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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

119 replies

PookieDo · 08/04/2018 15:44

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?

OP posts:
WickedGoodDoge · 08/04/2018 16:08

No, YANBU. I stopped paying for seats once the DC hit 12 or so. Sometimes we’re split up and they are fine sitting next to a stranger for a few hours. DS flew to Panama by himself when he was 13! Grin

ilovesooty · 08/04/2018 16:10

"Check the seat for a sick bag"

Pathetic.

Tara336 · 08/04/2018 16:15

Ryanair are awful, you now have to pay to carry on! Clearly they were making no money out of its passengers who choose not to use the hold, so now you have to give your carry on bag to handlers as you board or pay extra to take it in the cabin. We also had to pay to sit together and depending where in the plane you want to sit dictates price (nothing to do with legroom). Hate Ryanair planes anyway it’s too uncomfortable but will be refusing to fly with them from now on I’d rather pay a bit more as I book then be ripped off as I check in.

Original poster
PookieDo · 08/04/2018 16:15

No bad experience I know of although she is anxious about some things, not sure if it’s because she’s 16 but she’s quite immature for her age in a lot of ways. I’ve been wavering over whether to give in but I think tough love!

Re travel sickness the air pressure (and the noise?) just makes me feel really unpleasant, light headed and dizzy and off balance. Rollercoasters and some lifts seem to do the same thing

OP posts:
rosesarered9 · 08/04/2018 16:16

I can ask that at least the DC sit together

Ryanair is not going to do that.

Original poster
PookieDo · 08/04/2018 16:18

I know it’s unlikely, I told her that I would at least ask. Other DC is 14

OP posts:
ScattyCharly · 08/04/2018 16:19

Yes I think maybe yabu. You could pay for 2 allocateD seats so your dd would not feel anxious next to a stranger. And then leave your ds to sit in a random place if he’s not bothered. You know it’s going to upset your dd so why do it?

Airlines disgust me. Try paying £90 for extra legroom just because you have the audacity to be extremely tall. Disgusting. Ought to be allocated to people over ahout 6foot 5 on medical grounds Thieving airlines

Glug44 · 08/04/2018 16:19

At 16 she’s classed as an adult. If she can’t act like one on a plane should you really be rewarding that kind of behaviour with a holiday?

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/04/2018 16:22

YANBU. She needs to either pay for the allocation herself or suck it up.

flowerslemonade · 08/04/2018 16:23

What... pay to carry bags on? What on earth....

Mrsmadevans · 08/04/2018 16:23

It is for an hour ......YADNBU OP.

Original poster
PookieDo · 08/04/2018 16:25

I don’t think think it’s necessary to punish her with removing the holiday, I would rather teach her to overcome her worries and that it’s also ok to raise your concerns and have a reasonable debate with your parent about it, even if you don’t get your own way. I have valid reasons although they don’t make her concerns less valid.

OP posts:
amusedbush · 08/04/2018 16:26

Whenever we fly to Paris or similar we (DH and I) don't pay for seat or checked luggage and we've been lucky that we've always been sat together at check in. I would have no issue being seated separately for an hour's flight.

However, if I had a daughter who wasn't already anxious about sitting next to a stranger, I'd maybe look at paying.

amusedbush · 08/04/2018 16:27

Been SEATED together*

Blush
lattewith3shotsplease · 08/04/2018 16:34

OP,
Look at it as learning a life skill.....she cant always get what she wants.

Spartacunt · 08/04/2018 16:38

If the flight isn't full the cabin crew will move you so you can sit together - if you ask nicely, they'll try and help even if the flight's full - no point asking at check in though. If your DD is in a middle seat chances are the person next to her will be happy to swap anyway.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 08/04/2018 16:39

YANBU

Complete waste of money for a one hour flight I agree with you

GinAndToast · 08/04/2018 16:39

I never pay, even when it's not a domestic flight. The teen has to suck it up!

Yanbu

BewareOfDragons · 08/04/2018 16:39

If she wants to go on holiday, she'll have to suck it up and sit where she's put for an hour.

We just flew on Ryanair. My 12 year old boy and I sat next to strangers. gasp Husband sat with the other two younger children. We all got there.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 08/04/2018 16:39

If Ryanair they will definitely split you up. You don’t need to pay for all three of you. Check yourself and the DC that isn’t bothered in first. Almost certainly these will be random centre seats as the aisle and window seats are what people want. Then when you check your DD in choose the seat next to one of them and just pay for her.

It may be only an hour but she sounds anxious about it. If you can afford it this might be a good compromise.

BarbaraofSevillle · 08/04/2018 16:40

Check the seat for a sick bag

Ryanair don't have seat pockets, so where are the sick bags, or do you have to pay extra for those too?

Bluelady · 08/04/2018 16:45

It's a complete waste of money for a one hour flight.

I'm delighted they charge for carry on if it discourages people from doing it. The amount of wasted time and short temper as people try to ram cases into full lockers is ridiculous.

honeyroar · 08/04/2018 16:45

It doesn't say I don't want to sit next to you, it says it's only an hour and we can spend the much needed money on something better while on holiday.

soulrider · 08/04/2018 16:46

Then when you check your DD in choose the seat next to one of them and just pay for her.

Don't rely on this. When we went abroad recently there were no spare seats next to either of our allocated seats and no pairs of seats together.

Yogagirl123 · 08/04/2018 16:50

I totally agree OP, it’s the biggest con ever! Before you know it your cheap flight is no more. I am in a similar situation. I will see what happens. Perhaps someone should start a thread on their experience of this. It was chaos when we flew home on easyJet on Xmas eve, families spilt up, the aircraft was full no spare seats, people asking to swap seats etc. It took ages to get going and a lot of unnecessary angst was caused. It really isn’t on. Why can’t seats be assigned as you book.