholding the info about the baby was just being too clever by half - serve him right that they put their foot down and insisted on seating as ticketed.

 

[straitman]

Would only affect smaller aircraft? Maybe significant in something like a Dash8, ATR, Saab 340?
Does a change in COG affect Yaw?

Short answer is no. Moving forward and aft will change pitch but only tiny amounts per person.

 

[NinnyPoo]

A real world SQ Experience.

Was upgraded from Y to J from AKL to SIN (Thanks SQ!). Was with spouse and two teenage sons. Agreed with cabin crew we would swap half way through. I think I got the bad deal, as the last 5 hours of the flight I sat between my teen boys in packed Y, as their teen odours started to increase....

So yes SQ will let you swap, but always ask politely..