Aeroplane seats, daft question

[Schooldil3ma]

We've only holidayed in the UK until now so I'm clueless.

It'll be me, DH, Dc 6 and Dc 3. Do we need to book seats to be together? I'm happy for it to be 2+2 or 3+1.

I'm happy to book if necessary, but if the airline are obligated to sit a child next to an adult it seems pointless to spend the extra.

Thanks in advance!

Yes you do - the airlines will make sure that your youngest child has an adult near them - but this could be behind or in front, not necessarily next to.

The airlines don't tend to honour children beside adults even though they should...i have been caught before...book 3 together and at least you and partner can then swap half way through.

I would pay the extra, ‘together’ can mean in front or across an isle. I flew BA recently and you can choose your seats for free 24hrs before departure. I logged in 24 hrs before on the dot and there absolutely no choice, all seats allocated.

We have flown lots and never paid for seats together but always been seated together.

Recently with Jet2 and I'm talking 4 flights they have put the lead passenger between the kids.

The airline’s version of together can mean across the aisle or row in front. If that would bother you, which would be understandable with a 3YO, then pay to book seats. The only time I would say not to bother is if you’re going long haul First or Business since the design of those seats means you don’t really sit next to each other anyway.

Thing is, if you don't book your seats then it could mean the airline having to disrupt another person/couple/family in order to try and sit you together, and that's not fair on them. I have always pre-booked to be sure we're all sitting together, or most of us together, in the same row.

If you want guaranteed seating together, yes then book. Also, the airline will be in a difficult situation if one of your DC is sat on there own and you're asking an attendant to get people who've pay for seats together/or in a particular area which suits them better. Also, even if your DC are happy on their own, you've no idea who they're sat next to.

if you need to sit together (you do), then pay the extra for seats together. otherwise you will have a horrible flight and piss off the other passengers with requests to move.

You have young children, you need to sit together so you need to book seats

I'd book.

They can, and do, split you up.

Fine with older kids but not a chance I'd take with little ones.

And if you don't book, and do get split, don't expect anyone to move (particularly if they've paid to sit together)

Who is cheeky enough to ask people to move? Sorry, dont answer that! Why oh why do people do this?

Thank you all very much.

I certainly wouldn't ask anyone to move....my query was whether the airline would sit us together or not, not whether I'm entitled to turf others out of their paid for seats 🤔

Lost count of the number of flights we've been on over the last 11 years. Don't mean to boast but usually two holidays a year sometimes with connecting flights - never been separated, never had to ask people to move, never pre-booked seats.

Risk it you know you want to!

Its worth remembering that in the school holidays, there's more families and less likely there are people that can be moved

You need to book your seats. I wouldn't leave it up to chance. Bu you not booking your seats then another passenger could quite likely have to move to accommodate your family. Don't be that entitled family who holds everybody else up.

Three DC myself and always booked seats.

Together can mean across the aisle or directly in front/behind each other.

They usually sit a parent with kids but it's guidelines not a requirement and you'll piss off people who paid for a seat if you ask them to switch. Easiest to pay and not risk being split.

The thing is, the airlines are cheeky with this.

It always used to be if you checked in together you'd get seated together unless the plane was rammed and no space to do that. So booking seats was relevant if you wanted to guarantee a window seat or whatever but you never had to book to get seats together, especially with children. If you didn't care where you sat it was always fine to just wait and get what you were given.

It's Ryanair that deliberately split people up to encourage you to pay for seats. Whether the other airlines have started doing this or not I don't know, but the way people go on about it is a bit much IMO.

People saying it's cheeky to expect to be together I mean... I don't think it is at all.

Yes pay for your seats. When you pay they'll give you a diagram of available seats, a bit like the cinema, so you choose what suits you.

I agree @BertieBotts I do think it's cheeky - it's a 'hidden' way to get more money out of people. I've just booked some seats with Virgin, and although you can choose your seats when you book - and most of them are free to book - certain seats command a premium. DH and I both like an aisle seat. The aisle seat on the end of the row of 4 is free, but the aisle seat across from it, where there are two seats by the window, you have to pay £35 for. As it's for a longhaul flight, there's no way we would swap, so we had to stump up for it.

Even with Ryan Air we were together with our under 5.
Honestly booking seats is money for nothing.

I’ve never booked seats and we’ve never been separated. Admittedly we have only flown 3 times as a family when mine were younger. We’re going away next week and I’m not booking seats either. If we get seated together. Great ! If not that’s fine too. But mine are teenagers now.

Just check in online as soon as it opens.

Just pay the cost as part of your holiday, people who have paid won't move for you. Seated together doesn't mean next to each other for the airline.