To book the holiday - plane seats

[eatthecheese]

Not really an AIBU but posting for traffic

Decided to book a last minute family holiday to travel next week.
Found the package we wanted but when going through the steps to pre select seats there are no seats available together on the outward flight.

For info we are a family of 4, kids aged 3 and 5.

Only single seats available, none even remotely near another.

Only one flight available on the day we can travel. Package is with jet2.

Does anyone have any experience of dealing with this?
Should I just book it in hope we will be sat together? Or given the seats are showing as unavailable, is the likelihood people have already paid for their seats?

Just to put it out there I'm not someone who expects people to move / give families priority. Im just wondering if the airline keep seats back/ don't show all seats available.

I would say it’s likely everyone else selected a seat and you’ll be hoisting them out by booking anyway

Or, if it's very close they may have checked in online already and been allocated a seat, but not paid for them. So they might be moved but not from a paid-for seat.
I book seats on flights but my preference is for things like aisle seat, I wouldn't care if I was moved a few rows forward or backward to allow a family to be together.
Dont they have a phone line or live chat where you could ask? If they take your booking you've every right to your seats!

They won’t just sit you together. If the seats are taken, they’re taken.

When I booked last minute with my mum and 11 year old, we were allocated three seats on different rows as the plane was full. I was fine with that.
When we checked in, they reallocated us (without us asking) and put us together in extra legroom, as no one had chosen to pay extra for those seats.
It was a nice surprise!
It's the only time I've booked late and haven't paid to select seats 😂

It's no close enough to check in yet which leads me to assume they've been pre booked. I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say.

@TheBarbieEffect I should have been clearer, not expecting to be sat together but with the space left available, people would have to move as the children wouldn't be close to a parent.

@igetwhatyoumean nice!! Unfortunately all the extra leg room are taken so it says.
I'll call and see in the morning, been pondering for days! Wish I'd been quicker.

Most airlines have a policy that requires children under a certain age to be sat beside (or adjacent to) a parent/guardian. So yes if you book the single seats they will probably re-jig things for you. But if you call and ask I'm sure they will confirm what their policy is.

They are all taken as it’s too close. They have to sit you together with kids by rules but it means near by rather than in one row. Someone posted once that airlines leave one row unbooked deliberately to sort out exactly this situation so it’s worth to call and ask.
Another way is to book single seats which could be easily swapped e.g you are booking one middle for your kid and one aisle for you and asking to swap the aisle. Who will want to sit with your kid the whole flight ? No one. No offence but it’s my way of thinking last year and it worked. Do the same for your partner and another child, the key is to book a child into the middle.

It's a legal requirement to put a child under 12 next to an adult they are traveling with. It can be across and isle or seat Infront/ behind but they will rejig it. Me and my husband would move tbh for a parent and child if we where traveling just the 2 of us

They will move people about so you and the 2 kids are together. I would book it. At 3 and 5 they won’t sit you apart. I work for an airline but not that one.

I called and they do reserve seats for families, they were able to book these out for us over the phone. All good!

We took my grandson to California a few years ago. Going out all fine, checked in together no problem. Coming back, the site wouldn't let us check in online. Said as my GS was under 16. Didn't let it spoil our trip, thought we'd worry about any issues when we got to the airport.

Were upgraded to extra leg room at no costs and had two rows to ourselves.

Did feel a bit guilty that some of the passengers on the other side of the aisle were resting their trays on their stomachs, though.

@eatthecheese glad you got it sorted ok, enjoy your holiday.

Not sure if you have already gone but if not book if it's Jet 2. Mention it at the check in desk but we were in the same boat and they had already moved the seats around so we were together. A fab airline!

Also done it with other areas and had to ask staff to help find 2 seats together (we didn't need to all be together but did need the 2 year old to be close to one of us) - they offered free drinks to whoever moved.

If you can get aisle seats as close to each other as possible then I'd suggest doing that so worst comes you can travel up and down the plane easily between each other.