to not want to pay £100 to guarantee that our kids can sit next to us on the plane

[mumsnit]

DH wants us to pay £25 each to guarantee that we can all get seats together when we go on holiday next month. Aibu to think it's a ridiculous cost to pay out

But I have heard that one airline refused to seat a family together as they hadn't paid the premium and tried to seat a 3 year old alone on the other side of the plane from the parents. We don't go on holiday very often - especially abroad and I'm already nervous about flying so don't want this added to the stress of travelling.

WWYD/WDYD - do you pay the extra cost?

Really depends on the airline op

Tell me the airline that you gets my advice !

Ubik, the problem is that in real terms the cost of flying has gone down - or at least the amount of profit an airline can make on the flight alone has gone down, so paying for selected seating is always going to be a way for an airline to claw back some of those profits. It's not a good thing, and in an ideal world it wouldn't happen, but unfortunately it does.

Any form of selected seating costs - for whatever reason. If you tell the airline you want seats 1A, 1B and 1C they are going to charge you for it, whether it's for a family that wants to sit together or for someone with assistance needs. It's crap, but it isn't going to go away.

Problem is, as evidenced here, there are people who feel that having a child is reason enough in itself to have the seats they want.

Ruperta if you're offering to pay cunty to swap seats then how about just paying the airline and cutting out the middle man?

The last flight I took was a super cheap turn up, sit down, get your hand baggage in if you're lucky, if not check it in job. Nightmare all round but cost less than a taxi.

Anyway, they call families first but somehow the last group to board was had 4 small kids and tons of adults and nowhere to sit or room for bags. I think drink had been taken because it didn't go well. Then they start ordering everyone around... We've all been there. TBF I don't think they could have specifically booked- only got property boarding or listened to the announcements and got on at the kid time.

Can't believe people's attitudes - we did pay to reserve seats because tbh I thought that was only for tall people or slightly unhinged people, or for those speedy boarding weirdos who then have to sit on the plane for hours whilst everyone else boards.

I didn't realise I had to pay to sit next to my two year old!

Very worrying attitudes on this thread. Put on your headphones all you want you - you obviously haven't been near a 2yo tantrum recently (headphones would do sod all).

I always pay. I want to sit next to my family. I hate flying and book sets as far forward as possible. It's best if I can't see the wing/engine as I keep checking they are still there!

So no I wouldn't move for any reason. While I'm normally the type of person to do anything for anyone, on a plane there is no chance. I'd take care of my own family and that is about all I can manage. If you want your children to be somebody's priority in an emergency them make sure you are sat with them.

DS would cope but DD is disabled and does need help with things so not sure she or I would be happy sitting apart.

It's Virgin Atlantic we're flying with. They seem to charge more than any other airline. Paying there and back would be a huge additional cost.

Well there you go Ruperta - you get to sit away from your shrieky two year old and don't have to pay! Win win.

i don't think having a child means I should have priority just that a bit of commonsense prevails and a toddler can be expected to sit next to one member of his family - surely that is not unreasonable??

Got to go now this thread is making me anxious about my next holiday!

Well pay then!

If you want your children to be somebody's priority in an emergency then make sure you are sat with them

Indeed. You cannot guarantee that anyone else is going to care about your children as much as you do. And other parents are going to be busy with their own children.

How is it a worrying attitude to want to sit next to your child in the seat you have paid to prebook? Why would I put someone else's child ahead in my priorities rather than my own?

How on earth are airlines allowed to do this? Just don't use an airline that does.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/travel/2015/06/family-tax-dads-outrage-as-ryanair-tries-to-seat-three-year-old-away-from-family?_ga=1.233054878.1227488092.1432294702

May be some useful info here

I recently took an EasyJet flight and declined to pay to book my seat - I not only got the last window seat but I had the only empty seat on the plane next to me. That gave me a warm fuzzy feeling of smugness I can tell you!

I would pay the premium to ensure I am NOT sitting within earshot of the baby that screams for the whole flight.

I would pay even more for adult only flights.

When we flew to Ireland at Easter, I was sorry for the yowling dogs but not thr shrieking babies. I'm going to hell!

You expect this from the budget airlines, but the expensive ones are getting in on it too.

We are going to Orlando next year, so a long flight. Virgin wanted £50 each to sit together, but graciously said they could guarantee one of us could sit with 8 yo DD for free.... In order to add the other parent we couldn't just pay their one lot of £50, but had to pay the £150.

BA were more reasonable so we booked with them.

Last time we went on a charter (about 5 years ago so I expect it's all changed) we didn't pay on the way out. We just got to the airport really really early. But we did pay on the way back because obviously you have no control on when you arrive, and do so with a busload of other people.

I've just seen that you are with Virgin

Just can't believe this is the norm now. How sad.

Ruperta, I can see, joking aside, this has got to you.

But it is the way of things on budget airlines - it is an extra. If you won't pay for it, then it isn't fair to say it is 'sad' that others won't accommodate that choice and is in fact taking advantage of other people's kindness and good nature in expecting them to move for you.

FWIW, DH and I pay to have one sat with one child and one with the other. I always get the baby.

Its almost like they are deliberately splitting families up to scare them into paying the ever rising cost of booking seats together to rake in extra cash.

ruperta can you stop calling them speedy boarding WEIRDOS, It's really not a nice thing to say and smacks of jealousy. I AM a speedy boarding weirdo, well I mean I pay for business class when I fly by ryanair to see family. They are the only airline to go direct and I find once ive added in the baggage and my window seat it's cheaper to go "business class" than pay seperately which entitles eml to speedy boarding. But the one thing I won't give up is my seat. Im a nervous flyer, I need to be by a window and near an emergency exit.
And yes I could well ignore your 2 year olds tantrum, ive had years of practise but the other beauty of getting the emergency exit aisle (ignoring all that beautiful legroom) is that small kids can't sit there.

OP its a holiday, if you can afford it, pre book it otherwise you'll just make yourself more anxious. If you are already nervous then worrying about your return flight could ruin your holiday

I knew this happened with budget airlines but am shocked that after paying more than £2k for our package holiday with Thomson they'll want more so I can sit with the kids! Worryingly, the article mentions them as frequent offenders too. A phone call to the booking agent me thinks...

Well it's not really.

It's - you pay X for the flight.

And a bit more for seats of your preference.

I mean, the travelling world isn't composed of families with preschool children. And entire families don't need to sit together either generally pleased to get rid of DH for a few hours