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.

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue
Whether that's true or not doesn't mean it's reasonable. And to not give me a refund when I've paid £40 to sit with all my family is fucking rude

I always pay to choose my seat, I travel alone with my DD so of course we want to sit together (she's not a small child but still that's what we want and pay extra for) and I need extra leg room or at least an aisle seat so not choosing in advance isn't an option. A couple of years ago on a return flight from Majorca a family who had arrived at the airport late, and only just made it onto the plane had seats spread around, the grandmother was sitting in a row of three with me and DD and asked us to move to two single seats to allow of her grandchildren to sit with her, my DD was 11 at the time so I politely declined and she banged on about it the whole way home. Had the cabin crew offered us two equivalent seats together we would have both moved but the entitlement of expecting my child to sit on her own so her DGC could sit with her (they were sitting together and not much younger)was incredible. She wanted two of the adults in her family to move into the DGCs seat, us to move into the single separate seats the adult were in and the DGC to have our seats..

We have flown long haul with Tui twice and both times their customer service was outstanding. During the first flight my knee locked and I could barely walk. When we landed they arranged a porter with a wheelchair, collected our luggage and sent us straight through a heaving security and into a taxi. Thankfully after an hour or so my knee unlocked and was fine for rest of holiday. Since had an op to fix the issue.

Second time my husband's inflight entertainment wasn't working and the stewardess asked for it to be reset a couple of times but that didn't work. My husband wasn't that bothered but stewardess said it wasn't acceptable and filled out a form on an iPad and when we got home they had paid £30 into our account.

We also booked flight only with them recently as they were only airline from our local airport going to our destination. Again, can't fault them, the onboard staff were great.

I would move if somebody asked me nicely and it didnt move me away from my own children

@ChristmasPlanner that seems to be a reoccurring thing people don’t just want to swap to make sure children are with an adult they want to swap so they all get ideal seats then have tantrums when people don’t want to switch aisle or window seats for middle of row seats. Drives me bonkers.

Haven't RTFT but I hope things got sorted for you, OP.

I was on a flight not that long ago where something similar happened. Cabin crew asked (nicely!) for volunteers to move and several people offered. Later in the flight the movers got a free drink each which I thought was a nice touch.

If I had paid I wouldn't be keen on moving if I'm honest as I am quite selective with my seat choice I'd probably want my fee offering for my seat too (not saying I'd take it but id want an offer) if you've got a squashed window seat then no chance sorry

I also wouldn't mind moving, unless it took me away from my kids. Though if there dad was with them I would be jumping up and down saying pick me I will move!!!

I like EasyJet but the last post has reminded me of an appalling flight it's them 15 years ago.
We were on a mini break and DGPs were looking after our DCs.
We got a call to say our 3 yo DD was hospitalised and in intensive care with meningococcal meningitis.
We went straight to the airport to get the next flight back.
Close to landing I told the steward that we were rushing to get back and why. I asked if we might be allowed to get off the plane first. He literally just shrugged his shoulders and said there was nothing he could do. I'm sure he could have helped, eg by alerting those on the ground who could perhaps have got us in the fast track passport control queue. But nothing. So disappointing.

Sorry for typos