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Original poster

Paying for seat allocation on plane

23 replies

HalleLouja · 25/10/2013 18:38

We are flying with Monarch and will be 2 adults with a 5 and 2 year old. Paying for seat allocations is £60 which seems a bit of a cheek.

We are happy to sit apart 2 x 2 but obviously one of us needs to be with each child. What to do?

OP posts:

Pagwatch · 25/10/2013 18:39

Check in early?

We pay because we can't risk being splt up.

Original poster

HalleLouja · 25/10/2013 18:41

I think you get allocated when you get on the plane.

Its all a total con.

OP posts:

BunnyLebowski · 25/10/2013 18:42

I never pay for allocated seating and always sit with DD. Although DP sometimes has to sit elsewhere.

In my experience most airlines won't seat kids on their own next to strangers and away from a parent.

If they try to, just tell them you want to sit next to your child. They'll make it work. And if you have to, kick up a fuss. That never fails!

Tinlegs · 25/10/2013 18:43

Total con. They will not split you up from your children. Even if you are late, they will have to seat you together, perhaps in 2 pairs, but an adult for each child. Also, they often board families early anyway. Do no pay. Do not worry.

Pagwatch · 25/10/2013 18:55

Yes.
I had to do the 'seat us together or get my bags' on any easy jet once.i still have cold sweats but they did ask someone to move.
I had forgotten though that I am odd because my child who can't sit alone is 17
You have the regular small sized ones. You'll be fine.

Iwaswatchingthat · 25/10/2013 19:01

We did not pay it.

We were the last to get on our plane due to bus not collecting us from hotel. We literally checked in, went through security, boarded the plane and took off in the space of about ten mins. There were four of us. I sat with dds, DH sat alone on opposite aisle, but same row.

It is a total con! Do not pay it.

Original poster

HalleLouja · 25/10/2013 20:03

Thanks for confirming what I thought. I am happy not to sit with my mum as long as she has one of the children.

OP posts:

monopoly123 · 27/10/2013 21:08

Last Sunday I would have said dont bother - we flew Monarch last May and got allocated really good seats (2&2).
Last Monday morning we flew with Ryanair - we weren't particularly late to board but security was slow. Ryanair is non-allocated unless you pre-book, I was confident that someone on a plane wouldn't let a 6yr old sit on their own - I was wrong! The air stewardesses were offering(single) emergency exit seats over the tannoy & asking people to move - but no! None of them would move - so finally me & my eldest daughter got a 2 seat together, 6yr old sat 10 rows back with a family we didn't know. It was horrible having to choose to leave my 6yr old to sit alone but my eldest is nervous for take off and landing. After we got in the air we were able to sit together (a balance row we couldn't use for take off). But after that experience ill be paying to pre-book seats!

mummymeister · 27/10/2013 21:19

agree it is a con but the airlines are getting much wiser to the "sit us together or get us off" threat. it is awful to be sat away from your child but they offer the option to pay and if you don't then you take your chances. there is no law that says your child has to sit with you and whilst in the past it seems that they would do something and move people I don't really think you can rely on this any more. the airlines know that if the word gets around on forums like this that you make a fuss and you get moved and then they lose money. personally I pay up and make sure we sit together.

CelticPromise · 27/10/2013 21:34

We have flown with Monarch several times and found them generally good. We never pay the extra And our whole group has always been seated together (we aren't bothered as long as one of us sits with 4yo DS).

monopoly123 · 27/10/2013 21:37

Based on this years experience I'd fly with Monarch again(&not pre-book seats) but not Ryanair (although if I did Ryanair I'd pre-book seats).

LittleSiouxieSue · 27/10/2013 22:11

Do not trust Ryanair or Easyjet to do the right thing! Or the people who fly with them I'm afraid. They will push you out of the way to get the seats they want. We don't fly with them anymore. I'd rather pay for a decent airline and choose my seats 24 hours in advance if I need to change the allocation. I hate the stress of no handbags, no seats and no service!

CelticPromise · 27/10/2013 22:24

I've found easyjet to be great. very helpful and family friendly.

massistar · 29/10/2013 14:23

With Ryanair I'd say yes, pay for it as it is a total scrum to get on the plane with no allowances made even if you have a tiny baby with you.

Most decent airlines pre-allocate seats to people with children so you should be fine. Easyjet do assigned seating now btw and I've always found them to be streets ahead of Ryanair.

theoriginalandbestrookie · 31/10/2013 17:12

Ah now I have experience of this with Monarch after we booked a luxury package holiday through Sovereign and discovered about a fortnight before we were due to go that although fripperies such as airport lounges were included, they hadn't factored in the cost for us to sit beside our 5 year old .

They gave me a number to speak to Monarch and their customer services confirmed that it is their airline policy to seat families with young children together, provided they got to the airline nice and early.

This was a couple of years ago so you might want to ring them to confirm .

Original poster

HalleLouja · 04/11/2013 13:57

We were put together there and the way back I wish they had left my two year old on her own but that's another story. I really liked flying with Monarch they were really good. Easy jet were fine last time and made sure we all got to sit together.

OP posts:

Original poster

HalleLouja · 04/11/2013 13:58

I heard a story about Ryanair from someone on the plane who said they purposely put parents and kids on at the end and separated them up. I won't be flying with them.

OP posts:

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 05/11/2013 12:13

I have never paid for allocated seating and we have always been sat together as a family.

Try to check in as early as you can. Even if you can't all sit together I'm sure they wouldn't separate a child and a parent. I wouldn't give them an extra £60!

Easyjet have allocated seating now so there isn't the free for all there used to be and families with children under 6 get to board before everyone else anyway.

happyyonisleepyyoni · 06/11/2013 21:21

I've just booked easyjet flights and paid £3 each to choose our seats. Money well spent to avoid the scrum at the gate.

BabyMummy29 · 06/11/2013 21:27

Never pay for this con and have never witnessed a scrum at the gate. Everyone lined up then got on the plane in an orderly manner.

It's not like being on a train where there might not be a seat for you (in spite of booking a seat). Everyone gets a seat.

I realise it may be different for those travelling with DC.

happyyonisleepyyoni · 06/11/2013 22:09

Yes, it is very different travelling with DC, esp when you are a family of 5 travelling together, I'd rather not be scrambling for seats.

JammyTodger · 06/11/2013 22:42

I realise that you've been and gone now and glad it was all OK for you OP :) We flew with Monarch last week and we were separated. DS sat next to a nice bloke who helped him with his belt and earplugs, but I was really upset not to be next to him for his first time flying. He's only just 4, but he was very grown up about it. At check in we were told there was nothing they could do as most of the other passengers had paid for allocated seats (obv had previous experience of being split up). I won't pay extra in future but I'll make sure we're right at the front of the friggin queue for check in. We all sat together on the way back BTW :)

Original poster

HalleLouja · 07/11/2013 10:11

The seats were pre booked when we checked in. They must have sorted them before check in commenced from what I gathered.

OP posts:

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