Monarch Airlines and Booking seats together

skylight

I will be travelling to Alicante in August, with 1 x 13yo, 1 x 5yo, 1 x 3yo and baby.

My father seems to think I should pay so that we can sit together, but I cannot see how they could possibly allow the little ones anywhere on the plane without me (the 13yo perhaps).

Has anyone had any experience of this??? Did they allow you together anyway? OR as its height of season, should I swallow the cost? Which is going to be an extra £100 in total! :eek:

If it helps I am booking the flights directly with Monarch and not part of a package deal.

bagand96

To be honest I wouldn't bother paying. Check-in staff sit groups together anyway, unless its impossible to do (i.e. late checming in so seats not available, or a very large group). They won't scatter you around the plane for the sake of it. And like you said they can't sit the little ones without you anyway.

Just make sure you turn up in plenty of time, 2 hours before, and that way there'll be plenty of seats available and you shouldn't have a problem.

Happychappy

Wow what I would have given for the one year old and baby to be sat next to a total stranger and found time to relax for myself 35 rows back ; ) I think I would have flown to Australia for the peace and quiet. Joking really ; )

I wouldnt book and pay the extra, I would be interested to see what the airline do ? no way would they split up a family of young children, the 13 year old maybe, but the thought that the airline would put a one year old and 5 year old away from their parents and made to sit on their own next to Gary Glitter or Micheal Jackson (allegedly) cannot see it happening.

Just another money grabbing scheme from the airline, bad enough Blair/Brown taxes us enough without this.

pippamannequin

Hi, We've travelled monarch loads of times to Cyprus, NEVER booked seats together, we literally get there and theyve always put us together, Ive even got there when check in has opened and managed to get the extra leg room seats.
Dont think they'd ever seperate families, hth.

skylight

Thanks guys!

Wont be booking the seats! Its nearly 15% of the total seat price and that money will feed us for the week!

If they do sit Amy further away, then I am sure she will be quite happy with that!

hostertlady

dont pay!!!
they try and panic you into paying but if you get to the airport with loads of time before you book in then you will defo all be seated together.....

avstar

Don't know what the official policy is but I flew with MyTravel last year and a ten year old had been given a seat away from his mum and the plane was full (they must have checked in late or something).

The air hostesses had to ask the plane for volunteers to move so they could sit together...not one volunteered at first - she then said the plane cannot take off until the child is seated with its parent and in the end someone volunteered (not me - I had my own sprat to contend with !). Don't know if this is just My Travel policy but I can imagine it's standard.
avstar

lisaf

Hi Charlotte,
I flew back with Monarch this morning and there was a guy on there with his son (about 7) who had been give seats apart. It's not that they'd even given them both isle seats opposite each other but 2 window seats!
So the guy asked they stewardess to sort it out which she did but only as there were about 20 spare seats!
I of course would have gladly have given mine and my sister's seats for them both (and we had both pre-booked)! But i don't know who else would have done so if needed.
I just cannot believe they were not seated together in the first place, it's outrageous.
Just my opinion of course!
Lisa x

alanjuk

The airlines have to try and sit families together it’s not a legal requirement but a code that I think most of them have to follow. The reason is that should an emergency occur the last thing they would want is people trying to find other members of their family at the other end of the plane instead of trying to evacuate the plane, in other words it’s a safety issue.