To think BA seating assignments are a con!

[macystacy]

I am flying to LA with my 3 and 4 year old kids on Friday. Our seat assignments I viewed today have 2 seats together (window aisle and centre) then another seat the row ahead centre aisle. All the seats around are available except the window seat itself. However BA will charge me £25 to change any of the seats! They say I can wait till online check in opens to change for free but can't guarantee we will be sitting together.

I have flown many times with other airlines to Oz but never come across something so ridiculous in my life! I realise cabin crew may move us but what if no one will move?

If you don't book your seats that's the chance you take though.

I expect they'll sort it for free at check in given the age of your kids. If you can afford £25, you could decide that paying it is worth it for peace of mind, but I'd be pretty confident that you'll all end up together if you don't sort it in advance.

They cannot sit you apart from such small children surely? If ever I have been allocated seats away from my small children, we all pile into one seat and they son find a row together

I never book seats for short flights, and have never been separated from my young dc. For longer flights the extra money is a drop in the ocean, so I tend to pay up in advance just to have one less thing to worry about!

Is it yourself and 2 dc travelling? They will have to seat you together if so.

I've got exactly the same problem - kids in one row, me row behind, plenty of available seats. They basically just want us to pay for seats - which is fine I suppose, as why should families get special treatment and not have to pay to sit together? - but then don't pretend to be a family friendly airline! We've paid to get seats together, although I'm sure they'll sort it out at check in for you.

There was another very similar thread recently. Worth a read if it's still around.

Upshot is - there is CAA guidance on seating children and infants. It is guidance which many UK airlines follow, but it's not legislation. If you're happy with that, and BA's published policy, then you might decide to take your chances. If you want a greater degree of certainty, you've got the option of paying for seat allocation.

you have left it really late as usually seats can be allocated 90 days before with most airlines. Usually you can do it online if you book direct with the airline and have kids. I guess everyone has booked the window seats. I would pay up and not fly BA again. I have flown BA a few times and it is a bit hit and miss. The crew can be amazing to downright surly.

I really don't understand why airlines even think that flying apart from your kids is a good idea. Horrible for the crew, horrible you, horrible for the kids and the passengers next to them. I can understand budget airlines doing this but it sticks in the throat for an premium airline to have the extra charge.

With your children being that little they will move you at check-in so you're all sitting together.

Did you actually phone BA to ask them, or just try to change the seat assignments online?

Umm, why don't you just pay the £25, it's a tiny percentage of your flight costs. Saves all the angst and outrage

We had this with BA flying to Oz, there was a screw up with their system....it was a while back, no £25 option to move, no option at all, even though I spotted the problem and tried to resolve it quite some time before flying. They finally moved us but it wasn't resolved till 5mins before boarding, it was horribly stressful.

I'm sure on previous threads it's been pointed out that a row in front, or across the aisle, counts as "together". So the airline may not feel under any obligation whatsoever.

Which child is the naughtiest?

Yes it's just me and the two kids flying. I don't expect special treatment and can actually afford to pay but just saying that I have flown many times with the kids first time on BA. Never before had this happen. Even the seat over the aisle is free as the entire middle row but they haven't put us there.

I have spoken to the BA call centre, nothing they can do.

It's a total con, there is no reason for doing this other than to make money as the plane looks half empty.

It is a con to get more m

It is a con to get more money but there is nothing you can do. if the plane is pretty empty I'd wait and book them 24 hours before.

It could be to do with the oxygen masks. When we flew with DD we were told that there could only be one small child per row as there was only one child sized oxygen mask in each row on that particular plane.

No the oxygen masks are only to do with under 2s. Ie each row of 3 will have 4 masks. So only one under 2 sitting on lap can be in row. As we had two under two for a while and dh and I had to sit in diff rows until eldest could sit in own seat whole time ( even If you buy them own seat they have to be on lap for take off andlanding)

Op try not to worry to much as they have to sit you next to children this young. Try and change assigned seats within the time allocated just before which is free. Failing that just be early to check in on the day....as you will with two little ones I'm sure

Have a good trip

It's very wrong. You'd think that a three seats booked at the same time would, by default be together. I can see no reason to allocate seats in different rows other than to make you cough up the extra £££ to move them together.

It's a racket

That's really unusual. There are often threads on here regarding sleazy jet or similar and short haul flights and the opinion is split whether you should pay or not.
I have never heard of it though on a long haul flight with BA.

We always fly long haul with BA, with the children. I never know what we have been assigned until I look at online check-in 24 hours before. I simply change the seats then (if needed). Never had a problem.

If the seats around you aren't occupied, you should be fine at online check in.

Well, you know what to do. Checking online the minute the flight opens for checkin, and ensure you get three seats together.

A bit of a pain, yes. But nothing major.
We do this on all long flights anyway, to ensure we get best seats possible.

If you book online through the BA website it's very clear that you can choose your seats free of charge 24 hours before the flight. Choosing your seats early isn't a hidden cost and at £25 for the three of you it is a token cost.