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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay to choose seats but expect to sit together?

787 replies

Peachpicklepie · 24/06/2023 17:41

I'll be flying with easyjet on a short flight (just over an hour) soon. It will be me, my toddler (2 years 4 months) and my baby (four months). Baby will be on my lap. According to the website they will sit children near an accompanying adult - surely in the case of a two year old this means next to?! I really don't want to spend another £20 on choosing seats if it's unnecessary.

OP posts:
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7
Thinkingofthings · 27/06/2023 20:41

I thought that once and my four year old ended up sitting across the aisle from me next to a stranger who was very kind but was still a stranger. I can see now I was a bit of a twat to have not paid and I don't blame those who had paid for not moving for us. I think i just thought, like you, that because she was a young child they would sit her next to me. But in retrospect that was probably a bit entitled of me!
So I would say definitely pay to be on the safe side.

mainsfed · 27/06/2023 20:42

MeridaBrave · 27/06/2023 16:26

How about if you are beside an “unaccompanied” 2 year old? Might not be so fun?

Show quote history

Parents can walk around with their 2yo.

HoppingPavlova · 27/06/2023 20:43

For all of you saying, "It's only £20!", it's not. It's per person, which is a lot if you are travelling as a family.

Yep. If you can’t afford that, you can’t afford to travel. Why make your lack of planning/inability to pay everyone else’s problem if things go pear shaped? No way I’d move to facilitate this. I’d even put up with a toddler on a long haul than give in to such a CF’er.

HoppingPavlova · 27/06/2023 20:43

No idea why all of that was in bold.

Iwasafool · 27/06/2023 20:44

PurplePolkaDot1 · 24/06/2023 17:47

YABU because what they will do is ask someone who has paid for their preferred seat to move/swap and that’s not fair on the person who has paid.

Maybe they could ask someone who hasn't paid for their preferred seat. I never pay and sit where I get allocated so it wouldn't worry me to swap.

mainsfed · 27/06/2023 20:46

I wouldn’t willingly move even if I haven’t paid for my preferred seat.

Not my job to subsidise tight arses or poor budgeters.

LimoncelloSpritz · 27/06/2023 20:49

But it's part of the cost of travelling. My dd (19) is really happy to pay £30 return to fly with no designated seat and no luggage. I am not happy with that so I pay for what I need. Sometimes that's to sit with other people, sometimes it's for checked bag etc. Or both. Or neither. It's part of the price model the airlines offer these days. You get to choose. What's not on is to not choose then moan about it and claim it's unfair.

Lalala0 · 27/06/2023 20:52

Good luck! A friend flew with flybe last week... her flight was cancelled an hour before the flight(they finally admitted they over booked), leaving them stranded abroad and flybe were no help, they re secluded flights for 2 days later, to wake the next morning to find everyone BUT their 2 year old was cancelled off the flight, so they expected a 2 year old to fly on their own! Then then re scheduled onto annother flight and had to argue to move their 2 year old onto the same flight as them, then told that their 2 year old would be sat across an isle from them and the rest of the family dotted arround the plane, including a family member who has special needs. When they originally booked the flight they paid the extra to all sit together

LGB87 · 27/06/2023 20:56

Simple way around it to not pay..

  • Login to your booking, go through to the reserve a seat section and check both of your flights to see how full they look
  • Check again quite close to Online check in opening for the same
  • If it looks OK, wait until online check in opens (30 days before) and check in the second it opens. You will 100% be sat together, only risk is 1 each side of the aisle

Alternatively, just pay the money and save the stress

JimmyJimmyJimmy · 27/06/2023 20:57

We just traveled with EasyJet. Couple with a toddler (3 if I had to guess) were seated separately. Dad about 8 rows back and Mum and toddler seated on the aisle seats. Luckily the couple who should have been seated together were happy to swap and take the aisle seat. It was awarkward for a few mins though. I would just pay for peace of mind. Good luck with your plan though.

Iwasafool · 27/06/2023 20:59

mainsfed · 27/06/2023 20:46

I wouldn’t willingly move even if I haven’t paid for my preferred seat.

Not my job to subsidise tight arses or poor budgeters.

I'm assuming the 2 year old isn't the one paying but will be the one distressed so yes I'd move.

Sunshineishere1988 · 27/06/2023 21:12

I believe they have to put you together at that age (TUI definately do). We have never pre booked seats together and always been placed in 3 seats together and another one across the aisle (kids primary school age).

Koalasparkles · 27/06/2023 21:13

I never pay when I fly with my kid and they always sit us together. Personally I think it's a piss take asking you to pay extra to sit the seats you booked at the same time together when they easily could just do it. I'd understand if they were across the aisle etc, but the way some airlines purposefully separate you to make you pay is taking the piss. As a point of principle I don't pay. They've got to put your kid with at least one of you and if there's a stranger in the 3rd seat and they choose not to swap with my partner then that's up to them. I know I'd rather not be sat next to a toddler, given the choice 🤷🏼‍♀️

How have we made sitting with your friends and family a luxury you have to pay extra for? Theatres don't do it!

SerafinasGoose · 27/06/2023 21:20

How have we made sitting with your friends and family a luxury you have to pay extra for? Theatres don't do it!

Nor do they squeeze you into a seat pitch of 29" ...

Dontworkmondays · 27/06/2023 21:22

They likely will sit you together, but you’ll be stressed all the way until you get your boarding pass. Not worth that imho.
I never pay to sit together and most of the time it’s fine.

Clafoutie · 27/06/2023 21:23

PumpkinPie2016 · 24/06/2023 17:50

Honestly, I'd just pay! Then you can be certain!

We fly in August and my son is 9. I am quite a nervous flyer so wanted us all together. I just paid for the seats and chose what we wanted.

If I didn't pay, I wouldn't 'expect' anything. I would accept that I may not get what I wanted.

Yes I agree with this. It is not really reasonable to expect to have it both ways OP! ( not paying but also expecting to get the seats you want).

Dontworkmondays · 27/06/2023 21:24

It’s only a short flight, someone will swap seats you. Up to you on how you feel about asking though. I have no issues with someone wanting to swap with me even if they said it’s because they didn’t fancy spending the money extra £20

Hyperthyroidkitty · 27/06/2023 21:29

I love that everyone is just telling you to pay, surely airlines shouldnt be charging for people to select a seat full stop?

Catxxxxxxxxxx · 27/06/2023 21:44

If you want to risk not being next to your 2 yr old then don't pay. Do not expect people to move if you don't pay to sit together. Simple

Raggeo · 27/06/2023 22:02

I have never reserved seats with any airline. Regularly fly with Easyjet and Pre-kids was always say next to DH. I think I've had 3 easyjet return trips since my eldest has needed his own seat, and every flight been sat next to him and DH. We make sure that we check in as soon as check in opens (set a reminder) just incase.

ZiriForEver · 27/06/2023 22:03

Catxxxxxxxxxx · 27/06/2023 21:44

If you want to risk not being next to your 2 yr old then don't pay. Do not expect people to move if you don't pay to sit together. Simple

Why? Some people don't pay either and don't mind some types of exchanges.
And the OP needs just 2 places, not a whole row.

I'd gladly get rid of middle seat for accross the aisle one. And I don't see any difference between 23C and 21C.

ilovesooty · 27/06/2023 22:04

Hyperthyroidkitty · 27/06/2023 21:29

I love that everyone is just telling you to pay, surely airlines shouldnt be charging for people to select a seat full stop?

That's what the usual pricing model involves. If they didn't charge for seat selection the base rate would be more expensive.

Getoutofherenow · 27/06/2023 22:07

HoppingPavlova · 27/06/2023 20:43

For all of you saying, "It's only £20!", it's not. It's per person, which is a lot if you are travelling as a family.

Yep. If you can’t afford that, you can’t afford to travel. Why make your lack of planning/inability to pay everyone else’s problem if things go pear shaped? No way I’d move to facilitate this. I’d even put up with a toddler on a long haul than give in to such a CF’er.

I sat on a long haul flight 2 rows and across the aisle from a mother with her screaming baby - I'd have paid to move, never mind being offered another seat, we were stuck with it. Do you frequently put yourself through misery to supposedly teach random strangers lessons? You are a hero - the world should applaud you in all your selfless acts... Nobel prize coming your way perhaps?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/06/2023 22:10

Here you go, @SunnyEgg - you asked aboutt flight price changes over time, and though this one's in dollars it's the closest I can get: https://www.in2013dollars.com/Airline-fares/price-inflation

Note in particular what happened after the Covid shutdown Hmm

Airfare price inflation, 1963→2023

This calculator uses the official Consumer Price Index for Airfare from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Airfare costing $100 in 1963 would cost $1,203.12 in 2023.

https://www.in2013dollars.com/Airline-fares/price-inflation

randommangoandpear · 27/06/2023 22:21

I risked not booking a seat and it was a huge fuss. Airport staff couldn’t put my 2 year old with either of us as the flight was full, so we were instructed to ask the cabin crew to try and sort it out. Cabin crew initially began to say that we should have paid for our seats and seemed uncomfortable but I got them to ask people if they would be happy to move! Airline cock up, toddlers and babies should be sat with a parent/guardian as standard.