Plane seats - refused to swap

Exactly. This is what you have to do. If other people are paying extra for booked seats then you can't expect them to move to accommodate those who have not.

You cheeky, rtfp

I didn't get the impression OP was blaming the other passengers

I'm not sure why shocked?! You didn't pay at the time. The tone suggests you expected people to move to accommodate.
Having said that, I'm glad you got it sorted in the end

I'm glad you were able to resolve the issue. Sometimes, I feel sad seeing how unkind people can be, but it's reassuring to know there are genuine individuals like you who choose to be kind. I'm sorry about the unhelpful comments; they don't deserve your energy.

If it really was a computer error that he couldn’t check in online then all he had to do was contact the airline, explain about the error and that you all wanted to sit together, and pay for the allocated seats.

Still don't think you should have complained about people not wanting to swap seats with you though. Also I agree with others seats should be booked at time of booking tickets to make sure you get them. How lucky are you to only pay tgat small amount for all your booked seats. We have had to pay over half your total amount for one.
The moral here for you is to take over the bookings in future.

Sorry to sound so harsh but you did ask us how we felt & if you didn't want to hear our opinions then you shouldn't post.

Yes it can. You can reserve seats at any time between booking the flight and checking in. This whole thing of online check in not working isn’t what prevented the flights being booked.

The seats can be booked when the holiday is booked though. If that had been done there wouldnt have been a problem when you tried to check in. It's completely ridiculous he's refusing to share details with you.

Entitled adults raise entitled kids.

Doone22 · Today 07:14

Instead of you making a fuss when no one swaps get the kids to make a fuss. I can assure you people will swap fast enough if it means they're not sat next to a wailing child.

I presume you are joking - in very poor taste. If that's how you are raising your kids, to be devious and to manipulate others, then you are seriously lacking in parenting skills.

Instead of you making a fuss when no one swaps get the kids to make a fuss. I can assure you people will swap fast enough if it means they're not sat next to a wailing child.

You’ve been travelling since DD was 4 months old, they should know how to behave themseon a plane.

In that case surely one pays to be seated together? No way should you be asking cabin staff to identify a lone traveller (probably a woman) and putting them under pressure to move for you.

I'm amazed it's even legal to sit people away from their kids!

Not everyone pays for their seats

Unfortunately there are some callous airlines now that will shake you up like a deck of cards if you don't pay to reserve a seat, they are fully expecting families to pay to sit together which is wrong really.

My partner and I take about ten flights year and book then independently which not only can you get a better price but you are dealing direct with the airline rather than an agent that tend to get slopey shoulders if there's an issue with the flight.

Checking in even at the time it opens online won't get you seats together with some of these airlines unless you've paid to reserve seats because they will actively split you up. If you've got young kids, pay to reserve seats ahead of time. For me, I would refuse to allow anyone's child to be sat with me on a plane with no parent nearby, certainly a young child! I'm not a babysitter and it's going to be a faff if god forbid there's an emergency landing and parents are not close by. And yes it's not good having your daughter sat between two strange men at all and the men themselves might have felt really uncomfortable to be put in that situation.

Let them fight… the adult in the same row might beg you to swap seats 😂

Sounds more like he forgot to do it and then lied to the lady in check in!

I am actually shocked that any airline thinks it’s acceptable to seat children away from their parents. We flew as a family of 6 when I was younger and they allocated seats so that my mum was with my 2 year old brother, my dad was with me (8) and my 12 & 13 year old siblings were sat further back but together…

I haven’t read all your updates yet so hopefully you’ve sorted this now, but if for some reason you are separated again and no one will swap, I would gently advice the people your children are seated with that they may need to hold a sick bag close by as your child is prone to throwing up and tell them that on the way out he/she spewed all over the gentleman sat next to her…. Or say ‘if he starts to have a panic attack please be aware that he/she occasionally bites … or screams or whatever… I bet all of a sudden the 2 people sat either side of your child suddenly want to swap seats allowing you to then sit with your children 😂

I can’t believe your DH won’t give you the details and allow you to fix his mistakes… I’d be rethinking whether you want to go on holiday with him again!… me and my DD holidayed alone without my DH for several years! BLISS!! Thankfully he’s now my ex!!

You'll just have to impress on him to try to check in as soon as it opens, which I expect he'll do given what's happened on the way out.
And Yes, I think most if not all mums would have reacted like you in the same situation. I know I would.
I'm surprised someone didn't offer, but dont overreact about your DD8. I'm sure she was perfectly safe.

Agree.

OP I think you should contact the airline NOW via phone if necessary with your booking reference and explain the problem. Get them to get you seats all together. Don't wait and don't rely on your husband who sounds totally clueless.

Once you get home safely - all of you together - you need to start looking seriously at this man. Is he usually this clueless? Or careless re his kids safety?

Hi, I’m sorry you are having to experience this. I have to say reading your post has confirmed that I was right to feel anxious at the thought of my (ex) husband not booking seats on the plane for him and our two daughters.
long story short, on the process of divorce and I took my daughters away last week to Ibiza for the first time as a single mum. When booking with jet 2 I was given the option to pre book my seats at the time of booking the holiday. This was not negotiable. I was not prepared to risk turning up at the airport and have no seats together. My daughters are 11 and 14 and the thought of us being separated would’ve tipped me over the edge. So I paid the £66 fee to select the seats for both journeys. We had 3 seats in a row both ways.

My ex husband however has just taken the girls away and he was refusing to pay the money to reserve the seats. I had to change the week of my holiday to make sure I had seats available. If I went the week later there were only single seats left.

I explained to him that it was so important to make sure this was sorted but he was fully prepared to turn up and chance it.
He listened to me in the end and I will be sharing your list with him when he’s home because it’s proved that there is no guarantee that they will sit children with parents.

I will also add that my ex has always had full control over booking holidays, managing finances etc. always made me feel like I was incapable. I literally booked everything myself and had the best holiday ever. Us mums are capable of far more than we think.
It sounds like you have so much to sort out after your holiday. Know your worth and be the best role model to your children. They care watching. I’m slowly rebuilding my life (after being together 22 years)
I realised that on previous holidays I was having to deal with a third child. My holiday with me and the girls was pure bliss. I could be me. I was free and at peace.

All the best xx