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Original poster

Is it worth pre booking seats?

27 replies

jellybeans · 21/06/2007 10:47

Hi we are going to menorca in a few weeks and didn't choose to book seats as it was alot extra for 6 of us. We can upgrade to them though at any time but wondering if we need them. Will they really split us all up ie kids on their own? Do you book your seats in case? Thanks.

OP posts:

mumto3girls · 21/06/2007 10:50

we didn't pre-book because BA say they prioritise seating with children...If you check in early you should be okay I think

PinkChick · 21/06/2007 10:51

easy jet to majorca last year prioritised those with children (us)..get there early, be first in que and hope for the best

Original poster

jellybeans · 21/06/2007 11:02

ok thanks i will check in early. Not sure how early lol is 3 hours about right?

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PinkChick · 21/06/2007 11:46

with easy jet i think it was minimum 30 mins before???, but we got there earlier, were going to cyprus this year and although we fly 11pm, i want to be there for tea time so get checked in as early as will allow(prob 2hrs before?) then have tea there..go on your airlines website, it will show earliest latest check in times

ChippyMinton · 21/06/2007 11:48

if it's an early morning flight you may be able to check in the night before (handy if you're staying in a hotel or live near the airport)

tiredemma · 21/06/2007 11:52

As long as you check in at the beginning of check in and not with 30 mins to spare, there is no reason why you should be split up. Airlines split familes up as a very last resort.

Ali5 · 21/06/2007 11:52

I would book seats. We've just flown easyjet who did get families with children out the door first, but everyone was on the same bus to the aircraft! It was a total free-for-all to the plane - luckily the flight wasn't full so we managed to get seats together. It also saves you panicking to get to the airport super early.

tiredemma · 21/06/2007 11:55

is it easyjet that you are flying with?

PinkChick · 21/06/2007 11:56

? ah with us and easy jet(flew from newcastle) they let all 'families' got out first, board first then rest of people got on?

PinkChick · 21/06/2007 11:57

however, we HAVE booked our seats this time(to sit together)..think its a contradiction of terms to say both me AND dp AND dd have to pay to sit together, surly if i pay, ill be sat next to one of them???

Original poster

jellybeans · 21/06/2007 12:03

Thanks for all your replies. We are flying with First Choice. Flight is about 7am.

OP posts:

ChippyMinton · 21/06/2007 12:07

If it's an airline without seat allocations and I am flying with DP, he will run ahead with DS1 to bag seats whilst i trail behind with DS2 and DD. Not than anyone would choose to sit near a family with small children...

tiredemma · 21/06/2007 12:10

Dont bother prebooking- just turn up on time.

If it were easyjet where its a free for all, then I would suggest prebooking.

But not for firstchoice as long as you give yourself plenety of time to check in.

somersetmum · 21/06/2007 12:15

We "booked" seats when we went to Dublin - there was no extra cost involved, but that's beside the point. When we got on the plane, the air stewardess looked at us all sheepishly and said "Sorry, I gave your seats to a family with young children". She had moved us to the from the front to the very back of the plane! dd was two at the time, ds seven and dh is 6'6", so needs extra legroom. So, IME, no point booking seats because the air stewardesses will override them anyway.

Original poster

jellybeans · 22/06/2007 22:15

Thanks everyone, think will turn up early and hope they at least put DH with 2 of the LO's and me with the other two.

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Ladymuck · 22/06/2007 22:21

I recently flew with Flybe and didn't prebook seats, and was separated by an aisle from my children (or would have had one of them next to a stranger across an aisle). Turned out most people did pre-allocate, and I missed the fact that online checkin was an option, so even though i was at the airport early I was one of the last to check in. Not disasterous as we were in the same row, but had they been a year younger it might have been very difficult indeed.

That said if there are 6 of you travelling it is likely that you would have some of the kids near you? Or are 4 children?

Original poster

jellybeans · 22/06/2007 22:28

4 are children x

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Ladymuck · 23/06/2007 11:24

Well if you can cope with 3 lots of 2 you should be OK. Make sure that you do know the earliest checkin. My two were 6 and 4 and it was only 1hr 20m on the plane so we were fine.

Original poster

jellybeans · 24/06/2007 20:34

Thanks LM will book in earliest time poss.

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lilolilmanchester · 25/06/2007 11:43

Difficult isn't it, cos it's a lot of money to prebook for 6 of you. However, I now always pre book. I went away for weekend with some girlfriends, so sitting together wasn't essential. However, the airline had oversold and priority was given to those who had pre-booked. We hadn't and almost didn't get on the flight, even tho we arrived at the airport in plenty of time. Fortunately, another group didn't check in in time so we go their seats. Another time, travelling as a family, we hadn't pre-booked and got split up. Fortunately my DS was 10 so ok on his own (not sure the poor woman next to him would agree, he didn't stop talking all flight apparently!) and we managed to get someone to move so one of us could sit with my DD who was only 6.

Original poster

jellybeans · 26/06/2007 22:35

Thanks, Lilo. I may ring up tomorrow and see how much it is to prebook. I am starting to think we would really need to be together.

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lisad123 · 26/06/2007 22:42

i would get there early and they will sit you together when you check in.

Original poster

jellybeans · 29/06/2007 16:20

Thanks Lisa, I am leaning towards just turing up eary.

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Original poster

jellybeans · 29/06/2007 16:20

Should say early, not eary!!!!

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geekgirl · 29/06/2007 16:24

I always prebook, but then mine are all small and one has SN - find travelling heart-attack inducing enough without having the worry of being split up (and yes, they do - if they cant get you seats together because they are all taken, theres not much the airline can do).

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