Should I pay to sit with my 4 year old

Andypandyboy

ferf1223 wrote: »

my issue with those who do is the idea that I should be quite happy to move out of my pre-booked and possibly pre-paid seat to accomodate their family who opted not to make arrangements to ensure they were sat together.

If the only parties affected in all this were the airline and the parents/children then more power to all of them, make your case and stand your ground. But it's not, it's other passengers who it appears should just suck it up because someone is travelling with a kid and decided not to pre-book/pay since they feel the airline should just sort it out for them.

I will happily swap like for like to make it easier for a family - sure. I shouldn't end up in a much less agreeable seat and away from my husband because a family decided that it was their right to be sat together and the airline's obligation to make sure that happens to the detriment of other passengers.

As an aside, I would be more likely to accept a seat move for an elderly or disabled person...because neither is typically a choice of the individual.

I see your point and I would not be happy either, but I also see theirs, passengers on the same booking should automatically be seated together without charge. When did it become acceptable that the airlines should get away with charging for that?

zagfles

Poppy9 wrote: »

They are in Wales. No time restrictions at all.



Travel by bus - for FREE!

If you live in England, senior citizens and disabled people can travel FREE on local buses anywhere in England between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays and all day weekends and public holidays.
If you live in Wales, over 60s and disabled people can travel FREE on local buses in Wales at any time - there are no time restrictions. People living in Wales can also use their passes to travel free on cross-boundary journeys in and out of England, providing the journey starts or finishes in Wales.
- See more at: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/travel-help-and-accessibility/senior-travel/#sthash.M4iiotq7.dpuf http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/travel-help-and-accessibility/senior-travel/

Ah OK then apologies to the Welsh!

But you shouldn't have mentioned the bit about disabled people travelling free, I'm sure the "I've paid you haven't so you're not having my seat just because your need is greater" crowd would then refuse to give up their seat to a disabled person...

burnoutbabe

I'd be livid if I had to sit by an unacommpanied 4 year old for a long flight. Surely no one would want that?

peachyprice

zagfles wrote: »

They are guidelines which airlines follow because they don't want to be liable in case of an accident.

Selecting a "preferred seat", on the other hand, doesn't entitle you to that seat. Read the T&C's, no airline will guarantee you the seat you "selected". If the cabin crew want to move you, they can and will. Like it or not. They know the ages of everyone travelling and they know the CAA guidelines. I have never paid and have never been separated from my kids. I don't care if that annoys you

No, airlines TRY to follow. If they ask people to volunteer their seats so that child and parent can sit together and nobody gives up their seat they're not going to start throwing people off the plane, no matter what you think. The parent just has to suck it up and learn to either pay or check-in online/get to the check-in desk earlier next time.

It doesn't annoy me in the least. What annoys me is the BS you're coming out with that parents deserve special assistance just because they're travelling with a child.

pc1271

I would fully expect that a condition of purchasing an infant ticket would be that a responsible adult will be sat next to them. It is a simple matter of safety and if that means an extra cost, I would expect it to be wrapped up in the child ticket price.

SavingPennies_2

Yes you should. The fact is that most people do pay (on airlines which have this system) to pre-book seats together (I certainly always do) as a result those who don't will be left with whichever seats are left. If you want to sit together - which understandably you do - then you have to pay like everyone else. I think the couple who moved were very generous considering they paid extra to sit together but then didn't.

MasterPoo

Andypandyboy wrote: »

I see your point and I would not be happy either, but I also see theirs, passengers on the same booking should automatically be seated together without charge. When did it become acceptable that the airlines should get away with charging for that?

I agree that passengers in the same booking should by default be sat together, but it currently isn't the case, therefore:

a. it's a fight the booking party must take up with the airline and must not involve those of us who've opted to pay (for our own personal reasons).

b. Parents must pay or arrive very early so that they are seated together, if they do none of these, don't throw a tantrum involving other passengers. The onus remains with the responsible adult/parent.

It really isn't that difficult to grasp and it is the courteous thing to do.

I'd hate to be that douche bag who delayed a plane/inconvenienced other travellers.

The OP has stated it was unintentional, and now they know for future which is great.:T:T

duchy

zagfles wrote: »

Ah OK then apologies to the Welsh!

But you shouldn't have mentioned the bit about disabled people travelling free, I'm sure the "I've paid you haven't so you're not having my seat just because your need is greater" crowd would then refuse to give up their seat to a disabled person...

YYou DO realise that airlines have free preferred seating for travellers with disabilities (not "disabled people" - having a disability doesn't change the type of people they are) and usually preboard them before everyone else ?

Personally we don't use the service even though my son has a disability -but it definitely exists .


Not so "sure" now eh zaggy ?

bylromarha

I wouldn't (didn't) prebook seats when travelling with my 2 when they were smaller.

This is an airline issue, not another thing for parents to play "I'm the better parent than you" over.

I would be at the airport on time for check in to open and would expect one of the adults in the party to be sat with the children if I were travelling with children under the age of 7. Part of the booking process should have allocated the adult and child the naffest, most unrequested seats on the plane if they didn't pay to reserve.

Airlines have managed to seat adults with children for years. And couples together. And parties travelling together. All included in the price. If there wasn't such a stampede for everyone to prebook their seats, then they'd put the bookings onto the plane themselves, like they used to, and they'd only be a minimal problems - like there always was.

duchy

Actually my biggest beef isn't with parents not booking seats for their family together and then kicking off - but childless couples who do it ....who just can't bear to not sit together for a flight- Now that is seriously worrying !!