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Original poster

TUI do they sit you together as a family?

65 replies

heyho8 · 03/08/2022 10:16

Just booked to go to Greece with TUI in September there will be me, DP and DS who will be 11 months. I haven't paid for our seats as I'm not bothered where on the plane we sit, but I'm just wondering if they sit you together when you have a young child? I know jet2 always do and we flew with them in June but unsure about TUI. May book our seats if we're likely to be sat apart.

OP posts:
HuffleWoof · 04/08/2022 15:54

@sandradailey that's disgusting

weegiemum · 04/08/2022 15:58

I flew to/from Croatia with tui in June. There was a couple in front of us split across the aisle and one row up and down the plane, with a baby of I think 6 months. There was a lot of fussing and to-ing and fro-I got throughout the flight because no one would move to accommodate them together.

We paid for our flights and we're sat in a block all together, 8 adults.

TailSpinner · 04/08/2022 15:59

No. Why do you think people pay?? They will sit the children with one of you, but there’s a good chance you and your DP may be separate.

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Flying Holidays
bluekostree · 04/08/2022 16:05

Flew with TUI last month and we didn't prebook seats and were together.

girlsyearapart · 04/08/2022 16:09

Got back a week ago and we didn’t pay for seats the 6 of us were sat together there and back. Two adults and four kids aged 10-14

Ginger1982 · 04/08/2022 16:17

Your infant is irrelevant as they don't need a seat, but if you want to sit beside your DH you'll need to pay or risk being separated. I was on a fight this week where a family were complaining loudly about all being separated. It's rubbish that you have to pay, as it was never like that when I was a kid, but it's just what you need to do now.

CharlotteRose90 · 04/08/2022 16:22

I work for an airline. You need to pay for your seats. You and baby will be together. But I guarantee your dp won’t be sat with you. Summer is horrific for us airlines and every day I tell families they can’t sit together as it’s full and they haven’t paid for seats. It’s tough shit in my opinion. Pay for your seats

abblie · 04/08/2022 16:24

It's a common thread everywhere that parents and families that don't pay for seats to be together expect to be sitted together and cause all sorts of havoc and tantrums. I understand you said you don't mind not being sat together but if you don't pay and want to be main carer for your infant on a long flight while your partner has a great time 10 aisles away go for it

Mybeautifulfriend22 · 04/08/2022 16:32

I wouldn’t rely on Anecdotal comments from either side. Anyone could say anything.

Yes it’s a money making machine but If you really want/need to sit together just pay for it and include in the whole holiday cost.

Jalisco · 04/08/2022 16:39

alnawire · 04/08/2022 15:53

My DS (able bodied), was sat with me and he's 5. I just said he's disabled and they made sure we sit together

That's fucking disgusting.

I agree. But then, being disabled myself I have to pay to get the seat in the best position for me to manage the flight. Because I am a decent, honest person and not a CF.

In my experience TUI will only seat people together who haven't pre-booked if there are seats together available, so if you don't pay you take your chances.

Tantastic12 · 04/08/2022 16:44

I have never paid for seats with TUI and have always been sat in the same row as my husband and 2 children. What I would recommend is checking in online as soon as it opens, usually 48hours before flight and your seats will be allocated. This has always worked for us on our last 5 holidays.

Simplelobsterhat · 04/08/2022 17:15

We flew with tUI in May half term as a family of 4, didnt pay and were all seated together in row (obviously one across the aisle). We did check in online the first day we could (can't remember if it was a week or 2 weeks before). At that point it was still giving us the option to pay if we wanted different seats (we didn't)and there was loads of choice so I dont think many people could have paid to pick them .

So I'd suggest as pp said log in online and check the seat booking availability regular beforehand so you can book if many seats have gone, and if they haven't, do online check I the earliest you can.

keeprunningupthathill · 04/08/2022 17:15

I'm flying with Tui next week with partner and 7 and 3 year old.

I really hope they sit me elsewhere 😳

Simplelobsterhat · 04/08/2022 17:17

Actually, it was definitely more than a week early you could do online check in as I'd checked in for return flight before we went on our 7 night holiday. Might vary though I suppose.

CatsOperatingInGangs · 04/08/2022 17:18

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Good grief. Some people have no shame.

Soontobe60 · 04/08/2022 17:21

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It is entirely true, as their T&Cs state. Just because you lied about your child being disabled doesn’t mean its not true.

itsgettingweird · 04/08/2022 17:30

Well they can't sit the under 2 separately because they come under the adult seat.

But they can sit you and your DP separately.

It's a money making thing. I think they do it more and more deliberately to ensure everyone is afraid and pays.

I think if people stopped complaining about it, didn't book seats and pissed off the flight attendants by constantly walking up and down planes they'd soon start putting families together again because people would stop booking with them!!

Overly simplistic but I like to dream Grin (btw I use to work within holiday and airline industry and hate the way they exploit people sometimes with regards extras that cost them nothing to provide)

Fwiw I NEVER paid for ds and I to sit together. I did make it clear on all bookings he's disabled. I did always ring the airlines to check we could board last as they always offer priority.

Imo if they want to piss off another passenger by making them ds carer for a 2 hour flight then it's a relaxing journey for me Grin

PaddingtonBearStareAgain · 04/08/2022 17:34

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Faking a disability? What a fucking disgraceful thing to do.

You are disgusting.

balalake · 04/08/2022 18:05

I think that there should be a legal requirement for holiday companies and airlines to have to warn people 'if you book a number of people regardless of age in one booking, you may not be sat together', and it be required to be announced on all radio and tv adverts, in press/media adverts with a minimum font size, and you be required to tick a box to say you have read this before you pay anything. Unless you sit people together as Jet2 do, apparently.

I'd expect the practice would end, or it would become a discount if you were willing to be split up.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 04/08/2022 18:08

I've just flown with tui and we were sat together.

prescribingmum · 04/08/2022 18:16

Flown with them every year for the past 3 years, not paid for seat single time. First time went with DBil and his family (2 separate bookings). His family were seated together and we were seated together.
Went with my parents last year (2 bookings again), they were seated together and we were seated together.
This year 4 of us went and were seated together. Made friends with 2 other families on same flight staying same hotel - they were also seated together despite not paying for seats.

They dont separate on purpose but will give priority to those willing to pay

satelliteheart · 04/08/2022 18:44

@CharlotteRose90 sorry but why will baby automatically be sat with the mother and the partner will definitely be sat elsewhere?! Have we really made so little progress that airlines still view the mother as default carer and the father can't possibly be given any responsibility?! That is disgusting

notimagain · 04/08/2022 19:00

The booking could be e.g. for 2 adults and an <2.

There's nothing to stop the father having the extension seat belt plus infant.

prescribingmum · 04/08/2022 19:45

satelliteheart · 04/08/2022 18:44

@CharlotteRose90 sorry but why will baby automatically be sat with the mother and the partner will definitely be sat elsewhere?! Have we really made so little progress that airlines still view the mother as default carer and the father can't possibly be given any responsibility?! That is disgusting

The baby will be seated with whichever adult they were placed under when the ticket was booked. DD was once seated with her aunt on the ticket because of how the agent processed the booking

notimagain · 04/08/2022 19:55

The baby will be seated with whichever adult they were placed under when the ticket was booked. DD was once seated with her aunt on the ticket because of how the agent processed the booking

There's also usually at most airlines no reason why on the day any adult in the party can choose to sit with a child who is travelling as part of the group (as long as the whole group is travelling in the same cabin).

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