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.

On the plane easy jet won't let you pay people to move as you have to stay in your allocated seat. They are quite strict with their rules.

I have recently checked in to an EJ flight. Two children, two adults, only one sharing the dcs' surnames. Didn't pay. Sitting together both flights.

That’s what you get for using a budget airline

We returned from our holiday a few weeks back, booked well in advance through TUI, not a cheap holiday, and it was an EasyJet aircraft that took us there and back. No problems.

Some travel companies use other carriers, nothing unusual.

Sorry the seats were all taken op, the cabin crew might move you as you have children, or hopefully some kind hearted souls will move to accommodate you xx

If you were flying alone, why would it make a difference where you sat?

A lot of people flying alone book a certain seat. On a long haul flight, for example, they may prefer a window if they want to sleep, or an aisle if they have long legs or need to use the lav a lot. I book emergency exit row when I travel on my own for the space but also, you never get asked to move from those so a family can sit together as you need to be 16 or older to sit in one.

Really don't see the problem with a 12-year-old sitting on his own for a 4 hr flight or an 8-year-old for that matter unless there are SN.

THis happened to me. I called the airline and they just moved the seats so we were all Sat together. Even if they can’t do that they will sit you together when you board.
I’d always move seats so a child could sit with their parent. Some people are selfish but there will always be someone who moves.

I've just flown Easyjet on a flight that was fully booked. And I spotted a stewardess helping a family in your situation - she managed to move a family together by politely asking a couple of people to swop seats. I wouldn't stress - the staff are usually very helpful.

Have spoken to EJ Customer services this morning and have come away feeling satisfied. Due to there only being single seats available now she couldn't make any seat allocation amendments that would improve things now but she has flagged it up on my booking and sent me an email to take with me that requests that cabin crew make some changes so that at least the younger of our children will be seated next to a family member, either a sibling or parent.

I'm to raise this at bag drop off with a member of staff and as we board the plane and she assures me that they would not expect children to be sat solo for the flight. She says that they always have families to help who are in this situation and didnt seem in the slightest bit concerned. I can't really expect much more than this, and I'm hopeful it will be sorted now. Yes! to the pp who observed the high number of sanctimonious responses this post would generate - I can only assume some didn't RTFT when I am accused of booking last minute to get a cheap deal and/or that I'm entitled to expect children to be sat with a family member. The cost of the flight isn't broken down on my booking so I'm not even sure we did get a bargain, it doesn't seem cheap to me, in fact, prices have only gone up in the last 2 weeks as the school holidays come to the end. We didn't have the option of booking in advance due to being self employed and not fully knowing the needs of the business until much closer to the time.

Thank you for some good tips and positive advice.

No selfish( and entitled) is booking a flight last minute( a week ago) for a lot less money and expecting other passengers who booked in advance paying the full wack and booking seats for whatever reason to simply give them up regardless. If we all did that it would be chaos. I'd love to fly by the seat of my pants,get half price tickets last minute and a guarantee of sitting with my children. Travel doesn't function like that.

When we've flown Easyjet we've always checked in a month before flight which meant we were allocated seats together at no cost.

That said we did that because we really wanted seats together so unlikely to want to move.

I think your best bet lies with the cabin crew and hopefully they can sort it out.

Their live chat is quite useful and much cheaper than calling them - try that just in case. I believe they do hold some seats back for emergencies,
On some flights anyway.

The baby wipes aren't for you to clean the child, they are for you to clean the vomit of yourself.

x post, that sounds good.

Best warn your kids that you probably can't sit together and be pleasantly surprised if you can.

Sounds promising OP. Hope it all goes well - do let us know x

Thanks for the knuckle rapping P3ony - you're right, I should just accept my punishment of making a last minute holiday booking by not seeing if there is a solution that doesn't really inconvenience anyone. Thank you for explaining how travel 'functions' too.

Not a seating comment but sucking a sweet or chewing something as you come into land/take off helps with ear pain, especially with children (pressure in the ears) With babies, sucking on a dummy or feeding.

That sounds positive OP.

I am sure it will all be fine.

Hope you have a fantastic holiday.

Leaving aside posters who obviously don’t understand plain English telling OP she should have checked in sooner - she booked a last minute holiday, it’s not a crime!

Whoever said upthread that once you have checked in seats can’t be altered is entirely wrong, as airlines reserve the right to change seats.

I would:

1. Ring EasyJet (wouldn’t bother with TUI)
2. If that fails, turn up as early as possible to check in as then there may be the option for staff to change the seats of people who have been randomly allocated

I often travel alone and within certain parameters (don’t like middle seats or the back of the aircraft) would be happy to swap as I’m not particularly keen on sitting with other people’s high maintenance children (teenagers having a farting competition - hilarious), although I did draw the line at the CF adult last year who expected me to move away from my friends so she could sit with her friend .

On a more general note, given that turnaround time is all-important for budget airlines, why on earth are they still doing this? Surely the few quid they make on seat reservations doesn’t make up for delaying the plane and potentially losing the departure slot while people argue over seats? The flight attendants must be totally pissed off about it as well.

It was more as a reply to very saying non movers are selfish.

Sorry OP, X-post (as mine was so long!), seems you might get sorted after all - have a lovely holiday!

Also OP, Boots have special ear plugs for flights, I have a pair for myself and spotted they also do children ones.

Happens a lot with ryanair in their case a ploy to get you to pay for priority seating . Went to spain a couple of months ago 2 adults 3 kids checked in with plenty of time but were still randomly placed around the plane it was laughable. Held my nerve wasn't going to be bullied into paying more money. Anyway when solo travels saw we were seperated many offered to switch without me even asking people are nice. Ended up me in row behind 2 kids and dh further up plane next to dd.

Don’t worry OP. Cabin crew can force people to move if everyone refuses but it very rarely comes to that. There's a lot less P3onys in real life than there are on the internet, fortunately. 😃

I fly a lot with work, and as I'm alone and a late twenties woman, I often get asked to move. The thing is, I will move if you offer me the better seat. Most people try to upgrade themselves in the process (or are just oblivious). So instead of swapping their aisle seat towards the front of the plane, they will try with the middle in the back. Hell no.

Once had someone ask for a like-for-like swap ('Just take my seat across the aisle'), I said OK (I was in say 2C), then after they sat down in my seat they said 'Oh my seat is 31B'. I guess they thought I would back down and suck it up, but they had clearly tried to fool the wrong person. Got really evil looks as he gathered his stuff and huffily walked to 31B. I thought it was hilarious.

So the moral is - only ask for swaps if you can provide and equal or better seat. Putting someone in a middle seat just because you couldn't plan properly is just bad manners.

That will be a fun start to the holiday potentially sitting beside someone in a row of 3 who has been split up from sitting with their friend/partner that they booked in advance because the airline shuffle them last minute to fit OP and a child in a row. Awkward.

But I don't blame the OP for the situation, it is entirely the airlines processes that have caused it.

Am I not allowed to point out that actually those who don't wish to move aren't necessarily selfish then? That actually an assumption that others should offer to move regardless is actually more selfish?

Airlines do try to avoid moving people after they have boarded. Boarding cards are scanned before you enter the ramp to board the plane. Some people’s boarding passes beep and then they are given a new boarding pass with a new seat allocation. It has happened to me a couple of times.

Not sure if EasyJet does this or would try to do it on board instead. They have flagged it up. I am sure they will be able to do something either at bag drop or boarding.