Do you really need to rebook seats to sit together?

[getyourshoesonNOW]

We're flying with the kids for the first time in the summer (August). Not having been abroad for a few years I was a bit shocked to find you can pay extra to pre book seats. I think it will be about £80 for the four of us (me, dh and dc 8 and 6) for us for both directions. Clearly I'd rather avoid stumping up for this - if we don't do it is it likely we won't be able to sit together? It's a short flight so I don't mind not sitting as a foursome but I think the dc are too young to sit without us. Any advice welcome,

Sorry, title should say prebook

I am marking my place as we are in the same position, i am still not sure if we should book them or not, we are flying with Thompson and it will be £50 for 4 of us, not sure if this is for both ways or 1 way.

An 8 & 6 yo are far too young to be sitting away from you and the airline staff will no doubt recognise that. It's debatable whether you'll all get to sit together but more likely if you check in nice and early and smile sweetly.

Which airline are you travelling with?

I've never pre-booked seats and always been sat beside each other, we've flew with quite a airlines and never had any problems with seating. Even when it was a party of 6 it was seated beside each other.

I think most airlines require children under a certain age (12 I think) to sit with an adult, I know Easyjet do.

I worked for a holiday company. We advised clients not to bother paying to prebook seats together, just make sure you get to the airport with plenty of time to spare. In the many years I worked there with thousands of holidays booked we only had a problem with one family once one way and that was because they got to the airport late.

Thanks everyone - it's Thomson Airlines. I'm hoping they will see the dc clearly need to sit with us but dh is nervous about chancing it. I was assuming the £40 was each way but will check if its return

airlines have their own rules that generally say small children have to sit with a parent. the worst then you will get is a 2 and 2 or a 3 and 1 seating arrangement. ring them and ask how soon you can check in (can you do it online) and see what seats they have allocated for you. dont pay up front just tough it out and it will get sorted beforehand or as a last resort when you pitch up on the plane and they see the situation.

I've never paid and always sat with the rest of my family.

My friend flew Easyjet to Portugal a few years ago with her 2 children, she did not prebook seats. At departure there was a scrum for seats and she did not manage to get seats together with the children. The eldest was 10 and would be fine a couple of rows away but the youngest was 6 and needed to be with her. My friends seat was 3 rows away! The air stewards tried hard to get somebody to move but nobody would. Eventually my friend handed 2 plastic bags to the man beside her daughter and told him that she got very sick when flying and could he pass them to her when she vomited, it usually happens 3 or 4 times in a flight! . He changed his mind and offered to swap.

I never pre book, we haven't ever had a problem getting seats together, I think I, a waste of money. Check in on line in advance thougheif possible or early on the day.

I work for a holiday co. Last summer, peak time July and August, at least 3 families complained they couldn't sit together.

Could be wrong on this, but priority boarding is good, as you don't have to wait in the long queues , nice with little ones to just be ble to swan thru and put your bags in.

3 families out of how many altogether?

We've flown a gazillion times and never paid extra for seats together. Always managed it too.

3 out of about 100 families. Of course, not many, but it does happen occasionally.
I would recommend arriving at the airport an hour before check in to avoid being separated. That,or pay the extra.

I flew with thomsons in dec. we were late checking in and the check in desk lady spent 10 mins on the phone reorganising seats, trying to get us seats together - the lady admitted pre booking just ensures all the family sit together. Each child has to sit with an adult anyway with thomsons so the very worst case would be one adult and one child separated. I'd never pre book again after hearing that!

Sorry that wasn't clear! We did not pre book and as 2 adults and 2 kids, they had to seat one adult and one child together. Even without booking and checking in late, we got all seats together. Thomsons seem very keen on this.

They'll have to sit you at least 2+2 or 3+1. If you're happy with that, no need to prebook seats. If you particularly want to have all four of you together more than you want to hang on to your £80 then safer to prebook.

The last time I flew Easy Jet we had to get a bus to the plane. All the able bodied, child free adults got off the bus quickly so that by the time people with children or older people got on there were only single seats left. I was with my elderly mother and young DS and there were a couple of rows set aside for families and fortunately the stewardess let us sit there.

The final passengers were a mum with a four year old and there was nowhere for them to sit together. There was a stand off because the plane wouldn't take off unless someone moved. It take ages and there was lots of nastiness.

It was a horrible end to our lovely holiday and since then I have flown with Monarch who were absolutely wonderful last year and hopefully will be the same this year.