To think that paying for airplane seats has broken air travel for families?

[raggedymum]

I just get so stressed when I see anything about plane seat issues - everyone is all "you should pay" but it doesn't take into account all the things that can go wrong, and there is now zero compassion or willingness to shift from other passengers. And somewhat reasonably, as they have paid for their seats!

I'm still traumatised from 6-leg (3 each way) flight last year with DH and then-10yo DD, where despite paying close to £1K to select seats (for very tall DH to get extra legroom and make sure the family was sat together), we sat together on only 1 of the 6 legs. First leg was fine. Second leg - long haul - 2 of the 3 seats we had booked were literally broken and NO ONE could sit there. It took ages for the flight attendants to find anyone willing to move to allow me and DD to sit next to each other for the 8-hour flight. DD (probably ND, we're looking into it), not having flown since she was 4 before the pandemic, was in tears and terrified. At least DH got his extra legroom in the non-broken original seat. Then, that flight encountered weather and we missed the connection. So obviously we didn't have the seats we had paid for on the flight that left before we got off the plane. Again, massive difficulty to find anywhere to get even two seats together. I managed to get behind DD (aisle seats - yet the middles next to us didn't want to move to an aisle to allow us to sit together - I have actually seen threads from people explaining that they chose such on purpose...). Return journey they had overbooked the plane and printed boarding passes with our seats for multiple people. Again, lots of angst but we got DD and me next to each other (and DD absolutely in a panic remembering the problems on the flight over, and me not so far behind). Weather again, and despite actually making the connection, we got there so late they had removed our seats from the system and put other people in them. This time DH was crunched in a regular seat and we did manage to get me and DD together in some middle seats. Final leg the plane was a different type than planned, so at least nobody had seats they had booked, although people still insisted on their seat if they existed in this plane. Again, couldn't get three together and lots of difficulty over arranging for me and DD together. Didn't help that DD was a very tall 10yo (see tall DH...) and people seemed to think she was a stroppy teen and not a panicking possibly-ND 10yo at the end of a very long series of flights.

I'm grateful that I managed to get next to DD on all but one of the legs, but it was so incredibly stressful that I have a panic response at the thought of flying long-haul again, making me really not want to visit family overseas anytime soon...

I completely understand that people don't want to give up seats they may have paid £100+ for. But the fact that everybody pays for very specific seats now means that the gate staff can't shift people who haven't yet checked in around (while keeping groups together) like they used to, to help sort out groups broken up for various reasons. And there is no sympathy because "you should have paid" even when you DID pay (a lot!).

I wonder if instead of picking specific seats, you could pay for "3 seats together with extra legroom", "an aisle seat in cheap economy", etc. I guess that would be much harder for the airlines to sort and figure out if they even could sell that combination, instead of just showing the little maps you select from.

I always get a strong, "Still lives in hometown, married high school sweetheart, mum lives round the corner, hasn't got enough imagination to comprehend other people doing something as weird as marrying someone from another country" vibe from those posters.

I like this idea!

And I think they must slowly "unblock" seats as the plane fills up (given my experience in being easily able to move from an exit row to another seat when on the phone minutes later, when the seat selection tool showed nothing else available), so they could have a set of seats that are available only for those that wish to pay and keep a block in which they can seat the first two categories.

@raggedymumgosh that is shocking

What a hideous journey that was, and what incredibly bad luck.
I think it's a serous problem for some passengers that the airline won't and arguably can't guarantee their selected seats will be available. Particularly as the seats in economy and small and uncomfortable anyway, to a degree, so the baseline is low.
Maybe you could get some certification that DD needs priority because of her ND? Maybe the airline would take that seriously?

Ssh! Don't tell everybody!

We have family in the US and have discovered that the QM2 is 'The Only Way to Cross' (title of a book).

The price varies according to how popular a crossing is, which type of cabin you want, when you book, etc. but if you could travel on 19 November, in an inside cabin, with Cunard allocating the exact cabin, you would pay £1497 for all three of you. You'd need to get back, of course, but you can often get good offers as part of a fly-cruise. Unless you can spare another week to sail back.

The other issue is that it takes a week. But what a week you'll have, living like celebrities from the 1930s, or, if you prefer, just chilling around the ship. It's very civilised and they even have clubs for children/teenagers which your DC might, or might not, enjoy. And fabulous food and good entertainment included.

And you leave from Southampton where hotels are cheaper than London.

You shouldn’t have to pay for a flight and then extra. there should be one charge.

I also don’t agree with darn beds or first class, whilst other people are squashed into uncomfortable spaces.

There should be plenty of space for everyone.

Yes, it's incredibly normal to need to get multiple flights. Some people seem live in a bubble though!

@FlowOverFlow - that is exactly what used to happen, back when I was young - but it meant that ticket prices were a lot higher.

Well they might be if you don't move 😂

I just looked at this - a cabin for the family on a ROUND TRIP next summer was cheaper than our flights last year. Although given the crash in cost of flights to the US, potentially not cheaper than flights now or would be next year (as long as the US remains a less-than-desired-destination).

Only problem is I get sea sick. I did survive 2 weeks on a ship for work once with acupuncture bands plus medication, though, so maybe could do it.

We have friends who recently took their two kids and two dogs on the QM2. Looks like they had a whale of a time. They did the fly there-and-boat-back journey.

I really love different types of transport. We took the Eurostar to Europe some years ago and was so excited. DD mostly bored being stuck in a small area.

Why? What has she done wrong

Oo, you wrote this as I was posting my last. That's MILES cheaper than the random look I found. Although that would be term time...

Often business and first class are the only really profitable parts of the flight. Business and first class travellers subsidise economy travellers by quite a lot.

We stopped paying extra to pick seats once the DC were over 12 and yet we have always been put together when we've checked in on line.

Once when we tried to use the self check in machine we got a message saying we had to go to the desk and DH and I were then separated from the DC but were rewarded with free extra legroom seats.

On the last flight we were on we were all seated in a line with me across the aisle from DH and the DC. I was asked by the crew if I would mind swapping with a young girl who was seated further back who was a nervous flyer and wanted to be next to her mum. She was crying bless her. I agreed happily and they were so grateful.

Between us, my family have been on over 60 flights this year, all pre booked seats and no issues whatsoever.
Just because you had an unfortunate experience doesn’t mean it doesn’t work 99.9% of the time.

This is why I refuse to fly. I just can't imagine paying for something to find it taken away from you at the last minute. They regularly overbook flights and then when everyone shows up someone inevitably gets kicked to the next flight. In any other business you would quickly lose custom and go bust for trying those sorts of dirty tricks, but airlines know they can do anything and get away with it.

Same! Seating was never an issue prior to having to pay. And in fact, most long haul flights you don't need to pay to book a seat and that's still pretty seamless.

Agreed.

When I was working we used to reckon if you could fill First on something like a 747 going transatlantic with actual full fare paying passengers the flight would definitely make a decent profit.

If First was empty but economy full it would be close run as to whether you were running at a profit or loss...hopefully you'd just be in the black.

I would still rather this system, as you don't get the anger and belligerence of people refusing to move. Now people get so stuck on the fact they've paid for their seats (even if you have too) no one wants to help out. I'd much rather pay more and not have this stupid system, then pay the same anyway and be stuck with it

Because airline travel was much more expensive and all the things that are extras now, were bundled into the price, @blankittyblank. Now it’s all split up so if someone doesn’t care where they sit, doesn’t need hold baggage, and brings their own food, they need only pay the base price, but everyone else can add the extras that they want/need.

That said, I do think children should be in the same row as a parent, next to them, and maybe the rules need to be changed to reflect this.

3 flights to the US is quite common especially if you are sensible enough to avoid the London airports and fly via Amsterdam so you often have Amsterdam, Atlanta or Minneapolis, Destination.

I have sympathy for single travellers who chose their seat on booking, either paying or not, then they get bounced around to allow late booking groups to be together and often finish up in the middle.

I’m a bit of a doormat According to my family 😂 but I’m always more than happy to swap/move seats if someone needs one / for a child to sit with a parent.

Oh totally! I don't disagree with what you're saying. I was quoting the person who said this
Choosing and paying for specific seats generally works very well and takes a lot of jeopardy out of travel that existed previously.

And was stating there was no jeopardy before. And still isn't on flights where you don't need to book (you just pay more)

You were just unlucky. Not everyone does book specific seats. I rarely do these days. As we don't mind being separated (all adults) so there will be people to swap with should that happen

I think you should definitely consider QM2, if you can afford the time for the crossing. I am genuinely a dreadful sailor but have discovered that the bigger the boat the less seasick I get.