Booked a holiday as a family of 4 but not sitting together?
Discussion
Teddy Lop said:
jesusbuiltmycar said:
It is my understanding that Ryanair and Easjet's random allocation only ever assigns seats that are "not by a window and not on the asile" ergo the chances of being placed together are zero. One thing Ryanair do ensure is that any children under 10 are seated next to one of their parents, which is a step up from the now defunct Thomas Cook.
Years ago I didn't pay for sitting together on a flight to Egypt with Thomas cook. My daughter was 4 and my son 2 years and 3 months. On checkin we were informed that there were no seats together; the rather obnoxious checkin bh told us we should have paid for seats; the best they could do was put my son on one side of the aisle with me on the other. My wife and daughter were allocated seats about 10 rows back, with my daughter seated in the row in front of my wife. The cabin staff were absolute cts as they were not happy that my son was constantly in their way during the flight because "surprise surprise" 2 year olds don't like to be seated on their own...
Now its not just the budget airlines that act this way as BA employ the same sharp practices and Norwegian air now charge for cabin bags as well as hold luggage and seating even for long haul flights.
so you expect the airline to deny other less important non child customer something they payed for to provide to you for free, even though you thought it wasn't worth paying for yourself to secure when you had the chance, but is now tremedously important. Hate to tell you this but the airline aren't responsible for your parenting fails.Years ago I didn't pay for sitting together on a flight to Egypt with Thomas cook. My daughter was 4 and my son 2 years and 3 months. On checkin we were informed that there were no seats together; the rather obnoxious checkin bh told us we should have paid for seats; the best they could do was put my son on one side of the aisle with me on the other. My wife and daughter were allocated seats about 10 rows back, with my daughter seated in the row in front of my wife. The cabin staff were absolute cts as they were not happy that my son was constantly in their way during the flight because "surprise surprise" 2 year olds don't like to be seated on their own...
Now its not just the budget airlines that act this way as BA employ the same sharp practices and Norwegian air now charge for cabin bags as well as hold luggage and seating even for long haul flights.
This is going back a few years - at the time I paid for a family holiday with Thomas Cook - Like the OP I assumed that paying for a family holiday would include seating together and I was surprised when it didn't. Thomas cook seated a 2 year old on his own my parenting skills didn't really come in to it - as I wasn't sat directly next to him so I couldn't really put them to good use.. As for denying someone something they have paid for - I doubt that we were the in a minority of people that didn't pay extra to choose our seats...
Teddy Lop said:
so you expect the airline to deny other less important non child customer something they payed for to provide to you for free, even though you thought it wasn't worth paying for yourself to secure when you had the chance, but is now tremedously important.
I don't get why people complain that they aren't given the seats they want when they have intentionally avoiding booking them.I really do fail to see why there's so much consternation at airlines' seat allocation practices when they're completely transparent. You either pay and get what you want or don't pay and get what you're given.
The alternative is that they add £30 to each seat price and include the seat allocation and baggage. Customers clearly don't want that otherwise it's what they'd offer.
PorkInsider said:
I don't get why people complain that they aren't given the seats they want when they have intentionally avoiding booking them.
I really do fail to see why there's so much consternation at airlines' seat allocation practices when they're completely transparent. You either pay and get what you want or don't pay and get what you're given.
The alternative is that they add £30 to each seat price and include the seat allocation and baggage. Customers clearly don't want that otherwise it's what they'd offer.
Have to agree. It's not some trick, I appreciate the frustration, but as intelligent people I'm sure we can all work it out. Do they deliberately separate people... probably.I really do fail to see why there's so much consternation at airlines' seat allocation practices when they're completely transparent. You either pay and get what you want or don't pay and get what you're given.
The alternative is that they add £30 to each seat price and include the seat allocation and baggage. Customers clearly don't want that otherwise it's what they'd offer.
In the bad old days of charter travel, we would often find as a family we would be separated on the plane. There was not even the option of paying to sit together. It was just the luck of the draw, with the added drawback that smoking was allowed at the back & you would often be forced to sit in the smoking section.
PorkInsider said:
Teddy Lop said:
so you expect the airline to deny other less important non child customer something they payed for to provide to you for free, even though you thought it wasn't worth paying for yourself to secure when you had the chance, but is now tremedously important.
I don't get why people complain that they aren't given the seats they want when they have intentionally avoiding booking them.I really do fail to see why there's so much consternation at airlines' seat allocation practices when they're completely transparent. You either pay and get what you want or don't pay and get what you're given.
The alternative is that they add £30 to each seat price and include the seat allocation and baggage. Customers clearly don't want that otherwise it's what they'd offer.
jesusbuiltmycar said:
no really and pat yourself on the back for being an excellent parent/partner/troll/whatever....
This is going back a few years - at the time I paid for a family holiday with Thomas Cook - Like the OP I assumed that paying for a family holiday would include seating together and I was surprised when it didn't. Thomas cook seated a 2 year old on his own my parenting skills didn't really come in to it - as I wasn't sat directly next to him so I couldn't really put them to good use.. As for denying someone something they have paid for - I doubt that we were the in a minority of people that didn't pay extra to choose our seats...
It’s odd that they didn’t offer you the chance to pay extra - it’s another way for them to make more money so you would think they would push it at every opportunity., Also it’s been going on for at least 10 years (IME) - the first time my kids went to the US I paid £50/seat for us to all sit together. We dont any more as they’re a lot older but it DOES get offered to you when you buy the holiday.This is going back a few years - at the time I paid for a family holiday with Thomas Cook - Like the OP I assumed that paying for a family holiday would include seating together and I was surprised when it didn't. Thomas cook seated a 2 year old on his own my parenting skills didn't really come in to it - as I wasn't sat directly next to him so I couldn't really put them to good use.. As for denying someone something they have paid for - I doubt that we were the in a minority of people that didn't pay extra to choose our seats...
Thinking back, we normally end up getting seated together (or within a couple of rows) nowadays. Possibly because we turn up early to check-in and there are more “gaps” for them to slot families into?
Robertj21a said:
PorkInsider said:
Teddy Lop said:
so you expect the airline to deny other less important non child customer something they payed for to provide to you for free, even though you thought it wasn't worth paying for yourself to secure when you had the chance, but is now tremedously important.
I don't get why people complain that they aren't given the seats they want when they have intentionally avoiding booking them.I really do fail to see why there's so much consternation at airlines' seat allocation practices when they're completely transparent. You either pay and get what you want or don't pay and get what you're given.
The alternative is that they add £30 to each seat price and include the seat allocation and baggage. Customers clearly don't want that otherwise it's what they'd offer.
Frank7 said:
I take your point, when I first started to go away with the woman that I eventually married, she smoked, and at check in would beg and plead for a seat in the rear four rows, where smoking was allowed in prehistoric times.
When I stepped forward, and was asked if I’d prefer an aisle or window seat, I’d say, “Anywhere as far away from the smokers as I can get.”
Halfway across the Atlantic, buoyed by a few vodkas, she’d make her move forward to speak with me, and I’d say, “God knows I love you Nicky, but you have that ashtray smell swirling around you, I’m not sure that my new friends up here where the air is clean will like that, go grab some zzzzz, and I’ll see you when we land, okay?”
She’d open her mouth, poised to say, “You can FRO”, but always managed to stop herself, no wonder I loved her then, and love her now.
What a lovely story!When I stepped forward, and was asked if I’d prefer an aisle or window seat, I’d say, “Anywhere as far away from the smokers as I can get.”
Halfway across the Atlantic, buoyed by a few vodkas, she’d make her move forward to speak with me, and I’d say, “God knows I love you Nicky, but you have that ashtray smell swirling around you, I’m not sure that my new friends up here where the air is clean will like that, go grab some zzzzz, and I’ll see you when we land, okay?”
She’d open her mouth, poised to say, “You can FRO”, but always managed to stop herself, no wonder I loved her then, and love her now.
With a happy ending too!
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