Its all about safety - the safety of the adult really. It's exactly the same reson why professionals have another adult around when they deal with kids in stressy situations.
I seem to always get seated next to unaccompanied minors. If they weren't such squirmy little creatures, I'd prefer it cos that'd give me more shoulder and leg space, but as it is, generally they're kind of loud.
I think the only time I've travelled unaccompanied was when I flew from Tokyo to Wellington via Christchurch, which on reflection was a bit of a big deal since I had to claim my luggage and change terminals and all that by myself, but I was twelve, and already staying by myself for weekends at a time, so maybe it wasn't really. Plus, my daddy waved his diplomatic passport around and they got to come right up to the plane gate with me at Narita and all.
This comment is so long I forgot my point.
Would you be offended if you were asked to move?
Hear hear!
Have you all seen the Dorking Labs "Eradication Man" cartoon - made me snort my coffee out of an orifice 
http://www.dorkinglabs.com/2005/11/tvnz-and-
eradication.php
I doubt I'd be offended, especially considering how discreet and polite airline staff generally are. I certainly wouldn't climb a tree in protest, or whatever the non-amputee equivilent act of stupidity would be.
Thank god for the voice of reason. I read the article in the paper, and all I could think was that these complainers a) don't have a life and b)probably don't have children (although yes, I noted that the chap asked to move does).
i can't see what the problem is.
if i was seated next to a minor i'd probably be forced to slip them a roofie to make them shut the hell up.
being moved to another seat is in effect a win-win situation.
Exactly.
Er... what's a roofie? Should I have tried one already?
rohypnol (sp?).
but for posterity's and the gentlemans judge's sake, i wouldn't even know where to buy it!
Che - I hear from workmates that lots of parents apparently give their kids antihistamines on planes and long journeys to try and make them sleepy - maybe you could try that. Of course, you might luck out and make the kid more hyper instead.
Heh. I just thought of something but I'm too chickin to post it anywhere but here in my own comments ...
Has no-one asked that guy why he so badly wanted to sit next to an unaccompanied minor?
The first thought I had too was why didn't they just offer him an upgrade? Second does he not have a 'bloke' name so they didn't know he was a man and sort it out earlier? Third are there no women child molestors out there? Fourth what the hell is the guy in a tree on? (other than out on a limb I suppose). I had thoughts five to ten too but they aren't worth sharing.
It's all a bit bizarre....
It must have been an unusual & full flight - they usually don't let any adults sit next to unaccompanied kids. But women get preference.
And they usually sort that when they first allocate the seats.
And let's face it, most kids are abused by friends and relatives, but the airline can't impose their policy on them.
Actually my sister complains..(they travel between here and the UK alot) that Air NZ are forever trying to sit her with the two kids at one end of the plane and BIL at the other end. I have always suspected that that is because they arrive at check-in in the middle of an argument about what they have forgotten to pack and it seems a good idea to who ever is checking them in to separate them... but I am probably wrong and it is just policy to separate the men from the kids (even their own)
Wow! Well I'd have a beef with that!
I was on a flight from Paris to London once (which takes, what, 25 minutes?) and some guy delayed us 45 minutes because he couldn't sit next to his wife. I was on the verge of offering my own seat so we could get off the damned ground, but the flight attendant said not to.
Commenting by HaloScan
