Pre booked flight seats for 2 & 3 y/o's?

[doghelp123]

Not really AIBU, posting for traffic. Apologies for long post.

We are due to go on holiday in 7 weeks time and we have not paid for pre booked seats, the reason i have not paid is because our DCs are 2 & 3 y/o and the travel agent has advised its a £25 fee per seat, so looking at £100 all in for me, DH and DC's to be together - we have saved a long time to get this holiday and if I'm being honest it seems like a very large amount to be shelling out for seats. Me and DH are not fussed about being seated together obviously, but we would need the DCs to be next to either one of us so we did ask the travel agent if me and DH booked our two seats for the £50 would kids be guaranteed to be next to us but we were told me would need to pay the £25 for each of them as well, I then called jet 2 and they have advised that they would not split young children up from parents even if we had not paid for the seats but I have now been seeing things online stating that the DCs wouldn't necessarily be in the same row as either of us, but they could be put in the row in front or behind.

Can anyone who has flew before with Jet2 advise us? I would really rather not be paying the £100 for seats as IMO it is to much and it seems silly to be paying the money for kids that age if the airlines aren't actually allowed to split us?

So any frequent jet2 flyers, it would be much appreciated if anyone in similar circumstances could advise

no, no one has to fly with small children unless they've been hijacked
Pretty sure you mean no, no one has to fly unless they've been hijacked

I've moved once on ryainair, but that was only because I was travelling alone.If I had paid extra for my seat I wouldn't move.

Single mum
Two children
Never booked
Always seated together
They will not seat a child away from parent due to danger in event of emergency of parent trying to reach child

That’s confirmed from BA. easyJet, Ryanair and Thompson.

In all likelihood you and one child together and dh and other together

I can't imagine they would seat a 2 or 3 year old in a seat that wasn't next to a parent. Even if they seat them across the aisle from you, it would be easy to change one of your seats as you will have two aisle seats to offer someone with a middle seat. But I think I would not risk it with such tiny little ones.

chemenger in answer to your question about how many people on a jet 2 plane are flying alone, on my last jet 2 flight all three people in my row were adults flying alone, and one of them still managed to have plonked himself in my aisle seat, pretended he didn't understand the signage and had the cheek to say "does it matter, we've all got a seat" when I told him to shift.

Never ever pay to pre book seats and have always been sat together with Ryanair and Jet2 so l would take a chance. £100 is a large amount on top of cost of holiday.

Sorry I haven’t read whole thread but I recently flew in a group of 9 and booked with Ryanair. We booked as a whole group and checked in as a whole group and they purposefully sat us in completely different areas of the plane. I had a chat with a few people on aeroplane and seemed as though they had done the same to them.

BUT every time I fly with my 3DC I have never booked reserved seating and we are ALWAYS seated together.

I assume most people who disagree with the extra cost , do not actually think that other passengers should have to move. We think that the airlines should seat children next to their parents. Booking a seat costs should be about additional perks. Airlines are required to provide basic rights. I doubt they could refuse you a glass of water. Long haul food is still included as eating over 24h gets important. They have to have bathrooms and disabled access.
They have to have all kinds of things and one of those should be ensuring small children are sat next to parents so they can be looked after.

notacooldad not even reached five hundred posts yet, it just feels like a thousand because they are the same posts that crop up every time this topic raises its head.

I'm thinking of asking MNHQ if they could have a dedicated section entitled Do I need to Book Plane Seats For My Children. Actually they could have two and call the other one I've Paid For My Seat And I'm Not Moving

But if everyone else has prebooked what are you going to do then?? I fly a lot. Very often Parents are left asking people to change seats. I would if I didn’t have my own children with me but often I do. Then I won’t move as I’ve paid for my seat. Often a couple will split up but if they’ve paid to be sat next to each other why should they??
You take the risk. Don’t come back on in 7 weeks if you had a nightmare flight because you weren’t next to children, I have seen it happen but not been on a jet2 flight. In fact Ryanair now give free pre booked children seats with adults who pay for seats, makes sense to me.

I doubt they could refuse you a glass of water if you believe this don't fly Norwegian. They will sell you water, they won't give it to you. That's on transatlantic flights. No food, no drinks included unless you buy a premium ticket (which you need to get a hold bag), pre-order a meal or pay on board. That is the low cost model.

If you fly a more expensive scheduled airline, then yes, you will get drinks and food included on longhaul. If you fly a more expensive shorthaul airline you might get free seat selection.

The airlines have to sit you with your child when they are that age. I have just flown round the world with two kids aged 2 and 5 and regularly short haul on budget airlines. I have never paid for seats. Don’t do it.

If you read the 'guide lines' the airline does not have a responsibility. They use language like ' ideally' and the airlines 'aim' . It is under no obligation. Buy the seats.

Yes. I wish I had a more money

not again, how many times do we read this question

yes the airline may say they will sit you together, but often if couples bok seats, thst leaves one single seat

so you could have you in row 6 seat a and child in row 6 seat e - across the ailse , both windows seats but in the same row

or

you could be row 6 in a/b and child in row 5/7 in d/e

Christ alive.

I’m not saying that people who’ve paid should have to move. I’m saying that it should be the airline’s responsibility to ensure that certain vulnerable passengers are seated next to their carer / parent.

And yes, plenty of people have no choice but to fly with babies / small children. Funerals, medical treatment, giving birth early while visiting another country, returning to their home country to sort out visa issues, etc etc etc.

*I pay extra for a seat for myself every time I fly as I have a disability.

Why should I move for a cheeky fuck who hasn’t paid?*

You shouldn’t. And you also shouldn’t have to pay if you need a specific location due to disability / need a carer next to you because of your disability. And the same goes for small children who need to be next to parents. This is not about whether people who’ve paid should move - it’s about the airline putting profits above safety, and costs for crucial things being put on to some groups of passengers when others can simply choose not to spend that money with no ill effects.

I pay for an aisle seat. So I can put my leg out. I’m not moving for some entitled parent who wants the cheap flights but won’t accept the downside of that, which is that you have to pay for a guaranteed seat.

If you can do online check in (usually 24 hours before) you can pick your seats then!

I pay extra for a seat for myself every time I fly as I have a disability. you do know that all airlines will provide you with requested seats for a disability? These are often the extra legroom seats and they can’t charge you for them!

Yes you choose your seats at check in but there may only be singles left

I didn’t know that bubblegum and I’ve always paid. Thanks for the info.

I assume most people who disagree with the extra cost , do not actually think that other passengers should have to move. We think that the airlines should seat children next to their parents

But if you don’t book and you aren’t seated together it’s passengers who have paid who you will inconvenience, not the airline.

I always pay so that we can sit together as a family in the same row. On a short haul flight that means one of us sitting across the aisle (usually me). I get completely fed up of being asked to move because “I am on my own”. No, I am not. I am sitting close to my family so I can supervise my DC’s if DH goes to the loo, be available if one of them vomits (happended on several occasions) or needs taking to the loo. Just pay up or don’t complain if you’re not together. That’s not directed at you OP, it’s people in general who refuse to pay but want it all their own way when they get on the flight.

I have been flying with Jet2 with my two young kids for years now, never book seats, they have always seated us together. Jet2 are really fantastic for children with young families. If you have booked well in advanced, they will seat you together. Don't worry, and don't pay the extra. It will be fine, and it won't cause problems to anyone else if you have booked well in advance.