Thomson - 'select your seat'!!!!

SevenOfNine

So I've paid Thomson £38 to be able to select our seats on a flight to Kos. I can 'select' at the 90 day to return flight date, which is today.

Brilliant, NOT. Logged on to discover entire plane empty so I can pretty much pick wherever I want, NOT.

Pre pay bookers "are not allowed to leave a window seat vacant", therefore I cannot book ANY aisle and middle seat!!!

WHAT, no mention of this when they took my money, we don't want a window and middle seat and don't want to sit across the aisle from each other, but those are the limitations in place.

I don't care if I leave a window seat vacant, they can fill it with someone who chose not to pre book a seat - I'm not expecting it to remain vacant so we'd get 3 seats whilst only paying for 2.

What a rip off, I'm furious. :mad: :mad:

Roger1

Interesting question. I look forward to seeing answers.

May I add? Could we book window and aisle (hoping for an empty middle seat but OK if somebody else sits there)?

And if we don't book seats, what happens then? We get separate middle seats? (We are two.)

Thanks.

photome

there always limitations on choosing seats before check in,but it does seem a little strange that you cant book the 2 seats that you want in any row.

have you asked thomsons for clarfication or a refund

SevenOfNine

Parrot fashion, Thomson just keep repeating that I "cannot leave an empty window seat". I'm not, Thomson can feel free to allocate it to a lone flyer.

Roger1 - Anyone who doesn't pay extra to pre select specific seats will be put in ANY available seating, together or a whole plane apart, often when you on-line check in it shows you seated together, but when you arrive you may find you've been bumped apart, mostly into aisle seats seeing as pre selecting couples who want to sit together aren't allowed to have them.

This is what happened to us last year with Thomson - we did not pay to 'select' & when checking in on line had been pre allocated seat numbers out & inbound. Both directions sitting together, but on return journey we were told we had been split up, both in aisle seats, one in middle of plane & other at the rear in the aisle beside the toilet!

This is why we decided to cough up the extra to pre select this time.

Thomson definition of "select your seats" is:

Seats 'together' means beside each other, across the aisle from each other, or behind/in front of each other. You may pick window/middle seats together but could be moved by Thomson to either of the alternative options without a leg to stand on.

You cannot select seats together leaving the window seat vacant, nor select aisle seat and window seat leaving the centre seat vacant.

There are more seats you can't select then ones you can. Even when paying to select they can shunt you about regardless.

ANY age child whose parents have paid for their seat, but does NOT cough up the extra to pre select for the family, can be seated across the aisle from the parent, with the other parent anywhere in the plane. Even across the aisle and a max of 1 row in front/behind the aisle seat the parent is in.

This was the configuration my Son/Dil, 4 & 5 year old Grandsons got earlier this year returning from Majorca: Son in aisle seat, 4 year old across the aisle in same row, 5 year old in aisle seat in row in front of his brother - all centre of plane. DiL at rear of plane in aisle seat.

Great, 2 little ones get to sit by 2 sets of total strangers! How the hell is a parent meant to control their child (or comfort it when landing) with a seat belt sign on?

Apologies for RANT. I've been ranting on Thomson facebook page as well. There is a woman who joined in my rant who says she's travelling with her 2 year old who has been allocated a seat across the aisle from her!!! Thomson won't budge unless she pays extra to move the 2 of them together.

Bennifred

Is there an alternative to flying with Thomson?

Buzby

Children are not split in the way you suggested. The MSE way is to check in online or at the airport as soon as you can. There are enough Luddites out there and late arrivals to get you what you will find acceptable without paying extra. After 18 flights with Thomson, we've never bad an issue. Next flight in 4 weeks to Turkey.

PeacefulWaters

I've just checked in for a Thompson flight next week. There was no way my party of three could be sat with a window seat without paying extra. Best option was two aisle seats and a centre seat. Not the end of the world, but very irritating.

Either they've got their allocations completely messed up or optimised for income generation without giving customer preferences any serious thought.

Tin pot.

jackieblack

Buzby wrote: »

Children are not split in the way you suggested.

Really? So how do you explain this to everyone to whom this has happened?

SevenOfNine

Buzby wrote: »

Children are not split in the way you suggested.

They ARE split in this way (my Son, DiL and 4 & 5 year old kids WERE), and airlines are allowed to do it according to CAA rules, though so far it only seems to be Thomson (though someone else may know differently). Technically they aren't doing anything wrong, if terrifying youngsters by expecting them to sit with strangers, particularly during take off/landing, isn't considered 'wrong'.

I've provided a link so that next time you comment you will be able to do so from a position of factual knowledge.

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=2207&pageid=12706

Fingers crossed you find yourself shuffled about by Thomson in 3 weeks time, with your partner way towards the front of the plane and you right at the back by the toilets - in spite of early on-line check in and being allocated seat numbers sitting together.....because that's what happened to us last year on return journey from Portugal. You'll not be so smug then.

18 flights with Thomson - have you experienced any other airlines to compare them with?

SevenOfNine

Bennifred wrote: »

Is there an alternative to flying with Thomson?

Of course, & I wish I'd picked one. Unfortunately, I've got a Thomson package holiday, though on board I'm taking my own snacks/sarni's and drink (purchased airside), they are SO NOT having any more of my money.

richardw

I think the CAA is just way behind the times on children seating 'together'.