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.

Depends what seat you have. I wouldn’t move from an aisle or window to a middle seat. If it’s a fair exchange I’d do it for free, no bother.

If the 2 together you booked are on a row of 3 then Book the seat for the oldest in the same position as the 3rd seat, so for example if it is an aisle seat book another aisle seat, then it will be easier to convince that third person to move with the cash payment, they are moving like for like.

@Tigofigo when you travel you typically go and return in one month, so 2 flights.

Travel long haul with a stop = 4 in one month, add on travel internally within countries/regions, a few weekend breaks here and there then yes, the air miles rack up.

We did used to have cheap flights without all of the rules about bags being 21.3 inches or whatever though. We had monarch. I miss monarch.

As they were in the 90s, not when they became the same as Ryanair.

Unless you are 7ft tall there isn't much difference between most seats, especially on a budget airline.

Nope. Personally, I will only sit in an aisle seat. It’s important to me. If all aisles are taken, I will book onto another flight where they are available, won’t sit in anything other than an aisle and if someone asked me to move to a non-aisle seat (or an aisle seat considerably further back) I would not.

Two of my kids will only sit in window seats as they have iron bladders and don’t want to be crawled over by strangers if in the middle or aisle seats. One of those likely would however swap for a middle seat if offered a cash refund of the cost of their seat selection initially plus a few extra dollars on top, it would make the potential inconvenience if someone crawling over them worthwhile in their mind. The other, nope, could offer a million and they would likely say no.

People pick and pay for certain seats for all types of reasons. Some of those would be happy to swap if offered their seat selection payment back and some on top to make worthwhile, others won’t.

If I was in in the third seat next to the two of you I wouldn't mind for one minute you asking me if I would swop with your eldest child and I wouldn't have a problem doing so, buy me a cup of tea and all good!

I am usually travelling alone and pretty flexible about where I sit especially on short flights.

I wouldn't mind being asked at all but I probably wouldn't move, money or not, because I am quite deliberate about where I sit. (Funnily enough I did on the last flight I was on but only because the person I switched with had a row to themselves (but wanted to be next to their friend in an extra leg room seat). I still got a window which is what I pay to book in advance AND nobody nearby which was an upgrade, whereas generally someone asking me to switch from window to somewhere else would definitely be a no.)

But I'd not be rude or mean about it all, no issue at all with being asked.

They key is it not being done in a guilt trippy way - more "is there ANY chance you'd consider switching with us? I know some people arent bothered where they sit but i understand completely if you are!" and then a cheery no worries and thanks if it was a no...

...rather than "I really need to sit with my kid so would you please swap as I don't want him to be alone?". That'd get my back up cos I'd think, well you should have thought about that earlier. Whereas the first example I'd think, aw, worth a polite try, good on them.

And I'm sure in the former scenario some people would consider it at least!

I wouldn't mind moving my seat for someone. When I last did a 12 hour flight, there was a man separated from his two sons (about 7 and 10 years old if I remember). I offered to move but it meant leaving his wife and baby which he was reluctant to do so.I kept an eye on the two boys throughout the flight, chatted with them when we had our meal, it was great. They were nervous about asking the crew for drinks/snacks so I asked on their behalf. They were good kids and very well behaved and polite and thanked me when we landed at Heathrow. Their Dad kept on doing a walk around on the plane to make sure they were OK as the youngest was a bit anxious initially. I was travelling alone and didn't mind, kept me occupied as I can get nervous when flying, a bit of company makes the time go quicker in my opinion.If I have paid to reserve a seat and someone needed to swap and they were not entitled or rude about it, that's fine by me otherwise I probably wouldn't have been so accommodating.

You 12 year old can. Doesn't mean every 12 year old can.

The kid is a teenager. Surely he can sit vy himself. 😅

You wouldn't, OK.

But many people would, esp if they could see the OPs seat wasn't too bad?

You don’t always know that though, just because yours can it doesn’t mean all 12 year olds can, mine definitely wouldn’t be able to manage

I'd ask someone to switch Op, I don't think it's an issue at all, and would be happy to move if someone asked without expecting payment (although a G&T from the cart would be appreciated...)

I've done this when going on a hen do and a few of the girls were spread about the plane, we managed to all sit together in the end through various means 🤣

Ryan air in the days before the policy you just got on the plane and sat where you liked and they always had people with kids up first. I didn’t have kids at the time and was usually with my mum and if it was a flight with a lot of families then we often couldn’t sit together and/or we’d both get rubbish seats. At least they know give people the option to book, you might get an adult who’s a very nervous flyer for example. Ryan airs business model is very cheap tickets fhen add on everything .

Sorry but to PP saying their 12-year-olds can't sit on their own during a flight... are we talking about NT 12-year-olds? I just can't picture a NT 12-year-old not being able to manage to sit on the same plane as their parent - just in a different part of the plane.

I dont think it's a problem asking, no harm in it providing you don't cause a scene if they say no. I personally wouldn't mind being asked, I would mind being offered money to do it. Not sure why, it just feels a little crass and I think I'd be a bit offended that your first thought would be that I'd do what you wanted because your offering me money and not because it would just be decent to consider the request. Thats just me though, bet there's plenty people who would disagree with me.

That makes no sense - the people you'd be approaching could have saved that money by not making the reservations in the first place. They didn't, for a reason. Now if you were planning to offer, say, twice what the reservation cost that would be different. As it is sounds like a pisstake to me.

Maybe you could ask the air steward if they would ask the person on your behalf and offer the money.

I am both polite and assertive so I would have no issues with you asking me and depending on my own seating situation, I would either say yes or politely say no.

I would not tell you to jog on, that’s just rude.

Maybe they won’t have paid for seat allocation.

Can't your 12 year old and your younger one sit together and you sit alone? That's what I'd do.

Ryanair have always put me next to my youngest even if I haven't paid for seats. I suspect that wouldn't apply to a 12 year old though. My children have always been ok alone when they get to that age.

I would move for you without paying if you had an aisle seat. I wouldn't move from an aisle seat for you though. I'm tall and don't want to be sat in a middle seat or trapped in a window seat. I'm too tight to pay for allocated seating for my (large) family (I'd rather spend the money on the holiday) and we always sit apart. There's generally a re-jig when we get on though (my older kids are old enough to do this themselves) and they often sit together.