Thomson - 'select your seat'!!!!

benjus

Personally, if I'm travelling with my OH I tend to book the middle and aisle seats, as she would rather be able to get to the toilet easily than have a window seat. It seems very stupid that they don't offer you this option even if you've paid extra to choose seats. Stopping people from booking window and aisle seats leaving the middle free is not unreasonable; stopping people from booking aisle and middle is.

PolishBigSpender

benjus wrote: »

Personally, if I'm travelling with my OH I tend to book the middle and aisle seats, as she would rather be able to get to the toilet easily than have a window seat. It seems very stupid that they don't offer you this option even if you've paid extra to choose seats. Stopping people from booking window and aisle seats leaving the middle free is not unreasonable; stopping people from booking aisle and middle is.

Is it not simply because people would be rather annoyed if they were put into a window seat by themselves, whereas Thompson can say "You are next to your kids" with aisle seats?

I remember once when some bald and rather large English gentleman demanded that I moved from my seat to accommodate his wife. He wasn't too terribly happy when I asked him about the famed English manners, and he got rather red when I carried on by asking him if he spoke to his mother in the same way that he spoke to me.

benjus

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Is it not simply because people would be rather annoyed if they were put into a window seat by themselves, whereas Thompson can say "You are next to your kids" with aisle seats?

Possibly, although IME there aren't usually that many kids on a plane in relation to the number of adults. And if an adult decided not to pay to choose a seat and got put in the window seat next to me, so be it... I don't see why they'd have cause to be annoyed. They paid for a seat, any seat, and that's what they got.

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

I remember once when some bald and rather large English gentleman demanded that I moved from my seat to accommodate his wife. He wasn't too terribly happy when I asked him about the famed English manners, and he got rather red when I carried on by asking him if he spoke to his mother in the same way that he spoke to me.

Well, some people are idiots... that goes for everywhere. I would never expect anyone to move from their reserved seat for me, and if I ever had occasion to request such a thing, it would be with the utmost politeness. I'm not sure how this anecdote is relevant to the question of online seat reservations, though.

GrannyKate

I don't usually have a lot to say about Thomson but we did fly back from Spain with them yesterday am. We were travelling with a small grandchild and had prebooked three seats together for both journeys. I assume we paid for this within our overall holiday costs and there were no problems. Coming home however there were quite a few children separated from families and the stewardesses put considerable effort into moving people round to reduce this as far as possible. Admittedly quite a few were across the aisle or adjacent row ends and no adults objected on being asked to move and in fact several volunteered. Some families were quite happy to remain separated and no bad behaviour was observed.
I do sympathise with objections to paying as it does seem to be an issue of poor logistical planning as information on ages in groups is provided in advance.

philippa1967

I have flown with Thomson to Madeira for the last 11 years. As a family we have always been seated together. Last year after separating I flew on my own with my two girls. Seats were preallocated and as usual we were together.
This year on the outward journey we had two seats together at the back and one at the front. Cabin crew sorted it so we could sit together.
On the way back we had 3 totally separate seats, one at the front, one in the middle and one towards the back. Cain crew tried to sort it but in the meantime I was left standing in the aisle with my 7 and 11 year olds in floods of tears thinking they would have to sit alone with strangers. Eventually due to a lovely couple offering to move we did sit together. I assume Thomson have changed their policy and are now splitting families up in order to make people pay for seats together the next time they book (which I suppose I will have to do now). However, my main point is that both my girls are minors and are therefore not allowed to travel alone, so surely they should be seated with their parent/guardian? We weren't even seated near to eachother? Very disappointed in Thomson after all these years. Just another way to make money it seems.

richardw

philippa1967 wrote: »

.... my girls are minors and are therefore not allowed to travel alone, so surely they should be seated with their parent/guardian? ....

It is only a CAA recommendation that a child should be seated with a parent, it isn't a 'must be seated'.

PolishBigSpender

philippa1967 wrote: »

I was left standing in the aisle with my 7 and 11 year olds in floods of tears thinking they would have to sit alone with strangers.

11 years old and hysterical because she would have to sit next to a stranger for a couple of hours on a plane?

What on earth will she do in a few short years when she'll have to interact with strangers on a daily basis?

GwylimT

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

I entirely fail to see what the problem is here, particularly with children. If they can't behave themselves on the plane without a parent next to them at all times, then they shouldn't be on the plane - it's that simple. Anyway, you can always ask other people to move place to accommodate the children - although I wouldn't move personally.

As for selecting seats, anyone with two seconds can log onto SeatGuru and pull up seating plans at a glance.

The policy is quite sensible, as it stops people from trying to 'game' the system by booking an aisle and a window seat, knowing that the system will try and keep people together if it can - meaning that they've got a chance of a free middle seat.

If it wasn't for people trying to "beat the system" and exploit "loopholes", then this situation wouldn't exist.

So you would be more than happy to be sat next to my two and a half year old during a flight?

blindman

The point of this-which seems to have got lost in the "kids must sit next to parents" debate- is surely

You PAY to select a seat-then the system says you can't have the one you want!

And then when you get to board they can move you around anyway!!

Total rip off.

blindman

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Anyway, you can always ask other people to move place to accommodate the children - although I wouldn't move personally.

You sound a real charmer :cool:

As for selecting seats, anyone with two seconds can log onto SeatGuru and pull up seating plans at a glance.

Pity it's not accurate and not relevant here...:cool:

The policy is quite sensible, as it stops people from trying to 'game' the system by booking an aisle and a window seat, knowing that the system will try and keep people together if it can - meaning that they've got a chance of a free middle seat.

Rubbish-If the plane is full they will allocate that seat.

If it wasn't for people trying to "beat the system" and exploit "loopholes", then this situation wouldn't exist.

The situation exists because Thompson are ripping people off by asking for money to choose a seat and then saying they cannot choose that seat.