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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

thinking I should have been seated next to my three-year-old on this flight?

682 replies

nappyrat · 10/09/2016 21:41

Cheap (orange) airline. Normally v good when travelling with kids - speedy boarding, say they'll sit you with kid/s etc.

Flew out recently & they said a 'technical error' had mistakenly sat me in a different row(!!) to my 3 year old. They fixed it on board (after much grumbling by several passengers about not moving from seats they've paid extra to book to sit together (fair enough!)). But fixed, fairly stress free.

Return flight today, I was sat across the aisle from DS. Their handling agent told me that this is considered 'sat together'?! Erm...really?! Confused Anyway, handling agent refused to seat us together. Cue quite a bit of 'discussing' with them why this was not on IMO. No budging. Decided to leave it & ask the flight crew when we boarded. Who eventually sorted it - v kind older couple agreed to move seats.

Before I let loose with said orange airline's customer services, AIBU to think that sorting across the aisle from a 3 yr old is not appropriate?! DS was wailing, I had to bend across aisle to comfort, there were good chunks of time during boarding when I couldn't see DS because ppl stood in between us in aisle. Just bloody stressful quite frankly. And not what I'd expect from this - or to be bloody honest - any - airline.

Opinions please mumsnet!

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 10/09/2016 23:36

You absolutely should not be expected to have to pay to prebook seats when travelling with a minor. That is shameless profiteering. If travelling in a family group one adult has to sit apart, fair enough, but children should be seating with their adult and no-one should be forced to pay for that.

Theimpossiblegirl · 10/09/2016 23:36

*seated
bloody phone

jayho · 10/09/2016 23:36

But you don't have to pay and they know this, just board last, stand nice and still and compliant and say ' I have two under 16's we need to be seated together.' game over. No queue rush no stress. They know your profile when you book the tickets, you aren't a surprise. It really is time to reclaim power from the low cost arses.

Original poster
nappyrat · 10/09/2016 23:39

IMHO the orange airline - which as I said in my OP, I think are pretty bloody good usually for families - could really lead this one & do themselves a massive PR point by accepting the CAA doesn't go far enough & promise to sit children under 8(??) directly next to an accompanying adult.

OP posts:
Myownperson · 10/09/2016 23:40

I was really embarrassed but a whole row of people further back spotted the fuss and moved. They were really lovely about it.

Actually overall on that trip I had people being helpful carrying bags etc as 2 year old had several tantrums. I was surprised the grumpy folk weren't offering to move to get away from him! Grin

AssembleTheMinions · 10/09/2016 23:40

Nappy, but you were sitting next to your child Hmm

jayho · 10/09/2016 23:42

As a parent in this situation you are not discomfitting other passengers. The airline knows who has booked tickets for the slight (and paid for them) and it is their responsibility to seat you legally.

If you are insisting on both parents being seated with two children, YABU, however if not, all good, you may have to spend up to 3 hours separated from your SO and negotiate who gets the kids....

More than two kids, 2 with one, others with other (choose wisely)

Original poster
nappyrat · 10/09/2016 23:43

My own - hurrah for lovely, helpful people. A guy in the parking walked up to me & said 'I cN see you're on your own, wd you like me to push your trolley so you can look after your DS?' & proceeded to push trolley all way to check in, despite being there to collect his family from arrivals! Bless him!

OP posts:
Myownperson · 10/09/2016 23:44

I didn't think of paying them Kimmy, wouldn't have had the cash anyway.

I didn't think it was entitled to think sometimes you inconvenience yourself to help someone out. It's just being nice surely?

Alittlebitofthat · 10/09/2016 23:44

I specifically paid extra on flights just so that we could be together, me and DS2 in one row, DH and DS1 directly in front. On way home from holidays a couple with 3 kids who I assume hadnt booked, tried to get attendant to force my DH and DS1 to move, he refused as we had paid. I then ended up spending most of my flight looking after their under 2 as she wandered around while they read their books (ignored her)...... I'm sorry but if you want to be 100% sure of sitting with your kids you need to pay!

LyndaNotLinda · 10/09/2016 23:45

They sat you with your child for free on the way back. On the way there, they agreed they'd made a mistake and rearranged people.

Also, as a PP said, the free seat allocations are released in advance on orange air. So you can actually choose two seats together at no cost! But of course you have to get off your arse and book them.

YABVU especially for backtracking and saying that you don't fly very frequently when in your OP you said that normally the airline is very good with kids.

WhisperingLoudly · 10/09/2016 23:51

I was recently sat across an isle from my DC (aged 10!) on an internal flight (relatively small plane)

In itself this was fine but the plane had been delayed and on landing rude bastards were keen to disembark ASAP. He was barged out the way by three adults and prevented from getting into aisle so we could exit together.

It was fine, he's traveled lots and knows not to panic if we're separated but if that'd been an emergency I'd have climbed and trampled over those three to get back to him and ensure he was ok. Which doesn't help anyone.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 10/09/2016 23:52

jayho there is no legal obligation whatsoever for an airline to seat you with your children. The CAA guidelines are just that - guidelines, not law. And even then they only say that children should ideally be seated with adults. Fwiw, I agree with lteve, make people opt out of the e trash then there's no comeback, but if we want that then we need to accept the cost of travel will go up,

EnglishGirlApproximately · 10/09/2016 23:53

No idea what e trash it! Opt out of it...

roundaboutthetown · 10/09/2016 23:59

Ridiculous not to ensure a three year old is seated next to at least one parent, rather than across the aisle from them - not to ensure this is unfair on other passengers, the parents and the cabin crew.

Potcallingkettle · 11/09/2016 00:00

I second all the other posters. Online checkin opens a week in advance for Easy Jet. At that point, you can choose your seats for free - I had no problem on two separate flights over the summer holidays travelling from different airports.

Johnny5isAlive · 11/09/2016 00:07

YABU

ilovesooty · 11/09/2016 00:10

As far as I can see if the no frills airlines are compelled to seat adults directly next to children without charge the base fare will increase. As a single traveller I already pay single supplements, pay more comparatively for accommodation and don't see why I should subsidise families ' travel as well.

BeALert · 11/09/2016 00:26

You can pay as much as you like for seats, book as far as you like in advance, but if something goes wrong (like they end up using a different plane to the one scheduled) then they'll move you all without paying any attention to whether they've left a 3yo or even a 1yo sitting dozens of rows away from their parents.

Been there done that.

Generally, I say 'Great! I'm sure that poor sod there will be delighted to hold the sickbag for my 7yo while they puke for the entire flight.'

At that point the cabin crew always move people so that my pukey 7yo is next to me again. Bastards.

BlackDoglet · 11/09/2016 00:31

Are you being U?
Yes.
Online check in is very, very simple. You can do it a month in advance and pay for your seats or check in a week in advance for free.
You should have checked in online one way or the other. For both outbound and inbound flights.

Guessinggame2016 · 11/09/2016 00:45

I recently also flew with the orange airline, had booked seats, me, DH and DD together and Ds'S across the aisle. They are 17 and 12 now but this is the way we have travelled for about 4 years. Anyway, the crew member asked if they were with me. I said yes and he asked if an adult could swap places with one of them so they both had an adult sat with them!! When I said DS was 17 he said that was ok then if over 16 so we all stayed put!!! But have never had that before and they have even been a couple of rows away previously.

So totally different to your experience!

Doggity · 11/09/2016 00:51

Those who think they are entitled to be seated for free next to your child, have you never been on a charter flight to a popular holiday destination at peak holiday time? The plane is usually only families. What do you propose happens then? Do the parents who paid to sit next to their child/ren have to move? The layout of the plane means you may very well be a row away from them and nobody can do anything about it.

Janus · 11/09/2016 00:56

Oh dear, fly quite regularly and have 4 children, we pay for all of us to sit together in various combinations, each way.
Every bloody time we get the delay by some family who have not paid to sit next to their children and then create a complete scene. I WILL NOT MOVE seats, having paid for the 6 of us to sit together and that's the feeling of everyone else who has paid (as most do now). It's ridiculous for you to assume people will move to please you. Some adults need to sit next to eachother due to fear of flying, etc, and PAID for that. Do not expect people to move for you. In future pay, it's the only decent thing to do. Sorry!

kali110 · 11/09/2016 01:05

Omg op you were sat with your child!
You have nothing to complain about.
Just because it wasn't right next to you isn't their fault.
They haven't done anything wrong.
If you want to guarantee it then you pay.
Also it's not just an easyjet thing, it's the same with all airlines! It's caa guidelines.
I feel sorry for the passengees who were moved ( as i doubt they will get their money back!).

Telling tempus not too post, Are you serious?
Swearing is allowed too...

IamAporcupine · 11/09/2016 01:11

I fly frequently with my DS4 and I now know that 'sitting together' might mean across the aisle or even the row in front (CAA rules) so I do pay to make absolutely sure he sits right next to me.

HOWEVER, I think it is absolutely crazy that parents have to pay for this. As many others have said, it is just a safety issue!

And also to the posters saying that across the aisle is sitting together...it might be ok for a 7yo, but how about a 24 months old baby?