AIBU to offer cash to other passengers for their seats on flight

[Blewitagain]

I am going on holiday and have discovered I haven't pre booked seats on our flights. I'm traveling with two children. This was an oversight. I can get two seats which would leave eldest sat alone.

Would it be weird to take cash to compensate anyone willing to move seat? No one might be willing to move but I'm hoping.

I once travelled last minute in an emergency and no one was willing to move seats.

How old is your eldest? I was quite happy sitting alone from age 10 on planes.

How old are your DC?

How old are the children and how are you defining sat alone? Across the aisle or in the seat in front / behind isn't alone.

You can take cash and ask as long as you don't kick off if people refuse.

I think it’s a brilliant idea. I’d be very interested to know whether it works or not.

Is it too late to pay for allocated seating together? You often get this option when you checkin.

How old are the kids and what airline. If you were travelling with my airline I’d quite happily put you with your kids on the day at check in.

How old are kids?
It's worth a shot

My kids are 3 and 4 and when we booked with Ryanair we refused to pay for allocated seating. The lead passenger (me) was put with both of them. My partner was elsewhere despite being on the same booking, arseholes. Anyway, point is your airline may automatically put children with the lead passenger.

YANBU to offer cash, as many would be entitled enough to think people should want to move for them.

Why are they arseholes? Everyone else has to pay for allocated seating if they want it.

Maybe, maybe not. I was in extra legroom that my short legs didn't really need on a long haul flight. The guy behind me was asking the crew about upgrading to premium economy for more space, which they couldn't do.

I offered him to buy my legroom seat from me for the same I paid (the flight wasn't full so I knew I'd have 2 seats to myself if I swapped with him anyway).

I'd be uncomfortable saying no to someone who was trying to pay me to move and would feel pressured into doing so, even if I'd reserved my own seat

It's Easyjet and it wasn't until I did online check in that I discovered I hadn't pre booked seats. Looks like the flight is close to full.

I've paid to get get the three seats I have booked rather than the random allocation.

Thankfully the return flight is fine.

My eldest is 12 and looks older so passengers probably won't be very sympathetic. He'd definitely rather be with us though.

How old are kids? I’d expect to
be sat with them anyway without paying for seating. Have never bothered! Much more potential work and problems for them not to do this for you.

I would find this really difficult tbh. I'm autistic and pick my seat carefully (although I do not fly but I use the train often) and I wouldn't want to move seats but at the same time I have real difficultly saying no in certain situations and that is probably one of them. I would move for you and feel anxious the whole journey because I had moved. It's not as simple as people saying don't move then because that would make me feel terrible guilt and I wouldn't be able to explain to you why I wasn't moving. Be mindful of other people, some may find it intrusive and not enjoy being out on the spot.

Anyone who takes the money to move is a tight arsed skinflint imo.

Would it be weird to take cash to compensate anyone willing to move seat?

Lol I think the word your looking for is bribe…Also other people are under no obligation to change their seats that they paid to allocate, just because you are poor at organising.

Anyone who takes the money to move is a tight arsed skinflint imo.

So if they've paid to choose their seats you still think they should give their seat up for free?

Why? When they will have paid extra to book a specific seat?

If I have paid to pre book seats then It’s for a reason. I wouldn’t accept a bribe to move.

Yes it would be weird and wrong. Your kids aren't babies, your 12 year old can travel alone even

I wouldn’t move unless it was to an equivalent seat - I always pay extra for an aisle seat so wouldn’t move to middle or window. I think 12 is old enough to sit on his own for a flight, too.

I want intending to pressure anyone, I just recalled everyone telling me they'd paid x amount when I was traveling last minute in an emergency. I had really young kids then, it was awful. I certainly wouldn't "kick off", I was trying to figure what might work.

A 12-year-old can sit on his own during a flight. (I have a 12-year-old)

My kids are 3 and 4 and when we booked with Ryanair we refused to pay for allocated seating. The lead passenger (me) was put with both of them. My partner was elsewhere despite being on the same booking, arseholes

There's only one arsehole in this scenario!