Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

Original poster

Easyjet priority boarding - is it worth it?

16 replies

Ferncottage · 14/01/2011 09:58

Hello - has anyone flown Easyjest from Stansted recently? are they ok? I haven't flown for 14 years as scared but I'm going to do it this year! but I definitely want to sit with my husband and children - is in necessary to pay for the priority boarding for this?
many thanks

OP posts:

neenewps · 14/01/2011 10:04

Not if you have young children as they give you priority boarding anyway..

SixtyFootDoll · 14/01/2011 10:09

I am currentl sat in departures at Gatwick waiting for mu easyjet flight to egypt. I have flown with easyjet a few times ane never pay xtra for priority.If you check in early or online you shouLd be ok

SixtyFootDoll · 14/01/2011 10:09

blowninonabreeze · 14/01/2011 10:11

It's very variable.
If you're flying with an infant you can't book priority boarding anyway.
In the last few years when flying with easyjet they HAVEN'T allowed young families to board first.

In some cases(not sure about stanstead) you have to get a bus from the gate to the plane, so you pay for priority boarding, get to get on the bus first, then the rest of the passengers get on behind you and it's a free for all when you arrive at the plane.

Overall I'd say not worth it.

drivinmecrazy · 14/01/2011 10:11

Gave up on booking priority many moons ago. I fly frequently with Ryanair on my own with 2 DDs but gave up when I noticed priority queue becoming longer than non. Flew back from Spain after christmas with MIL, DH and DDs. Watched priority given a 30 second head start, they were directed to the front door, lovely groundcrew man told us to board at the back so we walked straight to the back and were seated and settled while the others at front of plane were still arsing aboiut with their luggage (and also got a spare seat to play with as I sat on one row with DD(5) and you can gaurantee no one would choose to sit next to her on a flight) Must admit did get her to whinge and whine a bit so other passengers just left us to it.

tiredemma · 14/01/2011 10:12

not if you have children. They call families first

DiscoDaisy · 14/01/2011 10:15

When we flew back from Spain last June the priority boarding people went on the bus first in a roped off area. When we got to the plane they opened the door of the bus that was in the roped off area first so the priority boarding people could get on the plane first. Then they opened the other doors of the bus for everybody else to get on the plane. iyswim.
This was with Easyjet who we fly with quite often although this was the first time that had happened.

DiscoDaisy · 14/01/2011 10:16

Easyjet called people with children under 5 first so not all people with children got priority.

MollieO · 14/01/2011 10:17

If you have under fives you board straight after speedy boarding people. At Geneva last Sunday anyone with a child could board first, including those with what looked like teenagers.

Doesn't stop them cancelling flights though - which happened to us last Sunday. No apology, no assistance and no reason (only flight cancelled at Geneva all day).

StickyProblem · 14/01/2011 10:24

When flying back it depends where you fly from. I've flown EasyJet with priority boarding and with some airports all it means is you are first on the bus! Some airports manage how you get off the bus but others don't.

I fly on my own, as I travel for work, and it pretty much makes no difference whether I have priority boarding or not, I end up in the exact same seat.

Checkin time makes no difference - what makes the difference is how early you get to the gate, so you are first in the queue to board. When you get on head to the middle of the plane (assuming people are boarding from each end of the plane). You should be fine.

Oh and don't worry too much!!! There is often something with flights that is less than perfect, but don't let the worry of wondering what might happen with the plane seats spoil your trip. It pretty much always seems to work out OK.

The earlier in the day you are flying, the more on time (and less likely to cancel) EasyJet are IME.

FanellaFidge · 14/01/2011 10:28

We had priority, as we had two small children with us. When it came to boarding, we were trampled on. Dreadful experience.

Anonymousbird · 14/01/2011 10:29

If one of your children is under 5 they will almost certainly priority board you anyway. They did with us. Sadly, DD is now 5, so we just have to bunfight with the masses!!

It is a heinous waste of money anyway, you will almost certainly get to sit together if you get yourself near the front of the non-priority boarding queue. Just get straight to the boarding gate, leave yourself plenty of time.

Original poster

Ferncottage · 14/01/2011 10:29

thank you everyone - this is very helpful

OP posts:

drivinmecrazy · 14/01/2011 10:33

I actually dream of the day I cannot get seated with my DC, tis a dream of mine to spend the flight sipping wine whilst reading my book

Carrie06 · 14/01/2011 10:46

Your post brought back memories of an article I read on speedy boarding a few years ago here

fedupwithdeployment · 14/01/2011 11:08

I flew on my own with 2 DSs last Easter from Luton. They were 5 and 3. Because security took for ever, we were on the last bus and were the last people on the plane. We still managed to sit together, although some passengers were bloody unhelpful. I did at one point say, "That is fine by me. You can have my 3 year old for the next couple of hours." The staff were pretty helpful and shifted some less belligerent people.

I hate Luton - Stansted is better. So (imho) would Timbukto!

Flip