To expect Easyjet to help me?

[amprev]

We fly on a 4hour 15 min flight on Sat with our two dc's aged 11 and 8. The holiday was a last minute decision, and I booked it last Sat with Tui. I was aware at the time that the flights were actually with Easy jet and not Tui. I wasn't particularly bothered by this either way. Reading through all the booking details in full this evening I learned that it is online only check in for EJ flights so I checked us all in.

Turns out we have been allocated seats randomly all over the plane - there are ten rows separating two of the seats from another two, but no two seats are in the same row. I realise this is because many people have obviously checked in before me. I would pay the extra for seats together if I could but this isn't an option, the plane is just full.

I'm gutted and I know the Dc's will be when I tell them. We are downloading films to an iPad for them and they watch it together using a headphone splitter. This obviously can't happen if we are all separated. I'm not expecting they can magic us all together but do you think they could at least have the dc's together with either me or DH less than 10 rows away from them? My eldest suffers with bad ear pain on flights and I normally have to do some soothing at take off and landing because she gets upset.

Any tips from anyone who has been in this situation? We only booked it so late because we didn't think we would get away this year but decided we would last minute.

I'll ring customer services when they open but I'm expecting them to tell me that I'll just have to persuade someone to move when we board. According to the civil aviation authority, airlines have to take reasonable actions to ensure a child is near to their adult so that it is less disruptive in the event of an evacuation. Not sure what EJ can do if there are no seats though? I realise some people will have paid extra for their preferred seats.

@dancerdog you could have spoken with the airline staff. They would have told them to move or sorted it somehow.

Glad it got sorted OP!

Maybe I have had enough of being polite in the last 20 years. I would have thought a seizure alone no matter how it was caused epilepsy or not was enough for people to understand that I would to sit with someone I know.

But as I said there was no indication that you were with someone you knew in your post. I was genuinely trying to work out why a particular seat was important. All you had to say was that you were sitting with someone. But you go ahead and alienate people. Being nice costs nothing and makes everything run smoother.

I as on a EJ flight last week to Spain and there was a family in the same position. The stewardess made an announcement for 2 volunteers next to each other to swap. Nobody volunteered so she the said the plane wouldn't be leaving until they had volunteers. It did the trick

First package holiday I took with DS I didn't know you could check in on line before hand.

Got to the check in as soon as it opened but they had split us up. DP about 8 rows in front me in the middle and DS aged about 2 8 rows behind.

Some really disgruntled people moved but what airline in it's right mind puts a 2 year old alone?

When I fly, I always try to make the crew's day just a little bit nicer/easier.

So if there is a problem and I can bend and flex I do. So far this has resulted in two upgrades and a bottle of clicquot.

I am often flying alone so it makes sense to me.

We also once asked to be seated away from another family who had had the misfortune of being next to us on our flight out where our toddler screamed and screamed and who had clocked us with (polite) horror in the line next to them for the flight back.

The check in lady was so sweet, she moved us all up to premium economy.

I am not a particularly nice person, but I understand transactional interactions and the possible payoff for me.

Soupdragon, she wouldn't deliberately have it loud it would be because she is too young and wouldn't realise what she had done. But this is why I would opt to leave the plane instead of letting her sit next to a person like you, even if it means all the passengers all get held an hour while all our checked in baggage gets unloaded from the plane.
I'm glad it worked out op, because going by some of the comments on here you wouldn't want your child away from you.

Budget airlines do this routinely now. It's their way of getting people to pay extra to reserve seats which I now reluctantly do. Honestly I wouldn't move because I have paid extra for the privallage of sitting next to my husband as he's really nervous of flying

Airlines don't seat young children away from parents, all you need to do is call as the op did and they will sort it. Another option is to make sure you are at the airport early and when you check bags go to the desk and your seats should be moved. If none of that works ask nicely when you board and they will make someone move. Because if you decide to leave the flight it takes hours to find bags and it holds everyone up. Kids being with parents takes priority over anyone else's preference as it's more work for the staff. I never pay the extra fee to reserve seats because I know I can just call and fix it. Also don't pay if not flying with kids as if someone with kids takes priority any way.
Kids are at risk if not next to parents which could easily lead to a lawsuit.

But this is why I would opt to leave the plane instead of letting her sit next to a person like you

And people like you are why I only fly business class and not on budget airlines.

(Actually, I only fly once every couple of years and it’s long haul so irrelevant. Business is only relevant as you aren’t really sitting next to anyone anyway - there are still idiots there. This year I asked DD to share her children’s meal with a family who had forgotten to pre-order one for their small child - they didn’t ask, I overheard their problem and offered. They weren’t entitled idiots who talk about “weaponised” children.)

Some people may be asked to move and feel too embarrassed to say no which is why this should be dealt with way before people are on the plane.

An example, my auntie always books what seats she can next to the toilet, she has been asked to move as she's just a solo passenger many times and says no but then is asked very 'firmly' until she has to let the whole plane know she has chrones and may shit herself of not close enough to go to the toilet. One time she was told that it wasn't a big enough plane to worry about that, at which point she had to go into detail about how she monitors the toilets to see queues. Very degrading.

The way people behave is what governs how I would treat them. A huge sense of entitlement, tantrummyfoot stamping and “weaponised” children will get you nowhere. I would have been mortified if any of mine had behaved in a way that could be described as “weaponised”.

Agree Soupdragon
As the old saying goes
"You trap more flies with honey than vinegar"

You wouldn't have to worry about bad behaviour on the plane, a flight attendant will move passengers around to accommodate children. It's not as simple as saying no, as others have said they will wait for someone to volunteer, then someone is told they must move. I have seen this many times.

Out of interest, if somebody is moved out of a paid seat choice, is the charge refunded?

I would have made an issue about the person who would not move but we were causing a big blockage. When I sat down my son thought we were giving in and moved to allow everyone behind us to get to their seats, but this was not what I had intended. He was halfway up the plane.
My boys hate when make a scene so decided to leave it be. Would have preferred to make a scene though.

Great result, good for EasyJet. I have to say I have always had good experiences of them. Enjoy your holiday OP

If you are forced to move out of your seat you dont get you money back, I had a window seat next to be husband a family of 3 wanted us to move so they could all sit together but the 2 single seats were seperate middle seats (we were the only none children family apprently) . I politely yet firmly refused everyone else did as well.

The airline stewardess said try to get a refund after the flight nope i know my chance of a refund is 0%. The stewdardess was being a right cow about it saying we cannot give you free stuff/ free drinks we cannot upgrade you to first class but i want to move you from preimium seats too standard ones for free (aka i lose money).

I would of moved if a upgrade was on the cards but nope (there were free seats in first class) but no the cheapskate stewardess wanted me to take a downgrade of seats.

And when i asked why i should give this family money (they wanted the more expensive seats) she said it would be kind and when i asked why don't you get the family to give me 30 euros or give me 30 euros of stuff or a upgrade, she said its not company policy. We had a debate of why should i be out of 30 euros as in i was gifting it to said family.

So i gave her the choice of the plane being deleyed, or they giving me the money i would lose out on taking a down grade or the parents sit down in there allicated seats or get off the plane, or the force me off the plane so deleying everything anyway.

(My husband was filming it as well when i was asking why i should move seats and lose money so it would be massive bad PR if they did force the issue my husband was in a cast, i also asked why it was company policy of downgrading paying customers instead of upgrading them when there were in fact seats free in a higher class)

Good for you @worridmum. What was the outcome?

Actually this year I’ve flown with Virgin, BA, TUI and Easyjet... customer service etc Easyjet was by far the best! Biggest hand luggage and provision for baby too.

Worridmum - don’t leave in suspense. What was the outcome?

TUI are scum. On our flight with pre-paid seats together they decided last minute to move us to a configuration that didn't suit my family.

When we got home I queried this and asked for my money back. I was told by TUI that a row behind, a row in front, or across the aisle is considered by them as 'together'. Even if your child is 2.

Thankfully I was still next to my 2 year old but no way would I have accepted him being in a different row.

TUI are a total disgrace please never use them. Needless to say I didn't get my refund.

I was told by TUI that a row behind, a row in front, or across the aisle is considered by them as 'together'. Even if your child is 2.

ChipsAndKetchup That’s because it is, on every airline.

I just flew back from Majorca with TUI and a woman had nicked DS's seat before we got on the plane so she could be next to her 10 year old. She said check in told her to do this (yeah right). Anyway, cabin crew did say a 10 yo cannot sit alone and shuggled people about and sorted it. DS ended up with empty seat next to him, too. Lucky sod. And the airline didn't force him to move away from us , even though he's 17.