Beware TUI holidays

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We have booked a holiday in the October half term. In fact we booked the exact same holiday in the same week last year and decided to go back this year.

Booked it all and just paid last instalment due. Thought I'd log in to see when I can reserve seats etc. This is important to us due to various issues with kids and adults. Last year I could do this a good while beforehand and was all fine.

Log in to my account - no booking there. Strange, I eventually found the customer service telephone number, of course it takes a bit of digging around the website to find it.

Apparently (after speaking to two different departments...) the reason it's not on my account is because the fight is a different airline (Thomas cook). And because of this we can't check in until 24 hours before, or select seats. We can "if you want to pay an extra fee".

I know there is a lot of chat about the scandalous way that airlines get you to pay more for this, and had I been made aware of the fact that even though this was included last year (the flight happened to be with TUI) it would be extra this year, I wouldn't have booked it. I budgeted for this holiday, not for additional extras. Especially when I went on exactly the the same holiday last year!!

The person on the phone said "we don't put any information up" about this, but that people are welcome to ring up if they have a question. But why would you have a question if they don't mention it?? Especially if you're booking the SAME holiday, during the SAME WEEK, to the SAME place with the SAME company. Is it me?

TUI often use other airlines (norwegian/thomas cook etc) as in fact do THomas Cook, its as a PP said it often due to cost effectiveness of running flights

what I am interested in is how you didnt have to pay to reserve seats last time as that has been around for ages (unless it was platimum which is included)

You've been asked (at least) twice if you booked online. If so, all this information is available as part of the booking process. If you failed to read it, that's no one's fault but your own.

It is platinum...

The charges are not in any information, the woman on the phone said they purposely don't alert customers to this information.

We booked through TUI but a Thomas Cook flight . This year we could also have chosen Easy Jet with different times.
The flight was clearly marked as another airline , with the logo and also stated in the booking .
It’s been a pain in the arse booking seats and food separately but I do think it was clear .
Hopefully this is a change based on feedback from customers like you. Have a good holiday !

Last time I flew easyJet, there was a family with three kids, say 8+, and they hadn't booked to sit together. The stewardess came on the intercom and asked for others to move because, as she said, "we are not allowed to take off with children separated from their accompanying adults."
She got it sorted -eventually- and then came and apologised to the mother for the inconvenience.

Bombardier, thanks for reminding me you asked if I checked in online. Couldn't see anyone else asking (at least twice) but maybe I missed that. Yes, it was online

Tbh i didn't realise the implications of a different carrier - that's not clear. I could have easily booked all of the elements myself but I booked a package to save myself the hassle of just this kind of thing.

Things change every year according to economic conditions. Sorry OP - you've got to check the terms and conditions of each individual holiday with a fine tooth comb.

I’m intrigued. How many children do you have??

Does it still say that platinum you booking seats is included as surely whatever airline that should hold true

I don't recall being able to book seats until the last minute unless you pay for years. We fly about three times a year.

I book on line, weigh up the inconvenience of not sitting where I want against the cost then make the decision accordingly.

Jet2 to Nice, save the money and take my chances, Emirates to Bangkok pay to sit together with extra legroom. Budget as part of the holiday.

Just because it's the same place in the same week, it doesn't mean that the provision is the same.

You'd have had flight details on your booking confirmation so surely it would have been evident it was a Thomas Cook flight.

Looking at TUI its not a la carte holidays which have seats included not Platnium (and it certainly used to as I remember it). Before it would not matter what airline but it seems that the perk has been taken away

Seat selections aren't included on Platinum only on A La Carte. I was a manager with Tui until a couple of years ago and the booking process tells you if that carrier is another airline or tba, if another's airline has been designated it also tells you in a highlighted box things like seating allocations and luggage allowance. If it's a TC flight then the passenger manifest doesn't go over to them until 7 days before so you can't pre book seats before then as they don't have your details. Tui passengers on TC flight are generally seated together as a section is blocked out.

Oh and even if it's a Tui flight you can't pre select your seats unless you've paid or it's an A La Carte property, you can check in online seven days before you travel but the seats are auto allocated, if you want to change them you still have to pay at that stage.

Dropzone Tui is not the brand for all inclusive holidays. Just back from Tui holiday and it was not all inclusive

Charging extra for seats seems to be this year's rip-off for airlines. Wonder what it will be next year?

Senior I said First Choice was the TUI brand for All Inclusive. TUI being the company, First Choice just being a brand of that company. Like Mondelez being the company, Cadbury being a brand.

When you check in on line you won't get seats together, however if your children are under twelve when you get to the airport seats will be reallocated and you will be sat together, make sure you check in early as possible.
Happened to us in March we were booked with TUI we have also travelled with TUI when the flight was with Thomas Cook aircraft and still sat us all together without having to pay or any problems.
Lady at check in told us it is TUI policy and they are not allowed to sit children under twelve without an adult.
It was the same on return journey checking in, seats were reallocated.

We had the exact same issue. Booked with TUI but had to use first choice's app to select our seats and see the countdown or book excursions/boarding passes/check in.

We recently got back from a Tui holiday, just the two of us. Sat together on outward journey and either side of the aisle on return. We did not pay extra to reserve seats together. The money we saved paid for the week’s air con in our hotel room.

I am flying to Mexico next year with DD who will be 11. Trying to decide what to do re booking seats as it says online that children under 12 will be seated with an adult but I read somewhere that this may be in a row behind/across an aisle.

DD would be stressed at the idea of being in a different row to me and TBH I wouldn't want that. Across an aisle is fine on a shorter flight but on this longer flight i want her actually next to me so she can go to sleep easier (snuggled up to me)

I really don't want to pay the £100 they have said it will cost but neither do I want to risk being separated even if it's a seat behind or across the aisle.

I would pay it. It's a long flight and i wouldn't want to be apart from my DS12.

Gingergiraffe - you had to pay for the air con?

Gingercatlover - together means in same row but opposite aisle or in row in front or behind. Plus they've got to hope someone who has paid for a seat choice wants to move. I wouldn't move