Plane seats - refused to swap

We also pay to sit WITH our children and I’d be mightily pissed off of someone asked my DH to move so they could then sit with their child (and as airlines are usually 3 across yes this could happen).

if you look at the guidelines, 'near'is defined as sonething like 'within 4/5 rows'. And Ryanair give no fucks.

Having usually paid a fair bit of money to choose seats, I point blank refuse to swap and I don't care who it pisses off. However it does sound like your DH made an utter balls up of the booking OP. Can you get someone back home to log in and see if they can select seats, pay on a credit card then sort it when you get back?

I thought children under 12 were meant to be sat with at least 1 parent. I'm a single parent ans travel frequently, but I pay extra to sit together to ensure we are not separated.
I think it sounds more like you have a DH problem. I also think its a bit mean spirited of other passengers not to swap.

Airline Policies

• Most airlines strongly recommend that children under 12 sit next to a parent or guardian for safety and convenience.
• Some airlines require it if the child is under a certain age (often under 2 for lap infants).
• If seats are full or purchased separately, a child may end up sitting elsewhere, but the airline usually tries to keep families together if requested.

This came up after a quick search

It said this when I booked our long haul flights too as soon as I put in the ages of my children, but mine are much younger than 8. Maybe there is a cut off? Seems odd.

Sorry, you want to accuse someone of being a pedophile in order to get them to move?! Bloody hell, I've heard it all now 😳

I’m confused they let a child sit alone. We always pre book seats, but I am
sure an airline once told us young children have to sit near their parents anyway? Maybe look that up. So basically, even if you didn’t pre book at least a child would be with either one of you, even if you didn’t all sit together (all four)

If flights are booked with Expedia it does not matter - you still check in and select seats via the airline direct.

i did have this recently on easyJet where there policy is under 5s need to be seated next to the parent - but also can be seated in row behind or in front of. Luckily I was able to make a swap.

if it’s easy jet - their check in opens 7 days before flight

This is outrageous! Question why they want to sit next to a small child? Really? Maybe they booked to be on an aisle or a window seat as they have anxiety, need loo access, want to be at the front vs the back of the plane etc. Who would they have even swapped with? I’d rather sit next to a child than be next to a toilet tbh.

I pay for my seats as soon as I book next year's holiday as I want us all together and at the front of the plane.Your dh messed up big time.

If flights are booked with Expedia it does not matter - you still check in and select seats via the airline direct.

i did have this recently on easyJet where there policy is under 5s need to be seated next to the parent - but also can be seated in row behind or in front of. Luckily I was able to make a swap.

Your dh could have sat between the two men two rows behind him where your DD sat and her sit in between the two men your dh sat with. At least then he could've seen her better without craning his neck round which some men/their partners would find hard not to find insulting because of the obvious reason they were being watched. I'm not suggesting people shouldn't watch their kids amongst strangers but maybe it would have been better to be a bit less blatant., especially with you keep telling him loudly to keep an eye on her.

Exactly this I pay for our seats and I will not move for someone who hasn't. People think airlines won't seat kids alone so don't have to pay but they absolutely will.

Hi op it doesn’t matter to your dh that his dd will be sitting next to 2 male strangers. Yes assault can happen anywhere. I would say you definitely have a dh problem but him saying you might mess up is an insult to your intelligence seeing as he messed up big time you should feel brave enough now to tell him that this is not happening again you get the chance to book in a good few weeks ahead I’m not sure if you book particular seats if you haven’t paid extra but they are more likely to keep you close together. You should forget about how people seen you it’s about protecting your kids. And I agree your dh is a knob.

I just paid to make sure my husband and I are sat next to our children both ways on a long haul flight. There is no way I’d let anyone talk my DH into moving now. We paid, others should have too or it’s tough.

BUT this is a your dh is a dickhead issue. I book all our travel and my husband would never question it! Let alone refuse me the bloody booking number WTF?! I’d be seriously pissed off at 8yr dd being sat between two strangers especially men as well! What a prick you married. I’m so sorry.

So this happens to us every time we
travel with a lap baby with BA. No idea why. I didn’t realise airlines would let a small child sit next to random men. If you really want someone to move you could question why they are so keen to sit next to a small child. I think in future book directly with the airline is the way to go. You’ll then be able to argue with them at check in if their system was at fault. Save screenshots.

He sounds awful OP. Controlling, incompetent and neglectful of his children. I am sorry.

None of that changes the fact he was to tight to pay at booking. Leaving it to check in is always going to be stressful as there simply may not be any groups of seats left if its a busy flight and the airlines algorithm doesn't care about booked famillies who havent checked in yet (Ryanair, Wizz, other shit airlines).

As PP said, get the booking code.for way back, login, book 3 seats for yourself and then book a free/super cheap one for your DH next to the toilet.

Maybe the seats left were by the exits. They maybe unable to be occupied by minors?

No you don’t. If you arrive early at check in you can usually swap seats easily that weren’t together at check in. This is a very reasonable request for families with young children and airlines do actually prefer it for health and safety reasons too.

if you don’t manage to sort it out at check in then try to get on the plane early, you should do with young kids. Then speak with the cabin crew straight away and they will
so their best for you, also usually individuals usually will move seats for you to be together.

I have been in all of these scenarios.

@teksquad nailed it

You need to get clued up on booking a holiday and flights for next time (preferablywithout your dh). The only way to do so is by actually doing it. You keep saying you have no issue paying for seats and neither does he but he would have had the option to at the time of booking the flight. He purposefully chose not to on the hope that he could check in 24 hours before and get seats together without having to pay.

Not only is he controlling but he's cheap too. Not exactly a great catch is he?

The fault isn't with other passengers but solely that of your dh.

Ah OP, I totally understand your reaction. But I wouldn't have offered to move either as that would have meant splitting up me, DH and DD. It's cost me almost £300 to book seats there and back for our upcoming holiday. I resent it, but paid it when we booked the holiday several months ago. I can't deal with the stress of not knowing!