Children and not pre booking seats

AlexUK_3

Has anyone any experience of flying with TUI as they keep sending me emails urging me to pre-book my seats to Spain to ensure we all sit togther. My children are 1 (on our lap) 4 and 6. Surely they cannot make our 4 & 6 year old sit alone? Fair enough they could give us two sets of two seats but surley that worst scenario?

Is there any law that 4 and 6 year olds cannot sit alone on UK flights?

Thanks

johnnyroper

AlexUK wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of flying with TUI as they keep sending me emails urging me to pre-book my seats to Spain to ensure we all sit togther. My children are 1 (on our lap) 4 and 6. Surely they cannot make our 4 & 6 year old sit alone? Fair enough they could give us two sets of two seats but surley that worst scenario?

Is there any law that 4 and 6 year olds cannot sit alone on UK flights?

Thanks

i seem to remember reading somewhere that the airline have to try and keep families together,i would not pre book the seats myself,these days it is just used as a money earner for them in my opinion.
if you arrive at airport in good time they will be putting you together,i would suspect the aircraft will be 3+3 seating so 3 seats one side and the 4th will be other side of aisle. i think i am correct in assuming there are 4 of you plus baby?

richardw

The rules are on the CAA website.

AlexUK_3

Thanks for answer yes 4 plus the baby. The CAA stuff seems to say it is 'ideal' to place families together. So it doesn't look like they have to. Cannot see how they justify 4 year old on own.

balletshoes

If you're at the airport to check in in plenty time and you're not one of the last groups to check in, this won't be an issue - and I'd say its worth trying to ensure you get there with ample time, as obviously having your young children sitting with you is a priority for you (as I'm sure it is for all of us with children).
I was once one of the last few to check in on a bmi baby commuter flight to Paris with my 5-year old (totally misjudged how busy the check-in lines would be early in the morning), they had to ask a couple of single travellers on the plane to move, so we could be seated together.

dzug1

The problem if you don't book (and it's not really your problem) is that the airline may have to force someone who has paid for a seat to move to somewhere he considers inferior - or even to sit apart from a travelling companion.

welshmoneylover

I'm always bombarded with these emails and to be honest I've never booked and neither has my friends.

We've always sat together, I think it's just another money making con.

However, my bro and his Mrs came back from New York and had to sit apart for the entire journey!! They had no kids, hth

nsimpson123

Hi, a few years ago we went on a long haul holiday and did not pre book our seats, the children were 5 and 7 at the time, the outbound flight was fine because we got to the airport early and got seats all together, however the return journey was horrendous, we were the last people to arrive at the airport due to our coach being late collecting us, we ended up with our 7 year old daughter being seated seperate from us!!! Not even anywhere near us, several rows ahead on the opposite side of the plane! The airline crew where also horrified but could not do anything about it, so for take off and landing she was sat with strangers and I was left feeling quite sick about the situation, she was allowed to come and sit with us during the journey but did not have a seat of her own with us, - the reason myself or my husband could not sit alone was that we had been given seats next to an emergency exit so no kids were allowed to sit there, since then we have always pre-booked our seats for peace of mind, hope this helps x

Amy83

NSimpson - I'm surprised none of the other passengers offered to swop with you? That's shocking.

I've moved seats before when I've seen familys boarding the plane and sitting in different seats - I think it happens quite a lot

flutterbyuk25

I flew to New Zealand via Dubai in Dec last year and had pre-booked an extra leg room seat (although did not pay to pre book). When I boarded the plane my seat was no 3 of a 4seat row. There was a family who had been placed in the other 3 seats but obviously I was in the middle of them. I happily switched places with them no problems so they were in the 3 seats together and I was on the end.

x

exel1966

The CAA issue guidelines only on the seating of minors on UK registered aircraft. They are not compulsory, though I would be surprised if any UK airline permitted a young child to be sat alone on safety grounds. Ground/Air staff will always endeavour to sit a child with a family member where possible by moving others around them. It would be an extremely rare situation where this didn't happen and is highly unlikely. Do not assume that just because you've booked with TUI that you will be travelling on a UK registered aircraft as TUI are a german company who register aircraft in a multitude european countries.

Best advice is to be at the front of the queue 2-3 hours before departure which is usually when the check-in desk opens.