Calling Sun Country's Bluff

"What Makes You Think We Want to Sit Next to Our Kids??"

So, I just logged off Sun Country's Web site, having booked tickets to AZ this winter to visit my parents (and get some relief from MN winter weather).

The fare was $75 per seat less than Delta -- a no brainer for a family on a budget.

However, the always-annoying process now has a few, extra wrinkles.

Like:

--A field for you to enter your "DHS redress #."

I suppose that that's a tip-off that the new airport search regime is ruffling not a few feathers.

--Frequent Flyer miles.

I thought discount airlines didn't have frequent flyer miles (that was always one of the things I liked about them).

Well, now Sun Country has "U Fly" rewards, which effectively are the same thing.

--A fee(!) to pre-select your seats: in this case, $8 per.

That one's also a no-brainer: we 'ain't paying it.

If Sun Country wants to disperse my -- shall we say -- "travel-challenged" 11, 8, and 6 year-old kids amongst a flight-full of strangers . . . my wife and I will be eternally grateful to them (maybe then I can catch up on my reading).