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Original poster

Unable to book seats together on EasyJet

107 replies

SairAngela · 17/10/2023 21:29

Hi there,

we are due to fly in a few days with easyJet. Family of 4 with a 3yo and 6yo.

when I checked in online there were no seats left together. So currently we are all sat in various different rows. With the kids completely on their own and many rows between us all.

I know I should have checked in as soon as check in opens, but I work 2/3 jobs, the kids have been sick and it’s been crazy.

when I did try and check in early all the seats were gone.

I called easy jet and they said we will have to speak to cabin crew on the day.

does anyone have experience of this? What are the chances that ppl will swap? I’m not expecting all 4 of us to be together, just one child with an adult each. Which is what we have on the flight back.

no judgment or unpleasant comments please. I’m stressed and annoyed enough as it is.

OP posts:
notimagain · 18/10/2023 13:28

A few hardy annuals have popped up..

some of what has been posted looks like it’s from the UK CAA’s information on seating of families…those are not hard rules.

Some airlines may have gone further than CAA guidance and may well have actual rules on seating.

With some of the LoCos perhaps making on average about £5 a head per passenger the charge for seat isn’t really a case of gouging or making extra money, it’s about making any profit at all on many flights.

MidtoLon · 19/10/2023 20:23

I booked seats when I booked in April for our September holiday booked with EasyJet. You definitely don’t have to wait for check in 30 days prior to holiday

Crikeyalmighty · 19/10/2023 20:34

You definitely can book particular seats and combinations of luggage too as part of the initial process on booking an EasyJet holiday (not just flight only) I suspect part of the problem is EasyJet have so many 'pop up' add this, add that options be it insurance, cars etc- that people rush and skip over them to get to the end and the price/payment option.

fluffiphlox · 19/10/2023 20:39

What they tend to do is get other people (who have booked their seats) to shift to accommodate the people who have failed to get themselves organised beforehand. Annoying as anything.

OddBoots · 19/10/2023 20:51

Have you been able to get seats together for the return flight?

Lilacdressinggown · 19/10/2023 21:01

It depends if the rest of the plane are families who have paid to sit together - I wouldn’t want to swap as I prefer to sit with my family.

ilovesooty · 19/10/2023 21:22

If I'm travelling alone as I usually am and I had paid months in advance for booking a specific seat I wouldn't expect to be moving..

Sickoffamilydrama · 19/10/2023 21:40

Hope it turns out okay OP, we are going on Saturday but only booked it 2 weeks ago, DH had to do it by phone as they cancelled our first booking and he couldn't book seats with them, I went in straight away online to the booking and haven't managed to get anything together on the way out.

Ours are older but have SEN and our autistic 14 year old can get particularly anxious Luckily DS 7 is directly behind me but DD is a few rows away and other DD is across and one in front. Annoyingly I've paid for that as at least they are kind of close but can't believe paid for the privilege of not really sitting together!

We just have to hope it will be fine!

JustAMinutePleass · 19/10/2023 21:50

As a family what kind of seats do you have? If you have a couple of extra leg room / window / aisle seats you could try asking the ppl in aisle seats closer to your dc if they wanted a swap. Don’t expect to be seated next to them - but a row or two in front or behind is ok.

Callmemummynotmaaa · 19/10/2023 22:01

OP you asked if I’ve always been sat with my children on last minute bookings. The answer is yes. Sometimes they’ve managed to sort it at the check in desk. Others I’ve had cabin crew ask people to move.

I also DO often do pay for seats. The difficulty is if you use them to fly with short notice. Their 30 day family friendly policy - is not actually emergency friendly! However, I’ve always found them to be understanding and accommodating on the day. And yes. Occasionally passengers have been rude but I just apologize.

I’d love my family’s illness to be more predictable. It would also make my life a lot easier if I could “be organized” in advance (as some people’s response indicate). But not all of us using air travel do so for pleasure!

WaxhamSeals · 19/10/2023 22:10

Also I hate what airlines have become. All of these extra charges on top of the already high cost of flying

Flying is amazingly cheap. DD has just been to Berlin for £40 return.
The extra charges mean that those who need or want specific seats, baggage or food/drink can choose to pay for them. Others (like DD) can travel cheaply with hand luggage only

Bunnycat101 · 19/10/2023 23:03

It is really wrong of the airline to leave it to the cabin crew to sort on the day. It is clearly stupid to allow an allocation of a 3yo away from parents. They will have to move people as they won’t be able to leave without shuffling.

On our flight this summer, we were an hour delayed as a family had been allocated seats apart and the stewards were having to do quite a complicated juggle and it was all getting a bit silly. In these circumstances it is the airline’s fault/ there should be no way that this can happen but they then pass the stress onto the aircrew.

NoWordForFluffy · 19/10/2023 23:33

My EasyJet holiday definitely doesn't let me book seats yet.

Unable to book seats together on EasyJet
andyourpointiswhat · 24/10/2023 08:25

This reply has been deleted

Users reply was NITS

Original poster
SairAngela · 24/10/2023 20:16

I think I’m going to close this thread now as people are becoming really quite nasty and unpleasant. So sad that on a website like this, people just want to sit behind a keyboard and call other people names and send unpleasant messages. I thought this would be a space for helpful understanding.

thank you to those who have been helpful and constructive. Shame that help and constructiveness has been overshadowed by unpleasantness.

as an update, all was resolved, we were able to move seats so the children were not sat alone. The people we spoke to and swapped with both said that the exact same thing had happened to them previously. They completely understood, empathised and were happy to swap.

OP posts:
BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 20:21

Have a good holiday OP, glad you sorted it.

Top tip for seat swapping is not to ask, but to offer. “Happy to swap with you if you’d like to, but equally happy for you to entertain my toddler for a few hours” -generally works!

ilovesooty · 24/10/2023 20:21

Where have people become nasty?

ilovesooty · 24/10/2023 20:23

BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 20:21

Have a good holiday OP, glad you sorted it.

Top tip for seat swapping is not to ask, but to offer. “Happy to swap with you if you’d like to, but equally happy for you to entertain my toddler for a few hours” -generally works!

If someone phrased a request like that to me I would politely tell them that I was under no obligation to entertain their toddler.

Original poster
SairAngela · 24/10/2023 20:23

Thank you @BarbieKew

OP posts:
BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 20:42

ilovesooty · 24/10/2023 20:23

If someone phrased a request like that to me I would politely tell them that I was under no obligation to entertain their toddler.

Show quote history

That’s fine, you’ll be able to hear them kicking off much louder than their parents will!

Lovelynames123 · 24/10/2023 20:45

This has happened to me although not on easy jet. Checked in online, all separate, get to the airport and been moved together. They won't allow such young children to be alone

SoupDragon · 24/10/2023 21:14

BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 20:21

Have a good holiday OP, glad you sorted it.

Top tip for seat swapping is not to ask, but to offer. “Happy to swap with you if you’d like to, but equally happy for you to entertain my toddler for a few hours” -generally works!

Yeah, because being rude is always the best option. 🙄

BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 22:26

SoupDragon · 24/10/2023 21:14

Yeah, because being rude is always the best option. 🙄

Show quote history

Nothing rude about it when said in friendly way, as intended. The fact you took it as rude says more about you. If you’re nice to people they’re usually nice back, try it.

PuttingDownRoots · 24/10/2023 22:32

@BarbieKew its rude as you presume they are able to move. There are many reasons why people need to sit next to a companion.. disability, looking after their own child, elderly, fear of flying etc.

BarbieKew · 24/10/2023 22:41

PuttingDownRoots · 24/10/2023 22:32

@BarbieKew its rude as you presume they are able to move. There are many reasons why people need to sit next to a companion.. disability, looking after their own child, elderly, fear of flying etc.

It is not rude to offer to swap with the poor sod who’s got a random toddler next to them. It would be rude to demand they move, but how can it be rude to politely offer. It’d be ruder to not offer.

Jeez, some of you are so uptight.

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