Not to have given up my seat on plane

@Teateaandmoretea 31/05/2024 08:57
I also really don’t think most people do book seats other than for extra leg room. It’s a sun/ mumsnet phenomenon.

------

Quick search comes up with...

According to industry data from August 2023, approximately 60-70% of airline passengers select their seats in advance when booking their flights.

Japanese Airlines (JAL) show seats with babies.

Have you never heard of bassinet seats on an airplane? I guess you don't fly much but that's usually where the screaming kids and babies area. And yes, it's a shame they don't tell you where kids are sitting so the rest of us who can't stand your annoying kids know where to avoid and can have a peaceful flight.

That’s your choice.

But booking seats should be a choice is the point, not something you have to do.

it may even be worth it to be guaranteed not to sit near you, but they don’t mark that on the plan. Anymore than they mark where kids are sitting 👍🏻🤣

We book seats every time. We both prefer aisle seats and staying away from an area where there is likely to be a lot of horrible, screaming children. Will absolutely pay extra for that.

If anybody can't afford it, children or not, they don't have to travel. And if someone is sitting in a seat, child or not, the seat needs to be booked. If the airline requires you pay for it then so be it, but just assuming you or your kid will get a specific seat, even if you don't book said seat is ridiculous and incredibly entitled.

I've had plenty of pleasant flights, and even the ones that have not been so great have been fine - the person next to me swooped yesterday so instead of a slim lady I got a very large gentleman who over spilled the seat - but it was just about 2 hours sitting there and I treated myself to a glass of wine after Ryanair charged me extra to put my priority cabin bag in the hold as it was ever so slightly sticking out of the sizer...

😂😂😂😂

I’ve personally never had an argument with anyone over a seat or been sat away from the DC when they were small.

I’ve also never been on a flight full of drunks kicking off either. Although I am flying to a notorious destination tomorrow so maybe that will change.

Plenty of people do, I certainly have.

Does no one on MN ever have an uneventful, pleasant, unconfrontational flight on an aeroplane?

I have some flights coming up, and I'm thinking of leaving MN as a precaution.

This. Try 15 hours in a middle row seat and then tell me how happy you would be to have no say over which seat you flew in

And if they don’t like it then they can hire a private jet so they can sit where they like or fly first class with BA.

If they can’t afford it then they don’t have to travel. Like those with young children are told.

it truly disgusts me the attitude on mumsnet towards children.

Yes they would. Pretty simple 👍🏻

I do see your point. They have done what loads do -booked aisle and window and hoped middle would be left empty. It wasn't so they paid out on you. Not on.

Not at all unreasonable to say no. You paid to have that seat. I had the same thing happen to me - they tried to tug at my heart strings by saying that it was a small child who would feel intimidated by sitting between two strangers. But....It was a family of 4 with 2 adults and the children were around 8 and 11. It was the younger child they wanted to sit in my seat. I just suggested that one of the adults had the centre seat instead. They complained loudly to everyone until they realised there was just no sympathy. I do understand that families can be on tight budgets, I have no problem with them asking - but if you say no then that should be the end of it.

If I had been sat next to my friend no. But it really hacks me off when people book the aisle and the window seat on the premise that no one will book the middle seat which they don't then some poor sucker has to sit there. It only takes a few people on the plane to do this and those that would pay to book don't bother as all the seats together are gone.

We paid for a middle and an aisle seat on the way to Turkey a lady didn't, she had the window seat, we swapped with her so we could have the window and middle as her friend was on the aisle. It depends where your friend/family are sitting.

The op and her friend are perfectly entitled to book a window and isle seat. The woman should have booked the seat she wanted...simple. They may have done it in the hope that the middle seat would remain empty. I don't see anything wrong with that. Pays yer money n all that!!

Not being unreasonable. If you paid for the seat, it's yours.

I would have been cheeky and said give me 25 quid and I will move 😆 🤣 😂

During online check in recently, Air France offered the option to pay to keep the seat next to mine free, as they were anticipating that it might not be a full flight. The amount paid would be refunded if the seat ended up being filled. I don't know why they thought it wouldn't be full - that route is always full. I'm just happy to get my aisle seat and a middle seat person who keeps their body to themselves. And hopefully isn't massively ill, like the person I sat next to yesterday who was shivering and had a productive cough. Same thing happened last time - the person coughed directly on my meal tray 😖

I always book my seat. The thought of being at the back of the plane, by the toilets and in a middle seat would fill me with horror. Yes, I know - first world problems but I will always pay to get the seat I prefer.

Fair point 😊

You absolutely don’t have to and neither should you if you don’t want to. The point was that there is no harm in asking. If you had simply been allocated that seat and not paid extra for it, you might not mind swapping. If you do mind swapping you simply say no. Lucky you that you have been allocated a seat that you are happy with.

Regardless of preferences here, the fact remains that it is a condition of carriage on all airlines that you can be required to change seats by the cabin crew for “operational reasons”. If this occurs and you have paid extra for your seat booking this should then be refunded.

The definition of operational reasons would be one for the courts.