To not book reserved flight seats for us and the kids?

[LittlePudding1]

Hi, I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old and was under the impression that even if we weren't all sat together together on a plane they would sit me with 1dc and dh with the other but a couple of people have told me they can sit you anywhere. Surely they wouldn't sit a 3 year old away from a parent and next to a random stranger, would they?

[CelticPromise]

Clouds I think the most depressing thing is that the airlines want to charge through the nose for every last little thing and the people who are being criticised are the ones who won't pay for it! What's wrong with how it used to be done?

Being asked to move is not limited to the budget airlines mind. I always choose an aisle seat if I can, was once asked to move on a flight from Fiji to LAX ' because little x feels sick and needs to get out'. I sat by the window next to two little boys for 12 hours, grrrr.

[MayTheOddsBeEverInYourFavour]

Nicetabard if I were sat next to a two year old I wouldn't be able to help it at all (severely disabled) and that is why it should never be left to strangers to look after young children

It absolutely should be down to the airline to ensure minors are with a parent but until that happens it is the parents responsibility to make sure their children are safe and not expect others who have made arrangements to move

[CloudsAndTrees]

I agree that airlines want to charge for anything and everything, but as you discovered on your flight from Fiji, the system where seats are allocated randomly at check in has its drawbacks too.

If you don't want to pay, you pretty much are going back to the way it used to be done. I like having the choice.

[SuperiorCat]

NiceTabard

"Interesting policy on the part of the airlines.

In the event of an emergency it would get very sticky.

Parents would be trying to get up and down to get to their toddlers.
People sitting next to said toddlers could not be relied on to look after them with oxygen and stuff.
Kids would be absolutely freaking out lights out plane going down or whatever and no-one to look after them. So potentially getting up out of their seats if they could and trying to find parent.

not sure why the airlines think this is a good idea. Something goes wrong, no-one looks after child and as a result child dies, airline is screwed surely?"

I would replace airline with parent

If they want to make sure they are sitting with their child they have the option to pay to book seats.

Someone mentioned extortion - it is simple economics - supply and demand.

[RikeBider]

I think if you end up sitting next to a 2 or 3 year old you will inevitably have to take some responsibility for them.

What if they ask you for help with their seatbelt?
What if they feel/are sick, or need a wee?
What if they drop something or get upset?

I can't imagine many people would just blank a kid in those situations In my experience children under 5 do not just sit quietly and accept that the person next to them doesn't want to get involved.

I can understand a person already sitting with young/disabled children wouldn't want to move, but surely if you are a couple of adult grouping you would swap rather than sit next to a small child.

[NiceTabard]

That's what I was asking maytheodds - in the event that a 2yo is seated next to someone who is not responsible for them on a long haul flight, then what happens when the child needs the toilet or help opening their food. Do the flight attendants do it, is the parent called over to come and help, how does it work in practice?

[ihearsounds]

Also, by taking the chance of not booking you are making the assumption that there will be seats that can be moved.. You don't know how many people on that flight require 2 adjacent seats for whatever reasons..
By not prebooking, what would you do, say hypothetically if no-one could move to give seats to be with your child(ren). I am not talking does not want to, but cannot because the passengers have children, or is travelling with someone who has any additional requirements?

[CelticPromise]

What TheSecondComing said.

[NiceTabard]

Logistically it sounds like a bit of a nightmare and that's even before you are looking at emergency situations.

RikeBider that is the point though, I'm not sure how the child alerts if they need help / who they alert / what happens in an emergency.

I suspect it will take a disaster and then there will be a law made about it.

[OttilieKnackered]

But at the expense of other groups of travellers, TheSecondComing? I'm going on holiday with two friends in a few weeks. We've also paid for tickets, travelling as a part and used the same booking. I also love my friends. Basing it on your principles, if my friends and I get there first, you and your children might be split up.

[NiceTabard]

ihearsounds well then you get what you're given obviously.

Seems an unlikely scenario though, IME single business types don't tend to book as they don't mind that much where they sit and are fit healthy and quick etc so able to secure a seat they want a lot more easily.

[Sleepgrumpydopey]

Can you put a price on your child's safety? Would you let your child drive to school with a stranger to save £10?

Budget it into the holiday, buy yourself one less outfit for the holiday, or drink 2 less cocktails when there.

I chose to have kids, I choose to take them on holiday so I should pay to sit next to them.

[CelticPromise]

ihear I presume they would deal with it the same way they used too deal with it when everyone got allocated their seats by the airline. What if all the passengers reserve in advance and you are the last to do so? Could be in the same position.

Clouds I meant by my long flight example to point out that there's really no way to guarantee seats, and perhaps I also feel that although I didn't like moving it wasn't awful, and I don't understand the feelings of grown adults who don't want to sit apart on a two hour hop.

I hope we get a 2 and a 1 when we fly next week, bagsy I sit alone!

[dickiedavisthunderthighs]

Surely these are the decisions you have to make if you book a low-cost airline? TheSecondComing what you're basically saying is that you refuse to pay the extra levy that low-cost airlines charge (in order for them to be low-cost) and you'll make people move for you as a result?
If you don't want that level of hassle then book an airline (of which there are many) who include 'extras' as part of the price.
BA, Air France etc often work out the same price and sometimes cheaper once you add up all of the extras that Easyjet or Ryanair charge.
It's not fair to put someone else out just because you refuse to pay.

[NiceTabard]

So you think it is unsafe to have toddlers sitting without parents on flights?

But you support the airlines right to separate them?

Interesting.

[CelticPromise]

Sleepy no, you should be given seats together automatically.

Has anyone been separated before this extra payment for seat booking came in? It's making travelling more stressful and expensive but lots of you seem happy to pay. Don't get it.

[RikeBider]

I wonder if the airlines will start charging £10 if you want a seat belt...

[flipchart]

I don't pay in the hope I don't have to sit with my kids!

[Sleepgrumpydopey]

Nice I don't support the airlines separating them. I don't agree with people having kids and expecting others who've paid to move to accommodate their frugality.

People should pay and stop moaning.

Imagine how that child feels. Mummy doesn't want to sit next to me on this exciting/scary experience as it will cost her £20. Hmmm but the other kids are sat with their mummies.

It's the same as people who are on benefits saying they have no money but buying scratch cards, cigarettes or alcohol.

[CloudsAndTrees]

Common sense doesn't dictate that we should sit next to our kids at all.

It's common sense to sit a toddler next to an adult, but a six year old who could do their own seat belt, take themselves to the toilet, open their own food, pick up their own toy, has no more right to sit next to their parents than my 12 yo does.

We pay for our children to sit next to us at 10 and 12. Because common sense dictates that they are old enough to be fine without us, and they would even be capable of following emergency procedures perfectly well without us. But we want to sit together, so we pay for it. The airline is not obliged to guarantee that we all sit together when there is no physical need for it.

[Sleepgrumpydopey]

Why do you buy 3d glasses? Shouldn't they provide them. Just stop being so cheap.

Plus the flights are cheap anyway. If you fly with a decent airline you have free seat allocation.

[RikeBider]

Ottilie, would you rather sit next to a lone toddler on a flight that swap seats with a parent? My 2 year old is very chatty and a bit of a wriggler but he does tend to be a puker too.