...to NOT pay extra to book pre-assigned plane seats with Monarch

[parakeet]

We are family of four, with our two children, six and eight. It's a 3.5 hour flight each way and we need at least one parent with each child (or one parent with the both of them would also be fine). It would cost us £64 to book assigned seating for all four of us, each way and it seems a bit much. Am I being mad (or selfish somehow) to think "they can't let the children sit by themselves" and let Monarch sort it out somehow once we've boarded, if we have difficulties getting each child with a parent?

I've seen threads on here where people are criticised for not booking their seats beforehand. But to me it seems like this is a problem of the airline's making when they could easily assign seats at check-in, like in the "olden days".

That's what we do. As long as you're happy to be two pairs, or a three and a one, then I don't see the issue.

So basically you're willing to risk a child being sat on it's own?

So you are not going to pay to sit together,but you will have no problems turfing fellow passengers out of their payed for prebooked seats?

Well technically they can and I know someone that this happened to but they do have a 'duty of care'. I never, ever pay for pre-assigned seats as I believe it is extortion and luckily it has never happened to us. I wouldn't care about being split up as long as one of us was next to DD and not a stranger IYSWIM?
Make sure you are nice and early to check in on the day though as obviously it will increase your chances of there being plenty of non-booked seats available.
IMO the only ones who should pay are the ones that get the better (leg room) seats.

If it's an airline regulation that children can't sit on their own, then I think it's the airline's responsibility to ensure that doesn't happen. Airline could and should allocate seats for you if you haven't elected to pay to choose where you want to sit

I wouldn't be willing to move from a seat I had pre booked and paid for in order to accommodate you, unless I was getting upgraded.

Yanbu. I'm not paying for ours either. It would set me back £25pp EW which totals £250. Bloody rip off. Ts&Cs say they allocate those travelling with children 5 days before the flight and guarantee to sit a child with an adult in the party so I feel fine about not choosing our seats.

I wouldn't imaging they would sit the six year old by themselves, but the eight year old would be fine anyway surely? Don't pay and just play it by ear on the day.

As somebody who has been asked on multiple occasions to move from the pre-booked seats we've booked and paid for so someone, who hadn't booked, could sit with their children, I'd say YABU.

We have to have the seats with extra legroom as DH is 6'6" and actually can't sit forwards in a regular seat. I'm also very uncomfortable at 6'1". It sucks that we have to pay extra, but we do because it wouldn't be fair to ask someone else to move.

If you're willing to sit in two pairs, you might be ok, but it's more likely you'll have to sit as a three ans a one, or even individually. Personally I wouldn't risk it. We always pay for an extra seat so we can keep the DS's with us too (DS2 is still at the 'on the lap' stage)

That's good to know Nick, is that with Monarch flights?

If I correctly understand the other threads that people have posted on this subject, then you should be aware that other people may have to move from their seats, which they've chosen and paid for, in order to accommodate you.

OP, how would you feel if that happens and how would you go about justifying it to the person?

NickNacks what airline are you with please? I guess I should look at Monarch's T&Cs.

To those saying I'm being mean to people who have prepaid, surely there will be enough people who don't prepay that one of them can get moved around?

We're flying with British Airways.

We've paid so the 6 of us can sit together, if we were asked to move by someone who hasn't paid they'll be told where to go.

I think all airlines have a duty of care to sit children with their carers, but if they fail to do so, you may be at the other end of the plane to your DCs.

You wouldn't let them sit on the other side of a cinema so why would you risk it on a plane?

I don't see paedos round every corner, but sitting next to strangers on a plane for three and half hours - no way.

If you want to ensure you sit together then you have to pay.

Personally I don't pre book because I'm secretly hoping we get split up and someone else gets the joys if the dc, sadly it hasn't happened yet

I check online (with EasyJet) when I book and they allocate a seat number on the boarding pass.

Can an airline make you move if you have booked and paid for a seat to accommodate a physical need, eg height, or a phobia, eg needing sit right at the back of the plane next to the aisle.

I can understand them asking, but can they compel?

There will be enough people who don't pre book for you to be allocated seating together - check in online the day before and you will be fine.

Gah, I hate stealth ticket price hikes.

I don't think they have to sit you next to your child. You could end up sitting in the row behind them or in front of them.

It's a risk. You might be ok, you might not. It's your choice to make.

Can an airline make you move if you have booked and paid for a seat to accommodate a physical need, eg height, or a phobia, eg needing sit right at the back of the plane next to the aisle.

I should think so. As far as I am aware, the pilot has the final decision on that.

I would be unwilling to move my pre-booked seat I'd paid for to accommodate you and your tightness.

We paid £80 each way to sit together and choose our seats. On get a family of 5 who are sat 1 behind each other for 5 rows. They try to get people to change, no one does cos we've all paid for our seats and choices. The cabin crew told the dad that they cannot ask people who have paid to choose their seat to move. They had to just put up with it for the 8 hour flight.

I always factor in paying for seats together as part of the holiday cost.

Sitting together can mean across and aisle or behind each other! It's a risk you take.

If there aren't enough people who haven't prepaid, you'll have to suck it up if you can't get seats together. Remember that if you're happy to take the chance. bet you'd be the type to create a song and dance, though, they usually are
I wouldn't move for someone like you.