Ryanair Question

Jo-jo

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? A colleague is travelling to Lanzarote in August with Ryanair. She's been told that when she gets to the airport, it's a free-for-all regarding seats. Like on a bus, sit where you like, if you haven't pre-booked. She has 4 & 5 yr old children & is worried that they won't sit next to at least one parent. Is this right? Do they have any obligation to ensure a young child sits next to their parent?

steve1500

For adults free for all. Re children dependings on age, bur their owns rules say children under a certain age must be accompanied - therefore they will be obilged to sit you together

Bob_the_Saver

Jo-jo wrote: »

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? A colleague is travelling to Lanzarote in August with Ryanair. She's been told that when she gets to the airport, it's a free-for-all regarding seats. Like on a bus, sit where you like, if you haven't pre-booked. She has 4 & 5 yr old children & is worried that they won't sit next to at least one parent. Is this right? Do they have any obligation to ensure a young child sits next to their parent?

Just arrive early and get to the front of the non priority queue (Other Q)

k3lvc

There are CAA guidelines stating that minors must sit next to an appropriate adult (not necessarily parent but one of the travelling party). There is however no guarantee that the parents won't end up separated with one child each

spiro

k3lvc wrote: »

There are CAA guidelines stating that minors must sit next to an appropriate adult (not necessarily parent but one of the travelling party). There is however no guarantee that the parents won't end up separated with one child each

Given that lots of Ryanair planes have 3+3 seats then its highly likely that each parent will get one child and they will be in 2 rows or across an aisle. You do get let on first but that just gives you a head start from the boarding gate to the plane, it then depends on how quickly you walk to the plane. But dont worry as others have said each child will have to sit with one of the parents.

cord123

I wouldnt worry hun.... from their point of view the air hostesses would prefer not to have to babysit to young children and so I am sure they will make sure they are sat with you.... xxx

miamoo

Kids are definately not able to sit next to their parents unless other passengers offer to move. A family were last on the plane when we were coming back from Tenerife, 2 adults a child age 7/8 and a child aged 3/4. They were all sat seperately, the youngest sat next to my 2 children with one parent a couple of rows back. Either book priority boarding, or be first in the queue. Personally I think its the parents responsibility to be first or book PB if your travelling with small children, I wasnt going to split my kids up when we had paid for PB and my DD wanted to be with us as she is a nervous flyer, so you cant always rely on other passengers moving.

Forgot to add this was on Tuesday

zagfles

miamoo wrote: »

Kids are definately not able to sit next to their parents unless other passengers offer to move.

That's fairly easy to arrange. Just hand them a sick bag and tell them "try to get it in the bag this time - and don't spend the whole flight screaming like you did last time". You should get a volunteer pretty quick

A family were last on the plane when we were coming back from Tenerife, 2 adults a child age 7/8 and a child aged 3/4. They were all sat seperately, the youngest sat next to my 2 children with one parent a couple of rows back.

And I'll bet it was no problem for them - the parent was a few feet away so did they really care? Ours at a similar age would often wonder down the plane and if there were empty rows sit there or find some kids to play with, on one flight we hardly saw them the whole flight - they were playing tamagotchis with some other kids at the back of the plane:)
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Falafely

Someone else wrote about this in another forum. It's here. I don't quite get it though because if Ryanair state that kids MUST be seated next to parents then why weren't the poster (in the other forum)'s kids able to sit with them?

Debbie_A_3

I have never paid for the speedy boarding when travelling with children, though I do habitually get to the front of the line at the gate. Even after the speedy boarders, I have always found plenty of adjacent seats. In fact once I got on before the speedy boarders when the second bus arrived at the plane first.

Even if you are right at the end of the queue, you may still be OK. I was once on an Easyjet flight when a woman with two preschool children got on at the last minute. The three seats that were left were in different parts of the plane. I couldn't help her because I was with my own children, but others moved around the plane when they saw her problem. I think she ended up with three adjacent seats across an aisle.

Debbie

SkaterBwoii

What you could do is pay for Priority Boarding, which will guarantee you to be in the first queue to board the aircraft, Although you probably don't want to pay any more than you already have.

The other option is making sure you are at the front, or as near to as possible of the second boarding queue. Again as in other replies from MSE members as you have young children you will be obliged to sit together.

Ryanair's flights do not always go out as full either. They are not like other scheduled airlines who allocate their seats. They also operate Boeing 737-800s which are relatively large aircraft there are plenty seats so you'll most likely be sat together, if you are worried then speak to the Cabin Crew or gate staff.