that airlines charge you extra to sit together!?!?

[Dollygirl2008]

I mean, after a totally shitty year, I have scraped the money together to take my DC away for a weeks holiday to Menorca- possible the last foreign holiday we will have for a long time. And now, the sodding, well reputable tour operator want more money for us to sit together!?!? I mean, do pepper early do this!? Are they really going to split us up (DC is 7)??

Interested in others views or experience, thanks

Blame Ryanair.

They ruined a perfectly good industry with their business model of offering ridiculously low headline fares, but charging very high fees for bags, meals, drinks, allocated seating, changing your ticket, etc etc. They cut out the middle-man, ie the travel agent, and offered zero customer service when things went wrong.

The punters voted with their feet and flocked to Ryanair, so the rest of the industry were forced to cut corners and treat their customers in ways they would prefer not to, in order to compete.

We pay, too. Last year, despite buying our tickets in April, our flight from Amsterdam to Houston in July was so full, DD2, then 9, had to sit behind me. DS has to sit with me as he has autism. Not the first time this has happened - on a shorter flight (Amsterdam to Glasgow) DD1 was directly behind me in the row and DD2 directly in front. And that was the best we could do, the flight was so booked.

Definitely would not move if I were on my own except a like for like or better seat.

We are flying long haul on ba for the first time in many years. I was quite shocked at the £35 charge but given its an over night flight I want to be able to dribble on dhs shoulder and noone elses. He doesnt want to pay the extra and take the chance.

The thing is.. I'm an adult. I sometimes go away with my mum. We're both nervous fliers so we have to sit together. Sometimes my sister comes and we will pay so we are all together.

We had a situation once where we were expected to move as adult passengers but I doubt people sitting next to us would want to deal with either a panic attack or someone digging their nails into your hand.

We pay extra to lessen this risk and there is no chance we would give that up for someone who hadn't. If there was an expectation of looking after your child.. Well it wouldn't happen. Your child would more likely have to look after us!

I used to pay for allocated seating before Easyjet allocated during online checking. Now I don't pay but I check in early and we've always (four of us) have been allocated together. It's usually DH and I on the outside and DC in the middle. Hasn't been a problem.

And why is it that the people asking you to swap always expect you to go to a worse seat? It's usually 'Oh give me your aisle seat and you go sit in my middle seat" or "please, take my seat right next to the toilet so I can sit next to my husband in your nice exit row seat".

But on trains? Seriously, go and boil yer heid. There are at least two unreserved carriages on longer journeys. Otherwise, forget it. No chance I'm moving. The cheek I've seen on there is stunning, though. Not to mention the chancers.

On yet another journey from Glasgow to London (I travel down once a year for a bereaved parent conference), a young woman was asked to produce her ticket after we'd passed the last get out point and were on the way to Euston. Her origin had been clocked at Carlisle. She said she had a student rail card. So the staff said, 'Okay, let's see it.' She said she didn't have it, she left it at home, but she could produce a photo of it on her phone. Right. 'That will be £96 then.' 'Oh, but I left my purse, too. I have only one card.' 'That will do.' 'But what if it's declined?' 'Then you get to come ride up front with me (big grin) and we'll hand you over to British Transport Police when we arrive at Euston.' She was most put out and yelled, 'All you bastards tittering at me are arses, ' which only made people laugh harders.

Surprise, surprise, the card worked.

Chance your arm, but don't be surprised if it bites you on the arse.

Blame Ryanair.

They ruined a perfectly good industry with their business model of offering ridiculously low headline fares, but charging very high fees for bags, meals, drinks, allocated seating, changing your ticket, etc etc. They cut out the middle-man, ie the travel agent, and offered zero customer service when things went wrong

I d praise Ryan Air actually.
I ain't have to pay for thins I don't need or want. I don't want meals, my bags in a hold drinks. I check in on line and follow the rules and get away for next to nothing. Ryan Air had really made opened travel up for me.

Not on your jelly belly

Frankly I hope your defence of people parking their kids in economy whilst they are in Business is some sort of misunderstanding as I think it is the height of poor parenting. What if something happened your kids would be scared witless and you would be no doubt expecting some poor soul to risk their life to save them, all so you could sit with your nose in the air and sip better quality wine.

Last time I flewflew (on my own), I checked in reasonably early and had my seat allocated at check in - quite a good one. When I went to board I was told that I "had been moved " - not asked if I would - because two business men who had arrived later wanted to sit together. I ended up in a far worse seat.

I mostly only fly on budget airlines and the £3 each way I paid to book a particular seat seemed pretty reasonable to me. However, I've been a bit taken aback to see what BA and Virgin charge to book seats - I'd think twice and more at those charges.

I've missed flights with both EasyJet and BA in the past because of being sat stationary on the motorway. Can't blame either airline for that - but EasyJet came out streets ahead on customer service on helping me sort it out. I am not sure what benefit there is in paying more to fly with BA - the only reason I'd fly with them now is because there are no other options for the destination in question.

This is capitalism. Pure and simple.

There is a demand for something, so businesses are making a bit of cash from it. If I was the CEO, I'd do it too.

thumb
If you or your kids were in the row behind you, then you were sitting together according to the airline, as that's classed as together.
That's why i would not risk it!

I don't think it should be free to parents, i need to sit next to my dh why should a parent trump my need?
Or a more disabled person than me?
As it shows from this thread some parents don't even want to sit with their kids anyway so this way makes sense.
If you want to sit together you pay, if you don't want to, or want to risk it then you don't pay it.
little kids have been seperated before, because the airlines version of sitting together is not what people think it means.

I don't think it should be just free for familys either. I am disabiled and need to sit with my DH in case I have a seizure.
It's total crap system but it effects everyone

gosh, I have to say that what started out as a genuine "do you think I need to" type question, I'm slightly astounded by the aggressive tone of some of the replies - a small number I hasten to add, but still, there appears to be a small minority of people with unhelpful, unnecessary posts! notonyerjellybellynelly yours in particular.... Thanks for that.... however, to the vast majority, an interesting thread with lots of different perspectives that provide food for thought

Not being able to afford the extra costs associated with a much saved for holiday is hard but then using it as an excuse to take pot shot at other parents who can afford to do things differently to you isn't nice. And all the more so when you start off putting the boot in by coming up with that old chestnut of 'Call me old fashioned if you like' as a cover for your holier than though I have to pay for seats to sit together judginess.

Frankly I hope your defence of people parking their kids in economy whilst they are in Business is some sort of misunderstanding as I think it is the height of poor parenting. What if something happened your kids would be scared witless and you would be no doubt expecting some poor soul to risk their life to save them, all so you could sit with your nose in the air and sip better quality wine

No, it not a misunderstanding.

I agree entirely with you about the safety and emotional aspects of this and what would happen in an emergency? But the fact is that others either don't think about it, or if they do, they deem air travel to be so safe they think the risk is worth taking. So yes, as long as the children are well behaved it really is no business of anyone else's as to why they are sitting apart from their parents. And if there is an emergency? Well, no one knows how they'd react so its all rather pointless thinking 'what if' because it could even be that you're the parent sitting there judging another parent - then in an emergency you're too scared to help your own children next to you and others have to do it for you.

I frequently see businessmen and women sitting up front in the aircraft whilst their family are back in economy because one parent is on a paid for business trip and the family are going along for a holiday at their own expense. Where's the bosom hoiking here about that?

all so you could sit with your nose in the air and sip better quality wine

Its a shame you had to spoil your very reasonable post with the above because Im sure you know that not everyone drinks alcohol and if people have their nose in the air on an aircraft, regardless of where they sit, its generally how they go through life anyway.

On a easy jet flight to Majorca at Easter. Parents and 6 year old daughter with no pre-booked seats on a jammed full flight. The cabin staff said there was nothing they could do about it and the woman behind me ended up looking after someone else's very upset 6 year old for the whole flight. Not fair on her ..... don't understand why people do this......paying for your seats is essential part of costing a holiday surely

Did no one really think to say to the parents - one of you sit on your own so your daughter can sit with your partner?

Paying for your seats is the same as paying for hold luggage, it is part of the price for flying on an aircraft! I can't get over the entitlement of those with young kids who think they should get it for free.

It's all about planning and allowing those that want to pay for this, to do so. You'd hardly turn up at Gatwick with a huge suitcase and say I want to put this on the plane for free" This is the same, don't turn up and expect to be sat exactly where you want. Book and pay for it instead.

To reiterate, airfares have come down drastically from say when my DCs were small. Everyone is reaping the benefit of this. I used to pay for my kids to sit next to me, I had to, it was part of the price of the ticket, which in real terms was far far more expensive than now. I also paid for a meal and a suitcase each that I didn't want. This method today is flexible and I like it.

Jellybelly I presume the parents were sitting on their own too.

Roussette it is not about entitlement, it is about keeping young children safe - and the rest of the passengers safe in an emergency. We recognise in society that small children are vulnerable and at other times should not be left on their own, this doesn't change on an aircraft. The sense of entitlement here seems to be from others who refuse to recognise this.

No, the sense of entitlement comes from those parents who expect others to accommodate their children when they themselves can't be arsed to do what is necessary to safeguard their own children.

If you want to guarantee you are sitting together you pay for advance seat allocation.
If you want to maximise your chances you check in early.
If you want to take your chances, you accept the consequences.

Airfares are priced in the latter two scenarios. If you want the extra guarantee, you pay.

It is totally about entitlement I think.

You want a service for free because you have children. I paid for my DCs within the price of our tickets when they were young. I had no choice. You should decide you have no choice either and pay for it and not expect to get it for free, or even worse expect the airline to juggle seats to accommodate you, when you decide you won't pay.

I book seats when travelling with DC just to be sure.

That said, if I were with just my 7 year old she could cope with being in front or behind without unduly bothering anyone.

That said, if I am alone I book the aisle seat as I am claustrophobic and can't cope with anything else. So would not want to be moved and wouldn't move.

p.s. Of course young children are vulnerable. Mine were. Which is why I made sure they were sat with me. Why take a risk with your own vulnerable children and have them sat away from you?
Paying for seats is part of the price of airtravel. It is not free unless you don't care where you or your DCs sit.