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Original poster

British Airways seating arrangements

51 replies

AliceMum09 · 18/05/2015 10:13

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience......

We fly Heathrow to Palma this Friday, family of 5 with children aged 9, 6 and 3. I have not paid to select specific seats (which would have cost £150) because the BA website says (copied and pasted)

"If you decide not to select your seats in advance, we'll allocate your seats five days before departure. If the group can't be seated together, all children in your booking will be seated with an accompanying adult."

So last night I went into the 'manage my booking' part of the website and discovered that we have been given two seats in row 15, one in row 17 and two seats in row 21, meaning that one child is going to have to sit alone. I have no objection to being split 1 adult 1 child and 1 adult 2 children and being at opposite ends of the plane, but I am absolutely not having one child sitting by themselves with them being the ages they are. If the oldest was a teenager I'd not be bothered, but 9 is too young.

I phoned customer services, who said the flight is fully booked and we will just have to get to the airport early on Friday so they can deal with it.

To say I am angry is an understatement! Nowhere does the website state that they will "try" and seat you together, or that to guarantee seats together you must pre-book. It says each child "will" be seated with an adult.

Now I have visions of standing at the front of the plane while they ask people if they are willing to swap seats and all the other passengers giving me the evils!

I really didn't expect this from BA. Has anyone else had similar problems with them?

Thanks

OP posts:
Heels99 · 18/05/2015 10:16

They will sort it on the day, don't worry

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 18/05/2015 10:20

What do you actually expect them to do? everyone else has obv. pre-paid and choosen their seats leaving only scraggly bits behind?

SoupDragon · 18/05/2015 10:21

I think an average 9 year old would be fine 2 rows from a parent on a short haul flight.

SoupDragon · 18/05/2015 10:24

I had this on a long haul flight with BA and they did sort it on check in though.

Smellyoulateralligator · 18/05/2015 10:29

How about one parent and child in row 17 and the 9 year old with a tablet or other amuse in row 15? You could still keep and eye on them.

Smellyoulateralligator · 18/05/2015 10:29

amusement

Original poster
AliceMum09 · 18/05/2015 10:31

I expect them to move other people! The website states that children "will" be seated with an accompanying adult, even if you decide to not pre-select your seats.

If we were travelling as a couple, or with a group of adults and we wanted to sit together I would have no objection to paying to select seats, but as a family who need to sit together I don't think you should have to pay.

Anyway, I will make these views known to the check-in staff on Friday!

OP posts:
yakari · 18/05/2015 10:32

There are loads of threads on MN and 'sad face' stories in the tabloids about this so I can't believe you didn't know this was a possibility - especially as you already knew the last option is standing at the front while the cabin crew have to sort it.
You should be lucky and get it sorted at check in but you are being unreasonable to think this is anyone else's fault but your own. Worse case your 9 year old should be fine by themselves.

Original poster
AliceMum09 · 18/05/2015 10:34

Also, the seats are three window seats, and two in the middle. So if I'm trying to 'keep an eye' on the 9 year old in row 17 I'm going to be constantly disturbing two sets of passengers if I have to keep getting up and down.

If DS was going to be 2 rows back and we both had aisle seats I might not be quite so bothered.

OP posts:
Groovee · 18/05/2015 10:34

I always pay to select my seat as I wouldn't want this situation. It's part of the holiday budget.

If I got moved cos someone didn't pay, I'd be extremely pissed off as I choose certain seats for a reason.

TheFairyCaravan · 18/05/2015 10:34

I expect them to move other people Shock

We pre-book our seats and we would not be moving! Why should people who have paid to sit together move to accomadote you and your family who haven't ?

oddfodd · 18/05/2015 10:34

Why don't you think you should pay? A 9 year old should be fine on s short flight.

Couldn't you select your seats when online check in opened? That's what I did on BA recently and it was free

Original poster
AliceMum09 · 18/05/2015 10:36

I don't think it's unreasonable to believe what it says in black and white on the BA website.

Like I said, if there had been some disclaimer like "we will do our best to ensure that all children are sat with an accompanying adult, but to guarantee this you must pre-book seats" then of course I would have done that.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 18/05/2015 10:37

I expect them to move other people!

So, you were too tight to pay but you expect them to move people who did pay?

I would suggest you try being nice and calm and polite to the check in staff rather than "making your feelings known: because otherwise you'll just come across as an entitled arse. It's not their fault you were to tight to pay and the flight is full.

oddfodd · 18/05/2015 10:38

I bet you that the rest of the plane is also parents with kids, given its half term so people aren't going to move because then it will mean they're not sitting next to their kids.

I wouldn't move in any event if I'd paid for specific seats

TarkaTheOtter · 18/05/2015 10:40

But the OP is "entitled" to be sat with her children because that is what BA say they do.

oddfodd · 18/05/2015 10:42

If all the other seats have been booked though, how can the airline do that? I also think airlines have quite a broad view of 'together' when it comes to seats

SoupDragon · 18/05/2015 10:42

That doesn't make her entitled to be an arse to the check in staff.

LizardBreath · 18/05/2015 10:42

I've been on a ba flight from Canada with 2 kids sat on their own and parents in single seperate seats. Kids about 6 and 4? Maybe younger.

Original poster
AliceMum09 · 18/05/2015 10:44

I wasn't too tight to pay, from what I read on the website I thought I didn't need to.

And if we'd been going with Jet2/Easyjet/Ryanair I would have paid, and would not be expecting other people to move if I'd 'left it to chance' on one of their aeroplanes.

Of course I'm not going to stand there ranting and raving, I never normally complain about anything, but if nothing can be done and DS has to sit by himself then BA need to change the wording on their website.

OP posts:
OddBoots · 18/05/2015 10:46

I think BA were wrong in their wording of it (and I wish airlines would include pre-booked seats and offer discounts to opt out of pre-booking rather than charging pre-booking fees).

I wish you well in sorting it at the airport but in your position I would certainly be paying for pre-booked seats for the retun journey so you don't have this stress while you are away too.

FatAli · 18/05/2015 10:48

I really wouldn't worry. Countless times we have been unable to get seats together on BA's online check in, but they have always sorted it out at the check in desk.

yakari · 18/05/2015 10:49

You do know the check in staff and the cabin crew can't change the wording on the website. So at the airport focus on the problem at hand and remember they probably deal with other entitled arses all day! Don't 'have words' you need these people in your side.
Then you can complain at customer services or to the HO later.

Stealthsquiggle · 18/05/2015 10:50

YANBU to be peeved, given what it states on the website, not are you BU not to have paid to reserve seats, on the same basis.

I wouldn't waste too much energy worrying about it though. I am sure they will sort it out on check in. There will be loads of people travelling alone on business (like me) who don't really give two hoots about where they sit but have seats pre-allocated anyway. They will probably bump one of those people up to business (which is very rarely full) to give you the three seats together. However, they won't do this in advance because if the flight turns out not to be quite as full as they are expecting then they can do the shuffle without having to upgrade anyone.

Loads of changes take place at check in. It will be fine.

alwaysabattle · 18/05/2015 10:52

When they state they will be sat with a adult they mean within a few rows distance not right next to you. That's why they have the option to pay. We've just booked a holiday and have paid to make sure all 4 of us have seats together and I second the opinion I wouldn't give up my seat I've paid extra for

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