pre-booking seats

photome

skippyste wrote: »

Your children CANNOT be separated from the parent. They will force move other passengers if it comes to it. They can split you as pairs though.

I would try not to worry too much, having worked for an airline I can assure you seats are held off for this sort of thing and on holiday routes they are used to the shuffling round!

If it REALLY worries you then peace of mind pre-booking is the only way to settle your mind.

Yes they can.

Pollycat

skippyste wrote: »

Your children CANNOT be separated from the parent. They will force move other passengers if it comes to it. They can split you as pairs though.

I would try not to worry too much, having worked for an airline I can assure you seats are held off for this sort of thing and on holiday routes they are used to the shuffling round!

If it REALLY worries you then peace of mind pre-booking is the only way to settle your mind.

In light of the last 4 posts, I'm curious what airline you used to work for and when.

foxymum1977_2

I have just paid for reserved seating together with Monarch yesterday no way am I taking a chance that we may be seated away from our 7 and 12 year old boys, think it's worth the money to have peace of mind,
I was told though by Monarch that if I didn't pay and chanced it they would try and seat the children together?!
Didn't take the chance!

ferf1223

duchy wrote: »

They will as k people to move but particularly if those people have paid to sit together there is an argument that why should they give up the seats they chose and paid extra for - for someone who didn't bother/didn't want to pay. Understandable really.

Exactly...we wouldn't move unless the seats were like for like. If they were like for like then sure. I would have some sympathy if the other passengers didn't know they could pay to pre-select seats but not if they just opted not to pay and just take the chance...and really, I don't understand people not knowing they have the option as it seems like something that would be looked into in advance if it was that critical.

But I'm just mean.

Pollycat

ferf1223 wrote: »

Exactly...we wouldn't move unless the seats were like for like. If they were like for like then sure. I would have some sympathy if the other passengers didn't know they could pay to pre-select seats but not if they just opted not to pay and just take the chance...and really, I don't understand people not knowing they have the option as it seems like something that would be looked into in advance if it was that critical.

But I'm just mean.

I don't think you are mean.

I would take exactly the same stance and I would be extremely unhappy if I were made to move if I'd actually chosen to pay for specific seats (as opposed to seats together) or if I'd got to check-in very early to give myself a good chance of getting seats together - just because someone thinks they should be treated differently simply because they have children.

I wonder if this thread has convinced the OP to pay for seats together.

pollyanna24

I also would pay to prebook the seats.

As others have said, they will try and sit you and your children together, but if I had paid for a prebooked seat and was then asked to move just because you wanted to sit with your child and didn't prebook, then I'd be asking you to give me the money that I paid to prebook.

Again, feel a bit mean saying that, but I have two young children as well and for peace of mind, I would just make sure we were all seated together.

richardw

They don't charge you at the Cinema, theatre, cafe, McDdy's.

skippyste

Pollycat wrote: »

In light of the last 4 posts, I'm curious what airline you used to work for and when.

Virgin Atlantic until 2012. The Disney fun bus was musical chairs sometimes!

I'm glad you've reserved your seats. Have a lovely holiday.

skippyste

Sorry just to add one more thing. Only about 60% of a flight is generally available to preallocate (paid or unpaid) there's then a selection of hold seats and more released at check in. They make the seating plan look fuller that it is to panic people into prepaying seats as it looks like not many are left.

Not saying don't prepay/allocate. Just know that more seats will come up when check in opens.

maman

Pollycat wrote: »

I don't think you are mean.

I would take exactly the same stance and I would be extremely unhappy if I were made to move if I'd actually chosen to pay for specific seats (as opposed to seats together) or if I'd got to check-in very early to give myself a good chance of getting seats together - just because someone thinks they should be treated differently simply because they have children.

I wonder if this thread has convinced the OP to pay for seats together.

I agree.
I wonder if in some cases children would be better sitting away from their parents. They'd probably behave themselves a lot better!
Now I am being mean!;)