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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

prebooking flight seats?

93 replies

Beth2511 · 09/01/2017 10:11

im flying domestically to go see my very unwell grandma and flying alone with a 2 year old and 5 month old.

i can barely afford the flights but i dont have any other eay of getting there and unlike lastvtime i did it they want £28 for me to book seats which is 30% of the cost of the tickets and also £40 for luggage.

ultimately its going to be a choice between taking luggage or guaranteeing im sat with my 2 year old. i definitely cant afford both but i think because of the age of my two and going for 5 days that im going to have to take luggage.

if i didnt prebook seats would they really sit me apart from my 2 year old. she'd probably have a great time as she loves making friends but she is also mastering the terrible twos..

dont know whether to risk it!

OP posts:

TheFairyCaravan · 09/01/2017 12:47

On a domestic flight I would move, so would DH. It's what? An hour? I'd be fine doing that, it's longer ones when I need help getting up and down for the loo that I wouldn't.

Cwtchythings · 09/01/2017 12:51

I've never paid to prebook seats. On our last holiday we were allocated seats all over the place at check in, but then they changed our seats at the gate so we were all together. We didn't ask either! It's never been a problem but maybe we have just been lucky

Rinceoir · 09/01/2017 12:55

If you are staying with family is their any chance of borrowing some of the equipment? I travel to see family frequently- when DD was tiny my parents asked around and we've always been able to borrow a travel cot, foldup buggy and we also borrowed an infant car seat when she was still fitting into it (from neighbours and friends of friends). It may be worth asking around. If your toddler is a good walker and you can borrow some things I'd look at checking in car seat(s), and putting baby in a sling, backpack on your back toddler holding one hand and a little hand luggage case with wheels if possible. I used to pack everything I needed for DD for a week into my backpack. It's not just the money, it's how you manage the luggage when you get off the plane too. If travelling with just hand luggage isn't an option I would reconsider driving but schedule lots of breaks.

SallyInSweden · 09/01/2017 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

skinoncustard · 09/01/2017 13:05

On a flight from Budapest to the UK the stewardess insisted my adult daughter moved from her aisle seat as there was a woman with a baby (in arms) coming on the flight and it was regulations that she sat in an aisle seat ??? she wasn't even on the plane at this time!
When the woman eventually arrived she didn't want that seat but wanted to sit with her husband in the middle and window seat they had been allocated, same stewardess said 'no problem ' and everyone went back to where they were ???? No idea what it was all about, I think they make some of the rules up as they go along .

nksw · 09/01/2017 13:05

I'm crew and personally, would move heaven and earth to keep a family seated together.

That way I don't have two lots of unhappy passengers to contest with and it makes my day that little bit easier.

There are circumstances where this may be impossible, but I haven't come across it yet.

Secondly, I fly Flybe (as a passenger) a lot. If you get there early enough and use the self check in terminals, you can always pick your seat. Just get to the airport early.

I really wouldn't bother paying the extra.

MadisonAvenue · 09/01/2017 13:07

We flew with Virgin a few months ago, it would've cost us £200 to prebook seats for four of us (for seats there and back) so we left it to chance.
When I checked in we'd been allocated 2 and 2, with two of us immediately behind the other two.
On the return journey we'd been allocated 3 and 1 although the single seat was across the aisle from the three. Both flights were full and we were flying on four adult tickets as our children are teenagers.

Only1scoop · 09/01/2017 13:09

Flybe are great and would never sit you separate. I spoke to them about it when travelling with dd a few years ago.

nksw · 09/01/2017 13:14

skinoncustard

There's a distinct possibility that had mother with infant sat in her original seat, there wouldn't have been an drop down oxygen mask for the baby. On a lot of aircraft, the 'extra' mask is located on one side or individual rows.

So rather than trying to ruin your day, she was probably trying to just do her job...

LondonHuffyPuffy · 09/01/2017 13:26

I rarely pay to pre-book seats and certainly never would on a short haul or domestic flight. I would swap my allocated seat so that a parent could sit with their child(ren) as would DH. It's a really short amount of time out of your life, why wouldn't you? Would rather that than have to sit next to an anxious child or parent!

On a long haul flight I would probably swap too, depending on where I was likely to end up. DH always plugs straight into his headphones and I end up pacing the cabin anyway so not a problem.

Hope you and your little ones have a good flight, OP, and that your DGM is ok

massistar · 09/01/2017 13:28

I flew a lot with Flybe by myself when my 2 were little, youngest was a baby and eldest was around 3. I never paid extra and was always sat beside my toddler. That was with checking in at airport too. Do online checkin as soon as it opens and it will be fine.

I'd definitely check in your luggage though as trying to get a baby, toddler and hand luggage up the airplane steps was a struggle. I used to put the baby in a sling and check the buggy in at the gate so I'd be hands free getting on and off the plane.

People were always lovely and helpful at the baggage carousel etc. Honestly, it won't be as hideous as it sounds!

skinoncustard · 09/01/2017 13:41

nksw
Ok , that may well have been the case , but why when the mother with baby refused the seat was it ok for her to sit in her original seat.
Didn't 'ruin' my day , as I said my DD is an adult . Just seem a lot of fuss moving people about for no reason . One minute it was 'regulations' the next minute 'ok no problem , sit where you want '
All very odd !

BabychamSocialist · 09/01/2017 14:19

FlyBe are usually business people who travel alone so even if they do sit you apart I don't think you'd have an issue getting someone to swap with you.

noenergy · 09/01/2017 14:20

I always check in online when the time opens, it's 24 hrs b4 with easyJet and have never been separated from DC.

U will b fine

icanteven · 09/01/2017 14:45

You get three carryons with the three seats though - how can that not be enough for 5 days? Why make life even more cumbersome for yourself with checked luggage?

In an ideal world we'd all be flying British Airways business class, but when it comes down to stress-free seating v luggage, there's no contest.

maddy68 · 09/01/2017 14:57

I pay for my seats and I will not move out of my chosen seat because someone else hasn't.

Take handluggage only (I never pay for luggage anyway, just roll the clothes to make them compact. ) You don't need luggage

wasonthelist · 09/01/2017 15:00

Off Topic (sorry) but

Everyone is saying pre-book or prebooking?

What's the difference between that and booking seats?

DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain · 09/01/2017 15:07

Are you going during school hols? If not you won't need to book seats as there won't be lots of kids on the flight. This is only really issue during school hols.

DoNotBlameMeIVotedRemain · 09/01/2017 15:10

The little one will be on your knee anyway. They will put 2 year old next to you anyway.

Cassimin · 09/01/2017 15:19

I always book seats at same time as flight. I just see it as all in with the price.
I have teenage children and an 8 year old. Last year we were asked to move to accomadate mother and child. I refused. Why should I pay and someone else just feel that they are entitled to seats together.
We always fly easyJet/Ryanair. We just take carry on luggage. Plenty of room in a carry on case.
I have booked flights for 2 holidays this year, one with each firm and I think their seating policies have changed. Cabin crew have probably complained about having to move customers around and all the complaints they get.

thenightsky · 09/01/2017 15:27

I've flown with flybe quite a lot at non-rush hour times and they are half empty and nobody appears to worry about booking seats. Everyone just treats it like a bus.

afromom · 09/01/2017 15:53

I would check what sort of plane it is. If it's a UK based flight, which it sounds like it might be from your posts, it could be a fairly small plane. I've flown flybe a few times on a small plane, 2 seats one side 1 seat the other. That could make sitting together more tricky if it's only the single seats free. If a bigger plane may be ok.

massistar · 09/01/2017 16:01

The OP is flying alone with a baby and a toddler.. how is she supposed to manage 3 pieces of carryon luggage?? It's much less hassle to get rid of 1 bigger trolley at checkin.

noenergy · 09/01/2017 17:32

Do not take hand luggage. Not with a toddler and baby.

NicknameUsed · 09/01/2017 17:48

Can you go online and check how many seats have been prebooked?

I would also be interested to know how recently the non bookers have flown? The idea of having to prebook seats has really taken off in the last 18 months or so. I don't agree with it, but as DD suffers from anxiety I always prebooked seats now.

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