I understand (possibly) paying a little for allocated seating on a flight BUT

[kitsilano]

We are flying to Florida at Easter and BA want to charge us a total of £760 to choose seats so we can be sat next to our DDs - 5 and 7....

£125 per person on the flight out, £65 per person on the flight back.

Looked back at an old thread on here and there was lot of "suck it up, why should others have to move, if you can afford the flight etc etc". But was a £5 charge, which I agree, I would pay, although irritated by a stealth tax. But £760?!

Have called BA and they are immoveable on it. We have asked if they can please guarantee our childrens' safety while they are sat next to a stranger, in the dark on an over night flight.

They will allocate your seats several days before the online check-in opens, so you will be able to see if they are suitable - and relax - or be organised and check-in 24 hours before to fiddle around with them.

When BA couldn't seat my then 9 year old son next to my husband and I (our seats were together and obviously one of us would have swapped seats with him) they up-graded us all to business class!

I would love to seat my 8yo & 4yo at the far end of the plane and let other adults sort them out for 8+ hours (muse). BA, did you say?

thats insane. Surely minor children should be sat next to parents so other passengers aren't inconvenienced?!I would be well fucked off I was sat next to a 5 an 7ear old while their parents were off enjoying free wine and quiet time.

People: read the link! THEY DO NOT SEAT CHILDREN ON THEIR OWN!

From the page linked earlier: "If you decide not to select your seats in advance, we'll allocate your seats five days before departure. If the group can't be seated together, all children in your booking will be seated with an accompanying adult."

There is no need to pay, if you leave it to them, you won't get to choose which seats you're in and it may be that one parent is somewhere else. But one parent will be with the kids.

Thanks Carling - yes, have read the link and greatly relieved. BUT the customer service guy on the phone refused to tell us that - said only that they would "try"...maybe I should direct him to his company's own website.

But the reason why we didn't go was because on the plane I have to sit in the search I have been given or I fear the plane will fall from the sky.

I have refused to swap seats before, so how could I expect someone to do something I wouldn't?

Sorry I forgot to add the not, so child under 12 MUST be sat next to a parent

Apologies

P

Thanks OP. Feeling smug we are flying United this Easter I thought I better double check our seat reservations, only to remember that I hadn't been able to reserve for the return flight because of a computer malfunction before. Only a few rows left with 3 together! I wouldn't have thought to look if it wasn't for this thread.

I wouldn't feel smug about flying United.

Thanks Joan

When I flew long haul with my parents a very long time ago, they had something like 1 adult and 1 child in one place and 1 adult and 2 children in the other, or maybe one of my parents was on their own. It gave my parents the chance to take turns at having a rest from us!

I have had to sit in a different row to my DS, he was about 5 at the time but only short haul flights.

I wouldn't fly BA, but not because of this, but because they are generally terrible. I was recently travelling for work, and we have a deal with BA (I NEVER fly them if it's my choice). As I had to work pretty much straight away at the other end, after a 12 hour flight, I paid to reserve a seat which suited me to rest. Well, I was moved to accommodate a family with small kids, and put in a middle seat which was grim. :( So, what I'm really saying is that they have no compulsion about turfing someone out of their paid for seat to seat families together. But, that's probably because they are pure evil. 👿

Casper, you'd paid?! That's outrageous. I'd refuse to move unless the seat were comparable. Or an upgrade.

We fly BA all the time. Long haul with our children. We have never been separated nor have we had to pay for the privilege.

Yep, Shandy. Typical terrible BA. I told them I wasn't moving (there was someone in my seat when I boarded) and was told I would be offloaded. The flight was completely full. Unfortunately I had to get that flight or be late for an important work event, so I took the refund and compensation (£50 vouchers!) and stayed on. But... Anyway. This shouldn't be about me hijacking with my BA rant!
OP, it was really to show you that they go to all sorts of lengths to sit families together. Good luck!

I think the T&C clearly state that they may have to move you from your pre-booked seat for "operational reasons"