I effed up our holiday

[poppysgalore]

Flying out tomorrow on easyJet - family of five - first time on easyJet- had no idea we had to book our seats in advance. Just logged in and seen there's only random single seats left. Except for two rows that are near the fire exits so can't be allocated to under 16s. I'm gutted ! What do we do now , my youngest is 7 and the flight is 6 hours long. How could I be so stupid and not know this.

If people pay to reserve seats, then I understand them not being prepared to move seats 🤣

I'm sorry but no... people PAY for seats, why on earth should they move because OP wanted to be cheap. The booking process is explained and very simply, you opt out of buying seats you get whatever is left.

Did they physically man-handle you to a different seat? You do not have to give up a paid-for seat for anyone

Ah now I really understand your confusion…Gouging can also be used as a colloquial term for profiteering/overcharging.

I'm that sad I looked it up.

Hurghada in Egypt. I think that's how you spell it.

I can't believe people would get upset about a young child sitting alone being reminded what to do if they are being made uncomfortable for any reason.

Thats not what was described. The “loud reminder” is for the benefit of the poor adult(s) sitting next to the child.

Every day is a learning one!
Thank you for explaining - altho' flying on any airline makes me want to gouge eyes out at times!!

And take some £20 notes with you to be prepared to offer to the people you're asking to swap.

I always book specific aisle seats near the front, with my DH next to me. I may look like a perfectly able bodied adult, but there is a reason I do this, and pay for it.

I would not swap to accommodate a family who had not pre-booked or paid for seats unless they were offering me equivalent aisle seats next to my DH.

Not sure why people are saying give the adult near them the child's teddy and they can help if the child vomits or needs the toilet. If a random child near me vomited I'd likely vomit too. I'm a childless adult with my own medical issues, I have neither the capacity or willingness to look after someone else's child.

That's the guidance. It's not the law.

And they can ignore it and eye-roll if they want. At least they know who the parent is and who to complain to if there are any issues with the child's behaviour.

Whatever anyone says, it makes children safer if everyone around them knows that they have been taught how to speak up for themselves.

I would have paid to not have to sit next to my kids on the flight. DD1 was intent on showing my tits to the entire plane. I’d have swapped her for a pack of M&Ms at one point.

Oh really? I didn't know that! Just as well my kids are older now and it's fine if they sit on their own then!

Actually, I would want to know where the parent is. If the child needs help I can alert them.

*I'd tell my kids whatever I thought would keep them safest in this situation, and it is zero concern of any of the adults round about.

"You do you" goes two ways.*

If your child won't remember basic safety information given in private and be able to transfer that knowledge to a new situation they shouldn't be sitting away from you in the first place. Performance parenting is no substitute for actual parenting, ie booking appropriate seats for your kids if they are so vulnerable they couldn't get help if need be without you loudly explaining how.

And it is of concern to the adults sitting around them that you've basically implied they might molest your child but for your loudly delivered "expectations" which, if someone actually did pose a risk, wouldn't protect your child in the slightest but will potentially prevent someone helping your child lest they be accused of something untoward.

😂

Caveat emptor.
I wouldn’t give up a paid-for seat because of someone else’s mistake, and I’d take a very dim view of anyone trying to guilt-trip me or encouraging their children to play up to try to make me move.

If this happened to me I’d probably ‘accidentally’ spill my drink on the seat before I left it out of spite. Oopsie daisy

To all the 'well I absolutely wouldn't move for you because I pay for my seat because X, Y & Z' people on this thread just out to make OP feel worse than she already does, let's hope there's less people on her flight like you and more like me (and many others) who wouldn't dream of paying for a seat allocation because we simply couldn't care less where on the plane we're sat or who we're sat next to.

Makes absolutely no difference to me if I'm sat with my own DH or next to someone else's kid and if asked to help a stranger then yes, it's no skin off my nose so long as I've still got my kindle and I'm still getting from A to B, why not. It's nice to be nice.

Are you missing where people have given specific reasons for why they book seats and why they wouldn't move?

I wouldn't be refusing to move for a laugh or for the sole purpose of pissing people off. I'd have booked those seats for a reason.

OP we’re going on holiday over New Year, when we booked in March we paid extra for legroom seats as DH and DD1 have long legs. Wasn’t given the option to select seats on booking, assumed it would be in check in. Then logged in to check something a couple of months ago (noting we don’t fly until end of December) and realised I could select seats. Went to select them, and there are only single seats available!

So I’ve paid extra for everyone’s tickets just so we can all sit apart 😩. DDs are 13 & 15 so they’ll be fine but younger DD in particular hates sitting next to strangers (but now needs to get over that I guess!).

Whatever anyone says, it makes children safer if everyone around them knows that they have been taught how to speak up for themselves.

Teaching your child to speak up for themselves takes a lot more than a loudly delivered instruction at the start of a flight. It probably hasn't occurred to you that if someone did want to harm your child you've just given them the information to get round your child's defences. "I know mummy said no one should touch you, but it looks like your seat belt is stuck, let me help you with that, no that doesn't feel uncomfortable now does it, yes I can open your crisps for you - I'll show you how to do that, I'll hold you hands while you pull it open".

Train your kids in private and if they're unable to transfer that knowledge to a different situation, keep them next to you.

@RowdyTiel Not at all, I just don't see the point of coming and telling the OP about it. She's made a mistake, she's learned from the mistake. The focus today is fixing the mistake, if possible.

What good does telling her that YOU won't move because you're claustrophobic or travelling with invisible disabilities do, unless you happen to be travelling on the same flight as her today?

Then they can always swap seats if they're that concerned, can't they?

Children sitting next to strangers are a safeguarding risk and, if it's unavoidable, the children need to be given tools to manage it. This is all stuff they're taught in primary school, it's nothing unusual.

And I'm not the one who didn't book the seats, the OP is but she made a mistake. But I am increasingly having to deal with scenarios where my 7yo is alone with strangers (male changing rooms/toilets) and there's not a lot I can do about it. So I parent loudly and actively because, whatever you might say, it does reduce the risk to children if there is obviously someone hovering around them and they know they can shout, scream or be loud without getting into trouble if they're uncomfortable with the situation.

Anyway, I was just giving my suggestions to the OP - didn't mean to derail the thread.

You have the luxury and privilege of not having to worry about where you are seated. Some of us travelling with disabled adults who need support, or who have medical needs to sit in the aisle to access the bathroom, as examples, don't have the same luxury of just being able to sit or move wherever.

In my post I wasn't talking about checking in. I was talking about when you actually booked the flights.
I booked flights a month ago and at the time of booking, I was presented with an image of the plane and asked to select my seat. Some were a fiver to reserve, others more expensive (either faster on-boarding/disembarking or leg room for example) and there were others that were middle of the road prices. This was at the booking of the flights part. I haven't checked in yet but I know I have seats selected for my flight.

Were you not presented with the layout of the plane and asked to select seats when you were booking your flights?