Paying to sit together on flight

[tadpole73]

Do you pay the extra to sit together? I hate flying so panic if I'm not sitting together

Depends on airline.

Also depends on age of children too.

I kinda begrudge it because you've paid for the flight so why should you pay extra to sit together? It really should be a given because it's not even like flights are cheap.

To guarantee sitting together though I would pay.

Yes, always

If the flight was mega cheap in the first place, I'd pay the extra and it's probably still cheap overall compared to other flights.

Depends on the length of the flight. Less than 3 hours no.

Well if I was you I would!

Pre baby we didn’t bother as from experience we nearly always were sat together and if not, on opposite aisles. Now we have a baby we definitely pay for pre booked seats as we can take turns ‘entertaining’ him 🤡

We do but the principle is ridiculous when it costs airlines nothing to sit us together.

You need to view the sit together cost as mandatory and part of the overall cost unless you don't mind sitting apart.
Think of it s a sitting apart discount rather than a sitting together fee.

Pay it.

I do therefore would refuse to move for those who don’t.

Of it really matters then yes.
Of you don't care where you sit I don't bother.

The reason airlines do it is because it turns out people put different values on different seats (window vs middle vs aisle, near the back or near the front, sitting with companions etc). Otherwise I'm sure an algorithm could create a seating plan everyone could accept.

We always pay for specific seats - we both prefer aisle seats, so also ideally opposite each other. (It wouldn't be the end of the world if we weren't together, especially on a short haul flight)

Rarely now tbh as kids are 12+. The last 5 or 6 flights (all EJ) I haven't bothered and just left the system do it and we've always been sat in a clump, either 3 and 2 across the aisle or 3 and 2 in front 9f each other. I feel like there's some AI that tries to keep families together if the seats are available. I always check in as soon as possible. It's a risk with little ones I guess. None of us would care now if separated.

If travelling alone I always pay for an aisle seat.

Yes, because we book extra legroom seats as we both have long legs. I'm not a nervous flyer, so it wouldn't bother me not to sit next to DH.

I think @TeenDivided has the best viewpoint.

Short <4/5 hr flights no. I quite like being able to zone out and what what I like on my phone 😆

No, we sit next to each other all the time, can manage a few hours apart

If you want to sit together you have to pay to guarantee it. I always factor the cost into the cost of the holiday.

I always pay and view it as part of the cost of the ticket (but it does annoy me).

Usually don't bother to pay the extra but we only fly short-haul. I can manage fine without DH for a few hours!
We did pay this year though as we hadn't flown since 2018 and we were doing a 4 1/2 flight so thought we may as well pay as we could afford to. Wouldn't have bothered on a shorter flight though.

Back in the days when strapping teen was tiny, we used to "divide and conquer" if we were going long-haul.

Parents pay "tag team" with the kids.

What difference does it make what others do? If you are an anxious flyer and sitting next to your family or friends comforts you, why ask others whether they pay or not?

Yes always. I do it the same time as I book my flights and then it's done and forgotten.

We do the same. Fly mostly with Easyjet, who open check-in 30 days before your flight. I set a reminder to check in either that day or soon after and have always been seated together.

With children yes, always. Going on an adult only holiday next year with BA and have been told by others we should be fine to wait until check in to select seats for free, I will keep an eye on the plane in the weeks running up but it wouldn't be a drama if we weren't seated together, otherwise I would just pay. But it is really irritating you pay hundreds for a flight and can't pick a seat!

If money is the issue, pay for the bloody seats and pass up on one round of the airport drinks.