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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu re booking sets on the plane

234 replies

Yeaididthat · 06/05/2018 07:29

We (2 adults and 3 kids) are due to travel with jet2 for the first time for a family holiday in just over 3 weeks. When I tried to reserve seating this morning it appears as though all seat except exit seats are already booked, and these can only be booked by 14 years+. DC are 10, 8 and 3. As cheeky as it is, surely Jet2 aren't going to turn us away over this? I'm aware that this is expecting others to take seats they didn't chose and have paid for Blush but it is the front row etc which is still available. Aibu? Do airlines provisionally allocate children seats and this doesn't appear?

OP posts:
goose1964 · 09/05/2018 09:35

have you looked at this

www.caa.co.uk/Blog-Posts/Are-you-sitting-comfortably-/

PointReply · 09/05/2018 10:26

I look like a healthy mid 30's woman. I book my seat, aisle, close to front or back. This is because I have MS and might need the toilet urgently and need to get there fast. Because of the MS I also can't clamber over people, I'll fall.
On one of the recent flights I took, 2 young women, together but hadn't booked seats, asked me to move over because one friend was in the aisle seat the other side and the other friend was in the middle seat my side. I said no and got some serious dirty looks from them.

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 10:37

Thingvellir It’s not kind to not book seats together with your 3 year old in the hope someone else will have to move to accommodate you. That is exceptionally selfish

Its not about being kind. CAA rules says the airline has to accomodate them. Not our fault that you have fallen for the scam and paid for nothing, should you need to move.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 09/05/2018 10:55

IronMansIronButt I was responding to a poster who was talking about kindness.

CAA’s definition of “next to” isn’t the same as most peoples. A lot of people aren’t happy with a row in front/behind or across the aisle being “next to”.

I haven’t fallen for anything and it’s not a scam. It’s clear: pay for your seats to guarantee (bar safety concerns, obviously) sitting together. Otherwise take your chances and don’t try and force others to move to accommodate you.

Throw all the insults you want, be as rude as you want to people who don’t conform to your idea of the world. It doesn’t change the fact that I am happy to pay and will always continue to pay. If this inconveniences you, then given your attitude on this thread, I’m even happier.

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:00

It is a scam and you have not only fallen for it, you are taking time to try and convince others to fall for it to.
I won't be inconvenienced in the slightest, I'll get the seats I want for free, but you shouldn't mind because you are so happy to pay, right?

Flomper · 09/05/2018 11:27

It is a scam in the sense that airlines (started by Ryan Air) have deliberately hidden the fact that famillies dont have to pay to sit together because the CAA, the legal governing body, states:

"Passengers can of course pay for reserved seating if they so wish, but families travelling together should be aware that they do not actually need to."

The facility to pay for a few reserved seats on a plane was actually intended for indibidual adults that wanted to reserve particular seats for eg more legroom. Famillies don't need to reserve seats as the check in process will always seat them together as thatbis a legal requirement. They can if they want specific rows etc but they dont have to. Budget airlines have obfuscated that as they make shit loads of money out of famillies doing som These kind of threads illustrate that policy nicely, as well as the issue for airlines (and poor passengers) now that almost all seats that can be booked on a plane are (they cant offer them all for the reason above).

moralminority · 09/05/2018 11:31

We had this exact situation last year with Jet2, we booked about 3 weeks before we went away. I rang them and they tried to sort it for us but couldn't so just put notes in our booking to say we would have paid for seating but only seats the kids couldn't sit on were left. We had to check in at the airport and we were seated in two lots of 2, far apart on the plane but at least the kids had someone with them. They sorted out the ones for the return leg for free.

JacquesHammer · 09/05/2018 11:34

I'll get the seats I want for free

Well that depends. All CAA guidelines state is that "ideally" a child should be in the same row as the accompanying adult and where that's not possible they should be separated by no more than one seating row.

If you're happy with that, then that's absolutely fine. I wouldn't be so have paid for the seats me and my daughter want. I'm quite happy to given the cheapness of the flights!

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:34

No, it won't depend. But thanks for your concern.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 09/05/2018 11:37

IronMansIronButt So, if you’re not inconvienced in the slightest, why does it make you so angry that I choose to pay for my seats?

JacquesHammer · 09/05/2018 11:38

How do you mean "it won't depend" - are you above CAA guidelines?!

I'm not really concerned to be honest - its your problem not mine Grin but having seen a family split throughout the plane last time we flew it wasn't a very nice flight for them. I want to sit next to my DD, I'm happy to pay for those seats. You don't want to pay and all fine.

kissthealderman · 09/05/2018 11:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

witchofzog · 09/05/2018 11:41

It IS a rip off but lots of things in this world are. Anyone who has no qualms about making someone move for them who has booked and paid extra for a seat is selfish imo. Fair enough, things happen and people have to move sometimes but to actively gloat about it on a public forum? Not cool.

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:46

It won't depend on anything, I will get seats together, as I said. For free.

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:47

IronMansIronButt So, if you’re not inconvienced in the slightest, why does it make you so angry that I choose to pay for my seats?

It doesn't. Why would you think it does? Confused

myrtleWilson · 09/05/2018 11:48

I'm pretty sure on a previous similar thread the point was made by someone in aviation that the language in CAA guidelines can be somewhat misleading - "should" can be read as "have to" but in regulatory language should is different to "must" (absolute compunction) the upshot of which is a potential difference in expectation between passengers and airline staff. I think from memory the poster was a pilot and had 'box' in their name. But my memory may not be spot on!

LexieLulu · 09/05/2018 11:48

We never book seats now. We just check in online as soon as possible and our allocated seats are together.

We used to book after one bad long haul flight next to a person who was sat in the majority of my seat.

But for short haul Europe it does bother me not being near DH, they will always seat a DC near a parent so worst case scenario for us would be DH seated with 1 child and me seated with baby on lap somewhere else

JacquesHammer · 09/05/2018 11:49

It won't depend on anything, I will get seats together, as I said. For free

Of course.

You remind me of a chap I used to know who used to swear blind he could get the best seats at Old Trafford for free anytime he wanted them. Of course there was never any evidence of this and he never went but he COULD and that's what was important Grin

So in conclusion, you will get the seats you want for free. I will get the seats I want and was happy to pay for them (although if you want my seats you won't be having them....) Where's the issue?

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:49

You know there is an outside chance that I know more about me and my circumstances than you, right? It's just possible?

IronMansIronButt · 09/05/2018 11:50

So in conclusion, you will get the seats you want for free. I will get the seats I want and was happy to pay for them (although if you want my seats you won't be having them....) Where's the issue?

There isn't one, if you people who are so happy to pay stop shrieking at others that they have to as well or are selfish/unkind/unfair etc. If you're so happy shut up about it maybe>

JacquesHammer · 09/05/2018 11:52

There isn't one, if you people who are so happy to pay stop shrieking at others that they have to as well or are selfish/unkind/unfair etc. If you're so happy shut up about it maybe

If "you people" don't expect those of us who HAVE paid to move then we're all happy. Easy, right?

I have always paid for seats. Been asked to move once. The answer was "no sorry" and that was that. All good.

witchofzog · 09/05/2018 11:54

Where does this level of entitlement stop?Internet charges a rip off? Ask the neighbours who have paid for theirs if you can use their wifi code? You have children therefore you need the last full fat milk just sold in the supermarket? Demand the person who bought it give it to you. Sod the fact they have paid - you have kids and need it more than they do. Confused The blatant cheeky fuckery from some on this thread is just astounding

SundayGirls · 09/05/2018 11:58

Not RTWT but we've always been able to book seats online for the children, whereas you say you can't book seats online (at all?) for children.

We book the seats when we buy the seats, rather than leaving it nearer to the time. I know it won't help for this particular flight but to anyone else reading who is planning on booking flights, it's a good tip to do it there and then.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 09/05/2018 11:59

IronMansIronButt Do you often insult people and call them names when you’re not angry then? You’ve already admitted a few pages back people who pay to book their seats annoy you, and with the constant stream of insults towards those of us who do throughout this thread, you can’t backtrack and pretend to be all chill now Grin

I am happy to pay for my seats and will continue to do so. I am not happy to be expected to move for selfish people who don’t book their own seats yet still expect to be sat together and think moving others who have paid is perfectly acceptable.

SundayGirls · 09/05/2018 12:01

Oh and if I wasn't travelling with DCs (thus need certain seats myself so in the same boat) and it was just me and DH I would happily move seats for someone (as long as they didn't have an air of entitlement about it). If they explained they had made a mistake and didn't know to reserve early, and appeared to be grateful rather than expectant, then I would help them out. Why not.