British Airways Premium Economy vent

[GingerBeverage]

Just venting really, but I've been separated from my 2 year old in the PE cabin for upcoming 7 hour overnight BA flight.
I booked 4 months ago and choosing seats was always listed as significantly extra (c£50 each from memory) so I relied on their family seating policy. I'd already paid to upgrade, it didn't make sense to pay more.
I checked regularly and seats were always chargeable until a week ago I saw they'd been allocated. OK, I'll move them!
Nope. Cabin is fully booked.
Went on chat and was told they can't help, here, follow this link to complain.
Reply via email 5 days later: You shouldn't have used this link, aka shut up and go away.
The specific seats they have given us are next to toilets centre section aisle, centre section middle, and last row next to toilets centre section middle.
So looks like (we are A, toilets are T):
XX AAX XX
TT XAX TT

If we put 2 year old in aisle he will run away. If we put 2 year old in centre he will annoy the stranger next to him. He's going to cry anyway when he sees he's separated from either me or dad. And the two strangers on either side are not going to want to have him clambering over, nor will they want to swap from an aisle (that they probably paid £50 for) to a centre.

And all this will happen next to toilets which will (if he ever sleeps) wake him up.

I've never regretted an upgrade more. If I could go back and choose economy again I'd do it in a flash. There's no amount of extra mm legroom that can compensate for how much I am dreading this experience.

They said to ask to move at the airport but the chances of that helping are slim to zero. I feel sorry for everyone around us.

[AnotherForumUser]

@Saddlesore

Years ago when I was flying overnight with my toddler son, the plane had lots of empty seats dotted around, including a wide middle section next to me that we could really stretch out on, and have easier access to all the stuff you need when flying with a toddler. As soon as the seatbelt sign went off, I moved into the empty row with him, but at the same time someone moved into the seat at the other end to grab a similar amount of space. I said "Just to warn you that my son suffers from travel sickness, but I'll try to keep him well away from you when he starts." That person found another set of empty seats pretty quickly! Maybe you could try that little white lie on the third person on your row and ask if they would like to sit in your allocated seat behind??? Underhand, I know.....

Maybe they booked an aisle seat near the toilets because they need easy access to the loo. I would have to do.this because of a real and genuine medical need. While I'd swap for another aisle seat I wouldn't swap to a middle row seat or window seat because of my condition.
Maybe they paid the extra fee to sit there so perhaps an outraged mummy should offer to compensate. You suggestion of manipulation would only make me stay put regardless. And if your child was sick on me you would get the dry cleaning bill rammed up your arse.

[giggly]

Honestly talk about spitting the dummy out and then comes back to blame MN for not being so understanding. You gave me a right laugh there op.

[Roselilly36]

It will be ok, one child sits with parent, why the other one relaxes, then swap over seats. Someone may be kind enough to swap, with you, but don’t expect it.

The airlines are very crafty, with this money making trick. I read somewhere a few years back that you were more likely to win the lottery than get seated together on random selection. Not daft are they. 😂

We always just pay, as we like to be guaranteed to be sitting together. Even on a short 4 hrs flight, just consider it part of the holiday cost.

Have a lovely holiday, and take plenty of snacks, the airline food was awful, when we last went to Florida.

[GonnaGetGoingReturns]

Doesn't this always crop up (or used to) around about this time of year re flights and parents not realising they need to pay for certain services etc?

OP - yes I think most people realise that 2 year olds aren't perfect, but in this case he's sat next to you/DH and you can both swap around.

Seats on airplanes get booked up very quickly and if you'd wanted 3 seats together all you had to do was pay to book them.

[User0610134049]

I think it’s pretty ideal
you take turns and one person gets to enjoy some time away from him!

lots of people travel single handed with a toddler so they do often have to sit next to a stranger…:

[Lobelia123]

For goodness sake. You upgraded to Premium Economy, not First Class. You come across as really entitled and with very little self awareness.

[Blossomtoes]

@Grumpsy

Child is sat next to an adult. I’m struggling to see the issue here to be honest, no you’re not all together but that’s always the risk you take when you don’t pre book your seats

Same. It sounds fine to me, the family friendly policy has put the child with a parent. It’s unreasonable to ask for more without paying for seat selection.

[ChristopherTracy]

Yeah, this is why I always fly Virgin PE whenever possible. BA PE is just rubbish. It really is chalk and cheese.

But you have got what you paid for tbf.

[Lordofmyflies]

I don't see the problem OP. BA have fulfilled their obligation of seating your child next to a parent. If you wanted a particular seat, you have to pay. Same as anyone. With fuel prices being so high, airlines are cranking up the price of 'extras' such as seat selection, food etc to stay in profit. In the grand scheme of things, i'm sure your ticket price for 7 hours flight wasn't too bad considering the miles travelled, fuel and ecological impact.

[Allrightsugartits]

I took my 2 x two year olds on a flight and took their car seats too. As they were so used to being strapped into a carseat at home, they were more than happy to be fastened in on the plane. My other half works for an airline so took a car seat into work the week before to make sure it fit, which it did in economy, so PE would be fine. Having them fastened in definitely helped calm me as I knew they couldn't escape. You could then put him in the aisle seat too. I bought these.

www.consobaby.co.uk/traffic-sp-group-1-2-3-car-seat-kiddicare.html

[HaveringWavering]

@Noname1999

Misses point of thread entirely, but what's the point of an upgrade if it doesn't include pre-booked seats on the bargain?

Anyway, you may be able to get the people in economy to swap with you. Ask a flight attendant politely and kindly on the day and they may be able to help you out. Just don't expect anything and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Well, you get more legroom and better food, maybe a thin curtain to separate you from the riff faff in standard economy. OP’s mistake was not accepting that you get what you pay for- it was pretty clearly explained that if you wanted any control over your seat allocation that would cost extra. Doesn’t really matter that you and she think that is over-priced.

[SpritzingAperol]

Bottom line is, the airline is being ridiculous and also breaking the law.

@Rosehugger

how?

[Rosehugger]

Ah, if the child is sat with one parent then that's fine. I thought they were going to be on their own!

You are DH will have to control him as best they can. Whoever is next to him on the other side will just have to lump it unless they want to swap. I would swap!

[GoingBacktoSchool123]

What are you on about? You haven’t been separated from your 2 year old. You quite obviously have 2 seats together. BA family seating policy is to seat children under 12 with an accompanying adult and that may include seats across an aisle or one behind the other so you’ve done quite well to get two seats together. They don’t guarantee to seat whole families together. You have to pay for that. You tried to game the system and failed. BA have done exactly what they said they would do and are not to blame here.

[SpritzingAperol]

Ah, if the child is sat with one parent then that's fine. I thought they were going to be on their own!


absolutely crucial detail.

[balalake]

It must have been a long time since you last flew with BA. I'd have expected nothing less. Second least favourite airline after Ryanair for me.

[SnowyPetals]

Will just have to relax and let whatever happens happen. I’m sure the stranger sitting next to him will be sanguine too.

As long as your toddler is supervised and controlled, it's not your problem if that passenger doesn't like sitting next to a toddler. Everybody on the plane has to accept that they could be sat next to anyone else on the plane. Don't overthink it.

[Knittingnanny2]

If it’s me next to you travelling on my own, I’d swap to help you out. I’d only not swap on a very long flight if it meant I’d have to keep asking you to move due to my 65 year old bladder!
I always pay to book a seat because I prefer to be in an aisle seat but I’d be flexi if I could. I’m sure you will be able to return the favour when yours are grown up and you have the luxury of travelling without young children.

[Soontobe60]

@Fraaahnces

It sounds like a deliberate policy to screw people out of more money. You need to look at their unaccompanied minors policy. Most airlines disallow kids under 5 travelling alone…You should point out that despite the fact that you haven’t paid for your child to travel as an Unaccompanied Minor (Unmin), that you assume that they are going to provide suitable supervision and that the airline will accept all legal responsibility for the custody of your toddler from when you board until you land. (I hope your kid has special medical requirements - anaphylaxis/asthma, etc that will require extra supervision from staff….) I bet you get moved.

He isnt an unaccompanied minor. He’s being accompanied by both his parents, one of whom will be sat next to him, the other behind him. However, the parents were too tight to pay extra to select their seats at the time of booking and also seem to have forgotten how to look after their own child.

[fluffycereal]

@SnowyPetals

The child doesn't have to sit next to the stranger anyway, they can be seated in the end if OP mad the other adult can work out how to stop the child 'running away'

[Fanacapan]

You may get lucky and someone will swap with you, it happens all the time on Ryanair, it’s like musical chairs!

[JudgeRindersMinder]

If we put 2 year old in aisle he will run away. If we put 2 year old in centre he will annoy the stranger next to him
Time to teach him to behave then isn’t it.

[exhaustedlevel10]

@JudgeRindersMinder

If we put 2 year old in aisle he will run away. If we put 2 year old in centre he will annoy the stranger next to him
Time to teach him to behave then isn’t it.

I'm team BA on this one BUT have you ever been around a 2 year old? Can't reason with them 😵 couldn't with mine anyway 😂 excellent behaviour was not in his dictionary

[Brainwave89]

Annoying, but as with other airlines if you want to guarantee sitting together then you do need to pay. The policy is very clear.