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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not pay for seats?

188 replies

benetint · 05/04/2015 19:56

We've booked to go to Spain tomorrow with Dh, Ds (2) and Dd (5) to see my Dad.

Monarch charge £8 per seat to book in advance, which on top of the cost of the trip is a bit much for us. (£72 extra both ways)

Do you think there's any way we could be separated from each other if we don't buy allocated seats? Or would monarch not let that happen? Do they give priority to young children? As long as one of us is with dd and one is with ds I'll be happy.

Or do you think I'm being right risking it

OP posts:

Notstayingup · 05/04/2015 20:35

I am travelling with monarch tomorrow and called up to book seats. They told me that they won't seperate under 12s from a parent so the very nice lady said that as long as we don't mind being split I.e. 1 child with 1 adult we don't need to prebook.

GwenStacy · 05/04/2015 20:40

BA is £25 per seat to book! Sitting together can mean sitting across the aisle from each other or sitting behind/in front of - I think they would try and sit you together, within these parameters, as far as possible, but I'm a worrywart so would pay up :-|

PunkrockerGirl · 05/04/2015 20:40

On our flight back from Italy last year a family with small children hadn't pre booked and were unable to sit together (it was July, so school holidays). Anyway, the mum created such a fuss when she got on and found that they couldn't all sit together. She ended up storming off the plane, screaming and crying and had to be placated by the cabin crew The inevitable happened and we missed the take-off slot. The rest if the passengers, most of whom had bothered to book, were extremely pissed off with her!

I'm glad you've decided to pre-book, OP and hope you have a lovely holiday

Crocodopolis · 05/04/2015 20:47

Glad to read that you decided to pre-book, OP.

Fluffyears · 05/04/2015 20:49

I've been on a flight where some woman demanded people moved to let her sit with her kids as she didn't book. She was very aggressive eventually she got told to either take the seats they were given (apart) or they would offload her and her family.

jendot2 · 05/04/2015 20:50

I love it when we don't get to sit with our children. I get to read in peace for the whole flight and some other poor bugger gets to babysit the kids for me... Airlines have it all wrong, they should get you to pay to be seated away from your kids!!
(Disclaimer... My kids are actually much older and don't bother the other passengers too much)

catsandstuff · 05/04/2015 20:51

This happened to me and ex-DP when we flew with Ryanair last year. .

We had checked in online early, thus securing seats next to each other. I presume lots of other people did this or paid extra at the time of booking.

Everything was fine until this lady and her DD approx 4 boarded. She hadn't checked in online and subsequently she was seated slightly away from DD sort of diagonally. Of course, it was me and ex-DP who were asked to swap as well as another couple on the adjacent row to accomodate this lady.

We both refused. Cue lots of tutting and some entitled bullshit from the woman and pleading looks from the airline staff.

Thankfully they managed to seat her elsewhere on the plane however I didn't feel guilty for refusing to move. Ultimately, it was her responsibility to ensure her and her daughter were sat together whether that was by booking allocated seats or early check-in. I really struggle to feel sorry gor these people

In a nutshell, just pay or else you really cannot expect anything to be guaranteed.

Fluffyears · 05/04/2015 20:55

I akways factor it on a a cost of holiday as I like to use my dP as a comfy shoulder to sleep on

ilovemydoggy · 05/04/2015 21:05

Think your making the right choice booking. We are flying with monarch in June and when we booked in nov we paid and chose our seats loads there was quite a few taken. I wouldn't move for someone, I pay to make sure I sit with Dp ad I'm a rubbish flyer.

shinysparklythings · 05/04/2015 21:08

We flew out to Spain last sat with monarch. A group of six adults and we all got sat together as we were the first people to check in. Family with young children were split into pairs. If you get to the airport early you might get lucky but there is no guarantee or priority. Enjoy your hols.

TheRightToShoes · 05/04/2015 21:15

I wouldn't swap with you. Don't be selfish to your family or others and just pay it.

Dowser · 05/04/2015 21:23

Airlines play on people's fears. If no one pays then they have to sort it.

madreloco · 05/04/2015 21:35

People are telling you to pay it because they do and they dont want you to get for free what theyve paid for. Which you will. Its an extra charge for suckers.

Joyfulleastersquad · 05/04/2015 21:39

Pre book if your can. We flew as a group of 11 come back from Cuba and was separated all through the plane. It was a fucking nightmare. 11 hour flight

engeika · 05/04/2015 21:44

Just pay the fare. Hate this trying to get away without paying for something that you intend to "force" others into allowing you to do.

Soon airlines will make it obligatory for all families with young children to pay to sit together since it is pretty obvious that that is what is going to happen anyway.

keepitsimple0 · 05/04/2015 21:52

People are telling you to pay it because they do and they dont want you to get for free what theyve paid for. Which you will. Its an extra charge for suckers.

exactly. Some airlines would separate parents from kids, but most won't.

airlines should figure this out. they won't let a child fly alone. why would they let them sit alone? it's just a way to nickel and dime you. They should price it in.

keepitsimple0 · 05/04/2015 21:53

Soon airlines will make it obligatory for all families with young children to pay to sit together since it is pretty obvious that that is what is going to happen anyway.

why don't they do this then? Just up the child fare, and say free seats.

HookedOnHooking · 05/04/2015 22:00

It's not being a sucker.

I pay the extra to make sure I am next to my anxious, autistic daughter (adult). Or if I were flying with just my husband I'd rather sit next to him than a stranger. It simply isn't fair to expect other people to compromise their comfort for you and your children.

UnsolvedMystery · 05/04/2015 22:05

If no one pays then they have to sort it.
No, they really don't.
They normally try to sit each child near a parent, but that can be across the aisle or a row in front or behind. But they are under no obligation to sit children with their parent.
If other people have paid for their seats, they aren't likely to move.

madreloco · 05/04/2015 22:12

Trying to get away without paying? Youre all the way suckered in!
Theyve managed to make you think that everyone needs to pay extra for something they could easily do for free. Ryanair, who started the practice, have now gone back to free allocated seating.

Youre now not only happily paying an extra unnecessary fee, youre also trying to make others pay it too. Genius ploy by the companies.

keepitsimple0 · 05/04/2015 22:13

If other people have paid for their seats, they aren't likely to move.

the airline has set up this situation with their pricing model. they want low headline prices and hidden fares to sell tickets. this is an inevitable consequence.

I totally understand people getting pissed off about being asked to move if they have paid for a seat. I would ask for my money back if asked to move.

chickenfuckingpox · 05/04/2015 22:15

i dont get how they can separate children from there parents i mean no one wants to have strangers children screaming next to them all flight long do they? why charge £8 per person to sit together? someone somewhere is not going to be able to be accommodated along the lines i just dont see how it can work

seriously if i got on a plane and my 2 year old had to sit elsewhere who would be responsible for the nappy? the juice the seatbelt? im glad i cant afford an overseas holiday

revealall · 05/04/2015 22:23

Every time I check in online ( Monarch doesn't allow this in all cases I think) the airline allocates us seats together. People who book seats tend to book seats together and single flyers would still leave 2 seats on a side to fill.
Unless you are leaving check in to the very last second you'll be fine.

6Musiclover · 05/04/2015 22:27

If you want a guarentee that you will be sitting beside your children, then pay to select your seats.

Surely, you just factor this in to the cost of the flight!
I would not be moving for someone who was too tight to pay for their families seating requirements.

6Musiclover · 05/04/2015 22:31

Oh, and it's a myth that young children have to be seated next to their parents. They only have to be seated near them.
They can be separated by a couple if rows. Seen this myself last time we flew.

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