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Original poster

Online Check In - seats together with children

354 replies

madmare77 · 23/05/2017 11:09

I'm going on holiday next week. Thomson package holiday with DH, DS (12) and DD (9). Online check in opened today. Logged on at 6.30am and could not check in. I left it until after 9am and still not able to check in.
I called Thompson to query and was told they only allow 70% on people to check in online (God knows what time they got up to do this!).
I told the lady I was concerned as I had children (especially my 9 year old) could I pay to pre book seats and was told no. I'm concerned as it's a 4.5 hour flight and I don't want my kids sat next to any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Are there any airline industry people who can tell me if they will try to seat us together or are we screwed?
Thanks

OP posts:
NotISaidTheWalrus · 23/05/2017 13:20

They should have thrown you off the flight. If you want to sit with your child, book your seats

Nice. They shouldn't actually, it was their mistake rather than mine.
But even if it hadn't been and I was just someone who hadn't been arsed, its still not appropriate to put a very young child alone with strangers on a flight. Or safe.

ShotsFired · 23/05/2017 13:20

Nobody is paying extra.

Some people are taking advantage of a discount for not wanting prebooked seats. Just like some people pay less for not having hold luggage. It's right there in plain text: www.thomson.co.uk/destinations/info/travel-options

Also Hmm to the OP who seems to think all the other passengers must be monstrous predators just flying about on Thomson flights waiting for an opportunity to get an unaccompanied child alone....

JigglyTuff · 23/05/2017 13:22

Why not? Why do people think that because they have young children, the fact that you have to book seats if you want to sit next to who you're travelling with doesn't apply? You know the deal when you book the flights. If you leave it to chance, then tough

JigglyTuff · 23/05/2017 13:23

Oh right, so it was the airline's fault, rather than yours. What's the relevance to the OP then?

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 23/05/2017 13:26

I fully expect that next time I travel I will be asked to provide a DBS by people like the OP.

Or they could pay and make everybody's life easier.

Original poster
madmare77 · 23/05/2017 13:31

I don't think everyone is a predator. However I do not know these people. I wouldnt leave my children with people I dont know. Also I do feel for people who have to sit next to kids who may need a drink, snack, bathroom visit etc.
Would you want to be in that position?

OP posts:
McTufty · 23/05/2017 13:33

Maybe different in walrus case if it was the airline's fault but generally I am with jiggly. People without children shouldn't be treated as second class passengers while the rules are disapplied for those travelling with children. As a parent it is your responsibility to book seats with your child. If you don't, and the seating arrangements are unsuitable or "unsafe", your fault not the airline's.

McTufty · 23/05/2017 13:34

madmare

It's a shame about the 30% policy but try not to worry. Whoever is sitting next to your child will swap with you if you ask I am sure. As you say, they might not want to sit by an unaccompanied child anyway!

elkegel · 23/05/2017 13:35

Shots it is extra, as having a seat allocated next to kids used to be a given thing and was part of the ticket price. Airlines add any extras they can get away with.

I think especially, if you are already paying a premium price to go at peak times school holidays, everyone should be able to prebook their seats for no extra charge in these periods, when there are bound to be more arguments as flights are busier.

I'm sure their staff would thank them for it also.

NotISaidTheWalrus · 23/05/2017 13:36

Why not? Why do people think that because they have young children, the fact that you have to book seats if you want to sit next to who you're travelling with doesn't apply? You know the deal when you book the flights. If you leave it to chance, then tough

Tough? If you were sitting next to a crying toddler for four hours would you say "listen up kid, your ma didn't book seats properly, so its fucking tough. Stop whining!" or would you just fucking move?

I'd do the latter, but then I'm not an immense dick.

GaelicSiog · 23/05/2017 13:39

I would refuse to move for your child had I paid for seats, unfortunately. I have my own reasons for making sure I book certain seats. I deal with my problem, everyone else can deal with theirs. You might get lucky, but I wouldn't assume they'll move you. There are a few threads about kids being split on flights on here.

NotISaidTheWalrus · 23/05/2017 13:41

I'd volunteer. Many would. Anyone who would sit through a flight next to a sobbing and vulnerable child needs to take a good look at themselves.

SuperFlyHigh · 23/05/2017 13:41

Oh no, not this old chestnut again!

Pay to prebook seats otherwise don't whinge. That applies to everyone not just parents with kids. If airline won't allow you to pay to prebook that's a different story.

SuperFlyHigh · 23/05/2017 13:43

Not vulnerable?! Take a look at yourself. The vast majority of flyers without kids doesn't want to take advantage of, abuse or upset your little angel.

elkegel · 23/05/2017 13:44

We have travelled every year in school holidays as 8 of us with five adults and three children and have never paid to pre book seats. Sometimes we've been able to check in online, sometimes we've had to check in at the airport. Always we've been allocated seats in pairs at least so that an adult can accompany a child. More often than not we've been also in adjacent rows or in 2 x 3s and a 2 rather than scattered about the plane. I realise it can get more problematic when one adult needs to sit with two young children but just wanted to say we've never had an issue in the last 10+ years.

NotISaidTheWalrus · 23/05/2017 13:44

A four year old girl (who looks like a 2 year old girl) with epilepsy and SEN....yep I'd say my "little angel" is pretty vulnerable.

Hmm
ShotsFired · 23/05/2017 13:49

elkegel Shots it is extra, as having a seat allocated next to kids used to be a given thing and was part of the ticket price. Airlines add any extras they can get away with.

  1. The cost of flying is very cheap nowadays, compared to what it used to be, if not actually less, if you adjust it for inflation over time.
  2. Airlines are profit making enterprises with shareholders, not charities.
  3. We are all flying a shedload more than we ever did.

For my flight next month, I have got a discount because I am willing to do the baggage handling myself. If I wanted to pay the airline to look after it, I'd pay them for it. Same as if you get a taxi in Barcelona, you pay less if you put your bags on the back seat next to you, than if you have the driver put your bags in the boot.

elkegel I think especially, if you are already paying a premium price to go at peak times school holidays, everyone should be able to prebook their seats for no extra charge in these periods, when there are bound to be more arguments as flights are busier.

Right, so what happens when there are only random seats scattered thoughout the plane when the last few families come to choose their seats (because someone has to be last). Who moves then? Who decides who should be split up to accomodate them? Airlines are reliant on some people not turning up at all (overbooking) and some people not caring where they sit (so they can play this stupid on-board tetris for those people who want to sit together but tried to get away with only paying the discounted price)

That's why its so cheap to fly, comparatively speaking. You want to pay more for your plane tickets?

ShotsFired · 23/05/2017 13:53

American based, but the reasoning is still valid: www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/how-airline-ticket-prices-fell-50-in-30-years-and-why-nobody-noticed/273506/

BarbaraofSeville · 23/05/2017 13:56

Right, so what happens when there are only random seats scattered thoughout the plane when the last few families come to choose their seats (because someone has to be last). Who moves then

That's what I want to know shots. Any flight during the school holidays is likely to be full of lots of families with children who could be checking in online over a 4 week period (Jet2 at least open check in 4 weeks in advance - I have already checked in for flights in mid June).

Some people may not even have booked by the time the first people check in. By the time the last 4/6/8/12+ seats are allocated they are going to mostly single seats all over the plane, so what happens to the family of 5 who need 5 together or a 2 and 3 at least and are willing to pay, but the seats together aren't available?

SuperFlyHigh · 23/05/2017 13:57

Bit of a dripfeed Not if you haven't stated that earlier..

SuperFlyHigh · 23/05/2017 14:00

And ta da that's Not stated in this thread not.

Of course "your" child is vulnerable.

BarbaraofSeville · 23/05/2017 14:01

It can be very cheap to fly, but it isn't always. Jet2 are selling return flights, with no luggage, food or allocated seat 28/5 to 3/6, Manchester to Ibiza for £344 return.

I'm sure I could find return shorthaul flights costing £400-600 for half term for more than that if I could be bothered to look. Families weren't paying anywhere near that in the pre-cheap flights era, as it simply wouldn't have been affordable to most people. 25 years ago, that was a month's wages for me.

araiwa · 23/05/2017 14:11

airlines dont jack up the prices for allocated seating, baggage check in, food etc

they give a discount to those who dont want those services

before, everyone paid full whack to include every service possible, but now you only pay for what you want- if you want allocated seating together pay for it

also, lol at prebooking seats when trying to check in as opposed to buying them at the time of booking

BarbaraofSeville · 23/05/2017 14:11

Easyjet 26/5 to 3/6 Gatwick to Mallorca £1008 return, just the flight bloody hell.

I know that almost no-one will pay that sort of money, but some will, either because they can, or if they need to travel at short notice. So it's wrong to assume that everyone on the plane has paid buttons for their flight.

We try to find flights that cost no more than about £150, and can be flexible about destination and dates, and if we are diving, usually end up adding £200+ of luggage fees on top.

I'm not sure it costs the airline over £200 to send 3 suitcases on a plane for us, which is probbaly where a lot of the profit is. Obviously they won't make any money off those who pay £50 return, travel hand luggage only, take whatever seat they are offered and buy no food or drink on the plane

GaelicSiog · 23/05/2017 14:13

I suffer from a condition that means I have a need to sit next to whoever I'm flying with. I book seats with this in mind. Very occasionally I have flown alone with my DD and I have always been very pedantic about where I sit on those flights due to this.

So no, I don't think it's unreasonable for me to sit next to a sobbing child (who I would attempt to comfort, for the record) rather than swap. And I won't be the only flyer with that problem.