MSE News: 'Family tax': Dad's outrage as Ryanair tries to seat 3yo away from family

redux

steve1500 wrote: »

The CAA is a toothless qango. Just look at the flight delays board.

The Government should give them some teeth.

I've heard some criticisms of the CAA, but never before that they are ineffective; it's more common to hear that they sometimes overdo things.

Doc_N

Given the situation (and the fact that Ryanair knew exactly what was happening and had the power to resolve it) had there been an incident Ryanair would almost certainly have been found liable under a negligence claim.

Lewie

Pollycat wrote: »

As you say, in real terms it does leave you with a choice. Pay or don't pay.
It's an individual's choice whether to pay to sit next to a partner or risk it.
It's not a tax.

I agree, and never mentioned that it was a tax. People are still being backed into a corner whichever way it is looked at.

Pollycat

Tricia1 wrote: »

I disagree with this ridiculous 'family tax' policy also, because it even affects those who have pre-booked seats together. Myself and a friend were pre-booked to sit together on a flight to Greece, but once on the flight we were asked if we would sit separately (quite far apart) so that a family who hadn't pre-booked seats could sit together. We did not feel that we could refuse, and we didn't want to be the reason that a family was split up, but it was very annoying not to be able to sit with my friend on a 4 hour flight, and also because I was no longer in the seat by the emergency exit which I had booked because I have very long legs, so was uncomfortable for the entire flight.

Why didn't you ask cabin crew to find people who hadn't paid to book seats?
I don't think that is an unreasonable thing to do at all, especially as you had booked specifc seats for a very good reason.
I'm sure there would hve been lots of people on the flight who hadn't paid for seats together.

You wouldn't have been the reason that a family was split up - the adults in that family who'd decided not to pay to book seats together would have been the reason they were split up.

Did you ask for a refund of the extra you'd paid?

Lewie

Pollycat wrote: »

Note "compulsory".
As long as airlines give passengers the choice whether to pay to sit together, then it's not a tax.
if people have specific reasons to sit together then they pay the optional charge to do so or risk being separated.

On that basis, almost all taxes are optional.
You have the option not to work and subsequently not pay tax.
You don't have to drive and so don't have to pay road tax, fuel tax etc
The list goes on.
If you want to drive you must pay the tax, if you must sit next to your travelling companion you must pay the extra for the 'guarantee'.

Lewie

Pollycat wrote: »

Why didn't you ask cabin crew to find people who hadn't paid to book seats?

She shouldn't have to.
That should be the policy of all companies then perhaps there wouldn't be so many complaints.

Pollycat

Lewie wrote: »

I agree, and never mentioned that it was a tax. People are still being backed into a corner whichever way it is looked at.

It's MSE who insist on referring to it as a 'family tax'.
See the original post.

I fly short-haul 2 or 3 times a year with my OH.
We never pay to sit together, if we get split up, we'll live with it for the 2 -4 hours the flight lasts.
If we had a specific reason for needing to sit together e.g. nervous flyer we would pay to guarantee that (as far as it is possible to do so).
And I would hang on to those seats, regardless of how many families turned up wanting to sit together unless cabin crew instructed (as oppossed to requesting) me to move.

We fly long-haul (usually charter) twice a year.
We do pay extra to choose our seats.
That's us making a choice, not being backed into a corner.

We've never - in 30 years of flying - been separated by anything more than the aisle.

Pollycat

Lewie wrote: »

She shouldn't have to.
That should be the policy of all companies then perhaps there wouldn't be so many complaints.

But it's clearly not the policy of a lot of airlines so passengers who have paid to sit together or paid for specific seats should refuse requests to move.

Pollycat

Lewie wrote: »

On that basis, almost all taxes are optional.
You have the option not to work and subsequently not pay tax.
You don't have to drive and so don't have to pay road tax, fuel tax etc
The list goes on.
If you want to drive you must pay the tax, if you must sit next to your travelling companion you must pay the extra for the 'guarantee'.

Not a great analogy really.

Who must sit next to their travelling partner?

Lewie

Pollycat wrote: »

We fly long-haul (usually charter) twice a year.
We do pay extra to choose our seats.
That's us making a choice, not being backed into a corner.

We've never - in 30 years of flying - been separated by anything more than the aisle.

That's two people and usually very easy to get two seats together.
It is the families and groups that have the grief.
I suppose we could all stay in Britain and get wet :-)