Paying extra for seats together on plane?

CG77

Hi,

Just to add my two penneth as it's raw for me! We booked and paid for our seats with Thomas Cook (I hate hate hate flying and so wanted peace of mind that I'd be sitting with my hubby and our 4 yr old for the 4.5 hour journey and thought the £15 per person return wad worth it). When we went away 2 weeks ago we got our seats no problem. On our return flight this morning though, despite there being a queue of people behind us and at the next 2 check in desks for our flight, we were told we were the 'last passengers' to check in (!) and so would have to sit separately. I said that no, we had prebooked our seats. Eventually she conjured up some seats for us which were together but i had to be across the aisle from hubby, which wasn't ideal but better than the alternative.

I just don't understand offering the service then just giving the seats we've paid for to other people! We were there 2 hours before we were due to fly but would have arrived even earlier had wwes known to be sure we could be together. Just all very unsatisfactory really (and the fact we were delayed and had had no sleep doesn't help of course-maybe I'll feel better tomorrow-haha)

Thanks for the opportunity to rant!

CG. x

Zoetoes

Paying the extra doesn't guarantee you sitting together anyway, so what's the point?

stephb34

CG77 wrote: »

Hi,

Just to add my two penneth as it's raw for me! We booked and paid for our seats with Thomas Cook (I hate hate hate flying and so wanted peace of mind that I'd be sitting with my hubby and our 4 yr old for the 4.5 hour journey and thought the £15 per person return wad worth it). When we went away 2 weeks ago we got our seats no problem. On our return flight this morning though, despite there being a queue of people behind us and at the next 2 check in desks for our flight, we were told we were the 'last passengers' to check in (!) and so would have to sit separately. I said that no, we had prebooked our seats. Eventually she conjured up some seats for us which were together but i had to be across the aisle from hubby, which wasn't ideal but better than the alternative.

I just don't understand offering the service then just giving the seats we've paid for to other people! We were there 2 hours before we were due to fly but would have arrived even earlier had wwes known to be sure we could be together. Just all very unsatisfactory really (and the fact we were delayed and had had no sleep doesn't help of course-maybe I'll feel better tomorrow-haha)

Thanks for the opportunity to rant!

CG. x

Hi, i think some of the problem lies with the foreign check in staff at the other end, they just don't seem to give you the seats you have paid for. I know its not much consellation but do you have your boarding passes still with the seat numbers you were allocated and do you have the print off of the seats you actually picked if you do take a copy, keep the originals and write a letter of complaint telling them what you want ie your money refunding and anything else you think is appropriate and send it to the customer complaints department. If you booked through a travel agent get them to do this for you as they'll keep chasing it for a reply and send it recorded delivery. There were 7 of us on the return from Dom rep and we didnt get our seats, so wrote and complained we got £113 back that we had paid for picking the seat numbers and free your seat your choice next time we travel. The reason i say send copies is because i sent a letter of complaint with the originals (but id photocopied it) and they wrote back to me and said thanks for your letter but to proceed any fruther we need the boarding passes and a copy of what you have paid for otherwise if we cant have these no further action will be taken. I was extremely angry as how did they get my letter of complaint but lost my evidence, which with my cynical nature i thought they may have stuffed them in a drawer somewhere thinking i hadnt got a copy and saving them £113.

interstellaflyer

stephb34 wrote: »

Hi, i think some of the problem lies with the foreign check in staff at the other end, they just don't seem to give you the seats you have paid for. I know its not much consellation but do you have your boarding passes still with the seat numbers you were allocated and do you have the print off of the seats you actually picked if you do take a copy, keep the originals and write a letter of complaint telling them what you want ie your money refunding and anything else you think is appropriate and send it to the customer complaints department. If you booked through a travel agent get them to do this for you as they'll keep chasing it for a reply and send it recorded delivery. There were 7 of us on the return from Dom rep and we didnt get our seats, so wrote and complained we got £113 back that we had paid for picking the seat numbers and free your seat your choice next time we travel. The reason i say send copies is because i sent a letter of complaint with the originals (but id photocopied it) and they wrote back to me and said thanks for your letter but to proceed any fruther we need the boarding passes and a copy of what you have paid for otherwise if we cant have these no further action will be taken. I was extremely angry as how did they get my letter of complaint but lost my evidence, which with my cynical nature i thought they may have stuffed them in a drawer somewhere thinking i hadnt got a copy and saving them £113.

Strange this can happen, I was a little sceptecle about whether the home bound check in staff would honour this arrangement and Thomas Cook have assured me that they would as the seats would automaticly show as taken on the check in computer system, i will be very anouyed if I don't get the seats I've paid extra for.