...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".

I wouldn't move without getting compensation. No way will you get it if you complain afterwards.

We have had compensation for things quite often by complaining after, most recently a complete refund due to badly handled changes of flights. How are they going to compensate you on the flight; I don't think they have handfuls of cash onboard to do so? If I had simply moved a couple of rows to an equivalent seat I would not really need compensation, but it is always worth asking.

Perhaps airlines should offer a cheaper "seated together but we don't care which part of the plane" fee, for say £2 per person. I would be happy to pay that, but would baulk at say £10 per person.

I would be fairly happy for my 6 year old to sit a few seats away from me on a plane; much happier than Iwwould be in say, a cinema, where she could just walk out without me seeing. I would say a plane is a pretty safe environment to have a bit of independence and I am sure dd would be delighted. She often likes to sit a few seats away from me on buses and trains.

I wouldn't mind the two year old being across the aisle or in the seat in front, no further than that though. But I wouldn't need to be right next to them as long as I could still reach them.

You can't check in online with monarch unless you pay top reallocate your seats.

Total rip off

OP there will be plenty of people who won't prebook because it's such a rip off. You'll be fine. Nobody will have to move. No MNers will have to make any more cats arse faces and all will be well

Have a good holiday!

Sorry I meant I'd want an offer of compensation in writing before I'd move.

It happened to us .DC threw up whilst we were at the airport and they wouldn't let us get on til he had been seen by a doctor.We fotunately were seen in time to catch the flight but the only seats left were dotted all over the cabin ,we had 4 children aged between 3 and 9 and we didn't get 2 seats together .

Instead of thinking of it a charging "extra" to be sat together, how about thinking of it as "discount for people who don't mind where they sit" to fill in all the unwanted one-person gaps that nobody wants to sit in.

I would want the parent to hand me my booking fee, with a bit extra for inconvenience, in cash before I moved. Even then I wouldn't do it for a middle seat.

Absolutely Tamer

It would be pretty jolly getting someone else to look after the nippers for a flight. Lord knows, sitting next to them myself is rather stressful. But like I said, I would never be so entitled so as to expect someone to give up their seat. The corollary of which is that is they do not wish to move they may be seated next to my child. IN accordance with airline policy. I wouldn't want to be in the non-mover's seat in those circs, but if they were happy to do so, I would indeed, take my chances. Not blackmail at all, just an obvious consequence of such an airline policy.

Headphones and eye mask, blanket round body. Sit whomever you p,ease next to me, if I am travelling on my own I pre-book a window seat, pop a sleeping tablet and crash out for the flight.

You don't scare me- Fitzgerald!

Nor me because I travel sedated and will be out for the count before getting off the ground, tucked up in the window seat I pre-book and pay for if need be.

Yab selfish IMO.

It's a shit policy by the airlines, nobody wants to pay to seat their family together.

But I and many others have paid for this so that my dc don't get upset and we can board the plane quickly and easily with no fuss and not cause the plane to miss it's take off slot. By letting "Monarch sort it out", what you really mean and what's going to happen is that people who have paid for their seats are going to be asked to move in order that your dc are not seated without a parent. So those people are not going to get the seats they paid for (and the airline sure as hell aren't going to refund them!) because you want it for free.

Well go ahead and cause a problem and rip someone off who has paid if your conscience allows it.

Having had a DVT and clot in my lung last year, I would not want to move out of a booked aisle seat or a booked extra-leg-room seat on a long flight. My consultant was very specific about 'how to fly' in the future, and leg room, leg exercises and walking about are pretty important.

And I wouldn't really want to be explaining all that in a packed aircraft cabin.

It would be pretty jolly getting someone else to look after the nippers for a flight.

Only if they were sitting next to someone stupid. I would ignore your child or simply direct them to your seat. Except I would be surrounded by my children in our pre- booked seats so it would never be a problem.

Not blackmail at all, just an obvious consequence of such an airline policy.

No, it's a consequence of you not checking in early enough just like it has always been.

Before pre-booked seating, we used to drive to the airport the night before for "Twilight Check In" to ensure we were sitting together.

I do like the idea of inluding a pre booked seat and then taking off an amount if the booker ticked a box saying 'not required'.

Then these blooming entilted people who are claiming the airline is ripping them off, etc wont have a leg to stand on. They have actively declined a pre booked seat...

FGS - if you want to sit together pay for a pre booked seat, or get to the airport early - just stop moaning.....

Thus problem is with airline policy, linerunner. Seating requirements should take account of medical conditions without need for extra payment. Discount for flexibility is a good idea.

I wouldn't scare anyone, DS1 OTOH... like a little tiger! Pleased that so many would be happy to ignore him or send him back to me, exactly the right way to deal with him.

Didn't realise you could circumvent paying to reserve by arriving early. I thought it was a free for all on boarding. I do arrive early actually. When I have flown with children I have been able to check in online the night before and choose seats? I guess not all airlines operate the same. In which case problem is with specific (I am guessing cheaper) airline policy.

If indeed you get what you pay for, the real bone of contention is that if you pay for a seat res, you are not paying for a peaceful flight where people who need to meet each other's needs can be sat next to one another. You are paying to sit in a seat of your choosing. That may mean sitting next to a chronic snorer or very flatulent person, or indeed, an unattended child.

Absolutely wouldn't consider asking anyone to move ever.

I can't believe how many people on this thread, many of them mothers would happily ignore a puking/crying/scared child who was sitting next to them.

Would yiu also ignore a list child if you saw them in the street?

I hope your children are never lost/hurt or upset when your not there as you can't expect kindness from strangers if you don't show it yourself.

I think the people who are saying they'd be glad to sit apart from their kids are nuts. Fair enough if they are older but really you'd be happy seeing your young child sick and upset sitting apart from you? You'd be happy for your young child to sit next to an absolute stranger for hours? I wouldn't.

I've seen families utterly distraught and begging someone to move so they can sit together. It's awful. :(

I said I would be happy to sit apart from my children, because I think they would be happy too. Not all children would be sick or upset.
We travel by public transport a lot, so the oldest is used to not being able to sit right next to me (and often chooses not to).
If you are matter of fact rather than making a fuss the children might well follow your lead.

These people saying they wouldn't move ...

Do you know that the airlines can and do move people and it is in their T&C to allow them to do so?

This usually happens at the check in/bag drop when they do it. Or at the gate if youve not gone through check in at the airport.

We have had this happen and there was nothing we could do about it at all.

It's different if it's occurring when you are actually sat on the plane, though I think they still reserve the right to move you.

I'd laugh in the face of someone trying to pass a sick bag to me for their own child. Surely no-one has ever done this.