Honeymoon - Extra legroom but not together

StarCrossed

I'll try and keep this brief because I'm really upset at the moment and I am not sure what to do.

Getting married in October and decided to spend as little on the day as possible so my fiance and I could have a REALLY luxurious holiday.

Booked with Thomas Cook a fortnight in Mexico, all inclusive at this amazing resort. Wanted a specific kind of suite but they didn't have any... fair enough. Wanted to do the upgraded bit... didn't have it fair enough.

Paid, in full and were told that we could pick our seats three months beforehand. Three months is in a few days but thought I'd try and log in today and lo and behold you can.

My fiance is 6 foot 5 and it's a 10 and a half hour flight so we needed to book extra leg room seats. There were two seats left (baring in mind this is before you're supposed to be able to book them) which I've booked at a cost of £130 extra (For fear they will dissapear) but they are nowhere near each other.

I've been on to Thomas Cook and their rep just said "I can sit you next to each other in standard seats" to which I explained why that wasn't possible. She just said that she couldn't do anything and to ask at check-in and implied that it was "just one flight".

We have spent about £5k on this honeymoon and we have not got a couple of things but to find out that the pre-selection of seats was open earlier than supposed to, that we can't sit together and have extra leg room which is needed.

Fair enough any other holiday but I'm really upset, my fiance is furious.

Other than put up and shut up (which to be fair on your honeymoon you've saved for five years for isn't really an option!) is there anything we can do?

We can't even order champagne or anything because we're not even sat together

shellsuit

I hear you!

I want to go to Mexico for my 40th, my husband is 6'5 and said if we went he would HAVE to have extra leg room as he can only just bear a 4 hour flight in a standard seat.

Is there no spare seat near either of those extra leg room seats, so hubby could have the extra leg room and you take the standard seat?

Do you know the dimensions of the standard seats? The seats could have a little extra room than you think with the flight being long haul?

What are you going to do, choose the extra legroom seats and sit apart, or would your husband put up with being cramped so you could sit together?

mcfisco

short of throwing someone else out of a seat they've paid for, what is it you want TC to do?

HappyMJ

Almost every time I have ever flown on long haul I have been upgraded to the exit seats with loads of legroom for free, so its just a matter of asking at check in. You need to check in very early to have a chance. Although some TC flight's have a reasonable 30" seat pitch. Much better than the minimum 26".

dickydonkin

shellsuit wrote: »

Do you know the dimensions of the standard seats? The seats could have a little extra room than you think with the flight being long haul?

Most charters will generally pack you in like sardines.

The equipment that is taking you to Mexico one week may be exactly the same aircraft that does short hops to Spain the following week.

StarCrossed

He can't go in the cramped seat because last time he did on a long haul he was in agony for the whole holiday. This is a much worse option that not sitting together but we wanted to get a bottle of champagne and sit together and be all romantic and just married but now... not doable.

The reason I am so angry with Thomas Cook is a) They've opened the pre-booking three days early, the majority of the extra leg room seats are marked as MEDICAL which is fair enough but 75% of the extra leg room seats? And the way the rep spoke came across quite sarcastic "Rep - You know you can sit together if you just don't go for extra leg room. Me - I've explained why we are booking the extra leg room. Rep- Well it's just one flight."

We tried to prebook extra legroom when we actually booked the honeymoon but we're told that three months, to the day beforehand we would be able to and there "should be plenty".

Happy MJ that's what we've booked but we're in different rows. There aren't any standard seats next to the extra legroom either.

My fiance is going mad and is to the point he's like cancel the whole bloody thing (he can be a bit OTT) but I feel like despite the stupid amount of money we're paying we're getting pretty pants service.

mcfisco

At the end of the day, it ain't worth ruining your honeymoon for, move on and take your chances with a very early check-in

“Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out”

John Wooden

gingin_2

If it's any consolation, you'd be as !!!!ed as f*rts for 10 minutes, then snoring like babies for the rest of the flight if you drink a bottle of champagne between 2 mid-air.

There isn't much you can do, legroom seats are limited and your OH does have the option of one. The only other hope is that the flight isn't full and you can get a row of 3 standard seats between you, so he can stretch out.

I worked as a flight attendant and had an irate bloke hand me a wad of cash to get him an leg room seat on a flight, I could do nothing. Once they have been allocated there is simply nothing you can do.

shellsuit

Was the 3 month before thing just an estimate (as in they normally go live to be chosen around 3 months before), or does it say anywhere on paperwork that it is definitely 3 months before you can choose?

I'm putting myself in your shoes and I know I'd be devastated. Of course you want to sit together travelling to you destination, what newly married could wouldn't want to?

The only thing is like someone else suggested, get to the airport extra early and see what they can do.

I hope it works out for you, but if not, try not to let it ruin the whole honeymoon x

Icequeen99

You may be able to swap with someone once on board.

Have you checked exactly what it says about seat reservations opening up? Is it 3 months or is it 90 days or 93 days etc?

I think before you complain or do anything further you need to decide what it is you are asking them to do.

IQ

Lovelyjoolz

I can understand why you are so upset. It's your honeymoon, of course you want to sit together and share a bottle of bubbly!

TBH, this is not the first time I've heard stories like this about Thomas Cook. My OH and I will not fly with them anymore because we've had the same problem (I'm 6' and OH 6'4). They are one of the worst for packing two many rows into a plane.

Have you tried persuing the matter up the management chain? Perhaps a nicely worded letter to the Head Office explaining how you want to sit next to your new husband and drink champagne, and how disappointed you both are that you can't do that.

Other than that, checking in REALLY early, may get you into those MEDICAL reserved extra legroom seats.

I really hope it works out for you.