AIBU to think that a 3 year old sitting on own on 12 hour flight is not ok??

[Angela0413]

Having absolutely nightmare with Thomson airline as they apparently state in t&cs (in teeny tiny writing of course) that they class seats across the aisle or behind each other as "sitting together. So on a 12 hour flight myself (with 9 month baby on lap), husband, just turned 3 year old are on 3 aisle seats!! Need to be able to cuddle 3 year old as a nervous flier and God forbid if there was an emergency. Trying to speak to customer service is like banging head against brick wall - they just keep stating "it's in t&cs". We paid £360 for extra leg room and pre selected seats and this is what we get? AIBU? Eventually they said they might be able to move us t to standard seats so we can sit together but will not refund the £360...

Thomson used to offer excellent customer service now its money money money and very litte of the service .. Good Luck I would be steaming as well .The sooner the CAA make it regulation and ont a guideline th ebetter for all families travelling with small children.

The OP is not being U to not want it to happen.No-one would want that. As many have said though, it's nothing to do with customer service and everything to do with human error. On the part of the OP. Sadly. She chose to fork out massively for extra legroom without considering that even where there are a few extra rows of extra legroom there's only ever going to be limited rows like that. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work that out!

Hopefully they will sort it at check-in, or even on the plane. I can't see anyone who has paid extra/got themselves organised properly being willing to swap. Why should they? I wouldn't. I was once told on a flight that I (and dd aged about 6) had to move because a woman "had" to sit next to the window despite me having paid upfront for our specific seats. I told them (and her) to shove it.

Of course they should refund the money you paid for extra legroom under the circumstances. You'd rather sit 3 normal seats together and you want to sort it in advance. YANBU at all.

Unfortunately airines count across the aisle, directly behind/infront or diagonally from each other as "sitting together" so they haven't actually lied to you. It'll be in the terms and conditions so I'm not sure how lucky you'll be with regards to a refund.

But I don't blame you for downgrading - that's a LONG flight to be sat on your own with a baby, or for a toddler to not be directly next to a parent. I hope you get it sorted - and enjoy your holiday!

I flew BA business this summer (we got a really good deal!) and part of the additional benefits of business was we could choose our seats- no option to pay extra to do this earlier that we could see. So i duly got up as soon as the seats were released and booked me, DH and on lap DD (20 months) seats together. All fine on the way there. On the way back however our at home printed boarding passes said one thing and the check in computer and new boarding passes showed we had been split up across the plane. Not in the next aisle, or in front or behind, but completely apart. Whilst I appreciate DD was 'on lap' and so there was no requirement for BA to sit us together, we'd booked business because of the extra between seats so we could keep her entertained on the flight. We had ensured we had booked our seats to enable us to do this at the earliest possible time. The lovely lady at the check in spent ages trying to move us around together and couldn't understand why they had reallocated our seats. Doubtless those in the queue behind though we were those parents but we had done everything possible to ensure we could sit together, it was BA who had mucked it up, and the check in lady couldn't think why they would have done it!

So what i am saying is that just because you have paid and in some cases already chosen your seats doesn't mean the airline will honour this when you get to the airport. I think you were mislead OP. I'm assuming they didn't offer another upgrade to select seats in a row when you booked (for an additional fee of course )

So, you paid for extra legroom and to preselect your seats, then missed the email so didn't select the seats straight away. Hardly the airline's fault, although I appreciate it's frustrating.

I would push to downgrade if there's space but no idea what happens if all those tickets are sold.

Note to everyone, read the T&Cs and book seats as soon as it opens if you want to sit together.

You're inflicting 2x12hr flights on a baby and a 3yr old

yy to this. I will never understand people inflicting flights (& incredibly hot temperatures in their destination location) on babies and very young children unless they absolutely have to. For a holiday is frankly bonkers.

I agree that if you downgrade they should refund the money. It seems fair.

The rest though is not the airline's fault.

I agree that they should refund the money for the upgrade if you downgrade.

The rest though is your oversight.

Sorry! Didn't that posted.

Ffs taking kids and babies in a holiday is not inflicting on them! Inflicting a lovely holiday??!! 😂🙄😂🙄😂🙄😂🙄
Temperatures in Mauritius are not excessive. It's ideal for young children mine loved it there.
A 12 hour flight is not insanely long and most are at night and the kids sleep inboard and wake up in a fantastic destination where they can watch wild dolphins swim past from the beach, visit rainforest, temples, sugar plantations, swim in the sea, go in boat trips, learn to snorkel and experience a different culture, a blend of French, African and Indian. It's a fab place a feel sorry for those who see travel with kids as an infliction, stick to Skegness.

Mouldy Only one of my friends has taken an infant on a long-haul flight and she said she'd never do it again. Flight was horrific (obviously it would be for an infant). Cried for days due to the heat. Once got used to they settled down. Then cried for days on return to UK due to having to adapt to change in temp again. This isn't due to lack of money on the other friends part. Just accept that taking babies/infants long haul is not doable.

To those saying cabin crew will sort it, that's a risky strategy as they might not be able to.
Eg if op is in a row with another parent plus child, the dh is in a row with another parent plus child, and the 3 year old the same. Swapping will just put the others in the same situation.

Oh those poor children having a holiday in Mauritius forced upon them!
We dragged ours to California when they were little to visit their cousins, what bastards we are. Strangely, the holiday our kids still complain about is the wet week we camped in Wales (although the bit when we had to decamp at dawn and head inland to avoid a gale is remembered fondly).

Op - totally ignore posters talking about 'inflicting long haul flights on children.' They're wrong. My dc love it, unlimited film watching, sleeping cuddled up, and a holiday on the beach at the end. Not much not to like. Enjoy your holiday.

The op is booked. She has paid. She is going. She can't even get the money back she has paid for extra legroom seats, I doubt she will get a refund on the whole holiday because someone on the internet had a friend that took their child on holiday and the child didn't like it. Child may have screamed all the way to Bognor Regis as well. It's not that hot in Mauritius! there are pools and the sea to cool off in. Most hotels have nannies. There are fantastic facilities for kids and it's well set up for little ones. It's a lovely place to go. Kids can cry and not like it anywhere, I wouldn't stay home just in case for the next 20 years!

I flew to Australia at nine months and apparently slept the whole way! I don't think babies are as much of a problem as toddlers as you don't need to "entertain" them in the same way.

That said, I wouldn't do it unless I absolutely had to!

Nathan do you think you might be extrapolating a bit based on your one friend with one flight on one holiday?

Barbarian It is also based on numerous flights myself having to put up with babies crying.

We fly long haul once per year. For both my dc, it was the first night they ever slept through. They were both around 3 months and they get the best seats in the house, bassinet, rocked to sleep, and parents right next to them. The only time it was hard was when they were around 1.

A 12 hour flight is not insanely long and most are at night and the kids sleep inboard and wake up in a fantastic destination where they can watch wild dolphins swim past from the beach, visit rainforest, temples, sugar plantations, swim in the sea, go in boat trips, learn to snorkel and experience a different culture, a blend of French, African and Indian.

Yeah, babies and 3 year olds really appreciate all that stuff

OP - you missed the email to book your seats so that by the time you booked them, there were only aisle seats left. Nice dripfeed there. Tough I'm afraid.

Nathan - my DD LOVED flying from a very young age. No "inflicting" in her eyes, she thought aeroplanes and airports were the most exciting places in the world. Forget the destination - the bit she used to look forward to was the flight itself.

Just as well since we've always done 4 or 5 long-haul trips a year with her

queen fair enough. Personally be my worse nightmare having to travel long haul that often.

Nathan I travel a lot for work (20+ weeks of the year) so we make the most of it as a family when DD is on holiday by taking DD/DH with me. They get to see some super places (Ethiopia was a real highlight last year - and this year we have been to Kenya, Botswana, Boston, San Francisco, Mumbai and Kerala), at minimal cost (I use points for flights and extra hotel rooms).

To those ring utter misery guts about us travelling with kids I'm sorry you don't understand what a great thing it is! Our 3 year old has travelled around the world with us, making the most of family time before he starts school. He's just at that age where he wants to unbuckle seatbelt and is starting to question "how does plane stay in the area!" On recent flight a couple behind us were so shocked we were travelling with a toddler and baby as they were so well behaved and quiet. I can never understand why people don't travel with children. It's just this seat situation causing a bit of a headache and to be honest the lack of common sense & care from a company we have travelled with extensively