to not want to pay for seat allocation on a short flight

[PookieDo]

This isn’t a thread about the rights or wrongs of seat allocations on flights in general. I want to know if you think AIBU to my 16yo DD.

I have booked a short domestic one hour flight this year with my 2 teenage DC. I got an absolutely grear rock bottom price for return flights within the U.K. I hate flying and have never flown with my DC but they have flown a lot with their father. I can’t afford holidays usually to be honest but I’ve budgeted this one on a small scale. I flew recently a very short flight to see if I could do it at all and although I hated every minute of it (not just anxiety it makes me feel ill) I can probably tolerate it for a short period.

I did not reserve the seats on the plane when I booked because it’s £25 for all 3 of us both ways and it is 1 hour! I think this is a silly extra price that’s only worth it on a long flight or small DC. We will be in the airports longer than we will likely be on the plane. My DD16 thinks that I am being unreasonable, as she might have to sit next to a stranger 🙄 and I think she’s lucky to be going on a holiday and that we might all get lucky at check in/when we board and I can ask that at least the DC sit together. If not then just put headphones in and ignore the stranger next to you.

AIBU?

Yanbu and DS16 needs to grow up and/or pay to reserve the seats if she is that bothered.

YANBU.

You might find that you get seats together on check in anyway. I wouldn’t pay to reserve seats on such a short flight either.

YANBU

Unless your DD is an anxious flyer.

I'm with you. Tell your daughter to pay for the reservation if she's so bothered.

I didn’t think she was anxious about flying, more that she seems bothered about having to sit near a stranger. Especially if it’s a man. She’s also like this in a cinema.

Ask her to pay for the allocation out of pocket money?

My kids are aged 6-10 and I never pay for seat reservations. Check in as soon as it opens and chances are you'll be sitting together anyway

YANBU. I wouldn't pay for such a short flight either. Your DD can either pay herself, or deal with sitting beside someone she doesn't know for an hour.

If it's with Ryanair they will split you up, it's their policy to encourage seat booking. Most other airlines will put you together when you check in unless they don't have any seats together left.

Yanbu. How is she going to commute or work if she’s too afraid to sit next to a stranger?

If you can can check in online there's a better chance of being together, I was mildly over joyed that me and DP were together on our flights after refusing to pay for seat allocation x

You are not being unreasonable at all.

I have refused to pay for seat allocation before. They split us all up. They claimed at the check in desk they couldn't seat is together. So I left it. When we got on the plane the people next to my unaccompanied 4 year old weren't happy. Amazingly they then seated us together.

The bus into town from where we live is 40 minutes. Can’t reserve a seat there and often sat next to strangers! The flight isn’t much longer.

I wouldn't bother but don't come crying to me if they make you stand all the way

It is Ryanair and I had heard from mumsnet they are notoriously awful for seat allocation even if you book

I agree about the bus too and have said as much. It is not like I am far away either is it on the same plane.

Chances are the stranger may be prepared to swap with you anyway

On a different note, is it travel sickness you get? I've been horrifically travel sick and have discovered Scopaderm patches, just managed a 10.5 hour return flight without a hint of nausea - life changing!

I'd have booked seats together because you're travelling together on a trip away together, it seems just a bit petty not to. It kind of says I don't want to sit next to you really.

You are not unreasonable - I wouldn't now pay to reserve seats for me and my teenagers if we are flying within UK or to Europe. I have just booked long haul and did pay as it's a longer journey.

Ryanair will automatically split you up if you don't pay to reserve seats.

Is there a reason, has she had a bad experience?

YANBU - it's an hour! I'm 20 and have flown short flights alone from 16. It's like any other public transport - people typically don't talk to each other, it really does not matter who you are sat beside. I just pop my headphones in and read. She's being silly.

As you pass the steward on your way in say to the 16 year old loud enough to hear. "Check the seat pocket for a sick bag - it was a real mess last time". The as an aside to the steward - "she'll be okay".

You'll be sat next to each other by take-off.