To not pay to choose seats but expect to sit together?

Children under 12 have to sit near a parent. If they didn’t book in time or didn’t pay, then the only seats left may not be suitable - so they won’t be allowed to sit in them.

The airline that employs them should think of the crew before imposing needless charges on people with young kids. They could very easily automatically seat them together at the time of booking especially if it is required in order for the plane to take off.

We're travelling soon with Easyjet and have paid to be seated together. If anyone wants one of us to move it will a straight no. Just pay for your seating or take the chances of your child being near you but in a different row.

Wouldn't everyone at least pretend to be asleep 🤣

I would not be assuming any kind of responsibility for any child other than my own.

Rule 1 of Flight Club: Don't fly Ryanair.

Agree with this. I wouldn't pay (but then I'd also be fine to sit away from my kids). When my dd was 2, I'd have pitied the person they say her next to 😁😁.

Parenthood isn't a protected characteristic though.
Especially as it isn't limited to parents. Any party travelling with adults and children needs to have at least one adult near to the children.

What they could do is, maybe sit one adult for free, and then the other has to pay.

Which airline was this please ?
Just so I know to never fly with them

They are trying to give people options to make it cheaper. Some people do not need it in the ticket price. Some people do not need luggage. So there is the flat fee, then the extras. Really people should look at it as there being a discount if you are happy to be flexible and sit all over the show. If you are not happy to do that, you do not qualify for the discount.

Then that would be direct discrimination rather than the indirect discrimination it is now.

I've never paid extra and it's always been me and my kids and hubby separately. Funny how it always seemed to work out like that!

Why?
Plenty of people are happy to get cheaper flights and sit apart. Why should we subsidise those who want / need to sit together?
A holiday isn't essential, besides you have the choice to use a non-budget airline if it's that important to you.
The cost of choosing seats should be factored in, if you can't afford it don't go on holiday.

Like PP I am old enough to remember the days when flying was really expensive. People these days don't know how good they have it, not to mention the carbon footprint of flying all over the place

With easy jet you can check in far earlier and they don't deliberately split up groups like their rival

I got given a new boarding pass at the last minute as I went to board a flight for this exact reason, and had to sit apart from my husband despite paying for two seats together. The airline then refused to refund us - not a massive amount of money but pretty infuriating. Have just willingly sat separately ever since.

So last year we had flights that were covid roll-over ones and it wasn’t possible to book seats in advance because of some stupid voucher system nor could we do online check-in. It was bloody stressful and when we got to the desk (v early) the lady on its face fell when she saw there were two adults and two small children. We’d been preparing our 6 yo that she might have to sit apart and we’d have to make sure someone was with the 3yo and I would never voluntarily risk it again as it was awful not knowing. On the way out we did get seats together in the end but we didn’t on the way back. I had seat with the two kids and my husband was seated elsewhere. The 3yo projectile vomited everywhere but mainly on me. We had to send messages down the plane to get my husband to come and help me while I was covered in sick. He was quite happy with his earphones on watching a film….

Basically, I’m in the ‘never again’ mindset. I don’t care how much it costs to book seats together, it’s a price worth paying.

I should add, it was totally our fault. We’d assumed they’d not sit a 3yo on their own. But that was us being idiots.

There was a recent TikTok of a woman on an aeroplane holding her baby. The DP was in a row behind and their toddler was across the aisle and had been upset on the flight due to having to sit next to a stranger.
Book the seats.

Just been lucky...

I didn’t read her post that way. I thought she was saying how mean is the idea of it, and her own experience indicating that Easy Jet don’t do it deliberately, but don’t hold the space if you don’t check in while there are still appropriate free seats available.

I've literally just done my online check in with easyJet and was in the same position. Online check in opens about a month before you fly and you can see all the available seats before deciding whether to have randomly selected seats or not. There was lots when I checked so I left I up to random selection and we are all seated together.

Ryanair tried to sit our son on his own… when he was only just 3yo. If it wasn’t for a lovely couple sitting next to one of the seats they’d given us, some poor sod would have been sat next to him (tempting, he was only recently potty trained, could have done with the break 😜)

This was over 10 years ago, but it’s stuck with me and I never risked it again!

Jesus Christ, if the family are refusing to sit in their allocated seats, they should be kicked off instead of guilting people and delaying the flight for everyone.

That's just because you've been lucky.

There's tales of parents being sat 2 or 3 seats away from their children.

Why would people move if they’ve paid for their seat.
Airlines will not demand that people move for you OP. Neither will they declare the plane won’t move unless someone gives up their seat for you.
You have more rights if you pay,